47 C.F.R. PART 36—JURISDICTIONAL SEPARATIONS PROCEDURES; STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR SEPARATING TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROPERTY COSTS, REVENUES, EXPENSES, TAXES AND RESERVES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES1


Title 47 - Telecommunication


Title 47: Telecommunication

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PART 36—JURISDICTIONAL SEPARATIONS PROCEDURES; STANDARD PROCEDURES FOR SEPARATING TELECOMMUNICATIONS PROPERTY COSTS, REVENUES, EXPENSES, TAXES AND RESERVES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES1

Section Contents

Subpart A—General

§ 36.1   General.
§ 36.2   Fundamental principles underlying procedures.
§ 36.3   Freezing of jurisdictional separations category relationships and/or allocation factors.

Subpart B—Telecommunications Property


General

§ 36.101   Section arrangement.
§ 36.102   General.

General Support Facilities

§ 36.111   General.
§ 36.112   Apportionment procedure.

Central Office Equipment

§ 36.121   General.
§ 36.122   Categories and apportionment procedures.
§ 36.123   Operator systems equipment—Category 1.
§ 36.124   Tandem switching equipment—Category 2.
§ 36.125   Local switching equipment—Category 3.
§ 36.126   Circuit equipment—Category 4.

Information Origination/Termination (IOT) Equipment

§ 36.141   General.
§ 36.142   Categories and apportionment procedures.

Cable and Wire Facilities

§ 36.151   General.
§ 36.152   Categories of Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF).
§ 36.153   Assignment of Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF) to categories.
§ 36.154   Exchange Line Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)—Category 1—apportionment procedures.
§ 36.155   Wideband and exchange trunk (C&WF)—Category 2—apportionment procedures.
§ 36.156   Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)—Category 3—apportionment procedures.
§ 36.157   Host/remote message Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)—Category 4—apportionment procedures.

Amortizable Assets

§ 36.161   Tangible assets—Account 2680.
§ 36.162   Intangible assets—Account 2690.

Telecommunications Plant—Other

§ 36.171   Property held for future telecommunications use—Account 2002; Telecommunications plant under construction—Account 2003; and Telecommunications plant adjustment—Account 2005.

Rural Telephone Bank Stock

§ 36.172   Other noncurrent assets—Account 1410.

Material and Supplies and Cash Working Capital

§ 36.181   Material and supplies—Account 1220.
§ 36.182   Cash working capital.

Equal Access Equipment

§ 36.191   Equal access equipment.

Subpart C—Operating Revenues and Certain Income Accounts


General

§ 36.201   Section arrangement.
§ 36.202   General.

Operating Revenues

§ 36.211   General.
§ 36.212   Basic local services revenue—Account 5000 (Class B telephone companies); Basic area revenue—Account 5001 (Class A telephone companies).
§ 36.213   Network access services revenues.
§ 36.214   Long distance message revenue—Account 5100.
§ 36.215   Miscellaneous revenue—Account 5200.
§ 36.216   Uncollectible revenue—Account 5300.

Certain Income Accounts

§ 36.221   Other operating income and expenses—Account 7100.
§ 36.222   Nonoperating income and expenses—Account 7300.
§ 36.223   Interest and related items—Account 7500.
§ 36.224   Extraordinary items—Account 7600.
§ 36.225   Income effect of jurisdictional ratemaking differences—Account 7910.

Subpart D—Operating Expenses and Taxes


General

§ 36.301   Section arrangement.
§ 36.302   General.

Plant Specific Operations Expenses

§ 36.310   General.

Network Support/General Support Expenses

§ 36.311   Network Support/General Support Expenses—Accounts 6110 and 6120 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6112, 6113, 6114, 6121, 6122, 6123, and 6124 (Class A Telephone Companies).

Central Office Expenses

§ 36.321   Central office expenses—Accounts 6210, 6220, and 6230 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6211, 6212, 6220, 6231, and 6232 (Class A telephone companies).

Information Origination/Termination Expenses

§ 36.331   Information origination/termination expenses—Account 6310 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351, and 6362 (Class A telephone companies).

Cable and Wire Facilities Expenses

§ 36.341   Cable and wire facilities expenses—Account 6410 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6411, 6421, 6422, 6423, 6424, 6426, 6431, and 6441 (Class A telephone companies).

Plant Nonspecific Operations Expenses

§ 36.351   General.

Plant Expenses—Other

§ 36.352   Other property plant and equipment expenses—Account 6510 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6511 and 6512 (Class A telephone companies).

Network Operations Expenses

§ 36.353   Network operations expenses—Account 6530 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6531, 6532, 6533, 6534, and 6535 (Class A telephone companies).
§ 36.354   Access expenses—Account 6540.

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses

§ 36.361   Depreciation and amortization expenses—Account 6560.

Customer Operations Expenses

§ 36.371   General.
§ 36.372   Marketing—Account 6610 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6611 and 6613 (Class A telephone companies).
§ 36.373   Services—Account 6620.
§ 36.374   Telephone operator services.
§ 36.375   Published directory listing.
§ 36.376   All other.
§ 36.377   Category 1—Local business office expense.
§ 36.378   Category 2—Customer services (revenue accounting).
§ 36.379   Message processing expense.
§ 36.380   Other billing and collecting expense.
§ 36.381   Carrier access charge billing and collecting expense.
§ 36.382   Category 3—All other customer services expense.

Corporate Operations Expense

§ 36.391   General.
§ 36.392   General and administrative—Account 6720.

Operating Taxes

§ 36.411   Operating taxes—Account 7200 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 7210, 7220, 7230, 7240, and 7250 (Class A Telephone Companies).
§ 36.412   Apportionment procedures.

Equal Access Expenses

§ 36.421   Equal access expenses.

Subpart E—Reserves and Deferrals

§ 36.501   General.
§ 36.502   Other jurisdictional assets—Net—Account 1500.
§ 36.503   Accumulated depreciation—Account 3100.
§ 36.504   Accumulated depreciation—Property held for future telecommunications use—Account 3200.
§ 36.505   Accumulated amortization—Tangible—Account 3400 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accumulated amortization—Capital Leases—Account 3410 (Class A Telephone Companies).
§ 36.506   Net current deferred operating income taxes—Account 4100, Net noncurrent deferred operating income taxes—Account 4340.
§ 36.507   Other jurisdictional liabilities and deferred credits—Net—Account 4370.

Subpart F—Universal Service Fund


General

§ 36.601   General.
§ 36.602   Calculation of non-rural carrier portion of nationwide loop cost expense adjustment.
§ 36.603   Calculation of rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of nationwide loop cost expense adjustment.
§ 36.604   Calculation of the rural growth factor.
§ 36.605   Calculation of safety net additive.

Data Collection

§ 36.611   Submission of information to the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA).
§ 36.612   Updating information submitted to the National Exchange Carrier Association.
§ 36.613   Submission of information by the National Exchange Carrier Association.

Calculation of Loop Costs for Expense Adjustment

§ 36.621   Study area total unseparated loop cost.
§ 36.622   National and study area average unseparated loop costs.

Calculation of Expense Adjustment—Additional Interstate Expense Allocation

§ 36.631   Expense adjustment.

Transitional Expense Adjustment

§ 36.641   Transition.

Subpart G [Reserved]

Appendix to Part 36—Glossary


1 The Commission has determined that the same jurisdictional separations used in the contiguous states are to be used for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Integration of Rates and Services, Docket No. 21263, 87 FCC 2nd 18 (1981); Integration of Rates and Services, Docket No. 21264, 72 FCC 2nd 699 (1979).

Authority:  47 U.S.C. Secs. 151, 154 (i) and (j), 205, 221(c), 254, 403 and 410.

Source:  52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General
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§ 36.1   General.
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(a) This part contains an outline of separations procedures for telecommunications companies on the station-to-station basis. These procedures are applicable either to property costs, revenues, expenses, taxes, and reserves as recorded on the books of the company or to estimated amounts.

(1) Where a value basis is used instead of book costs, the “costs” referred to are the “values” of the property derived from the valuation.

(b) The separations procedures set forth in this part are designed primarily for the allocation of property costs, revenues, expenses, taxes and reserves between state and interstate jurisdictions. For separations, where required, of the state portion between exchange and toll or for separations of individual exchanges or special services, further analyses and studies may be required to adapt the procedures to such additional separations.

(c) The fundamental basis on which separations are made is the use of telecommunications plant in each of the operations. The first step is the assignment of the cost of the plant to categories. The basis for making this assignment is the identification of the plant assignable to each category and the determination of the cost of the plant so identified. The second step is the apportionment of the cost of the plant in each category among the operations by direct assignment where possible, and all remaining costs are assigned by the application of appropriate use factors.

(d) In assigning book costs to categories, the costs used for certain plant classes are average unit costs which equate to all book costs of a particular account or subaccount; for other plant classes, the costs used are those which either directly approximate book cost levels or which are equated to match total book costs at a given location.

(e) The procedures outlined herein reflect “short-cuts” where practicable and where their application produces substantially the same separations results as would be obtained by the use of more detailed procedures, and they assume the use of records generally maintained by Telecommunications Companies.

(f) The classification to accounts of telecommunications property, revenues, expenses, etc., set forth in this manual is that prescribed by the Federal Communications Commission's Uniform System of Accounts for Telecommunications Companies.

(g) In the assignment of property costs to categories and in the apportionment of such costs among the operations, each amount so assigned and apportioned is identified as to the account classification in which the property is included. Thus, the separated results are identified by property accounts and apportionment bases are provided for those expenses which are separated on the basis of the apportionment of property costs. Similarly, amounts of revenues and expenses assigned each of the operations are identified as to account classification.

(h) The separations procedures described in this part are not to be interpreted as indicating what property, revenues, expenses and taxes, or what items carried in the income, reserve and retained earnings accounts, should or should not be considered in any investigation or rate proceeding.

§ 36.2   Fundamental principles underlying procedures.
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(a) The following general principles underlie the procedures outlined in this part:

(1) Separations are intended to apportion costs among categories or jurisdictions by actual use or by direct assignment.

(2) Separations are made on the “actual use” basis, which gives consideration to relative occupancy and relative time measurements.

