
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC924]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
         CHAPTER 31--RURAL ELECTRIFICATION AND TELEPHONE SERVICE
 
                 SUBCHAPTER II--RURAL TELEPHONE SERVICE
 
Sec. 924. Definition of telephone service and rural area

    (a) As used in this subchapter, the term ``telephone service'' shall 
be deemed to mean any communication service for the transmission or 
reception of voice, data, sounds, signals, pictures, writing, or signs 
of all kinds by wire, fiber, radio, light, or other visual or 
electromagnetic means, and shall include all telephone lines, 
facilities, or systems used in the rendition of such service; but shall 
not be deemed to mean message telegram service or community antenna 
television system services or facilities other than those intended 
exclusively for educational purposes, or radio broadcasting services or 
facilities within the meaning of section 153(o) \1\ of title 47.
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    \1\ See References in Text note below.
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    (b) As used in this subchapter, the term ``rural area'' shall be 
deemed to mean any area of the United States not included within the 
boundaries of any incorporated or unincorporated city, village, or 
borough having a population in excess of 5,000 inhabitants.

(May 20, 1936, ch. 432, title II, Sec. 203, as added Oct. 28, 1949, ch. 
776, Sec. 5, 63 Stat. 948; amended Pub. L. 87-862, Oct. 23, 1962, 76 
Stat. 1140; Pub. L. 101-624, title XXIII, Sec. 2354, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 
Stat. 4039; Pub. L. 103-129, Sec. 2(c)(5), Nov. 1, 1993, 107 Stat. 
1364.)

                       References in Text

    Section 153 of title 47, referred to in subsec. (a), was 
subsequently amended and no longer contains a subsec. (o). However, the 
term ``broadcasting'' is defined elsewhere in that section.


                               Amendments

    1993--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103-129 substituted ``5,000'' for ``one 
thousand five hundred''.
    1990--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101-624 inserted ``or reception'' after 
``transmission'' and ``data,'' after ``voice,'', and substituted ``by 
wire, fiber, radio, light, or other visual or electromagnetic means'' 
for ``through the use of electricity between the transmitting and 
receiving apparatus''.
    1962--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 87-862 included the transmission of 
sounds, signals, pictures, writing, or signs of all kinds within 
``telephone service'', and substituted ``message telegram service or 
community antenna television system services or facilities other than 
those intended exclusively for educational purposes'' for ``telegraph 
services or facilities''.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 913, 948 of this title.
