(A) a single purpose telephone circuit, or Internet
Protocol (IP) equivalent, that originates at a CTU's (CTU's) switching
office or point of presence and connects to a port of termination
at an E9-1-1 selective router, 9-1-1 tandem, IP-based 9-1-1 system,
or next generation 9-1-1 system, as described to the CTU by the appropriate
9-1-1 administrative entity or entities in its 9-1-1 service arrangement
requirements for each applicable rate center (direct dedicated 9-1-1
trunk); or
(B) any other single purpose telephone circuit, or
IP equivalent, that is used by a CTU to provide 9-1-1 service consistent
with the 9-1-1 administrative entity's or entities' 9-1-1 service
arrangement requirements that does not connect directly to a port
of termination as described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph
(indirect dedicated 9-1-1 trunk). A direct dedicated 9-1-1 trunk includes
transport, port usage, and termination.
(65) Default routing--The capability to route a 9-1-1
call to a designated public safety answering point when the incoming
9-1-1 call cannot be selectively routed due to an automatic number
identification failure or other cause.
(66) Depreciation expenses--The charges based on the
depreciation accrual rates designed to spread the cost recovery of
the property over its economic life.
(67) Deregulated company--An incumbent local exchange
company (ILEC) for which all of the company's markets have been deregulated.
(68) Direct-trunked transport--Transmission of traffic
between the serving wire center and another CTU's office, without
intermediate switching. It is charged on a flat-rate basis.
(69) Disconnection of telephone service--The event
after which a customer's telephone number is deleted from the central
office switch and databases.
(70) Discretionary services (DS)--Those services as
defined in the Public Utility Regulatory Act §58.101, and any
other service the commission subsequently categorizes as a discretionary
service.
(71) Distance learning--Instruction, learning, and
training that is transmitted from one site to one or more sites by
telecommunications services that are used by an educational institution
predominantly for such instruction, learning, or training--including:
video, data, voice, and electronic information.
(72) Distribution lines--Those lines from which the
end user may be provided direct service.
(73) Dominant carrier--A provider of a communication
service provided wholly or partly over a telephone system who the
commission determines has sufficient market power in a telecommunications
market to control prices for that service in that market in a manner
adverse to the public interest. The term includes a provider who provided
local exchange telephone service within certificated exchange areas
on September 1, 1995, as to that service and as to any other service
for which a competitive alternative is not available in a particular
geographic market. In addition with respect to:
(A) intraLATA long distance message telecommunications
service originated by dialing the access code "1-plus," the term includes
a provider of local exchange telephone service in a certificated exchange
area for whom the use of that access code for the origination of "1-plus"
intraLATA calls in the exchange area is exclusive; and
(B) interexchange services, the term does not include
an interexchange carrier that is not a certificated local exchange
company.
(74) Dominant certificated telecommunications utility
(DCTU)--A CTU that is also a dominant carrier. Unless clearly indicated
otherwise, the rules applicable to a DCTU apply specifically to only
those services for which the DCTU is dominant.
(75) Dual-party relay service--A service using oral
and printed translations, by either a person or an automated device,
between hearing- or speech-impaired individuals who use telecommunications
devices for the deaf, computers, or similar automated devices, and
others who do not have such equipment.
(76) Educational institution--Accredited primary or
secondary schools owned or operated by state and local government
entities or by private entities; institutions of higher education
as defined by the Texas Education Code, §61.003(13); the Texas
Education Agency, its successors and assigns; regional education service
centers established and operated pursuant to the Texas Education Code,
Chapter 8; and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, its
successors and assigns.
(77) Electing local exchange company (LEC)--A CTU electing
to be regulated under the terms of the Public Utility Regulatory Act,
Chapter 58.
(78) Electric utility--Except as provided in Chapter
25, Subchapter I, Division 1 of this title (relating to Open-Access
Comparable Transmission Service for Electrical Utilities in the Electric
Reliability Council of Texas), an electric utility is: A person or
river authority that owns or operates for compensation in this state
equipment or facilities to produce, generate, transmit, distribute,
sell, or furnish electricity in this state. The term includes a lessee,
trustee, or receiver of an electric utility and a recreational vehicle
park owner who does not comply with Texas Utilities Code, Chapter
184, Subchapter C, with regard to the metered sale of electricity
at the recreational vehicle park. The term does not include:
(A) a municipal corporation;
(B) a qualifying facility;
(C) a power generation company;
(D) an exempt wholesale generator;
(E) a power marketer;
(F) a corporation described by Public Utility Regulatory
Act §32.053 to the extent the corporation sells electricity exclusively
at wholesale and not to the ultimate consumer;
(G) an electric cooperative;
(H) a retail electric provider;
(I) the state of Texas or an agency of the state; or
(J) a person not otherwise an electric utility who:
(i) furnishes an electric service or commodity only
to itself, its employees, or its tenants as an incident of employment
or tenancy, if that service or commodity is not resold to or used
by others;
(ii) owns or operates in this state equipment or facilities
to produce, generate, transmit, distribute, sell or furnish electric
energy to an electric utility, if the equipment or facilities are
used primarily to produce and generate electric energy for consumption
by that person; or
(iii) owns or operates in this state a recreational
vehicle park that provides metered electric service in accordance
with Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 184, Subchapter C.
(79) Element--Unbundled network elements, including:
interconnection, physical-collocation, and virtual-collocation elements.
(80) Eligible telecommunications provider (ETP) service
area--The geographic area, determined by the commission, containing
high cost rural areas which are eligible for Texas Universal Service
Funds support under §26.403 or §26.404 of this title (relating
to Texas High Cost Universal Service Plan (THCUSP) and Small and Rural
Incumbent Local Exchange Company (ILEC) Universal Service Plan).
(81) Embedded customer premises equipment--All customer
premises equipment owned by a telecommunications utility, including
inventory, which was tariffed or subject to the separations process
of January 1, 1983.
(82) Emergency service number (ESN)--A three to five
digit number representing a unique combination of emergency service
agencies designated to serve a specific range of addresses within
a particular geographic area. The ESN facilitates any required selective
routing and selective transfer to the appropriate public safety answering
point and the dispatching of the proper service agencies.
(83) Emergency service zone (ESZ)--A geographic area
that has common law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services
personnel that respond to 9-1-1 calls.
(84) End user choice--A system that allows the automatic
routing of interexchange, operator-assisted calls to the billed party's
chosen carrier without the use of access codes.
(85) Enhanced service provider--A company that offers
computer-based services over transmission facilities to provide the
customer with value-added telephone services.
(86) Entrance facilities--The transmission path between
the access customer's (such as an interexchange carrier) point of
demarcation and the serving wire center.
(87) Equal access--Access which is equal in type, quality
and price to Feature Group C, and which has unbundled rates. From
an end user's perspective, equal access is characterized by the availability
of "1-plus" dialing with the end user's carrier of choice.
Cont'd... |