(a) The application shall include:
(1) The contents specified in § 63.505 of this part;
(2) A statement identifying the application as involving a technology transition, as defined in § 63.60(i);
(3) Information regarding the price of the service for which discontinuance authority is sought and the price of the proposed replacement service; and
(4) A certification, executed by an officer or other authorized representative of the applicant and meeting the requirements of § 1.16 of this chapter, that the information required by this section is true and accurate.
(b) In order to be eligible for automatic grant under § 63.71(f) of this part, an applicant must demonstrate that a service(s) identified pursuant to § 63.505(k)(2) of this part is an adequate replacement for the voice service identified pursuant to § 63.505(k)(1) of this part by either certifying or showing, based on the totality of the circumstances, that one or more replacement service(s) satisfies all of the following criteria:
(1) Offers substantially similar levels of network infrastructure and service quality as the service being discontinued;
For purposes of this section, “substantially similar” means that the network operates at a sufficient level such that it will allow the network platform to ensure adequate service quality for interactive and highly-interactive applications or services, in particular voice service quality, and support applications and functionalities that run on those services.
(2)
(i) Complies with regulations regarding the availability and functionality of 911 service for consumers and public safety answering points (PSAPs), specifically §§ 1.7001 through .7002, 9.5, 12.4, 12.5, 20.18, 20.3, 64.3001 of this chapter;
(ii) Offers comparably effective protection from network security risks as the service being discontinued; and
(iii) Complies with regulations governing accessibility, usability, and compatibility requirements for:
(A) Telecommunications services and functionalities;
(B) Voicemail and interactive menu functionalities; and
(3) Offers interoperability with key applications and functionalities.
[81 FR 62656, Sept. 12, 2016, as amended at 85 FR 84266, Dec. 28, 2020]