(3) In the development of “actual use” measurements, measurements of use are (i) determined for telecommunications plant or for work performed by operating forces on a unit basis (e.g., conversation-minute-kilometers per message, weighted standard work seconds per call) in studies of traffic handled or work performed during a representative period for all traffic and (ii) applied to overall traffic volumes, i.e., 24-hour rather than busy-hour volumes.

(b) Underlying the procedures included in this manual for the separation of plant costs is an over-all concept which may be described as follows:

(1) Telecommunications plant, in general, is segregable into two broad classifications, namely, (i) interexchange plant, which is plant used primarily to furnish toll services, and (ii) exchange plant, which is plant used primarily to furnish local services.

(2) Within the interexchange classification, there are three broad types of plant, i.e., operator systems, switching plant, and trunk transmission equipment. Within the exchange classification there are four board types of plant, i.e., operator systems, switching plant, truck equipment and subscriber plant. Subscriber plant comprises lines to the subscriber.

(3) In general, the basis for apportioning telecommunications plant used jointly for state and interstate operations are:

(i) Operator work time expressed in weighted standard work seconds is the basis for measuring the use of operator systems.

(ii) Holding-time-minutes is the basis for measuring the use of toll switching plant.

(iii) Conversation-minute-kilometers or conversation minutes is the basis for measuring the use of interexchange circuit plant and holding-time minutes is the basis for measuring the use of exchange trunk plant. While the use of holding-time-minute-kilometers is the basic fundamental allocation factor for interexchange circuit plant and exchange trunk plant, the use of conversation-minute-kilometers or conversation-minutes for the allocation of interexchange circuit plant and holding-time minutes for the allocation of exchange trunk plant are considered practical approximations for separations between state and interstate operations when related to the broad types of plant classifications used herein.

(iv) A subscriber plant factor is the basis of apportioning the cost of message telecommunications subscriber plant and local switching plant between State and interstate operations. The subscriber plant factor is developed and used according to the procedures set forth in §§36.154(c) through 36.154(f).

(c) Property rented to affiliates, if not substantial in amount, is included as used property of the owning company with the associated revenues and expenses treated consistently: Also such property rented from affiliates is not included with the used property of the company making the separations; the rent paid is included in its expenses. If substantial in amount, the following treatment is applied:

(1) In the case of property rented to affiliates, the property and related expenses and rent revenues are excluded from the telephone operations of the owning company, and

(2) In the case of property rented from affiliates, the property and related expenses are included with, and the rent expenses are excluded from, the telephone operations of the company making the separation.

(d) Property rented to or from non-affiliates is usually to be included as used property of the owning company with the associated revenues and expenses treated consistently. In the event the amount is substantial, the property involved and the revenues and expenses associated therewith may be excluded from or included in the telecommunications operations of the company. When required, the cost of property rented to or from non-affiliates is determined using procedures that are consistent with the procedures for the allocation of costs among the operations.

(e) Costs associated with services or plant billed to another company which have once been separated under procedures consistent with general principles set forth in this part, and are thus identifiable as entirely interstate or State in nature, shall be directly assigned to the appropriate operation and jurisdiction.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 58 FR 44905, Aug. 25, 1993]

§ 36.3   Freezing of jurisdictional separations category relationships and/or allocation factors.
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(a) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all local exchange carriers subject to part 36 rules shall apportion costs to the jurisdictions using their study area and/or exchange specific jurisdictional allocation factors calculated during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000, for each of the categories/sub-categories as specified herein. Direct assignment of private line service costs between jurisdictions shall be updated annually. Other direct assignment of investment, expenses, revenues or taxes between jurisdictions shall be updated annually. Local exchange carriers that invest in telecommunications plant categories during the period July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, for which it had no separations allocation factors for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000, shall apportion that investment among the jurisdictions in accordance with the separations procedures in effect as of December 31, 2000 for the duration of the freeze.

(b) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, local exchange carriers subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41, shall assign costs from the part 32 accounts to the separations categories/sub-categories, as specified herein, based on the percentage relationships of the categorized/sub-categorized costs to their associated part 32 accounts for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. If a part 32 account for separations purposes is categorized into more than one category, the percentage relationship among the categories shall be utilized as well. Local exchange carriers that invest in types of telecommunications plant during the period July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, for which it had no separations category investment for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000, shall assign such investment to separations categories in accordance with the separations procedures in effect as of December 31, 2000. Local exchange carriers not subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, may elect to be subject to the provisions of §36.3(b). Such election must be made prior to July 1, 2001. Local exchange carriers electing to become subject to §36.3(b) shall not be eligible to withdraw from such regulation for the duration of the freeze. Local exchange carriers participating in Association tariffs, pursuant to §69.601 of this chapter et seq., shall notify the Association prior to July 1, 2001, of such intent to be subject to the provisions of §36.3(b). Local exchange carriers not participating in Association tariffs shall notify the Commission prior to July 1, 2001, of such intent to be subject to the provisions of §36.3(b).

(c) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, any local exchange carrier that sells or otherwise transfers exchanges, or parts thereof, to another carrier's study area shall continue to utilize the factors and, if applicable, category relationships as specified in §§36.3(a) and (b).

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, any local exchange carrier that buys or otherwise acquires exchanges or part thereof, shall calculate new, composite factors and, if applicable, category relationships based on a weighted average of both the seller's and purchaser's factors and category relationships calculated pursuant to §§36.3(a) and 36.3(b). This weighted average should be based on the number of access lines currently being served by the acquiring carrier and the number of access lines in the acquired exchanges.

(1) To compute the composite allocation factors and, if applicable, the composite category percentage relationships of the acquiring company, the acquiring carrier shall first sum its existing (pre-purchase) access lines (A) with the total access lines acquired from selling company (B). Then, multiply its factors and category relationship percentages by (A/(A+B)) and those of the selling company by (B/(A+B)) and sum the results.

(2) For carriers subject to a freeze of category relationships, the acquiring carrier should remove all categories of investment from the selling carrier's list of frozen category relationships where no such category investment exists within the sold exchange(s). The seller's remaining category relationships must then be increased proportionately to total 100 percent. Then, the adjusted seller's category relationships must be combined with those of the acquiring carrier as specified in §36.3(d)(1) to determine the category relationships for the acquiring carrier's post-transfer study area.

(e) Any local exchange carrier study area converting from average schedule company status, as defined in §69.605(c) of this chapter, to cost company status during the period July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, shall, for the first twelve months subsequent to conversion categorize the telecommunications plant and expenses and develop separations allocation factors in accordance with the separations procedures in effect as of December 31, 2000. Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, such companies shall utilize the separations allocation factors and account categorization subject to the requirements of §§36.3(a) and (b) based on the category relationships and allocation factors for the twelve months subsequent to the conversion to cost company status.

[66 FR 33204, June 21, 2001]

Subpart B—Telecommunications Property
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General
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§ 36.101   Section arrangement.
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(a) This subpart is arranged in sections as follows:

General

Telecommunications Plant in Service—Account 2001—36.101 and 36.102.

General Support Facilities—Account 2110—36.111 and 36.112.

Central Office Equipment—Accounts 2210, 2220, 2230—36.121 thru 36.126.

Information Origination/Termination Equipment—Account 2310—36.141 and 36.142.

Cable and Wire Facilities—Account 2410—36.151 thru 36.157.

Amortization Assets—Accounts 2680 and 2690—36.161 and 36.162.

Telecommunications Plant—Other Accounts 2002 thru 2005—36.171.

Rural Telephone Bank Stock—36.172.

Material and Supplies—Accounts 1220, and Cash Working Capital—36.181 and 36.182.

Equal Access Equipment—36.191.

[60 FR 12138, Mar. 6, 1995]

§ 36.102   General.
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(a) This section contains an outline of the procedures used in the assignment of Telecommunications Plant in Service—Account 2001 to categories and the apportionment of the cost assigned to each category among the operations.

(b) The treatment of rental plant is outlined in §§36.2(c) through 36.2(e). If the amount of such plant is substantial, the cost may be determined by using the general procedures set forth for the assignment of the various kinds of property to categories.

(c) The amount of depreciation deductible from the book cost or “value” is apportioned among the operations in proportion to the separation of the cost of the related plant accounts.

General Support Facilities
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§ 36.111   General.
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(a) The costs of the general support facilities are contained in Account 2110, Land and Support Assets. This account contains land, buildings, motor vehicles, aircraft, special purpose vehicles, garage work equipment, other work equipment, furniture, office equipment and general purpose computers.

§ 36.112   Apportionment procedure.
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(a) The costs of the general support facilities of Class A Companies (which are defined in part 32 of the Commission's Rules) are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the costs of the combined Big Three Expenses which include the following accounts:

Plant Specific Expenses

Central Office Switching Expenses—Accounts 6211 and 6212

Operators Systems Expenses—Account 6220

Central Office Transmission Expenses—Accounts 6231 and 6232

Information Origination/Termination Expenses—Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351, and 6362

Cable and Wire Facilities Expenses—Accounts 6411, 6421, 6422, 6423, 6424, 6426, 6431, and 6441

Plant Non-Specific Expenses

Network Operations Expenses—Accounts 6531, 6532, 6533, 6534, and 6535

Customer Operations Expenses

Marketing—Account 6611 and 6613

Services—Account 6620

(b) The costs of the general support facilities for Class B Companies (which are defined by part 32 of the Commission's Rules) are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the costs of Central Office Equipment, Information Origination/Termination Equipment, and Cable and Wire Facilities, combined.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 69 FR 12549, Mar. 17, 2004]

Central Office Equipment
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§ 36.121   General.
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(a) The costs of central office equipment are carried in the following accounts:

Central Office Switching.................  Account 2210.Non-digital Switching....................  Account 2211.Digital Electronic Switching.............  Account 2212.Operator Systems.........................  Account 2220.Central Office_Transmission..............  Account 2230.Radio Systems............................  Account 2231.Circuit Equipment........................  Account 2232. 

(b) Records of the cost of central office equipment are usually maintained for each study area separately by accounts. However, each account frequently includes equipment having more than one use. Also, equipment in one account frequently is associated closely with equipment in the same building in another account. Therefore, the separations procedures for central office equipment have been designed to deal with categories of plant rather than with equipment in an account.

