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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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4901:1 Utilities |
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Chapter4901:1-7. Local Exchange Carriers |
4901:1-7-06. Interconnection
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[Comment: For dates of references to a section of either the United States Code or a regulation in the Code of Federal Regulations, see rule 4901:1-7-02 of the Administrative Code.]
The term interconnection as used in this chapter refers to the facilities and equipment physically linking two networks for the mutual exchange of traffic.
(A) General interconnection standards
(1) Each telephone company has the duty to interconnect directly or indirectly with the facilities and equipment of other telephone companies for the exchange of telecommunications traffic regardless of the network technology underlying the interconnection pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 251(a).
(2) Each telephone company shall make available interconnection to other telephone companies for the mutual exchange of telecommunications traffic upon receipt of a request for interconnection regardless of the network technology underlying the interconnection, unless the commission orders a waiver of this requirement.
(3) All telephone companies shall have the duty to negotiate in good faith the terms and conditions of the interconnection agreement for the exchange of voice telecommunications traffic regardless of the network technology underlying the interconnection.
(4) Each incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) shall provide, for the facilities and equipment of any requesting telephone company, interconnection with the ILEC's network, for the transmission and routing of telephone exchange traffic, exchange access traffic, or both. A telephone company requesting interconnection to an ILEC's network solely for the purpose of originating or terminating its interexchange traffic, not for the provision of telephone exchange service and exchange access to others, is not entitled to receive interconnection pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 251(c)(2).
(5) Each ILEC shall provide interconnection to requesting telephone companies at any technically feasible point within its network, with quality at least equal to that provided by that ILEC to itself or to any subsidiary, affiliate, or any other party to which it provides interconnection pursuant to 47 C.F.R. 51.305. Any telephone company requesting interconnection to the existing network may do so via feature group D-type interconnection or via a mutually agreed upon interconnection arrangement. Interconnecting carriers may use one-way trunks or two-way trunks to interconnect for traffic transport and termination if it is technically feasible. Technically feasible methods of obtaining interconnection or access to unbundled network elements include, but are not limited to:
a) collocation at the premises of the ILEC; and
b) meet point interconnection arrangements, pursuant to rule 4901:1-7-11 of the Administrative Code, 47 C.F.R. 51.321 and 51.323. If a meet point arrangement is requested from the ILEC for the purpose of gaining access to unbundled network elements and/ or for the purpose of exchanging traffic with the ILEC, each carrier is required to bear the network cost on its side of the point of interconnection in the meet point arrangement.
(6) Technically feasible points of interconnection within the ILEC's network shall include at a minimum:
(a) The line side of a local switch.
(b) The trunk side of a local switch.
(c) The trunk interconnection points for a tandem switch.
(d) Central office cross-connect points.
(e) Out-of-band signaling transfer points necessary to exchange traffic at these points and access call-related databases.
(f) The points of access to unbundled network elements as described in rule 4901:1-7-16 of the Administrative Code and 47 CFR 51.319.
(7) Interconnection rates, terms, and conditions shall be established through negotiation between telephone companies upon receipt of a request for interconnection or through arbitration. Such arrangements shall be processed pursuant to rule 4901:1-7-07 of the Administrative Code.
(B) Basic requirements for request for interconnection
A request for interconnection shall be in writing and shall detail the specifics of the request. A request for interconnection shall include at a minimum, as applicable, the following:
(1) The requested meet point(s) or, in the alternative, the requested point(s) of interconnection (e.g., the end office, tandem, etc.).
(2) The requested reciprocal compensation arrangement for transport and termination of telecommunications traffic.
(3) A description of any required unbundled network elements and the requested method of access to the operation support system associated with these unbundled network elements.
(4) A list of the requested telecommunications services to be offered for resale by the providing telephone company, and required operational support systems associated with the resale of these telecommunications services.
(5) If transit telecommunications traffic functionality is required, the requested method of providing that functionality at each requested point of interconnection.
(6) A list including names, phone numbers, e-mail, and areas of responsibility of the requesting carrier's contact persons for the negotiation process.