Universal Service Act of 1983 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission to assure that: (1) competition and deregulation of telecommunications services do not result in unreasonable increases in charges for basic telephone service; and (2) rates for basic service do not exceed 110 percent of the national average for comparable service.
Authorizes the Commission to determine what basic telecommunications services, in addition to basic telephone service, should be universally available at reasonable charges, terms, and conditions, whether or not competitively provided. Permits any person to petition the Commission for a hearing to classify a service as such a basic telecommunications service. Directs the Commission to: (1) grant such petition upon a showing that the service promotes the general welfare or the safety of property; and (2) hold a hearing to determine whether such service should be universally available at reasonable charges, terms, and conditions and whether such service must be regulated to ensure such availability. Makes it the burden of any party advocating regulation to demonstrate convincingly that regulation is necessary.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
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