Applicant eligibility
(a)An applicant for 5G Fund support shall be an eligible…#
(a) An applicant for 5G Fund support shall be an eligible telecommunications carrier in an area in order to receive 5G Fund support for that area. The applicant may obtain its designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier after the close of a 5G Fund auction, provided that the applicant submits proof of its designation within 180 days after the release of the public notice identifying the applicant as a winning bidder. The eligible telecommunications carrier service area of a 5G Fund support recipient will not be required to conform to the service area of the rural telephone company serving the same area. An applicant for 5G Fund support shall not receive such support prior to the submission of proof of its designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier. After such submission, the eligible telecommunications carrier shall receive a balloon payment that will consist of the carrier's monthly 5G Fund support amount multiplied by the number of whole months between the first day of the month after the close of the auction and the issuance of the public notice authorizing the carrier to receive 5G Fund support.