Code of Federal Regulations Title 47. Telecommunication § 47.54.1509 Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund—Stage 2 for mobile service

(a) Term of support. Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund or the Connect USVI Fund Stage 2 mobile support shall be provided to eligible mobile carriers that elect to make a commitment to its eligible service area for a three-year term to begin on a date determined by the Wireline Competition Bureau.

(b) Election of support. Eligible mobile carriers as provided in § 54.1510 shall have a one-time option to elect to participate in Stage 2 of the mobile Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the mobile Connect USVI Fund for the eligible service area. An eligible mobile carrier may elect to receive all or a subset of the Stage 2 support for which it is eligible. FCC will publish the order adopting Stage 2 of the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund and the Connect USVI Fund in the Federal Register. To participate, an eligible provider must submit an election to participate within 30 days following that publication. Each provider must provide to the Commission through the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System as well as by emailing a copy to ConnectAmerica@fcc.gov either a renewal of its Stage 1 certification specifying the number of subscribers (voice or broadband internet access service) it served in the territory as of June 30, 2017;  or a new certification specifying the number of subscribers (voice or broadband internet access service) it served in the territory as of June 30, 2017, along with accompanying evidence. Each provider will make two simultaneous elections. First, each provider may elect to receive Stage 2 support for which it is eligible to restore, harden, and expand networks capable of providing 4G LTE or better services. Second, each provider may elect to receive Stage 2 support for which it is eligible to deploy networks capable of providing 5G service.

(c) Support amounts. A carrier exercising the election of support specified in paragraph (b) of this section shall receive a pro rata share of the available mobile support based on the number of subscribers reported in its June 2017 FCC Form 477. Each carrier may receive up to 75% of its eligible pro rata support amount to restore, harden, and expand networks capable of provider 4G LTE or better services meeting the minimum service requirements provided in § 54.1514(b). Each carrier may also elect to receive up to 25% of its eligible pro rata support amount to deploy networks capable of providing 5G service.

(d) Support payments. Each eligible mobile provider that elects to participate in Stage 2 of the Uniendo a Puerto Rico Fund or the USVI Connect Fund will receive monthly installments of its pro rata share of mobile support amortized over the three-year support period provided in paragraph (a) of this section. Each recipient's pro rata share will be adjusted according to its election to receive or decline support for 4G LTE or 5G deployment. A mobile provider that fails to meet its commitment to use its eligible support for 4G LTE or 5G deployment shall return an amount equal the unused amount of Stage 2 support to the Administrator within 30 days following the end of the three-year support period.

(e) Phase-down of legacy support. An eligible mobile carrier may elect or decline to participate in Stage 2 of the mobile Uniendo a Puerto Rico and/or the mobile Connect USVI Fund. Beginning on a date to be determined by the Bureau and announced by public notice, an eligible mobile carrier that declines to participate in Stage 2 will receive one-half of its prior frozen fixed support amortized for a 12–month period and zero fixed support thereafter.