Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 1220 - Tennessee Public Utility Commission
Subtitle 1220-04 - Division of Public Utilities
Chapter 1220-04-02 - Regulations for Telephone Companies
Section 1220-04-02-.03 - DEFINITIONS

(a) Commission - The Tennessee Public Utility Commission.

(b) Average Busy Season-Busy Hour Traffic - The average traffic volume for the hour having the highest traffic volume throughout the busy season.

(c) Basis Rate Area - The developed portion of portions within each exchange service area as set forth in the telephone utility's tariffs, maps or descriptions. Main Station service within this area is furnished at uniform rates without extra exchange miles charges.

(d) Busy Hour - The two (2) consecutive half-hours 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 - Customer's telephone message attempted.

(g) Class of Service - The various categories of service generally available to customers, such as business or residence.

(h) Central Office - A switching unit, in a telephone system which provides service to the general public, having the necessary equipment and operating arrangements for terminating and inter-connecting subscriber lines and trunks or trunks only. There may be more than one central office in a building.

(i) Customer or Subscriber - Any person, firm partnership, corporation, municipality, cooperative organization, governmental agency, etc., provided with telephone service by any telephone utility.

(j) Customer Trouble Report - Any oral or written report from a subscriber or user of telephone service relating to a physical defect or to difficulty or dissatisfaction with the operation of telephone facilities. One report shall be counted for each oral or written report received even though 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.

(k) Exchange - A unit established by a telephone utility for the administration of telephone service in a specified area which usually embraces a city, town, or village and its environs. It consists of one or more central offices together with associated plant used in furnishing communication service in that area.

(l) Reserved

(m) Grade of Service - The number of parties served on a telephone line such as one-party, two-party, four-party, etc.

(n) Message - A completed customer telephone call.

(o) Outside Plant - The telephone equipment and facilities installed on, along, over, or under streets, alleys, highways, or on private right-of ways between the central office and customer's locations or between central offices.

(p) Service Line - Those facilities owned and maintained by a customer or group of customers, which lines are connected at an agreed upon point with the facilities of a telephone utility for communication service.

(q) Subscriber Line - The wires or channels used to connect the telephone equipment at the subscriber's premises with the Central office.

(r) Switching Service - Switching performed for service lines.

(s) Tariff - The entire body of rates, tolls, charges, classifications and rules, adopted and filed with the Commission by a telephone utility.

(t) Telephone Utility - Any person, firm, partnership, corporate organization, or corporation engaged in the furnishing of telephone service and other Communications Services to the public under the jurisdiction of the Commission.

(u) 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.

(v) Toll Station - A telephone connected to a toll line or directly to a toll board.

(w) Reporting Entity - Shall be defined as exchange for: