Provision of universal service § 69. Definition and objective of universal service A universal service is a set of services which conforms to the technical and quality requirements established by the European Union law, which is of specified quality and available to all end-users requesting it to the extent provided for in this Chapter, regardless of the location of the end-user, uniformly and at an affordable price. The following are universal services: 1) connection to a communications network in a fixed location enabling telephone services; 2) public pay-phone service or other publicly accessible communications service enabling calls; 3) the availability of a universal electronic public number directory and directory enquiry services. [RT I, 23.03.2011, 1 – entry into force 25.05.2011] § 70. Connection to communications network at fixed location The connection to a communications network specified in clause 1 of § 69 of this Act must enable: 1) the making and receiving of calls; 2) the sending or receiving of faxes; 3) the use of data communication services at data rates sufficient to permit functional Internet access, taking into account the hardware and software used by most of the end-users. [RT I, 23.03.2011, 1 – entry into force 25.05.2011] § 71. Public pay-phone service or other publicly accessible communications service (1) Public pay-phone service or other publicly accessible communications service enabling calls means a possibility to make and receive calls using public terminal equipment. (2) Public pay-phone service or other publicly accessible communications service enabling calls must ensure that it is possible to make free calls to the emergency number 112 without using any means of payment. [RT I, 15.12.2021, 1 – entry into force 01.02.2022] § 72. Universal service obligation (1) The universal service obligation means provision of the services specified in clauses 1–3 of § 69 of this Act to the end-users pursuant to the procedure provided for in this Act. The conditions for the provision of a universal service shall be set out in a universal service contract between the state and an undertaking. (2) A universal service contract regarding services provided for in clauses 1 and 2 of § 69 of this Act may be entered into only with a communications undertaking. (3) The universal service obligation shall be based on a universal service contract entered into between a communications undertaking and the state represented by the minister in charge of the policy sector or, on the authorisation of the minister in charge of the policy sector, by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority. [RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008] (4) A universal service contract shall, among other things, set out the following: 1) the obligation to provide a service provided for in clauses 1–3 of § 69 of this Act to the end-users requesting it within the territory specified in the contract; 2) a term during which a communications undertaking with the universal service obligation is required to enter into a subscription contract which complies with the requirements provided in §§ 951and 96 of this Act for the provision of a service provided in clause 1 of § 69 of this Act with the end-users; [RT I, 15.12.2021, 1 – entry into force 01.02.2022] 3) an affordable charge payable for the provision of the universal service by the end-users for the establishment and preservation of a connection with the communications network pursuant to § 74 of this Act and for the services provided for in clauses 2 and 3 of § 69 of this Act; [RT I, 23.03.2011, 1 – entry into force 25.05.2011] 4) the maximum charge payable for providing the universal service; 5) the term of validity of the contract; 6) the provisions concerning the termination and amendment of the contract; 7) sanctions for violation of the contract. § 73. Designation of undertaking with universal service obligation (1) The provider of the services provided in clauses 1–3 of § 69 of this Act is designated by way of a public competition the conditions of which are established by the minister in charge of the policy sector. If the presumed charge payable for the provision of the universal services based on the contract for the provision of universal services is higher than the amount specified in subsection 2 of § 14 of the Public Procurement Act, a public procurement is organised pursuant to the procedure provided in the Public Procurement Act. [RT I, 15.12.2021, 1 – entry into force 01.02.2022] Page 44 / 89 Electronic Communications Act