§ 23-17-306 - Allocation of fund.
23-17-306. Allocation of fund.
(a) The Arkansas Public Service Commission shall allocate the Universal Telephone Service Fund among all local exchange carriers operating in Arkansas in such a manner as to moderate the disruptive effects of changes in methods of pricing of telephone services and to hold prices of local exchange telephone service to levels which will ensure, insofar as it is feasible to do so, that a maximum number of subscribers may maintain affordable local telephone service.
(b) The allocation shall be made after a hearing at which all local exchange carriers and other interested parties may be heard and may be modified or adjusted by the commission, after hearing, at any time circumstances indicate a need for such modification.
(c) The commission by rule or regulation may establish standard guidelines for allocation methodology.
(d) The entire fund, after reasonable costs of administration are applied, shall be allocated among the local exchange carriers.