61 Universal service scheme 48.—(1) The Authority shall, after consulting the Minister, shall devise an economically reasonable and technically feasible universal service scheme having the ultimate objective of enabling all people in Fiji, wherever they reside or carry on business, reasonable access on an equitable and affordable basis to services including— (a) basic dial tone telephone services using either fixed or mobile or any other technology; (c) the Internet; and (6) public call offices and shared phones; (d) such other services as the Minister may, on the recommendation of the Authority, specify. (2) Insetting the universal service goals and the implementation strategies, the Minister and the Authority must ensure that any burden on any provider of universal service, persons who are required to contribute to the universal service levy or consumers of specified services are to be fair and reasonable. 49.—(1} Minister to declare universal service areas The Minister may, after consulting the licensees, the Minister responsible for provincial development and the members of the public in the subject area, declare any area, by order in the Gazette, that is eligible for the application of universal service obligations and benefits. (2) The areas declared under subsection (1) must meet the following criteria— (a) the level of current service is non-existent or considerably poorer than that in the more advanced areas (6) of the country; or the cost of providing services in the declared areas preverits the provision of the services identified pursuant to section 48 on a reasonable commercial basis. 50.—(1) (a) Universal service obligations Alicensee may become subject to a universal service obligation if— the licensee assumes a universal service obligation pursuant to a tender for universal service funding under this section; or (b) the licensee has a substantial degree of power in a market for access to telecommunications services and the Authority determines that it shall bear a reasonable universal service obligation. (2) Alicensee shall not be penalised for failing to meet a universal service obligation for reasons of natural or man-made disaster beyond the control of the licensee. (3) The Authority shall, in every 3 years, review existing universal service obligations and determine whether each obligation is required to maintain the universal service objectives, and the first such review shall be undertaken 3 years after the commencement of this Promulgation. (4) For the purposes of providing funding of universal service obligations from the Fund, call for tenders and the tender must include— (a) description of the universal service area to be served; (b) description of service required including time limits; (c) (d) (e) () (g) the maximum available funds for the project; disbursement of funds; information about licensing requirements for applicants requiring a licence under this Promulgation; the universal service obligations to be undertaken, and any other matters that may be prescribed. 31.—(1) benefits— (a) (b) the Authority shall Universal service benefits Alicensee subject to a universal service obligation is entitled to one or more of the universal service funding from the Fund; charging of higher interconnection rates for terminating services in the eligible geographic area to reflect identified costs that are not otherwise recoverable;