Section 810-RICR-20-00-1.2 - DEFINITIONSA. The meaning of terms used in these regulations shall be consistent with their general usage in the telecommunications industry unless specifically defined by Rhode Island law or Commission regulation. As used in these rules, except as otherwise required by the context:1. "Act" means the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. § 151, et seq., as amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Pub. L. No. 104-104, 2/8/96).2. "Arbitration" is an alternative dispute resolution process in which parties present evidence and legal arguments to a neutral third party (arbitrator), who renders a decision. The parties are required to accept the arbitration decision, subject to Commission approval pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 252.3. "Arbitrator" means an employee of the Commission, a Commissioner, or a neutral third party designated by the Commission to conduct arbitration proceedings pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 252.4. "Clerk" means the Commission clerk, appointed by the Commission pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-1-9.5. "Commission" means the Public Utilities Commission.6. "Commission Rules" means the Commission's "Public Utilities Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure".7. "CLEC" means a local exchange carrier other than an incumbent local exchange carrier.8. "FCC" means the Federal Communications Commission.9. "ILEC" means the incumbent local exchange carrier, which in this jurisdiction is Verizon New England, Inc., d/b/a Verizon Rhode Island. Verizon New England, Inc. is a Bell operating company.10. "Interested Parties" shall initially refer to the service list attached to the docket in this case. Any other person or entity who wishes to be included on this service list as an interested party under these regulations may file such a request in writing with the Clerk. The master list shall be kept by the Clerk and updated as necessary. Any reference to service upon interested parties shall subsequently mean service on all parties included on the master list as updated by the Clerk.11. "LEC" means a Local Exchange Carrier, any person or entity that is engaged in the provision of telephone exchange service or exchange access.12. "Mediation" is an alternative dispute resolution process in which a neutral third party (mediator) assists the parties in reaching their own settlement. The mediator does not have the authority to impose a resolution; the goal of the process is to help the parties achieve their own resolution.13. "Negotiation" is a process in which representatives of the parties in dispute communicate their differences to one another and, with this knowledge, try to resolve them. Successful negotiations produce voluntary agreement over terms and conditions regarding those items in dispute, which may even include methods for resolving disputes over the interpretation and application of terms and conditions under an existing agreement.14. "Party" means those persons who submit to the Commission for approval an arbitrated or negotiated agreement pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 252(e); or a person allowed by the Commission or arbitrator to intervene in a proceeding.15. "Telecommunications carrier" means any entity providing or intending to provide telecommunications services, except that such term does not include aggregators of telecommunications services. A telecommunications carrier shall be treated as a common carrier only to the extent that it is engaged in providing telecommunications services.810 R.I. Code R. 810-RICR-20-00-1.2