As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1.    “Administrator” means the individual employed by the chief information officer of the state to oversee administration of the program.

2.    “Commission” means the public service commission.

3.    “Communications impaired” means the condition of an individual who is deaf, hearing impaired, speech impaired, or mobility impaired so as to be unable to use a telephone readily purchased from a retail store.

4.    “Department” means the information technology department.

5.    “Disadvantaged” means residing in a household that has a median income not more than the applicable median income in this state, except the term includes residing in a household that has a median income not more than one hundred fifty percent of the applicable median income in this state if the resident is deaf.

6. “Local exchange company” means a telecommunications company that provides telephone access lines to members of the general public who are its customers.

7.    “Program” means the program established under section 54-44.8-03.

8.    “Radio communications access” means the radio access between a customer of a radio communications service provider and the provider.

9.    “Radio communications service provider” means a telecommunications company that provides radio communication service or cellular service to members of the general public who are its customers.

10.    “Specialized telecommunications equipment” means a dedicated telecommunications device that, when connected to a telephone, enables or assists a person who is communications impaired to communicate with another person utilizing the telephone network. The term may include telecommunications devices for the deaf, amplifiers, and signaling devices. Specialized telecommunications equipment provided under this chapter to an individual may not exceed two thousand dollars in total cost per device.

11.    “Telecommunications relay service” means a statewide service through which a communications-impaired individual, using specialized telecommunications equipment, may send and receive messages to and from a noncommunications-impaired individual whose telephone is not equipped with specialized telecommunications equipment and through which a noncommunications-impaired individual, by using voice communication, may send and receive messages to and from a communications-impaired individual.

12.    “Telephone access line” means the facilities between a serving central office and the customer of a local exchange company which are required to provide access to the local and toll network.