Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 38, September 21, 2024
(a)
General.
(1) The
Pennsylvania Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS), the Telecommunications
Devices for the Deaf Program and the Print Media Access System Program are
codified in the Universal Telecommunications and Print Media Access Act (35 P.
S. §
§ 6701.1-6701.4). The Relay Service Fund (Fund) covers eligible
intrastate costs associated with the operation of the three programs. The costs
are recovered from residential and business wireline access line end-users by a
monthly surcharge on local service telephone bills.
(2) To permit the Commission to effectively
monitor and evaluate the revenue and cost data associated with the Fund, each
local exchange carrier (LEC) shall file an annual tracking report delineating
monthly revenues collected and remittances for late payments for the preceding
12-month year and an annual access line summary report detailing its access
line count as of December 31 of the preceding year. The tracking data are used
for periodic audits of the Fund. The access line counts are used to calculate
the next year's TRS surcharge.
(b)
Timely remittance of
revenues.
(1) LECs shall remit the
TRS surcharge revenues to the Fund administrator by the 20th of each month for
revenues collected during the prior month.
(2) Delays or inaccuracies in remitting
revenues to the Fund result in lost earnings by the Fund. An LEC that is late
in remitting surcharge revenues shall remit an additional contribution to the
Fund to make up for lost Fund earnings. The additional contribution shall be
based upon the published prime rate in effect at the time of the missed due
date and shall cover the period beginning at the date of the occurrence of the
failure to remit and continue until the surcharge revenues are properly
remitted to the Fund.
(c)
Filing of TRS reports.
(1)
Annual tracking report. An LEC shall submit its annual
tracking report to the Secretary's Bureau by March 31 of each year, in the
format and detail specified on the Commission's web site (
www.puc.state.pa.us).
(2)
Annual access line summary
report. An LEC shall submit its annual access line summary report to
the Secretary's Bureau by March 1 of each year, in the format and detail
specified on the Commission's web site.
(d)
Failure to remit TRS revenues or
to file TRS reports. An LEC that fails to timely and accurately submit
a tracking report or an access line summary report or that fails to timely and
accurately submit TRS surcharge revenues may need to reimburse the Fund under
subsection (b). The Commission will utilize all available remedies to ensure
reporting and remittance compliance including fines and the revocation of
Certificates of Public Convenience.
The provisions of this §63.37 adopted under the
Universal Telecommunications and Print Media Access Act (35 P.S. §
§
6701.1-6701.4).
