R746.  Public Service Commission, Administration.
R746-348.  Interconnection.
R746-348-1.  Applicability.
	These rules apply to each certified telecommunications corporation that provides local exchange service in Utah.

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.

R746-348-3.  Terms and Conditions of Facilities Interconnection.
	A. Points of Interconnection -- Incumbent local exchange carriers shall allow any other public telecommunication service provider to interconnect its network at any technically feasible point, to provide transmission and routing of public telecommunication services.
	1. A local exchange service provider requesting interconnection with an incumbent local exchange carrier shall identify a desired point of interconnection.
	B. Joint Facilities Construction and Use -- In furtherance of efficient interconnection contemplated by Sections 54-4-8 and 54-4-12, public telecommunication service providers may jointly construct interconnection facilities and apportion the cost and expense between any joint users of the facility.
	1. The incumbent local exchange carrier and the requesting local exchange service provider shall negotiate meet points for interconnection. Each party shall be responsible for the costs of constructing its facilities to the meet point, and neither party may impose a meet point that would require that one party incur significantly greater construction costs to build to the meet point than the other party.
	C. Types of Line Connection -- The requesting local exchange provider shall choose either DS-3, DS-1, or DS-0 connections or other technically feasible interconnection interfaces and protocols including loops conditioned to provide digital subscriber line services.
	D. Collocation Rate Elements -- Physical and virtual collocation shall be offered under terms and conditions that are just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory.

R746-348-4.  Reciprocity.
	A. Compliance -- Interconnection of the facilities of public telecommunications service providers shall be fully reciprocal, shall not be unreasonably delayed or withheld and shall fully comply with Subsection 54-8b-2.2(1)(b) and 47 USC Sections 224, 251, 252, 256 and Subsection 271(c).
	B. Written Acknowledgment -- Each local exchange service provider shall provide written acknowledgment, within five business days, of receipt of a written request by another local exchange service provider for interconnection facilities and services.
	C. Time Limit -- Incumbent local exchange carriers and other terminating local exchange service providers shall provide interconnection facilities and services within 60 days following receipt of a written request unless the Commission extends the time.

R746-348-5.  Construction and Maintenance.
	A. Responsibility -- Each local exchange service provider shall be responsible for construction and maintenance of facilities on its side of the point of interconnection, unless two or more providers mutually agree to another arrangement.
	B. Standards -- Each local exchange service provider shall construct and maintain its facilities at the point of interconnection in accordance with accepted engineering standards and practices in the exchange carrier industry.
	1. Each terminating provider will make available to each originating provider any documents and technical references issued by industry standards bodies or equipment manufacturers which define the engineering specifications necessary for the originating provider's equipment to interface with the terminating provider's essential interconnection facilities.
	2. No local exchange service provider shall construct or maintain facilities on its side of the point of interconnection in a manner contrary to 47 USC Section 256, or in a manner that is lower in quality than that which it provides itself, its affiliates, or another local exchange service provider.

R746-348-6.  Ancillary Features and Functions.
	A.  Compliance -- Incumbent local exchange carriers shall make available to other local exchange service providers the following network features and functions pursuant to 47 USC Section 251 and Subsection 54-8b-2.2.
	1.  Access to signaling protocols and elements of signaling protocols used to route local and interexchange traffic, including access to signaling links, signal transfer points, and service control points through the incumbent local exchange carrier's signal transfer point.
	2.  Answer and disconnect supervision as well as the information necessary for customer billing.
	a.  Telecommunications corporations shall protect customer proprietary network information in compliance with 47 USC Section 222 and applicable federal and state rules.
	b.  Telecommunications corporations shall enter into billing and collection agreements to permit exchange of telephone line number information, use of non-proprietary calling cards, and collect billing of third-party calls to a number served by another provider.
	3.  Local exchange service providers shall provide the capability for operators on interconnected networks to perform functions such as completing collect calls, third party calls, busy line verification calls, and busy line interrupt.
	4.  Local exchange service providers shall develop and implement repair service referral procedures to direct trouble reports to the correct provider.
	5.  Pursuant to contract or tariff, each local exchange service provider shall offer electronic interfaces to operational support systems to enable other certified local exchange service providers to provide service quality equal to that required by the Commission for incumbent local exchange carriers.  These contracts or tariffs shall be approved by the Commission and available for public review.
	6.  Local exchange service providers shall provide nondiscriminatory access to subscriber information, such as that contained in published "White Pages" telephone directories.
	a.  Customers of local exchange service providers shall receive directories as part of basic local exchange service.
	b.  An incumbent local exchange service provider, or its affiliate, shall make available to a new local exchange service provider adequate space in the Customer Guide pages of the directory to allow a new local exchange service provider to provide its customers and prospective customers with information reasonably similar to that provided by an incumbent local exchange service provider for its customers.
	B.  Emergency Call Networks -- Each local exchange service provider will cooperate to insure the seamless operation of emergency call networks, including 911, E-911 and 0- calls.
	1.  Incumbent local exchange carriers will permit other local exchange service providers to interconnect at its E-911 tandem so that each local exchange service provider's customers may place calls to public safety answering points by dialing 911.
	2.  Local exchange service providers shall not charge each other for any service, activity or facility associated with provision of 911 or E-911 services other than call transport and termination charges.

R746-348-7.  Essential Facilities and Services.
	A.  Designation -- At a minimum, the following are considered to be essential facilities or services pursuant to 54-8b-2. 2.:
	1.  Unbundled local loops including 2-wire, 4-wire and digital subscriber line facilities;
	2.  Loop concentration, loop distribution and loop feeder facilities;
	3.  Network interface devices;
	4.  Switching capability including line-side facilities, trunk-side facilities and tandem facilities;
	5.  911 and E911 emergency call networks;
	6.  Access to numbering resources;
	7.  Local telephone number portability;
	8.  Inter-office transmission facilities;
	9.  Signaling networks and call-related databases including signaling links, signaling transfer points and databases used for billing and collection, and transmission and routing of public telecommunications services;
	10.  Operations support systems used to pre-order, order, provision, maintain and repair unbundled network elements, or services purchased for resale from an incumbent local exchange carrier by another telecommunications corporation;
	11.  Billing functions;
	12.  Operator services and directory assistance;
	13.  Physical and virtual collocation and,
	14.  Intra-premises cabling and inside wiring owned or controlled by an incumbent local exchange carrier.
	B.  Determination of Essential Nature -- A telecommunications corporation may request any essential network facility or service from another telecommunications corporation and that telecommunications corporation shall timely provide the network facility or service in accordance R746-348-4 unless it demonstrates that providing that facility or service is technically infeasible.
	1.  A person may petition the Commission for a finding that a facility or service is essential or should no longer be deemed essential.

KEY:  interconnection, network interconnection, telecommunications, telephone utility regulation
Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment:  April 13, 2004
Notice of Continuation:  December 13, 2016
Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law:  54-4-1; 54-4-8; 54-4-12; 54-8b-2