Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 515 - RULES OF GEORGIA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION › Chapter 515-12 - TELEPHONE SERVICE › Subject 515-12-1 - TELEPHONE SERVICE › Rule 515-12-1-.01 - Definitions

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
Terms 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.