Section 6-81-54 - Carrier of last resort - general(a) The commission shall designate a single telecommunications carrier as the carrier of last resort for a high cost area. Such carrier is the ultimate carrier responsible for ensuring that all persons in the high cost area are provided with basic service. It shall provide such service either using its own facilities or a combination of its own facilities and resale of another carrier's service, including the service offered by another telecommunications carrier authorized to provide basic service in the high cost area. The carrier of last resort is also the only carrier eligible for subsidies or disbursements from the State universal service fund for the provision of basic service in the high cost area.(b) Nothing in subsection (a) precludes any other telecommunications carrier, designated by the commission pursuant to 47 U.S.C. §214 and § 6 - 81 - 9, from providing basic service in the high cost area through the support mechanisms of the federal universal service fund.(c) The carrier of last resort is subject to the applicable requirements of chapter 6-80, including the provisions on access, interconnection, resale, unbundling, and network termination and the provisions on access to poles, ducts, conduits, and rights of way, unless otherwise provided in this chapter or ordered by the commission.(d) The commission, from time to time, shall: (1) Review the carrier of last resort's provision of basic service to the designated high cost area; and(2) Review and determine the continuing necessity for designating the area as a high cost area and for designating a carrier of last resort.[Eff ] (Auth: HRS §§ 269-6, 269-35, 269-38, 269-41 to 43) (Imp: HRS §§ 269-35, 269-38, 269-41 to 43, 47 U.S.C. §§214, 254 )