(a) An incumbent local exchange company may not receive support from the universal service fund for a deregulated market that has a population of at least 30,000.
(b) An incumbent local exchange company may receive support from the universal service fund for a deregulated market that has a population of less than 30,000 only if the company demonstrates to the commission that the company needs the support to provide basic local telecommunications service at reasonable rates in the affected market. A company may use evidence from outside the affected market to make the demonstration.
(c) An incumbent local exchange company may make the demonstration described by Subsection (b) in relation to a market before submitting a petition to deregulate the market.
Official text of the Texas Utilities Code as published by the Texas Legislative Council.