Code of Maine Rules
65 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
625 - EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU
Chapter 2 - REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENHANCED 9-1-1 SYSTEM SERVICE PROVIDER AND LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIERS
Section 625-2-1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS

1. Addressing Officer. "Addressing Officer" means the designated individual appointed by the municipality or county for all issues involving the development and maintenance of address information for the E9-1-1 addressing and routing databases.

2. Automatic Location Identification (ALI). "Automatic Location Identification (ALI)" means the automatic display at the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) of the caller's telephone number, the address/location of the telephone and supplementary emergency services information.

3. ALI Discrepancy. "ALI Discrepancy" means a record retrieved from the ALI Database during an actual E9-1-1 call with an incorrect address.

4. Automatic Number Identification (ANI). "Automatic Number Identification" means the telephone number associated with the access line from which a call originates.

5. Alternate Routing. "Alternate Routing" means the capability of routing 9-1-1 calls to a designated alternate location if all 9-1-1 trunks are busy or out of service. The capability may be activated upon request or automatically, if detectable, when 9-1-1 equipment fails or the PSAP itself is disabled.

6. Central Office (CO). "Central Office" means the LEC facility where access lines are connected to switching equipment for connection to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSN).

7. Company Identifier. "Company Identifier" means a 3 to 5 character identifier that distinguishes the entity providing voice service to the end user. The company identifier registry is maintained by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) in a nationally accessible database.

8. Data Provider. "Data Provider" means an entity that provides customer service records to the ALI Database. This entity may be the Local Exchange Carrier or another entity acting on the carrier's behalf.

9. Database Management System Provider (DMSP). "Database Management System Provider (DMSP)" means the entity providing Selective Routing and/or Automatic Location Identification (ALI) services. This may be the same entity as the System Service Provider or another entity depending on contractual situations.

10. Default Routing. "Default Routing" means the capability to route a E9-1-1 call to a designated (default) PSAP when an incoming E9-1-1 call cannot be routed due to an ANI failure or other cause.

11. Diverse Routing. "Diverse Routing" means the practice of routing circuits along different physical paths, heath/technology diversity over the same route, and system diversity such as separate DS1s on the same T-carrier or fiber cable, in order to prevent total loss of 9-1-1 service in the event of a facility failure.

12. Emergency Services Communication Bureau (Bureau). "Emergency Services Communications Bureau (Bureau)" is the bureau within the Public Utilities Commission authorized to develop, establish, and manage the statewide Enhanced 9-1-1 system in Maine, pursuant to 25 M.R.S.A. §2926.

13. Enhanced 9-1-1 Network."E9-1-1 Network" means any E9-1-1 circuit or facility including but not limited to Central Office to E9-1-1 tandem trunks, ALI links between E9-1-1 tandem and ALI Database, ALI links between PSAP and ALI Database, E9-1-1 tandem to PSAP Trunks.

14. Enhanced 9-1-1 System. "Enhanced 9-1-1 System" means the network, database and customer premise equipment required to provide Enhanced 9-1-1 service.

15. Enhanced 9-1-1 Service (E9-1-1)."Enhanced 9-1-1 service" is an emergency telecommunications service that automatically displays a caller's location and telephone number on a screen at a PSAP. This service uses the caller's location, not telephone exchange, to route a call to the appropriate call answering center known as a Public Safety Answering Point.

16. Enhanced 9-1-1 System Service Provider (SP).The "E9-1-1 System Service Provider" is the vendor or vendors that provide the network, routing capabilities, databases, and equipment necessary to operate a statewide E9-1-1 system.

17. Foreign Exchange."Foreign Exchange" is a service that provides local phone service from a central office that is outside the customer's local calling area.

18. Host-Remote."Host-Remote" is the relationship between conventional central office switching equipment and a Remote Switching Unit in another facility which usually has limited capability and may not be able to function independently if connecting links from the host office are interrupted.

19. Local Exchange Carrier (LEC). "Local Exchange Carrier (LEC)" is a telephone utility, as defined by 35-A M.R.S.A. §102(19), that provides telephone exchange service or interexchange access service within a telephone exchange pursuant to authority granted by the Maine Legislature or the Public Utilities Commission. LECs include incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECS) and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs).

20. Master Street Address Guide (MSAG). "Master Street Address Guide (MSAG)" means a database of street names and house number ranges with their associated communities defining Emergency Service Zones (A defined geographical territory consisting of a specific combination of law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical service coverage areas.) and their associated Emergency Service Numbers ( a 3 or 4 digit number used to uniquely identify an Emergency Service Zone) to enable proper routing of E9-1-1 calls.

21. No Record Found. "No Record Found" means a condition where no ALI information is available for display at the PSAP.

22. P.01 Grade of Service. "P.01 Grade of Service" means the grade of service reflecting the probability that one call out of 100 during the average busy hour will be blocked. P.01 is the minimum recommended Grade of Service for E9-1-1 trunk groups.

23. Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). "Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)" means a facility equipped to receive ANI/ALI and assigned the responsibility of initially receiving 9-1-1 calls and, as appropriate, directly dispatching emergency response services or transferring the calls to other public or private safety agencies for dispatch.

24. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). "Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)" means the network of equipment, lines, and controls assembled to establish communication paths between calling and called parties in North America.

25. Selective Router. "Selective Router" means the Central Office that provides the tandem switching of E9-1-1 calls. It controls delivery of the voice call with ANI to the PSAP and provides Selective Routing, Speed Dialing, Selective Transfer, Fixed Transfer and certain maintenance functions for each PSAP. This term is also known as the Enhanced 9-1-1 Control Office or Tandem.

26. Signaling System 7 (SS7). "Signaling System 7" means an out-of-band signaling system used to provide basic routing information, call set-up and other call termination functions. Signaling is removed from the voice channel itself and put on a separate data network.