Section 160.125. Funding to promote access to telecommunications services.

 

(1)   Telephone access service for the homeless.

(a) The commission may compensate any voice mail provider for providing, on request, to a social services agency, a job service agency or a homeless shelter authority, voice-mail service without charge to be used by that agency or authority for the benefit of its homeless clients or residents.

(b) A voice-mail provider that is providing voice-mail boxes to a qualifying agency or authority at no charge may request and receive reimbursement only for its incremental usage and administrative costs of providing this service using available capacity. As an alternative, a provider may request and receive reimbursement from the fund at a standard rate set by the commission to cover expected incremental costs of providing this service using available capacity.

(c) A qualifying agency or authority administering or providing voice-mail service to homeless clients may request reimbursement for its costs directly attributable to administering and providing the voice-mail boxes for the benefit of its homeless clients.

(d) To evaluate the effectiveness of this program, the commission may monitor and obtain information on the offering of this service from the participating voice mail providers, social services agencies, job service agencies and homeless shelter authorities.

(e) A social services agency, job service agency, or homeless shelter authority participating in this program shall maintain a list of all individuals receiving voice mail under this section.

(2)   Access programs or projects by non-profit groups.

(a) The commission may grant partial funding to non-profit groups for the facilitation of affordable access to telecommunications services through programs or projects, or both, not supported elsewhere in this chapter, but that are consistent with the purposes identified in s. 196.218 (5) (a) 1. , Stats.

(b) Any non-profit group may apply for universal service funding to fund any portion of a program or project or both. Funding shall be granted on a state fiscal year basis, but funding for more than one fiscal year may be approved at one time. The commission shall issue a list of approved programs or projects, or both, when grants are awarded. All applications become public documents upon filing.

(c) Applications shall include:

1. A statement that the applicant is a non-profit group, as defined in s. PSC 160.02 (23) .

1m. A description of a public need which is not being met at present.

2. A description of how the program or project is consistent with the purpose identified in s. 196.218 (5) (a) 1. , Stats.

3. A description of the program or project proposed, including a description of how the public need described in subd. 1m. may be met through affordable access to telecommunications.

4. A showing that the proposed program or project meets the described public need in a least cost manner. This requirement can be met by showing that the applicant carried out an appropriate request for proposals.

5. Identification of the providers of each portion of the telecommunications services or equipment and a specific description of the components of the program or project including all of the following:

a. The costs of telecommunications services and telecommunications equipment used by the program or project.

b. The cost of training for those who are served by the program or project so that they can use the services.

c. The administrative costs directly attributable to the program or project.

d. The cost of technical expertise required to complete the program or project.

e. Revenue from services or training described in subd. 5. b.

(d) The commission shall evaluate all complete and timely applications submitted. In evaluating the applications the commission shall consider information including all of the following:

1. The basis of the public need to be met.

2. The extent to which other programs or projects, either funded under this section or otherwise under this chapter, meet that need.

3. The overall cost of the proposed program or project.

(e) The universal service fund shall reimburse applicants for up to 75% of the cost of reimbursable portions of the program or project, or both. The reimbursable costs include those listed in par. (c) 5. a. to d. The applicant may include in-kind goods or services, or both, as resources to be used for the remainder of the costs of the program or project, or both.

(f) The commission shall determine the programs or projects, or both, to be funded and the amount of reimbursement for each program or project. The commission may grant a maximum of $500,000 in funding under this subsection per state fiscal year, or $1,000,000 per state biennium.

Cr. Register, April, 1996, No. 484 , eff. 5-1-96; renum. from 160.063 (title), (1), (2), (3) and (4) to be 160.125 (1) (title), renum. (1) to (4) to be (1) (a), (b), (d) and (e), cr. (1) (c) and (2), Register, April, 2000, No. 532 , eff. 5-1-00; corrections in (2) (a), (c) 2. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7. , Stats., Register February 2013 No. 686 ; CR 13-068 : am. (1) (title), (a), (b), (e), (2) (a), (b), renum. (2) (c) 1. to (2) (c) 1m. and am., cr. (2) (c) 1., am. (2) (c) 2., 3., 5. (intro.), a. to d., (d) (intro.), 1., 2., (e), (f) Register January 2016 No. 721 , eff. 2-1-16; correction under s. 35.17 , Stats., in (2) (c) 1. Register January 2016 No. 721 .

Note

As of April 2015, s. 196.218 (5) (a) 1. , Stats., reads in pertinent part: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 (5) Uses of the fund. (a) The commission shall require that moneys in the universal service fund be used only for any of the following purposes: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 1. To assist customers located in areas of this state that have relatively high costs of telecommunications services, low-income customers and disabled customers in obtaining affordable access to a basic set of essential telecommunications services. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1