(c) In the separation of the cost of central office equipment among the operations, the first step is the assignment of the equipment in each study area to categories. The basic method of making this assignment is the identification of the equipment assignable to each category, and the determination of the cost of the identified equipment by analysis of accounting, engineering and other records.

(1) The cost of common equipment not assigned to a specific category, e.g., common power equipment, including emergency power equipment, aisle lighting and framework, including distributing frames, is distributed among the categories in proportion to the cost of equipment, (excluding power equipment not dependent upon common power equipment) directly assigned to categories.

(i) The cost of power equipment used by one category is assigned directly to that category, e.g., 130 volt power supply provided for circuit equipment. The cost of emergency power equipment protecting only power equipment used by one category is also assigned directly to that category.

(ii) Where appropriate, a weighting factor is applied to the cost of circuit equipment in distributing the power plant costs not directly assigned, in order to reflect the generally greater power use per dollar of cost of this equipment.

(d) The second step is the apportionment of the cost of the equipment in each category among the operations through the application of appropriate use factors or by direct assignment.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 69 FR 12549, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.122   Categories and apportionment procedures.
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(a) The following categories of central office equipment and apportionment procedures therefore are set forth in §§36.123 through 36.126.

   Operator Systems   Category 1. EquipmentTandem Switching   Category 2. EquipmentLocal Switching    Category 3. EquipmentCircuit Equipment  Category 4. 
§ 36.123   Operator systems equipment—Category 1.
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(a) Operator systems equipment is contained in Account 2220. It includes all types of manual telephone switchboards except tandem switchboards and those used solely for recording of calling telephone numbers in connection with customer dialed charge traffic. It includes all face equipment, terminating relay circuits of trunk and toll line circuits, cord circuits, cable turning sections, subscriber line equipment, associated toll connecting trunk equipment, number checking facilities, ticket distributing systems, calculagraphs, chief operator and other desks, operator chairs, and other such equipment.

(1) Operator systems equipment is generally classified according to operating arrangements of which the following are typical:

(i) Separate toll boards

(ii) Separate local manual boards

(iii) Combined local manual and toll boards

(iv) Combined toll and DSA boards

(v) Separate DSA and DSB boards

(vi) Service observing boards

(vii) Auxiliary service boards

(viii) Traffic service positions

(2) If switchboards as set forth in §36.123(a) are of the key pulsing type, the cost of the key pulsing senders, link and trunk finder equipment is included with the switchboards.

(3) DSB boards include the associated DSB dial equipment, such as link and sender equipment.

(4) Traffic service position systems include the common control and trunk equipment in addition to the associated groups of positions wherever located.

(5) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the average balance of Account 2220, Operator Systems, to the categories/subcategories, as specified in §36.123(a)(1), based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balance of Account 2220 to these categories/subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(6) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion the costs assigned to the categories/subcategories, as specified in §36.123(a)(1), among the jurisdictions using the relative use measurements for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000 for each of the categories/subcategories specified in §§36.123 (b) through 36.123(e).

(b) The cost of the following operator systems equipment is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds handled at the switchboards under consideration.

(1) The following types of switchboards at toll centers are generally apportioned individually:

(i) Separate toll boards. These usually include outward, through and inward positions in separate lines and associated inward toll switchboard positions in line.

(ii) Switchboards handling both local and toll, either combined or having segregated local and toll positions in the same line.

(iii) Switchboards handling both toll and DSA, either combined or having segregated toll and DSA positions in the same line.

(iv) Traffic service positions, including separately located groups of these positions when associated with a common basic control unit.

(2) The following types of switchboards at toll centers are apportioned individually, or by groups of comparable types of boards for each exchange:

(i) Separate local manual boards. This includes the local positions of manual boards where inward toll positions are in the same line.

(ii) Separate DSA boards.

(iii) Separate DSB boards.

(3) Tributary boards may be treated individually if warranted or they may be treated on a group basis.

(c) Auxiliary service boards generally handle rate and route, information, and intercept service at individual or joint positions. The cost of these boards is apportioned as follows:

(1) The cost of separate directory assistance boards is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds handled at the boards under consideration. Directory assistance weighted standard work seconds are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the classification of these weighted standard work seconds as follows:

(i) Directory assistance weighted standard work seconds first are classified between calls received over toll directory assistance trunks from operators or customers and all other directory assistance calls.

(ii) The directory assistance weighted standard work seconds of each type further are classified separately among the operations on the basis of an analysis of a representative sample of directory assistance calls of each type with reference to the locations of the calling and called stations for each call.

(2) The cost of separate intercept boards and automated intercept systems in the study area is appportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of subscriber line minutes of use.

(3) The cost of separate rate and route boards is generally included with the cost of the toll boards served and is apportioned with those boards.

(4) Where more than one auxiliary service is handled at an auxiliary board, the cost of the board is apportioned among the auxiliary services on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds for each service. The cost of that part of the board allocated to each auxiliary service is apportioned among the operations in the same manner as for a separate auxiliary board.

(d) The cost of joint exchange and toll service observing boards is first apportioned between exchange and toll use on the basis of the relative number of exchange and toll service observing units at these boards. The cost of separate toll service observing boards and the toll portion of joint service observing boards is apportioned between state and interstate operations on the basis of the relative number of toll minutes of use associated with the toll messages originating in the offices observed.

(e) Traffic Service Position System (TSPS) investments are apportioned as follows:

(1) Operator position investments are apportioned on the basis of the relative weighted standard work seconds for the entire TSPS complex.

(2) Remote trunk arrangement (RTA) investments are apportioned on the basis of the relative processor real time (i.e., actual seconds) required to process TSPS traffic originating from the end offices served by each RTA.

(3) The remaining investments at the central control location, such as the stored program control and memory, is apportioned on the basis of the relative processor real time (i.e., actual seconds) for the entire TSPS complex.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33205, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.124   Tandem switching equipment—Category 2.
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(a) Tandem switching equipment is contained in Accounts 2210, 2211, and 2212. It includes all switching equipment in a tandem central office, including any associated tandem switchboard positions and any intertoll switching equipment. Intertoll switching equipment includes switching equipment used for the interconnection of message toll telephone circuits with each other or with local or tandem telephone central office trunks, intertoll dial selector equipment, or intertoll trunk equipment in No. 5 type electronic offices. Equipment, including switchboards used for recording of calling telephone numbers and other billing information in connection with customer dialed charge traffic is included with Local Switching Equipment—Category 3.

(1) At toll center toll offices, intertoll switching equipment comprises equipment in the toll office used in the interconnection of: Toll center to toll center circuits; toll center to tributary circuits; tributary to tributary circuits; toll center to tandem circuits or in the interconnection of the aforementioned types of circuits with trunks to local offices in the toll center city, i.e., interconnection with toll switching trunks, operator trunks, information trunks, testing trunks, etc. Equipment associated with the local office end of such trunks is included with local switching equipment or switchboard categories as appropriate.

(2) At tributary offices, this category includes intertoll switching equipment similar to that at toll center toll offices if it is used in the interconnection of: Tributary to tributary circuits; tributary to subtributary circuits; subtributary to subtributary circuits; toll center to subtributary circuits; or if it is used jointly in the interconnection of any of the aforementioned types of circuits and in the interconnection of such toll circuits with trunk circuits for the handling of traffic terminating in the tributary office. Where comparable equipment has no joint use but is used only for the handling of traffic terminating in the tributary office, it is included in the local switching equipment category.

(3) At all switching entities, this category includes intertoll switching equipment similar to that at toll center toll offices if it is used in the interconnection of switched private line trunks or TWX switching plant trunks when these functions are in addition to the message telephone switching function. Switching entities wholly dedicated to switching of special services are assigned to Category 3—Local Switching Equipment.

(b) The costs of central office equipment items assigned this category are to be directly assigned when possible. When direct assignment is not possible the costs shall be apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of study area minutes of use of this equipment.

(c) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the average balances of Accounts 2210, 2211, and 2212 to Category 2, Tandem Switching Equipment based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balances of Account 2210, 2211, 2212, and 2215 to Category 2, Tandem Switching Equipment during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion costs in Category 2, Tandem Switching Equipment, among the jurisdictions using the relative number of study area minutes of use, as specified in §36.124(b), for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any subcategory of Category 2 Tandem Switching Equipment between jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33205, June 21, 2001; 69 FR 12549, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.125   Local switching equipment—Category 3.
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(a) Local switching equipment is included in accounts 2210, 2211, and 2212. It comprises all central office switching equipment not assigned other categories. Examples of local switching equipment are basic switching train, toll connecting trunk equipment, interlocal trunks, tandem trunks, terminating senders used for toll completion, toll completing train, call reverting equipment, weather and time of day service equipment, and switching equipment at electronic analog or digital remote line locations. Equipment used for the identification, recording and timing of customer dialed charge traffic, or switched private line traffic (e.g. transmitters, recorders, call identity indexers, perforators, ticketers, detectors, mastertimes) switchboards used solely for recording of calling telephone numbers in connection with customer dialed charge traffic, or switched private line traffic (or both) is included in this local switching category. Equipment provided and used primarily for operator dialed toll or customer dialed charge traffic except such equipment included in Category 2 Tandem Switching Equipment is also included in this local switching category. This includes such items as directors translators, sender registers, out trunk selectors and facilities for toll intercepting and digit absorption. Special services switching equipment which primarily performs the switching function for special services (e.g. switching equipment, TWX concentrators and switchboards) is also included in this local switching category.

(1) Local office, as used in §36.125, comprises one or more local switching entities of the same equipment type (e.g., step-by-step, No. 5 Crossbar) in an individual location. A local switching entity comprises that local central office equipment of the same type which has a common intermediate distributing frame, market group or other separately identifiable switching unit serving one or more prefixes (NNX codes).

(2) A host/remote local switching complex is composed of an electronic analog or digital host office and all of its remote locations. A host/remote local switching complex is treated as one local office. The current jurisdictional definition of an exchange will apply.

(3) Dial equipment minutes of use (DEM) is defined as the minutes of holding time of the originating and terminating local switching equipment. Holding time is defined in the Glossary.

(4) The interstate allocation factor is the percentage of local switching investment apportioned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(5) The interstate DEM factor is the ratio of the interstate DEM to the total DEM. A weighted interstate DEM factor is the product of multiplying a weighting factor, as defined in paragraph (f) of this section, to the interstate DEM factor. The state DEM factor is the ratio of the state DEM to the total DEM.

