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Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Use this USAC Glossary to find commonly-used terms and definitions. Click the ‘Terms’ column heading to sort the table alphabetically or use the search bar to filter results.

Download the full USAC Glossary of Terms or select a program-specific glossary below:

E-Rate Glossary of Terms

Rural Health Care Glossary of Terms

Lifeline Glossary of Terms

High Cost Glossary of Terms

Service Providers/USF Contributor Glossary of Terms

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Terms
Program
 Definitions
Service Start Date E-Rate, Rural Health Care

The date that services will commence for an FRN. USAC may adjust this date if it identifies a program violation or a missed deadline.
Service Substitution E-Rate, Rural Health Care

A change in the equipment or services originally requested for an FRN. For additional detail on service substitutions in E-Rate, visit the program’s Service Substitutions page.
SPAC – FCC Form 473 E-Rate

See FCC Form 473.
SPI – FCC Form 474 E-Rate

See FCC Form 474.
Standard Improper Payment Rural Health Care

Any improper payment in the RHC program identified through a BCAP or OIG audit or PQA review.
State and Federal Partners Lifeline

State and federal government agencies who partner with Lifeline to increase program awareness, build and maintain database connections to qualify consumers for the Lifeline program, and support consumers in completing program processes.
State Master Contract (SMC) E-Rate

A contract that is competitively bid and that a state government implements which can be used by eligible entities within the state to procure equipment or services, or both. Visit the E-Rate program’s State Master Contracts page for additional detail about considering an SMC as a bid for service.
State Replacement Contract E-Rate

A state master contract, filed pursuant to a state-filed FCC Form 470, which can replace an existing state master contract that expires before the end of the upcoming funding year.
Study Area Average Cost Per Loop (SACPL) High Cost

A cost metric, determined monthly by NECA, that is used to calculate High Cost support.
Study Area Code (SAC) E-Rate, Lifeline, High Cost, Service Providers

A unique number that USAC assigns to ETCs identifying the company by its service area. Companies must have at least one SAC per state in which they operate, but can have more than one SAC within a state if they have more than one service area.
Subscriber Line Charge (SLC) High Cost

The amount carriers charge customers for telecommunications service.
Telecommunications E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, High Cost, Service Providers

The transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of information of the user’s choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received.
Telecommunications Carrier E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, High Cost, Service Providers

See Common Carrier.
Telecommunications Plant in Service (TPIS) High Cost

The cost of the property, plant, and equipment in a carrier’s operation.
Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Service Providers

A type of telephone service that allows persons with hearing or speech disabilities to place and receive telephone calls. Information collected on the FCC Form 499-A is also used to calculate contributions to the Telecommunications Relay Service administrator.
Tribal Library E‑Rate Advocacy Program (T‑LEAP) E-Rate, Tribal Nations

A program to support Tribal E-Rate applicants in the E-Rate application process. T-LEAP matches participating public Tribal libraries and Tribal College and University libraries with their own Tribal Library Advocate (TLA) who provides one-on-one assistance in preparing E-Rate applications, applying to the program, invoicing, and performing other post-commitment processes. For more information about T-LEAP and to register, visit USAC’s T-LEAP page.
Tribal Partners Lifeline, Tribal Nations

Tribal governments, government agencies, advocates, and nonprofits serving Tribal communities who partner with Lifeline to generate awareness about the Lifeline program and support consumers with applying for and managing the Lifeline benefit.
Universal Service E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, High Cost, Service Providers

The principle that all people in the United States should have access to telecommunications (voice and internet) services at reasonable rates. The USF, and later USAC, were established by the FCC to achieve this objective.
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, High Cost, Service Providers

The independent not-for-profit organization designated by the FCC as the neutral, third-party administrator of the USF and its four programs. Collectively, the fund disbursed more than $8.5 billion in universal service support in 2024.
Universal Service Fund (USF) E-Rate, Rural Health Care, Lifeline, High Cost, Service Providers

Money collected from telecommunications companies and allocated to the objective of achieving universal service, per the 1996 Telecommunications Act. All interstate and international voice carriers operating in the U.S. must make contributions to the USF equal to a percentage of their interstate end-user revenues. The FCC updates this percentage, known as the contribution factor, quarterly. USAC’s role is to collect and disburse the USF.
Upfront Payments Rural Health Care

All non-recurring costs, other than reasonable and customary installation charges, that exceed $5,000. Upfront payments are only eligible for consortium applicants in HCF. (See 47 CFR§ 54.638 Upfront payments).
Urban Rate Rural Health Care

The urban rate shall be a rate no higher than the highest tariffed or publicly available rate charged to a commercial customer for a functionally similar service provided within any city with a population of 50,0000 or more in that state. For an overview of the urban and rural rate-calculation process for FY2026, use RHC’s Urban and Rural Rates Tip Sheet.
Urban/Rural Status E-Rate

A designation for E-Rate program applicants based on U.S. Census data. Entities in areas defined as rural by the FCC are entitled to additional E-Rate program funding in certain circumstances. Visit the E-Rate program’s Urban/Rural Status page for additional details.
Vendor Selection Date Rural Health Care

The date on which an agreement is awarded to a service provider, or the service provider is selected by the RHC applicant. RHC program rules state that an applicant must wait a minimum of 28 days after posting the FCC Forms 461 or 465 on USAC’s website before selecting a service provider.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) High Cost, Service Providers

A technology that digitizes analog voice signals and transmits them over the internet. VoIP calls may be placed between VoIP users or sent over the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to dial conventional phone numbers.
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