Code of Vermont Rules › Agency 31 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE › Sub-Agency 010 - VERMONT ENHANCED 9-1-1 BOARD › Chapter 005 - RULE GOVERNING OUTAGE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ORIGINATING CARRIERS AND ELECTRIC POWER COMPANIES › Section 31 010 005 - RULE GOVERNING OUTAGE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ORIGINATING CARRIERS AND ELECTRIC POWER COMPANIES

Current through June, 2024
Section 1.0
				Authority
This rule is adopted pursuant to Vt. Act 125 (2020) and
				  30 V.S.A. §
											7053.
Section 2.0 Purpose
The purpose of this rule is to establish protocols for the
				  Enhanced 911 Board (the Board) to obtain information about or be apprised of,
				  in a timely manner, system outages applicable to wireless service providers, to
				  providers of facilities-based, fixed voice service that is not line-powered,
				  and to electric companies for the purpose of enabling the Board to assess 911
				  service availability during such outages. This rule also updates and
				  incorporates existing protocols for the Board to obtain information about or be
				  apprised of, in a timely manner, system outages applicable to facilities-based,
				  fixed voice service that is line-powered.
Section 3.0 Definitions
3.1 Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS): A
				Federal Communications Commission (FCC) designation for any carrier or licensee
				whose wireless network is connected to the public switched telephone
				network.
3.2 Electric Power
				Company: A company that provides distribution of electricity to residential
				and/or business customers.
3.3
				Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC): A class of carriers as defined in
				47 U.S.C. §
											251(h) which includes, but
				is not limited to, Rural Local Exchange Carriers (RLECs).
3.4 Originating Carrier (OC): Also known as
				originating service provider, an entity that provides voice services to a
				subscriber. An OC includes ILECs operating in Vermont.
3.5 Outages
3.5.1 Originating Carrier Outage (OCO): Any
				known degradation or loss of network elements, systems, services and/or
				transport facilities that prevent the OC's subscribers from being able to
				complete a call to, or communicate with, 911, or prevents subscribers from
				receiving emergency notifications. An OCO includes any loss of 911 calling
				capacity caused by such an OC's network failure.
3.5.2 Wireless Service Outage (WSO): Any
				known degradation or loss of network elements, systems, services and/or
				transport facilities that prevent the subscribers of a wireless service, also
				known as cellular service, from being able to complete a call to, or
				communicate with, 911, or prevents subscribers from receiving emergency
				notifications. A WSO includes any loss of 911 calling capacity caused by such a
				wireless service network failure.
3.5.3 Electric Power Outage: Any known
				failure, failures, or circumstances that prevent the electric power company
				from distributing electricity to residential and/or business
				customers.
3.6 System
				Provider: An entity that provides the systems and support necessary to enable
				911 calling for one or more Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in a
				specific geographic area.
3.7 Voice
				Service: A service that provides voice transmission services. These services
				are provided over a network that transmits any combination of voice, video
				and/or data between users. Voice service is provided by an OC that could be a
				facilities-based fixed voice service that is line powered, a facilities-based
				fixed voice service that is not line powered, or a Commercial Mobile Radio
				Service provider.
3.8 ZIP code: The
				five-digit postal code established by the United States Postal Service. For
				purposes of this rule, a ZIP code associated only with (A) a Post Office box,
				or (B) a single physical address, shall be deemed part of the nearest ZIP code
				not meeting the descriptions of (A) or (B) of this definition for determining
				thresholds and reporting purposes.