(b) Beginning January 1, 1993, Category 3 investment for study areas with 50,000 or more access lines is apportioned to the interstate jurisdiction on the basis of the interstate DEM factor. Category 3 investment for study areas with 50,000 or more access lines is apportioned to the state jurisdiction on the basis of the state DEM factor.

(c)–(e) [Reserved]

(f) Beginning January 1, 1993 and ending December 31, 1997, for study areas with fewer than 50,000 access lines, Category 3 investment is apportioned to the interstate jurisdiction by the application of an interstate allocation factor that is the lesser of either .85 or the product of the interstate DEM factor specified in paragraph (a)(5) of this section multiplied by a weighting factor, as determined by the table below. Beginning January 1, 1998, for study areas with fewer than 50,000 access lines, Category 3 investment is apportioned to the interstate jurisdiction by the application of an interstate allocation factor that is the lesser of either .85 or the sum of the interstate DEM factor specified in paragraph (a)(5) of this section and the difference between the 1996 weighted interstated DEM factor and the 1996 interstate DEM factor. The Category 3 investment that is not assigned to the interstate jurisdiction pursuant to this paragraph is assigned to the state jurisdiction.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                               Weighting         No. of access lines in service in study area            factor------------------------------------------------------------------------0-10,000.....................................................        3.010,001-20,000................................................        2.520,001-50,000................................................        2.050,001-or above..............................................        1.0------------------------------------------------------------------------

(g) For purposes of this section, an access line is a line that does not include WATS access lines, special access lines or private lines.

(h) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the average balances of Accounts 2210, 2211, and 2212 to Category 3, Local Switching Equipment, based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balances of Account 2210, 2211, 2212, and 2215 to Category 3, during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(i) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion costs in Category 3, Local Switching Equipment, among the jurisdictions using relative dial equipment minutes of use for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(j) If during the period from January 1, 1997, through June 30, 2006, the number of a study area's access lines increased or will increase such that, under §36.125(f) the weighting factor would be reduced, that lower weighting factor shall be applied to the study area's 1996 unweighted interstate DEM factor to derive a new local switching support factor. The study area will restate its Category 3, Local Switching Equipment factor under §36.125(f) and use that factor for the duration of the freeze period.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33011, 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 62 FR 32946, June 17, 1997; 63 FR 2124, Jan. 13, 1998; 66 FR 33205, June 21, 2001; 69 FR 12549, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.126   Circuit equipment—Category 4.
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(a) For the purpose of this section, the term “Circuit Equipment” encompasses the Radio Systems and Circuit Equipment contained in Accounts 2230 through 2232 respectively. It includes central office equipment, other than switching equipment and automatic message recording equipment, which is used to derive communications transmission channels or which is used for the amplification, modulation, regeneration, testing, balancing or control of signals transmitted over communications transmission channels. Examples of circuit equipment in general use include:

(1) Carrier telephone and telegraph system terminals.

(2) Telephone and telegraph repeaters, termination sets, impedance compensators, pulse link repeaters, echo suppressors and other intermediate transmission amplification and balancing equipment except that included in switchboards.

(3) Radio transmitters, receivers, repeaters and other radio central office equipment except message switching equipment associated with radio systems.

(4) Composite ringers, line signaling and switching pad circuits.

(5) Concentration equipment.

(6) Composite sets and repeating coils.

(7) Program transmission amplifiers, monitoring devices and volume indicators.

(8) Testboards, test desks, repair desks and patch bays, including those provided for test and control, and for telegraph and transmission testing.

(b) For apportionment among the operations, the cost of circuit equiment is assigned to the following subsidiary categories:

(1) Exchange Circuit Equipment—Category 4.1. (i) Wideband Exchange Line Circuit Equipment—Category 4.11.

(ii) Exchange Trunk Circuit Equipment (Wideband and Non-Wideband)—Category 4.12.

(iii) Exchange Line Circuit Equipment Excluding Wideband—Category 4.13.

(2) Interexchange Circuit Equipment—Category 4.2. (i) Interexchange Circuit Equipment Furnished to Another Company for Interstate Use—Category 4.21.

(ii) Interexchange Circuit Equipment Used for Wideband Services including Satellite and Earth Station Equipment used for Wideband Service—Category 4.22.

(iii) All Other Interexchange Circuit Equipment—Category 4.23.

(3) Host/Remote Message Circuit Equipment—Category 4.3. (4) In addition, for the purpose of identifying and separating property associated with special services, circuit equipment included in Categories 4.12 (other than wideband equipment) 4.13 and 4.23 is identified as either basic circuit equipment, i.e., equipment that performs functions necessary to provide and operate channels suitable for voice transmission (telephone grade channels), or special circuit equipment, i.e., equipment that is peculiar to special service circuits. Carrier telephone terminals and carrier telephone repeaters are examples of basic circuit equipment is general use, while audio program transmission amplifiers, bridges, monitoring devices and volume indicators, telegraph carrier terminals and telegraph repeaters are examples of special circuit equipment in general use. Cost of exchange circuit equipment included in Categories 4.12 and 4.13 and the interexchange circuit equipment in Categories 4.21, 4.22 and 4.23 are segregated between basic circuit equipment and special circuit equipment only at those locations where amounts of interexchange and exchange special circuit equipment are significant. Where such segregation is not made, the total costs in these categories are classified as basic circuit equipment.

(5) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41, shall assign the average balances of Accounts 2230 through 2232 to the categories/subcategories as specified in §§36.126(b)(1) through (b)(4) based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balances of Accounts 2230 through 2232 costs to these categories/subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(c) Apportionment of Exchange Circuit Equipment Among the Operations:

(1) Wideband Exchange Line Circuit Equipment—Category 4.11—The cost of exchange circuit equipment in this category is determined separately for each wideband facility. The respective costs are allocated to the appropriate operation in the same manner as the related exchange line cable and wire facilities described in §36.155.

(2) Exchange Trunk Circuit Equipment (Wideband and Non-Wideband)—Category 4.12—The cost of exchange circuit equipment associated with this category for the study area is allocated to the appropriate operation in the same manner as the related exchange trunk cable and wire facilities as described in §36.155.

(3) Exchange Line Circuit Equipment Excluding Wideband—Category 4.13—The cost of Circuit Equipment associated with exchange line plant excluding wideband for the study area is assigned to subcategories and is allocated to the appropriate operation in the same manner as the related exchange line cable and wire facilities for non-wideband service as described in §36.154.

(4) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion costs in the categories/subcategories, as specified in §§36.126(b)(1) through (b)(4), among the jurisdictions using the relative use measurements or factors, as specified in §§36.126(c)(1) through (c)(3) for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any subcategory of Category 4.1 Exchange Circuit Equipment to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

(d) Apportionment of Interexchange Circuit Equipment among the Operations: Procedures to be Used by Interexchange Carriers. (1) Interexchange Circuit Equipment Furnished to Another Company for Interstate Use—Category 4.21—This category comprises that circuit equipment provided for the use of another company as an integral part of its interexchange circuit facilities used wholly for interstate services. This category includes such circuit equipment as telephone carrier, terminals telegraph carrier terminals, and microwave systems used wholly for interstate services. The total cost of the circuit equipment in this category for the study area is assigned to the interstate operation.

(2) Interexchange Circuit Equipment Used for Wideband Service—Category 4.22—This category includes the circuit equipment portion of interexchange channels used for wideband services. The cost of interexchange circuit equipment in this category is determined separately for each wideband channel and is segregated between message and private line services on the basis of the use of the channels provided. The respective costs are allocated to the appropriate operation in the same manner as the related interexchange cable and wire facilities as described in §36.156.

(3) All Other Interexchange Circuit Equipment—Category 4.23—This category includes the cost of all interexchange circuit equipment not assigned to Categories 4.21 and 4.22. Interexchange carriers shall freeze the allocation factors for Category 4.23 investment at levels reached on December 31, 1985, derived by using the procedures in effect at that time. On January 1, 1988, and thereafter, that frozen allocation factor shall be applied to each interexchange carrier's Category 4.23 investment to derive the interstate allocation. On January 1, 1988, and thereafter, the amount of investment allocated to the interstate jurisdiction will vary but the relative proportion of the total investment that is allocated to the interstate jurisdiction will remain frozen at 1985 levels.

(e) Apportionment of Interexchange Circuit Equipment among the Operations: Procedures To Be Used by Exchange Carriers. (1) Interexchange Circuit Equipment Furnished to Another Company for Interstate Use—Category 4.21—This category comprises that circuit equipment provided for the use of another company as an integral part of its interexchange circuit facilities used wholly for interstate services. This category includes such circuit equipment as telephone carrier terminals telegraph carrier terminals, and microwave systems used wholly for interstate services. The total cost of the circuit equipment in this category for the study area is assigned to the interstate operation.

(2) Interexchange Circuit Equipment Used for Wideband Service—Category 4.22—This category includes the circuit equipment portion of interexchange channels used for wideband services. The cost of interexchange circuit equipment in this category is determined separately for each wideband channel and is segregated between message and private line services on the basis of the use of the channels provided. The respective costs are allocated to the appropriate operation in the same manner as the related interexchange cable and wire facilities described in §36.155.

(3) All Other Interexchange Circuit Equipment—Category 4.23—This category includes the cost of all interexchange circuit equipment not assigned to Categories 4.21 and 4.22. The cost of interexchange basic circuit equipment used for the following classes of circuits is included in this category: Jointly used message circuits, i.e., message switching plant circuits carrying messages from the state and interstate operations; circuits used exclusively for TWX service; circuits uses for interstate private line service; and circuits used for state private line services.

(i) An average interexchange circuit equipment cost per equivalent interexchange telephone termination for all circuits is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone termination counts of each of the following classes of circuits: Interstate Private Line, State Private Line, Message, and TWX. The cost of interstate private line circuits is assigned directly to the interstate operation. The cost of state private line circuits is assigned directly to the state operation. The cost of message circuits is apportioned between the state and interstate operations on the basis of the relative number of study area conversation-minutes applicable to such facilities.

