The Pricing Policy Division (Division) of the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau has clarified that the definition of “rural CLEC” in section 61.26 of the FCC’s rules was not changed when the United States Census Bureau retired “urbanized areas” and adopted “urban areas” for the 2020 Census. The Division has clarified that a “rural CLEC” under section 61.26 of the FCC’s rules continues to be defined as a competitive local exchange carrier (LEC) that does not terminate or originate traffic to or from any end users located within an area of 50,000 people or more.
Competitive LECs are generally prohibited from charging tariffed interstate switched access rates above the benchmarked rates charged by the competing incumbent LEC. As an exception to this benchmark rule, “rural CLECs” may charge rates benchmarked to the rates for those services tariffed by the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.
