R746-348-2. Definitions

A. The meaning of terms used in these rules shall be consistent with their general usage in the telecommunications industry unless specifically defined in Section 54-8b-2 or these rules. As used in these rules, unless context states otherwise, the following definitions shall apply:

1. "Collocation" --

a. Physical collocation is an offering by an incumbent local exchange carrier that enables a requesting telecommunications corporation to:

i. place its own equipment to be used for interconnection or access to unbundled network elements within or upon an incumbent local exchange carrier's premises;

ii. use the equipment to interconnect with an incumbent local exchange carrier's network facilities for the transmission and routing of telephone exchange service, exchange access service, or both, or to gain access to an incumbent local exchange carrier's unbundled network elements for the provision of a telecommunications service;

iii. enter those premises, subject to reasonable terms and conditions, to install, maintain and repair equipment necessary for interconnection or access to unbundled elements; and

iv. obtain reasonable amounts of space in an incumbent local exchange carrier's premises, for the equipment necessary for interconnection or access to unbundled elements, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis entrants who are ready and able to use the entire space they receive within a reasonable time.

b. Virtual collocation is an offering by an incumbent local exchange carrier that enables a requesting telecommunications corporation to:

i. Designate or specify equipment to be used for interconnection or access to unbundled network elements to be located within or upon an incumbent local exchange carrier's premises, and dedicated to that telecommunications carrier's use;

ii. use that equipment to interconnect with an incumbent local exchange carrier's network facilities for the transmission and routing of telephone exchange service, exchange access service, or both, or for access to an incumbent local exchange carrier's unbundled network elements for the provision of a telecommunications service; and

iii. Electronically monitor and control its communications channels terminating in that equipment.

2. "Common Transport Links" -- means shared transmission facilities between two switching systems where traffic originating with or terminating to multiple telecommunication service providers is comingled. These facilities normally exist between end offices and a tandem switch.

3. "Dedicated Transport Links" -- means transmission facilities between two switching systems where traffic originates with or terminates to the same or another public telecommunications service provider.

4. "Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier" -- means the local exchange carrier that on February 8, 1996, provided telephone exchange service in a defined geographic service territory, and on that date was a member of the Exchange Carrier Association pursuant to 47 CFR 69.601(b), or is a person that became a successor or assign of a member of the Exchange Carrier Association.

5. "Interconnection" -- means the linking of two networks for the mutual exchange of traffic. It does not include the transport and termination of traffic.

6. "Local Number Portability" -- means the ability of users of telecommunications services to retain, at the same location, existing telecommunications numbers without unreasonable impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when switching from one telecommunications corporation to another.

7. "Loop Concentration" -- means the function performed by electronic equipment that provides for the multiplexing or demultiplexing of a quantity of loops into a different number of digital or optical communication channels that connect to another network element.

8. "Loop Distribution" -- means transmission facilities from the termination of the feeder or loop concentration facility to the customer's network interface.

9. "Loop Feeder" -- means transmission facilities between a central office and the distribution cable or a loop concentration facility.

10. "Network Elements" -- means the features, functions, and capabilities of network facilities and equipment used to transmit, route, bill or otherwise provide public telecommunications services.

11. "Network Interface Device" -- means the cross connect device used to connect loop facilities to intra-premises cabling or inside wiring.

12. "Operator Systems" -- means systems used to provide live or mechanized operator functions to assist end users with call completion, call assistance, and directory assistance.

13. "Operational Support" -- means the processing of local exchange customer service and repair orders, and the electronic exchange of billing, customer account, service provisioning and service administration data among local exchange service providers.

14. "Premises" -- shall carry the same definition as prescribed in 47 CFR 51.5.

15. "Service Control Point" -- means a database in the signaling network where queries for call processing instructions are directed.

16. "Signaling Links" -- means transmission facilities in a signaling network which carry any out-of-band signaling channels from and between the various elements of a signaling network.

17. "Signal Transfer Point" -- means a packet switch that acts as a routing hub for a signaling network and transfers messages between various points in and among signaling networks.

18. "Switch" -- means a facility required to connect lines or trunks to a communications transmission path.

19. "Tandem Switch" -- means a facility that connects trunks to trunks in order to complete inter-switch calls.

20. "Unbundling" means the disaggregation of facilities and functions into multiple network elements and services that can be individually purchased by a competing public telecommunications service provider.