(ii) The cost on interexchange circuit equipment assigned TWX circuits is apportioned between state and interstate toll in accordance with §36.126(e)(3)(i) and pursuant to the following procedures. The cost of circuit equipment associated with the TWX intertoll circuits used jointly for state and interstate operations is apportioned between the operations on the basis of the relative number of study area TWX connection-minutes applicable to such facilities. The cost of circuit equipment associated with the interexchange portion of the TWX remote access lines is apportioned between state and interstate operation on the basis of the relative number of study area TWX connection-minutes applicable to those facilities.

(iii) The cost of special circuit equipment is segregated among TWX service, telegraph grade private line services and other private line services based on an analysis of the use of the equipment and in accordance with §36.126(b)(4). The cost of TWX special circuit equipment is apportioned on the same basis as that used for intertoll TWX circuits. The special circuit equipment cost assigned to telegraph grade and other private line services is directly assigned to the appropriate operation.

(4) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion costs in the categories/subcategories specified in §§36.126(e)(1) through (e)(3) among the jurisdictions using relative use measurements or factors, as specified in §§36.126(e)(1) through (e)(3) for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any subcategory of Category 4.2 Interexchange Circuit Equipment to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

(f) Apportionment of Host/Remote Message Circuit Equipment Among the Operations.

(1) Host/Remote Message Circuit Equipment—Category 4.3. This category includes message host/remote location circuit equipment for which a message circuit switching function is performed at the host central office associated with cable and wire facilities as described in §36.152(c).

(i) The category 4.3 cost of host/remote circuit equipment assigned to message services for the study area is apportioned among the exchange, intrastate toll, and interstate toll operations on the basis of the assignment of host/remote message cable and wire facilities as described in §36.157.

(ii) [Reserved]

(2) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion costs in the subcategory specified in §36.126(f)(1) among the jurisdictions using the allocation factor, as specified in §36.126(f)(1)(i), for this subcategory for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any Category 4.3 Host/Remote Message Circuit Equipment to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012 Aug. 29, 1988; 66 FR 33205, June 21, 2001; 69 FR 12550, Mar. 17, 2004]

Information Origination/Termination (IOT) Equipment
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§ 36.141   General.
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(a) Information Origination/Termination Equipment is maintained in Account 2310 and includes station apparatus, embedded customer premises wiring, large private branch exchanges, public telephone terminal equipment, and other terminal equipment.

(b) The costs in Account 2310 shall be segregated between Other Information Origination/Termination Equipment—Category 1, and New Customer Premises Equipment—Category 2 by an analysis of accounting, engineering and other records.

(c) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, local exchange carriers subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the average balance of Account 2310 to the categories, as specified in §36.141(b), based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balance of Account 2310 to these categories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.142   Categories and apportionment procedures.
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(a) Other Information Origination/Termination Equipment—Category 1. This category includes the cost of other information origination/termination equipment not assigned to Category 2. The costs of other information origination/termination equipment are allocated pursuant to the factor that is used to allocate subcategory 1.3 Exchange Line C&WF. If amounts of coinless pay telephone equipment are substantial, the cost of such equipment should be separately identified and allocated on the basis of relative toll minutes-of-use for interexchange carriers and minutes-of-use for exchange carriers.

(b) Customer Premises Equipment—Category 2. This category includes the cost of Customer Premises Equipment that was detariffed pursuant to the Second Computer Inquiry decision. It shall be assigned to the state operations.

(c) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion costs in the categories, as specified in §36.141(b), among the jurisdictions using the relative use measurements or factors, as specified in §36.142(a), for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any category of Information Origination/Termination Equipment to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

Cable and Wire Facilities
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§ 36.151   General.
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(a) Cable and Wire Facilities, Account 2410, includes the following types of communications plant in service: Poles and antenna supporting structures, aerial cable, underground cable, buried cable, submarine cable, deep sea cable, intrabuilding network cable, aerial wire and conduit systems.

(b) For separations purposes, it is necessary to analyze the cable and wire facilities classified in subordinate records in order to determine their assignment to the categories listed in the following paragraphs.

(c) In the separation of the cost of cable and wire facilities among the operations, the first step is the assignment of the facilities to certain categories. The basic method of making this assignment is the identification of the facilities assignable to each category and the determination of the cost of the facilities so identified. Because of variations among companies in the character of the facilities and operating conditions, and in the accounting and engineering records maintained, the detailed methods followed, of necessity, will vary among the companies. The general principles to be followed, however, will be the same for all companies.

(d) The second step is the apportionment of the cost of the facilities in each category among the operations through the application of appropriate factors or by direct assignment.

§ 36.152   Categories of Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF).
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(a) C&WF are basically divided between exchange and interexchange. Exchange C&WF consists of the following categories:

(1) Exchange Line C&WF Excluding Wideband—Category 1—This category includes C&W facilities between local central offices and subscriber premises used for message telephone, TWX subscriber lines, private line, local channels, and for circuits between control terminals and radio stations providing very high frequency maritime service or urban or highway mobile service.

(2) Wideband and Exchange Trunk C&WF—Category 2—This category includes all wideband, including Exchange Line Wideband and C&WF between local central offices and Wideband facilities. It also includes C&WF between central offices or other switching points used by any common carrier for interlocal trunks wholly within an exchange or metropolitan service area, interlocal trunks with one or both terminals outside a metropolitan service area carrying some exchange traffic, toll connecting trunks, tandem trunks principally carrying exchange traffic, the exchange trunk portion of TWX and WATS access lines the exchange trunk portion of private line local channels, and the exchange trunk portion of circuits between control terminals and radio stations providing very high frequency maritime service or urban or highway mobile service.

(3) The procedures for apportioning the cost of exchange cable and wire facilites among the operations are set forth in §§36.154 and 36.155.

(b) Interexchange C&WF—Category 3—This category includes the C&WF used for message toll and toll private line services. It includes cable and wire facilities carrying intertoll circuits, tributary circuits, the interexchange channel portion of special service circuits, circuits between control terminals and radio stations used for overseas or coastal harbor service, interlocal trunks between offices in the different exchange or metropolitan service areas carrying only message toll traffic and certain tandem trunks which carry principally message toll traffic.

(1) The procedures for apportioning the cost of interexchange cable and wire facilities among the operations are set forth in §36.156.

(c) Host/Remote Message C&WF—Category 4—This category includes the cost of message host/remote location C&WF for which a message circuit switching function is performed at the host central office. It applies to C&WF between host offices and all remote locations. The procedures for apportioning the cost of these facilities among the operations are set forth in §36.157.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41, shall assign the average balance of Account 2410 to the categories/subcategories, as specified in §§36.152(a) through (c), based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balance of Account 2410 to these categories/subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.153   Assignment of Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF) to categories.
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(a) Cable consists of: Aerial cable, underground cable, buried cable, submarine cable, deep sea cable and intrabuilding network cable. Where an entire cable or aerial wire is assignable to one category, its cost and quantity are, where practicable, directly assigned.

(1) Cable. (i) There are two basic methods for assigning the cost of cable to the various categories. Both of them are on the basis of conductor cross section. The methods are as follows:

(A) By section of cable, uniform as to makeup and relative use by categories. From an analysis of cable engineering and assignment records, determine in terms of equivalent gauge the number of pairs in use or reserved, for each category. The corresponding percentages of use, or reservation, are applied to the cost of the section of cable, i.e., sheath meters times unit cost per meter, to obtain the cost assignable to each category.

(B) By using equivalent pair kilometers, i.e., pair kilometers expressed in terms of equivalent gauge. From an analysis of cable engineering and assignment records, determine the equivalent pair kilometers in use for each category by type of facility, e.g., quadded, paired. The equivalent pair kilometers are then divided by a cable fill factor to obtain the equivalent pair kilometers in plant. The total equivalent pair kilometers in plant assigned to each category is summarized by type of facility, e.g., quadded and paired, and priced at appropriate average unit costs per equivalent pair kilometer in plant. If desired, this study may be made in terms of circuit kilometers rather than physical pair kilometers, with average cost and fill data consistent with the basis of the facilities kilometer count.

(ii) In the assignment of the cost of cable under the two basic methods described in §36.153(a)(1)(i) consideration is given to the following:

(A) Method (A) described in §36.153(a)(1)(i)(A) will probably be found more desirable where there is a relatively small amount of cable of variable make-up and use by categories. Conversely, method (B) described in §36.153(a)(1)(i)(B) will probably be more desirable where there is a large amount of cable of variable make-up and use by categories. However, in some cases a combination of both methods may be desirable.

(B) It will be desirable in some cases to determine the amount assignable to a particular category by deducting from the total the sum of the amounts assigned to all other categories.

(C) For use in the assignment of poles to categories, the equivalent sheath kilometers of aerial cable assigned to each category are determined. For convenience, these quantities are determined in connection with assignment of cable costs.

(D) Where an entire cable is assignable to one category, its costs and quantity are, where practicable, directly assigned.

(iii) For cables especially arranged for high-frequency transmission such as shielded, disc-insulated and coaxial, recognition is given to the additional costs which are charged to the high-frequency complement.

(2) Cable Loading. (i) Methods for assigning the cost of loading coils, cases, etc., to categories are comparable with those used in assigning the associated cable to categories. Loading associated with cable which is directly assigned to a given category is also directly assigned. The remaining loading is assigned to categories in either of the following bases:

(A) By an analysis of the use made of the loading facilities where a loading coil case includes coils assignable to more than one category, e.g., in the case of a single gauge uniformly loaded section, the percentage used in the related cable assignment are applicable, or

(B) By pricing out each category by determining the pair meters of loaded pairs assigned to each category and multiplying by the unit cost per pair meter of loading by type.

(3) Other Cable Plant. (i) In view of the small amounts involved, the cost of all protected terminals and gas pressure contactor terminals in the toll cable subaccounts is assigned to the appropriate Interexchange Cable & Wire Facilities categories. The cost of all other terminals in the exchange and toll cable subaccounts is assigned to Exchange Cable and Wire Facilities.

