Rule 515-12-1-.01 - DefinitionsTerms used in these rules have the following meaning:
(a)"Average Busy Season--Busy Hour Traffic"--The average traffic volume for the busy season, busy hours.(b)"Base Rate Area"--A specific area within an exchange service area as set forth in the telephone utilities' tariffs, maps or descriptions. Local exchange service within this area is furnished at uniform rates without extra mileage charges.(c)"Business Service"--Telecommunications service provided a customer where the use is primarily or substantially of a business, professional, institutional or otherwise occupational nature.(d)"Busy Hour"--The two consecutive half-hours each day during which the greatest volume of traffic is handled in the office.(e)"Busy Season"--That period of the year during which the greatest volume of traffic is handled in the office.(f)"Calls"--Customers' telephone messages attempted.(g)"Central Office"--A switching unit, in a telecommunications system which provides service to the general public, having the necessary equipment and operating arrangements for terminating and interconnecting customer lines and trunks or trunks only. There maybe more than one central office in a building.(h)"Channel"--A path for communication between two or more stations or telephone utility offices, furnished in such a manner as the carrier may elect, whether by wire, radio or a combination thereof and whether or not by a single physical facility or route.(i)"Class of Service"--A description of telecommunications service fumished a customer which denotes such characteristics as nature of use (business or residence) type of rate (flat rate or message rate). Classes of service are usually subdivided in "grades," such as individual line, two-party or four-party.(j)"Commission"--The Georgia Public Service Commission.(k)"Customer"--Any person, firm, partnership, corporation, municipality, cooperative, organization, governmental agency, etc., provided with telecommunications service by any utility.(l)"Customer Trouble Report"--Any oral or written report from a customer or user of telecommunication service relating to a physical defector to difficulty or dissatisfaction with the operation of the utility's facilities. This oral or written report should be made to a telephone company service representative on duty. Oral or written report should be made to the telephone company business office, or by calling repair service number as listed in the telephone directory. One report shall be counted for each oral or written report received although it may duplicate a previous report or merely involve an inquiry concerning progress on a previous report. Also, a separate report shall be counted for each telephone or PBX switchboard position reported in trouble when several items are reported by one customer at the same time, unless the group of troubles so reported is clearly related to a common cause.(m)"Exchange"--A unit established by a telephone utility for the administration of telecommunication service in a specified area for which a separate local rate schedule is provided. It may consist of one or more central offices together with associated plant facilities used in furnishing telecommunication services in that area.(n)"Exchange Service Area"--The geographical territory served by an exchange, usually embracing a city, town or village and its environs.(o)"Grade of Service"--The number of parties (main stations) served on a telephone line such as one-party, two-party, four-party, etc.(p)"Individual Line Service"--A classification of exchange service which provides that only one main station shall be served by the circuit connecting such station with the central office equipment.(q)"Intercept Service"--A service arrangement provided by the utility whereby calls placed to a disconnected or discontinued telephone number are intercepted and the calling party is informed that the called telephone number has been disconnected or discontinued, or changed to another number, or that calls are being received by another telephone, etc. (r)"Interexchange Trunks"--Transmission paths, including the conductors and associated equipment, connecting two exchanges.(s)"Line"--A general term used in the communication industry in several different senses, the most important of which are: 1. The conductor or conductors and supporting or containing structures extending between customer stations and central offices, or between central offices whether they be in the same or different communities.2. The conductors and circuit apparatus associated with a particular communication channel.3. Any communication channel between two points disregarding the method of its derivation.(t)"Local Calling Area"--The area within which telecommunication service is furnished customers under a specific schedule or exchange rates. A local calling area may include one or more exchange service areas or portions of exchange service areas.(u)"Local Exchange Service"--Telecommunication service provided within local exchange service areas in accordance with the tariffs. It includes the use of exchange facilities required to establish connections between stations within the exchange and between stations and the toll facilities serving the exchange.(v)"Local Message"--A completed call between stations located within the same local calling area.(w)"Local Message Charge"--The charge that applies for a completed telephone call that is made when the calling station and the stations to which the connection is established are both within the same local calling area, and a local message charge is applicable.(x)"Local Service Charge"--The charge for furnishing facilities to enable a customer to send or receive telecommunications within the local service calling area. This local service calling area may include one or more exchange service areas.(y)"Long Distance Telecommunications Service"--That part of the total communication service rendered by a utility which is furnished between customers in different local service areas in accordance with the rates and regulations specified in the utility's tariff.(z)"Message"--A completed customer telephone call.(aa)"Message Rate Service"--A form of exchange service under which all originated local messages are measured and charged for in accordance with the tariff.(bb)"Outside Plant"--The telecommunications equipment and facilities installed on, along, over or under streets, alleys, highways or on private rights-of-way between the central office and customer's locations or between central offices.(cc)"Party Line Service"--A classification of exchange service which provides for a number of main stations to be served by the same central office line.(dd)"Private Line"--A circuit provided to furnish communication only between the two or more telephones or other terminal devices directly connected to it, and not having connection with either central office or PBX switching apparatus.(ee)"Public Telephone Service"--An individual line customer service equipped with a coin collecting telephone instrument installed for the use of the general public in locations where the general public has access to these telephones.(ff)"Regrade"--An application for a different grade of service.(gg)"Service Line"--Those facilities owned and maintained by a customer or group of customers, which lines are connected with the facilities of a telephone utility for communication service.(hh)"Station"--A telephone instrument or other terminal device.(ii)"Tariff"--The entire body of rates, tolls, rentals, charges, classifications and rules, adopted by the utility and filed with the Commission.(jj)"Telephone Utility"--Any person, firm, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of furnishing telecommunication services to the public under the jurisdiction of the Georgia Public Service Commission.(kk)"Toll Connecting Trunks"--A general classification of trunks carrying toll traffic and ordinarily extending between a local office and a toll office, except trunks classified as tributary circuits.(ll)"Toll Station"--A telephone connected to a toll line or directly to a toll board.(mm)"Traffic"--Telephone call volume, based on number and duration of messages.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 515-12-1-.01
Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 125; 1907, p. 72; 1922, pp. 143, 144; 1964, p. 338; 1965, p. 283; 1973, pp. 677-681; 1975, Sec. 2, p. 406.
Original Rule was filed on December 29, 1975; effective January 1, 1976, as specified by Ga. L. 1975, p. 411.