§758.50. Contributions

a)         Customers wishing to participate in the funding of the Program may do so by electing to contribute, on a monthly basis, a fixed amount to be included by the telecommunications carrier on the customer's monthly bill. This contribution shall not reduce the customer's total amount due for telecommunications services or other charges appearing on the bill.

 

b)         This contribution will be a line item on the bill and identified as the "Digital Divide Fund.

 

c)         Customers may elect to contribute $.50, $1, $2, $5, $10, $15, or $25 per month per line.

 

d)         Contributions shall be collected on a recurring basis each month from the customer's bill and remittance shall be reported and transferred to the Department or its designee as required by Section 758.60.

 

e)         Customers may elect to discontinue or change the amount of the monthly contribution on their bill at any time upon providing at least 30 days notice by telephone, mail, or e-mail, if available, to the telecommunications carrier.

 

f)         Contributions other than those provided for in subsection (c) of this Section above shall be made directly to the Department or its designee.

 

g)         By September 30, 2002, telecommunications carriers shall provide customers the ability and the opportunity to make the elections referred to in subsections (c) and (f) of this Section on the bill inserts required by Section 758.40.

 

h)         Failure by the customer in any month to remit the entire billed amount may reduce the contribution accordingly.

 

i)          There are no other funding requirements on any party or individual for the Program beyond those in this Section.