(b) Aerial Wire. (1) The cost of wire accounted for as exchange is assigned to the appropriate Exchange Cable & Wire Facilities categories. The cost of wire accounted for as toll, which is used for exchange, is also assigned to the appropriate Exchange Cable & Wire Facilities categories. The cost of the remaining wire accounted for as toll is assigned to the appropriate Interexchange Cable & Wire Facilities categories as described in §36.156. For companies not maintaining exchange and toll subaccounts, it is necessary to review the plant records and identify wire plant by use. The cost of wire used for providing circuits directly assignable to a category is assigned to that category. The cost of wire used for providing circuit facilities jointly used for exchange and interexchange lines is assigned to categories on the basis of the relative number of circuit kilometers involved.

(c) Poles and Antenna Supporting Structures. (1) In the assignment of these costs, anchors, guys, crossarms, antenna supporting structure, and right-of-way are included with the poles.

(2) Poles. (i) The cost of poles is assigned to categories based on the ratio of the cost of poles to the total cost of aerial wire and aerial cable.

(d) Conduit Systems. (1) The cost of conduit systems is assigned to categories on the basis of the assignment of the cost of underground cable.

[53 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 58 FR 44905, Aug. 25, 1993]

§ 36.154   Exchange Line Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)—Category 1—apportionment procedures.
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(a) Exchange Line C&WF—Category 1. The first step in apportioning the cost of exchange line cable and wire facilities among the operations is the determination of an average cost per working loop. This average cost per working loop is determined by dividing the total cost of exchange line cable and wire Category 1 in the study area by the sum of the working loops described in subcategories listed below. The subcategories are:

Subcategory 1.1—State Private Lines and State WATS Lines. This subcategory shall include all private lines and WATS lines carrying exclusively state traffic as well as private lines and WATS lines carrying both state and interstate traffic if the interstate traffic on the line involved constitutes ten percent or less of the total traffic on the line.

Subcategory 1.2—Interstate private lines and interstate WATS lines. This subcategory shall include all private lines and WATS lines that carry exclusively interstate traffic as well as private lines and WATS lines carrying both state and interstate traffic if the interstate traffic on the line involved constitutes more than ten percent of the total traffic on the line.

Subcategory 1.3—Subscriber or common lines that are jointly used for local exchange service and exchange access for state and interstate interexchange services.

(b) The costs assigned to subcategories 1.1 and 1.2 shall be directly assigned to the appropriate jurisdication.

(c) Except as provided in §36.154 (d) through (f), effective January 1, 1986, 25 percent of the costs assigned to subcategory 1.3 shall be allocated to the interstate jurisdiction.

(d) Except as provided in §36.154(f), the interstate allocation of subcategory 1.3 costs for the years 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 will be as follows:

(1) 1988—The §36.154(e) allocation factor multiplied by .625 plus .09375.

(2) 1989—The §36.154(e) allocation factor multiplied by .5 plus .125.

(3) 1990—The §36.154(e) allocation factor multiplied by .375 plus .15625.

(4) 1991—The §36.154(e) allocation factor multiplied by .25 plus .1875.

(5) 1992—The §36.154(e) allocation factor multiplied by .125 plus .21875.

(e) For purposes of the transitional allocations described in §36.154 (d) and (f) an allocation factor known as the subscriber plant factor or SPF that is the sum of the following shall be computed:

(1) Annual average interstate subscriber line use (SLU), for the calendar year 1981.2 representing the interstate use of the subscriber plant as measured by the ratio of interstate holding time minutes of use to total holding time minutes of use applicable to traffic originating and terminating in the study area, multiplied by .85, the nationwide ratio of subscriber plant costs assignable to the exchange operation per minute of exchange use to total subscriber plant cost per total minute of use of subscriber plant, plus

2 In the case of a company that cannot calculate the average interstate subscriber line usage (SLU) ratio for the calendar year 1981, the average interstate SLU for the customarily used 12-month study period ending in 1981 may be utilized. In the case of a company for which no such 1981 annual average SLU exists, the annual average interstate SLU for the initial study period will be utilized.

(2) Twice the annual average interstate subscriber line use ratio for the study area for the calendar year 1981, multiplied by the annual average composite station rate ratio used for the calendar year 1981 (ratio of the nationwide, industry-wide average interstate initial 3-minute station charge at the study area average interstate length of haul to the nationwide, industry-wide average total toll initial 3-minute station charge at the nationwide average length of haul for all toll traffic for the total telephone industry).

(f) Limit on Change in Interstate Allocation. (1) No study area's percentage interstate allocation for Subcategory 1.3 Exchange Line C&WF and COE, Exchange Line Circuit Equipment Excluding Wideband—Category 4.13 investment as well as associated maintenance and depreciation shall decrease by a total of more than five percentage points from one calendar year to the next as a result of the combined operations of §§36.154(d) and 36.641 (a) and (b).

(2) The determination of whether the decrease in the interstate allocation for a given study area resulting from the operation of §§36.154(d) and 36.641(a) through 36.641(b) exceeds five percentage points shall be made by calculating a percentage interstate allocation for both of the years involved. This shall be done by dividing the interstate allocation of subcategory 1.3 Exchange Line C&WF and COE exchange Line circuit Equipment Excluding Wideband Category 4.13 and associated expenses for each year as calculated pursuant to §36.154(f)(4) by the total unseparated investment in Exchange Line C&WF subcategory 1.3 and COE Category 4.13 and associated expenses for the corresponding year as calculated pursuant to §36.154(f)(5).

(3) If the resulting percentage for the more recent of the two years is more than five percentage points less than the percentage for the earlier year, the decrease in the interstate allocations shall be reduced pro rata for plant investment, maintenance and depreciation so that the difference between the two percentages does not equal more than five percentage points.

(4) The sum of the following:

(i) The net interstate allocation of Exchange Line C&WF—subcategory 1.3 investment calculated pursuant to §36.154 (d) and (e) multiplied by the authorized interstate rate of return.

(ii) The net interstate allocation of COE Exchange Line Circuit Equipment—Category 4.13 investment calculated purusant to §36.154 (d) and (e) multiplied by the authorized interstate rate of return.

(iii) The interstate allocation of maintenance and depreciation attributable to Exchange Line C&WF subcategory 1.3 customer premises wire and COE Exhange Line Circuit Equipment—Category 4.13 calculated pursuant to §36.154 (d) and (e).

(iv) The amount of the additional interstate expense allocation calculated pursuant to §36.641.

(5) The sum of the following:

(i) The net unseparated Exchange Line C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment multiplied by the authorized interstate rate of return.

(ii) The net unseparated COE Exchange Line Circuit—Category 4.13 investment multiplied by the authorized interstate rate of return.

(iii) The unseparated maintenance and depreciation attributable to Exchange Line C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment, customer premises wiring investment and COE Exhange Line Circuit Equipment—Category 4.13 investment.

(g) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Subcategory 1.3 Exchange Line C&WF among the jurisdictions as specified in §36.154(c). Direct assignment of subcategory Categories 1.1 and 1.2 Exchange Line C&WF to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually as specified in §36.154(b).

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 54 FR 31033, July 26, 1989; 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001; 67 FR 17014, Apr. 9, 2002]

§ 36.155   Wideband and exchange trunk (C&WF)—Category 2—apportionment procedures.
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(a) The cost of C&WF applicable to this category shall be directly assigned where feasible. If direct assignment is not feasible, cost shall be apportioned between the state and interstate jurisdictions on the basis of the relative number of minutes of use.

(b) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Category 2 Wideband and exchange trunk C&WF among the jurisdictions using the relative number of minutes of use, as specified in §36.155(a), for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any Category 2 equipment to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.156   Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)—Category 3—apportionment procedures.
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(a) An average interexchange cable and wire facilities cost per equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer for all circuits in Category 3 is determined and applied to the equivalent interexchange telephone circuit kilometer counts of each of the classes of circuits.

(b) The cost of C&WF applicable to this category shall be directly assigned were feasible. If direct assignment is not feasible, cost shall be apportioned between the state and interstate jurisdiction on the basis of conversation-minute kilometers as applied to toll message circuits, TWX circuits, etc.

(c) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall directly assign Category 3 Interexchange Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF where feasible. All study areas shall apportion the non-directly assigned costs in Category 3 equipment to the jurisdictions using the relative use measurements, as specified in §36.156 (b), during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

[58 FR 44905, Aug. 25, 1993, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.157   Host/remote message Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF)—Category 4—apportionment procedures.
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(a) Host/Remote Message C&WF—Category 4. The cost of host/remote C&WF used for message circuits, i.e., circuits carrying only message traffic, is included in this category.

(1) The cost of host/remote message C&WF excluding WATS closed end access lines for the study area is apportioned on the basis of the relative number of study area minutes-of-use kilometers applicable to such facilities.

(2) The cost of host/remote message C&WF used for WATS closed end access for the study area is directly assigned to the appropriate jurisdiction.

(b) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Category 4 Host/Remote message Cable and Wire Facilities C&WF among the jurisdictions using the relative number of study area minutes-of-use kilometers applicable to such facilities, as specified in §36.157(a)(1), for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any Category 4 equipment to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 58 FR 44905, Aug. 25, 1993; 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

Amortizable Assets
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§ 36.161   Tangible assets—Account 2680.
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(a) Tangible Assets, Account 2680 includes the costs of property acquired under capital leases and the original cost of leasehold improvements.

(b) The costs of capital leases are apportioned among the operations based on similar plant owned or by analysis.

(c) The cost of leasehold improvements are apportioned among the operations in direct proportion to the costs of the related primary account.

§ 36.162   Intangible assets—Account 2690.
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(a) Intangible Assets, Account 2690 includes the costs of organizing and incorporating the company, franchises, patent rights, and other intangible property having a life of more than one year.

(b) The amount included in this account is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the cost of Telecommunications Plant In Service, Account 2001, excluding the Intangible Assets, Account 2690.

Telecommunications Plant—Other
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§ 36.171   Property held for future telecommunications use—Account 2002; Telecommunications plant under construction—Account 2003; and Telecommunications plant adjustment—Account 2005.
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The amounts carried in Accounts 2002, 2003, and 2005 are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the apportionment of Account 2001, Telecommunications Plant in Service.

[60 FR 12138, Mar. 6, 1995]

Rural Telephone Bank Stock
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§ 36.172   Other noncurrent assets—Account 1410.
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(a) The amounts carried in this account shall be separated into subsidiary record categories:

(1) Class B RTB Stock and

(2) All other.

(b) The amounts contained in category (2) all other of §36.172(a)(2), shall be excluded from part 36 jurisdictional separations.

