Consumer Communications Act of 1983

Consumer Communications Act of 1983 - Requires that in administering access charges (in relation to telephone usage): (1) the End User Common Line charge assessed for each single line residential subscriber shall be equal to 33 percent of such charge assessed for each single-line business subscriber; (2) one-tenth of the Basic Factor Portion of the Carrier Common Revenue Requirement shall be recovered through End User Common Line charges each year, increasing by one-tenth per year for each of the ten years beginning on January 1, 1984; and (3) Carrier Common Line revenue recovered shall be used to fund the Lifeline Service Fund and the High Cost Service Fund.

Directs the Federal Communications Commission to establish a system of charges comparable to the Carrier Common Line charges to be recovered from interexchange carriers or other persons who indirectly interconnect with the facilities of an exchange carrier. Requires amounts recovered to be allocated to the Lifeline Service Fund and the High Cost Service Fund.

Amends the Communications Act to require each State commission to establish rules for the provision of lifeline telephone service by exchange carriers. Prohibits any lifeline telephone service from including any charges based on time of day of any call placed, or the duration of distance of the call. Defines "lifeline telephone service" as telephone service made available to low-income residential subscribers for a single discounted charge under which a subscriber can make a limited number of calls within the exchange area. Makes eligible for lifeline telephone service any individual who is obtaining benefits under part A (Aid to Families With Dependent Children) of title IV of the Social Security Act or title XVI (Supplemental Security Income) of such Act, or the Food Stamp Act of 1977. Prohibits the lifeline telephone service rate from recovering less than 30 percent of an exchange carrier's average cost of providing telephone exchange service to residential subscribers.

Revises the purposes of the Communications Act of 1934 to state that, in addition to the present purposes, the Commission is created for the purpose of regulating interexchange commerce. States that the Act shall not be construed to give the Commission jurisdiction with respect to charges, classifications, practices, services, facilities, or regulations for or in connection with exchange communication service by wire or radio of any carrier.

Establishes the Lifeline Service Fund in order to assure the availability of affordable telephone service for all Americans, both rural and urban.

Directs the Commission to provide for a fund, the High Cost Service Fund, in order to assure the continued availability of universal telephone service, including service in high cost areas. Requires the collection and distribution of funds for such Fund to be in accordance with the final order of the Commission in the Common Carrier Docket numbered 78-72 and the final recommended decision of April 15, 1983, of the Joint Board in the Common Carrier Docket numbered 80-286.

Directs the Commission to: (1) initiate an inquiry for the investigation and evaluation of the impact of changes in the structure and regulation of the telecommunications industry or the continued universal availability of telephone service at reasonable charges; and (2) report its findings to Congress and the State commissions.

Authorizes the Commission to provide financial assistance for the direct costs of participation by any person in any communications proceeding if: (1) the person applying for assistance represents an interest which would not otherwise be represented adequately in the proceeding and which needs to be represented for a fair disposition of the proceeding; and (2) the person applying for assistance does not have sufficient resources available to participate effectively in the absence of assistance.

Authorizes a State commission to require any exchange common carrier to lease and maintain on request a single basic one-line telephone instrument to any subscriber within the State on the basis of a tariff that includes all costs of providing and maintaining the instrument.

Prohibits a carrier or exchange carrier from using revenues from regulated communications services to defray any costs associated with its entry into or engaging in unregulated commercial activities. Prohibits the Commission or any State commission from considering the revenues or profits derived from the offering of any unregulated products or services by any carrier or exchange carrier in determining the revenue requirements of any common carrier service of such carrier.