National Telecommunications Infrastructure Act of 1991

National Telecommunications Infrastructure Act of 1991 - Establishes in the U.S. Treasury a trust fund to be known as the Advance Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund to provide grants for the improvement of the nation's telecommunications networks and the deployment of advanced telecommunications technologies.

Specifies that: (1) the head of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration shall be a trustee of the Fund; and (2) funds received from fees collected pursuant to this Act may, to the extent permitted by appropriation Acts, be used by the head to reimburse persons whose use of a frequency is terminated under the Emerging Telecommunications Technologies Act of 1991.

Authorizes to be appropriated to the Fund for any fiscal year an amount not to exceed the amount of fees collected pursuant to this Act during such fiscal year, minus any funds allocated to reimburse displaced spectrum users.

Specifies grant requirements for an advanced technology deployment project, such as that the project: (1) will result in the installation and operation of a fiber optics or other advanced technology for the provision of telecommunications services; (2) has been designed to promote the universal service objectives of the Communications Act of 1934; (3) is subject to the requirements imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) or a State commission related to the provision of equal access; and (4) will result in the interconnection of such technology with the public switched telecommunications network.

Directs the head to establish: (1) an advisory panel on the awarding of grants; and (2) procedures for the submission, review, and selection of grant applications.

Amends the Communications Act to require the FCC, where there are mutually exclusive applications, to use competitive bidding for awarding all initial licenses or new construction permits, including licenses and permits for spectra reallocated for non-Government use.

Directs the FCC: (1) to require potential bidders to file a first-stage application indicating an intent to participate in the competitive bidding process; (2) to require the winning bidder to submit a second-stage application; and (3) upon determining that such application is acceptable for filing and that the applicant is qualified, to grant a permit or license.

Specifies that: (1) each participant in the competitive bidding process is subject to the schedule of charges contained in the Communications Act; and (2) the FCC shall have the authority in awarding construction permits or licenses under competitive bidding procedures to define the geographic and frequency limiations and technical requirements, if any, of such permits or licenses, to establish minimum acceptable competitive bids, and to establish other appropriate conditions on such permits and licenses that will serve the public interest.

Directs the FCC to adopt rules establishing competitive bidding procedures, taking into account diversity of ownership, the needs of small businesses, and incentives for minority ownership. Excludes specified categories from competitive bidding, such as license renewals, frequencies specifically reserved for Federal, State, or local government entities, amateur operator services, maritime, land transportation, and aeronautical private radio services, and any other service, class of services, or assignment that the FCC determines (after conducting public comment and notice proceedings) should be exempt because of the public interest.

Requires that moneys received from competitive bidding be deposited in the Fund.

Makes a provision authorizing the FCC to grant an initial license or construction permit involving any use of the electromagnetic spectrum to a qualified applicant through the use of a system of random selection inapplicable where competitive bidding procedures are required.

Authorizes the FCC, in making spectrum allocation decisions among services that are subject to competitive bidding, to consider the relative economic values and other public interest benefits of the proposed uses as reflected in the potential revenues that would be collected under its competitive bidding procedures.

Requires the FCC to: (1) convene a joint panel composed of representatives of the Federal Government, State government, and private industry and commerce to advise the FCC with respect to communications infrastructure planning; and (2) prescribe regulations establishing procedures for local exchange carriers (carriers) to ensure coordinated network planning, the development of standards for the telephone exchange service networks of carriers by appropriate standard-setting bodies, and the provision by carriers serving the same area of timely information to other such carriers on the deployment of communications equipment that will affect changes in interconnectabiity or interoperability among communications networks.

Bars carriers from being required to share information with carriers with whom they directly compete except as may be necessary to meet interconnection and interoperability requirements. Specifies that a carrier which is the recipient of information pursuant to this Act shall use it only for its own exchange network and service planning and shall not disclose it to any person other than a carrier in the same area of interest.

Directs: (1) the FCC to convene a joint board to establish nationwide uniform depreciation rates and schedules for investments in plant and equipment used for an advanced broadband telecommunications network which reflect the real economic life of plant and equipment and which foster investment in, and the development of, an advanced broadband public telecommunications network; and (2) the joint board to issue its recommended decision, and the FCC to approve, disapprove, or modify such decision, within a specified time frame. Specifies that such rates and schedules shall be used by all Federal and State regulatory communications agencies in determining rates and charges.

Directs the joint board, in prescribing minimum standards, to consider specified factors, including the need to substantially reduce the number of years over which facilities in operation on the enactment date of this Act may be fully depreciated and the need to encourage the deployment of modern broadband technology.

Authorizes the FCC to prescribe alternative depreciation regulations to be applied in the case of any State that does not comply with the minimum standards prescribed under this Act. Specifies that such regulations shall require the FCC to determine that a common carrier will comply with a requirement conditioning the use of expedited depreciation schedules on the assumption by the common carrier of legally enforceable commitments to make reasonable and necessary investments in the expansion and modernization of its telecommunications facilities before the carrier is permitted to use the prescribed depreciation regulations.

Requires the joint board, prior to making a recommendation to the FCC, to put the tentative agreement out for comment from State commissions, carriers, and other parties.

Specifies that nothing in this Act shall prevent States from prescribing more rapid recovery of capital expenditures.