Universal Telephone Service Act of 1983

Summary

Universal Telephone Service Act of 1983 - Invalidates a specified decision of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relating to exchange access charges. Directs the FCC to reinstate the applicable rules and procedures in effect immediately before the effective date of such decision. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the FCC to establish a system of charges to compensate exchange common carriers for exchange access. Declares that the purpose of such charges shall be to preserve basic universal telephone service. Requires that a universal telephone service fund be established to compensate carriers for the costs of basic telephone service which exceed 110 percent of the national average of such costs. Requires uniform surcharges to be collected on the exchange access charges from all interexchange (long-distance) carriers and other interstate interexchange customers interconnecting with exchange (local) carriers directly or indirectly. Directs the FCC to ensure that the imposition of access charges and surcharges do not competitively disadvantage exchange carriers or those persons who interconnect with exchange carriers. Directs the FCC to impose a charge upon persons who transmit telecommunications but do not interconnect with exchange carriers. Requires carriers providing terminal equipment on the date of enactment of this legislation to continue to provide such equipment to customers under tariffs enforced as of such date until the equipment is fully depreciated. Permits customers to purchase such equipment for a price fixed by a State commission.

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Timeline

1. 14 July 1983

   Introduced

   Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 14 July 1983

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 14 July 1983

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 19 July 1983

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection and Finance.

   Source: Committee

5. 18 October 1983

   Committee

   See H.R.4102.

   Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 14 July 1983

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Gore, Albert, Jr. [D-TN] · D · Sponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing

Related records

• related to ← Universal Telephone Service Act of 1983
• related to ← Universal Telephone Service Preservation Act of 1983