(c) The amounts contained in category (1) Class B RTB stock of §36.172(a)(1), shall be allocated based on the relative separations of Account 2001, Telephone Plant in Service.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988]

Material and Supplies and Cash Working Capital
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§ 36.181   Material and supplies—Account 1220.
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(a) The amount included in Account 1220 is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the apportionment of the cost of cable and wire facilities in service. Any amounts included in Account 1220 associated with the Customer Premises portion of Account 2310 equipment, shall be excluded from the amounts which are allocated to the interstate operation.

§ 36.182   Cash working capital.
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(a) The amount for cash working capital, if not determined directly for a particular operation, is apportioned among the operations on the basis of total expenses less non-cash expense items.

Equal Access Equipment
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§ 36.191   Equal access equipment.
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(a) Equal access investment includes only initial incremental expenditures for hardware and other equipment related directly to the provision of equal access which would not be required to upgrade the capabilities of the office involved absent the provision of equal access. Equal access investment is limited to such expenditures for converting central offices which serve competitive interexchange carriers or where there has been a bona fide request for conversion to equal access.

(b) Equal access investment is first segregated from all other amounts in the primary accounts.

(c) The equal access investment determined in this manner is allocated between the jurisdictions on the basis of relative state and interstate equal access traffic including interstate interLATA equal access traffic, intrastate interLATA equal access traffic, and BOC interstate corridor toll traffic as well as AT&T and OCC intraLATA equal access usage. Local exchange traffic and BOC intraLATA toll traffic is excluded. In the case of independent telephone companies, intrastate toll service provided by the independent local exchange company is excluded in determining intrastate usage, but intrastate toll service provided by long distance carriers affiliated with the local exchange company is included.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Equal Access Equipment, as specified in §36.191(a), among the jurisdictions using the relative state and interstate equal access traffic, as specified in §36.191(c), for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

Subpart C—Operating Revenues and Certain Income Accounts
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General
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§ 36.201   Section arrangement.
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(a) This subpart is arranged in sections as follows:

General......................................................     36.202Operating Revenues...........................................     36.211    Basic local services revenue_Account 5000 (Class B            36.212     telephone companies); Basic area revenue_Account 5001     (Class A telephone companies)...........................    Network Access Revenues_Accounts 5081 thru 5083..........     36.213    Long Distance Message Revenue_Account 5100...............     36.214    Miscellaneous Revenue_Account 5200.......................     36.215    Uncollectible Revenue_Account 5300.......................     36.216Certain Income Accounts:    Other Operating Income and Expenses_Account 7100.........     36.221    Nonoperating Income and Expenses_Account 7300............     36.222    Interest and Related Items_Account 7500..................     36.223    Extraordinary Items_Account 7600.........................     36.224    Income Effect of Jurisdictional Ratemaking                    36.225     Differences_Account 7910................................ 

[69 FR 12550, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.202   General.
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(a) This section sets forth procedures for the apportionment among the operations of operating revenues and certain income and expense accounts.

(b) Except for the Network Access Revenues, subsidiary record categories are maintained for all revenue accounts in accordance with the requirements of part 32. These subsidiary records identify services for the appropriate jurisdiction and will be used in conjunction with apportionment procedures stated in this manual.

[52 FR 17299, May 6, 1987, as amended at 69 FR 12550, Mar. 17, 2004]

Operating Revenues
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§ 36.211   General.
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(a) Operating revenues are included in the following accounts:

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                Account                        Account title                             No.------------------------------------------------------------------------Basic local service revenue (Class B telephone companies)....       5000Basic Area Revenue (Class A telephone companies).............       5001Network Access Revenues:    End User Revenue.........................................       5081    Switched Access Revenue..................................       5082    Special Access Revenue...................................       5083    Long Distance Message Revenue............................       5100    Miscellaneous Revenue....................................       5200    Uncollectible Revenue....................................       5300------------------------------------------------------------------------

[69 FR 12550, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.212   Basic local services revenue—Account 5000 (Class B telephone companies); Basic area revenue—Account 5001 (Class A telephone companies).
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(a) Local private line revenues from broadcast program transmission audio services and broadcast program transmission video services are assigned to the interstate operation.

(b) Revenues that are attributable to the origination or termination of interstate FX or CCSA like services shall be assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(c) Wideband Message Service and TWX revenues from monthly and miscellaneous charges, service connections, move and change charges, are apportioned between state and interstate operations on the basis of the relative number of TWX minutes-of-use in the study area. Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Wideband Message Service and TWX revenues among the jurisdictions using the relative number of TWX minutes of use for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

(d) All other revenues in this account are assigned to the exchange operation based on their subsidiary record categories or on the basis of analysis and studies.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.213   Network access services revenues.
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(a) End User Revenue—Account 5081. Revenues in this account are directly assigned on the basis of analysis and studies.

(b) Switched Access Revenue—Account 5082. Revenues in this account are directly assigned on the basis of analysis and studies.

(c) Special Access Revenue—Account 5083. Revenues in this account are directly assigned on the basis of analysis and studies.

[52 FR 17299, May 6, 1987, as amended at 69 FR 12550, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.214   Long distance message revenue—Account 5100.
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(a) Wideband message service and TWX revenues from monthly and miscellaneous charges, service connections, move and change charges, are apportioned between state and interstate operations on the basis of the relative number of minutes-of-use in the study area. Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Wideband Message Service and TWX revenues among the jurisdictions using the relative number of TWX minutes of use for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

(b) Long Distance private line service revenues from broadcast program transmission audio services and broadcast program transmission video services are assigned to the interstate operation.

(c) All other revenues in this account are directly assigned based on their subsidiary record categories or on the basis of analysis and studies.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33206, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.215   Miscellaneous revenue—Account 5200.
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(a) Directory revenues are assigned to the exchange operation.

(b) Billing and collection revenues are assigned on the basis of services being provided.

(c) All other revenues are apportioned on the basis of analysis.

§ 36.216   Uncollectible revenue—Account 5300.
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The amounts in this account are apportioned among the operations on the basis of analysis during a representative period of the portion of Account 1171, Allowance for doubtful accounts, related to telecommunications billing.

[69 FR 12551, Mar. 17, 2004]

Certain Income Accounts
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§ 36.221   Other operating income and expenses—Account 7100.
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(a) Amounts relating to translation in foreign exchange differentials are assigned to the interstate operations.

(b) All other amounts are apportioned based on Telecommunications Plant in Service, Account 2001, if plant related, or on the nature of the item reflected in the account, if not plant related.

§ 36.222   Nonoperating income and expenses—Account 7300.
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(a) Only allowance for funds used during construction, and charitable, social and community welfare contributions are considered in this account for separations purposes.

(b) Subsidiary record categories should be maintained for this account that include identification of amounts made to the account for (1) credits representing allowance for funds used during construction and (2) contributions for charitable, social or community welfare purposes, employee activities, membership dues and fees in service clubs, community welfare association and similar organizations.

(c) The portion reflecting allowance for funds used during construction is apportioned on the basis of the cost of Telecommunications Plant Under Construction—Account 2003. The portion reflecting costs for social and community welfare contributions and fees is apportioned on the basis of the apportionment of corporate operations expenses.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 60 FR 12138, Mar. 6, 1995]

§ 36.223   Interest and related items—Account 7500.
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(a) Only interest paid relating to capital leases is considered in this account for separations purposes. Subsidiary Record Categories should be maintained for this account that include details relating to interest expense on capital leases. Such interest expense is apportioned on a basis consistent with the associated capital leases in Account 2680.

§ 36.224   Extraordinary items—Account 7600.
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(a) Amounts in this account of an operating nature are apportioned on a basis consistent with the nature of these items.

§ 36.225   Income effect of jurisdictional ratemaking differences—Account 7910.
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(a) Amounts in this account are directly assigned to the appropriate jurisdiction.

Subpart D—Operating Expenses and Taxes
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General
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§ 36.301   Section arrangement.
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(a) This subpart is arranged in sections as follows:

General......................................  36.301 and 36.302.Plant Specific Operations Expenses:    General..................................  36.310.    Network Support/General Support            36.311.     Expenses_Accounts 6110 and 6120 (Class B     Telephone Companies); Accounts 6112,     6113, 6114, 6121, 6122, 6123, and 6124     (Class A Telephone Companies).    Central Office Expenses_Accounts 6210,     36.321     6220, 6230 (Class B Telephone     Companies); Accounts 6211, 6212, 6220,     6231, and 6232 (Class A Telephone     Companies).    Information Origination/Termination        36.331.     Expenses_Account 6310 (Class B Telephone     Companies); Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351,     and 6362 (Class A Telephone Companies).    Cable and Wire Facilities                  36.341.     Expenses_Account 6410 (Class B Telephone     Companies); Accounts 6411, 6421, 6422,     6423, 6424, 6426, 6431, and 6441 (Class     A Telephone Companies).Plant Nonspecific Operations Expenses:    General..................................  36.351.    Other Property Plant and Equipment         36.352.     Expenses_Account 6510 (Class B Telephone     Companies); Accounts 6511 and 6512     (Class A Telephone Companies).    Network Operations Expenses_Account 6530   36.353.     (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts     6531, 6532, 6533, 6534, and 6535 (Class     A Telephone Companies).    Access Expenses_Account 6540.............  36.354.    Depreciation and Amortization              36.361.     Expenses_Account 6560.Customer Operations Expenses:    General..................................  36.371.    Marketing_Account 6610 (Class B Telephone  36.372.     Companies); Accounts 6611 and 6613     (Class A Telephone Companies).    Services_Account 6620....................  36.373.    Telephone Operator Services..............  36.374.    Published Directory Listing..............  36.375.    All Other................................  36.376.    Category 1_Local Bus. Office Expense.....  36.377.    Category 2_Customer Services (Revenue      36.378.     Accounting).    Message Processing Expense...............  36.379.    Other Billing and Collecting Expense.....  36.380.    Carrier Access Charge Billing and          36.381.     Collecting Expense.    Category 3_All other Customer Service      36.382.     Expense.Corporate Operations Expenses:    General..................................  36.391.    General and Administrative                 36.392.     Expenses_Account 6720.    Operating Taxes_Account 7200 (Class B      36.411 and 36.412.     Telephone Companies); Accounts 7210,     7220, 7230, 7240, and 7250 (Class A     Telephone Companies).    Equal Access Expenses....................  36.421. 

[69 FR 12551, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.302   General.
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(a) This section sets forth procedures for the apportionment among the operations of operating expenses and operating taxes.

(b) As covered in §36.2 (c) and (d), the treatment of expenses relating to plant furnished to and obtained from others under rental arrangements is consistent with the treatment of such plant.

(c) In accordance with requirements in part 32 §32.5999 (f) expenses recorded in the expense accounts are segregated in the accounting process among the following subsidiary record categories as appropriate to each account:

Salaries and Wages

Benefits

Rents

Other Expenses

Clearances

(1) Subsidiary Record Categories (SRC) for Salaries and Wages, Benefits and Other Expenses are applicable to all of the expense accounts except for:

Access Expense contained in Account 6540

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses—Account 6560

(i) SRC for access expenses are maintained to identify interstate and state access expense and billing and collection expense for carrier's carrier.

(ii) Depreciation and Amortization Expense SRCs identify the character of the items contained in the account.

(2) SRCs for Rents and Clearance are only applicable to the Plant Specific Operating Expense accounts 6110 thru 6410.

Plant Specific Operations Expenses
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§ 36.310   General.
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(a) Plant specific operations expenses include the following accounts:

Network Support Expenses..................  Account 6110 (Class B                                             Telephone Companies);                                             Accounts 6112, 6113, and                                             6114 (Class A Telephone                                             Companies)General Support Expenses..................  Account 6120 (Class B                                             Telephone Companies);                                             Accounts 6121, 6122, 6123,                                             and 6124 (Class A Telephone                                             Companies).Central Office Switching Expenses.........  Account 6210 (Class B                                             Telephone Companies);                                             Accounts 6211 and 6212                                             (Class A Telephone                                             Companies)Operator System Expenses..................  Account 6220Central Office Transmission Expenses......  Account 6230 (Class B                                             Telephone Companies);                                             Accounts 6231 and 6232                                             (Class A Telephone                                             Companies).Information Origination/Termination         Account 6310 (Class B Expenses.                                   Telephone Companies);                                             Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351,                                             and 6362 (Class A Telephone                                             Companies).Cable and Wire Facilities Expenses........  Account 6410 (Class B                                             Telephone Companies);                                             Accounts 6411, 6421, 6422,                                             6423, 6424, 6426, 6431, and                                             6441 (Class A Telephone                                             Companies). 

(b) These accounts are used to record costs related to specific kinds of telecommunications plant and predominantly mirror the telecommunications plant in service detail accounts. Accordingly, these expense accounts will generally be apportioned in the same manner as the related plant accounts.

(c) Except where property obtained from or furnished to other companies is treated as owned property by the company making the separation, and the related operating rents are excluded from the separation studies as set forth in §36.2 (c) and (d), amounts are apportioned among the operations on bases generally consistent with the treatment prescribed for similar plant costs and consistent with the relative magnitude of the items involved.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 69 FR 12551, Mar. 17, 2004]

Network Support/General Support Expenses
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§ 36.311   Network Support/General Support Expenses—Accounts 6110 and 6120 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6112, 6113, 6114, 6121, 6122, 6123, and 6124 (Class A Telephone Companies).
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(a) Network Support Expenses are expenses associated with motor vehicles, aircraft, special purpose vehicles, garage work equipment, and other work equipment. General Support Expenses are expenses associated with land and buildings, furniture and artworks, office equipment, and general purpose computers.

(b) The expenses in these account are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of account 2110, Land and Support Assets.

Central Office Expenses
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§ 36.321   Central office expenses—Accounts 6210, 6220, and 6230 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6211, 6212, 6220, 6231, and 6232 (Class A telephone companies).
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(a) The expenses related to central office equipment are summarized in the following accounts:

Central Office Switching Expense..........  Account 6210 (Class B                                             telephone companies);                                             Accounts 6211 and 6212                                             (Class A telephone                                             companies).Operator Systems Expense..................  Account 6220.Central Office Transmission Expense.......  Account 6230 (Class B                                             telephone companies);                                             Accounts 6231 and 6232                                             (Class A telephone                                             companies). 

(b) The expense in these accounts are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the investments in central office equipment. Accounts 2210, 2220 and 2230, combined.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 69 FR 12552, Mar. 17, 2004]

Information Origination/Termination Expenses
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§ 36.331   Information origination/termination expenses—Account 6310 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351, and 6362 (Class A telephone companies).
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(a) The expenses in this account are classified as follows:

(1) Other Information Origination/Termination Equipment Expenses; Customer Premises Equipment Expenses

(2) For some companies, these classifications are available from accounting records; for others, they are obtained by means of analyses of plant, accounting or other records for a representative period.

(b) Other Information Origination/Termination Equipment Expenses include all expenses not associated with Customer Premises Equipment expenses. These expenses shall be apportioned between state and interstate operations in accordance with the apportionment of the related investment as per §36.142(a).

(c) Expenses related to Customer Premises Equipment shall be assigned to the state operations.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988]

Cable and Wire Facilities Expenses
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§ 36.341   Cable and wire facilities expenses—Account 6410 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6411, 6421, 6422, 6423, 6424, 6426, 6431, and 6441 (Class A telephone companies).
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(a) This account includes the expenses for poles, antenna supporting structures, aerial cable, underground cable, buried cable, submarine cable, deep sea cable, intrabuilding network cable, aerial wire, and conduit systems.

(b) The general method of separating cable and wire facilities expenses amoung the operations is to assign them on the basis of Account 2410—Cable and Wire Facilities.

Plant Nonspecific Operations Expenses
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§ 36.351   General.
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(a) Plant nonspecific operations expenses include the following accounts:

Other Property Plant and Equipment          Account 6510 (Class B Expenses.                                   telephone companies);                                             Accounts 6511 and 6512                                             (Class A telephone                                             companies).Network Operations Expenses...............  Account 6530 (Class B                                             telephone companies);                                             Accounts 6531, 6532, 6533,                                             6534, and 6535 (Class A                                             telephone companies).Access Expenses...........................  Account 6540.Depreciation and Amortization Expenses....  Account 6560. 

[69 FR 12552, Mar. 17, 2004]

Plant Expenses—Other
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§ 36.352   Other property plant and equipment expenses—Account 6510 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6511 and 6512 (Class A telephone companies).
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(a) This account is used to record the expenses associated with (1) property held for future telecommunications use and (2) the provisioning of material and supplies.

(b) The expenses in this account are apportioned among the operations based on the separation of Account 2001—Telecommunications Plant in Service.

Network Operations Expenses
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§ 36.353   Network operations expenses—Account 6530 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6531, 6532, 6533, 6534, and 6535 (Class A telephone companies).
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(a) This account includes the expenses associated with the provisions of power, network administration, testing, plant operations administration, and engineering.

(b) The expenses in this account are apportioned among the operations based on the separations of Account 2210, Central Office Switching, Account 2220 Operator Systems, Account 2230 Central Office Transmission, Account 2310, Information Origination/Termination and Account 2410, Cable and Wire Facilities, Combined.

§ 36.354   Access expenses—Account 6540.
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(a) This account includes access charges paid to exchange carriers for exchange access service. These are directly assigned to the appropriate jurisdiction based on subsidiary record categories or on analysis and study.

Depreciation and Amortization Expenses
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§ 36.361   Depreciation and amortization expenses—Account 6560.
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(a) This account includes the depreciation expenses for telecommunications plant in service and for property held for future telecommunications use. It also includes the amortization expense for tangible and intangible asserts.

(b) Expenses recorded in this account shall be separated on the basis of the separation of the associated primary Plant Accounts or related categories.

Customer Operations Expenses
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§ 36.371   General.
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Customer Operations Expenses are included in the following accounts:

Marketing.................................  Account 6610 (Class B                                             telephone companies);                                             Accounts 6611 and 6613                                             (Class A telephone                                             companies).Services..................................  Account 6620. 

[69 FR 12552, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.372   Marketing—Account 6610 (Class B telephone companies); Accounts 6611 and 6613 (Class A telephone companies).
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The expenses in this account are apportioned among the operations on the basis of an analysis of current billing for a representative period, excluding current billing on behalf of others and billing in connection with intercompany setttlements. Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion expenses in this account among the jurisdictions using the analysis, as specified in §36.372(a), during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

[52 FR 32923, Sept. 1, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33207, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.373   Services—Account 6620.
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(a) For apportionment purposes, the expenses in this account are first segregated on the basis of an analysis of job functions into the following classifications: Telephone operator services: publishing directory listing; and all other.

(1) Expenses may be apportioned among the operations for groups of exchanges. A group of exchanges may include all exchanges in the study area.

§ 36.374   Telephone operator services.
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(a) Expenses in this classification include costs incurred for operators in call completion service and number services. This includes intercept, quoting rates, directory information, time charges, and all other operator functions performed in the central office, private branch exchange, teletypewriter exchange, and at public telephone stations.

(b) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the Telephone operator expense classification based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to this classification during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(c) Expenses in this classification are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds as determined by analysis and study for a representative period.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Telephone operator expenses among the jurisdictions using the relative number of weighted standard work seconds, as specified in §36.374(c), during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33207, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.375   Published directory listing.
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(a) This classification includes expenses for preparing or purchasing, compiling and disseminating directory listings.

(b) Published directory expense is assigned as follows:

(1) Classified directory expense and all expense of soliciting advertising is assigned to the exchange operation.

(2) TWX directory expense is assigned to State toll and interstate toll operations, respectively, on the basis of the relative number of TWX minutes-of-use.

(3) The expense of alphabetical and street address directories and traffic information records is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of study area subscriber line minutes-of-use applicable to each operation.

(4) The expense associated with directories and traffic information records prepared for one locality and used in another locality is known as “foreign directories expense.” Such expense is assigned to the appropriate operation on the basis of the location of the point where used with respect to the locality for which the directories and records were prepared.

(5) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41, shall assign the balance of Account 6620-Services to the classifications, as specified in §§36.375(b)(1) through 36.375(b)(4), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these classifications during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(6) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Published directory listing expenses using the underlying relative use measurements, as specified in §§36.375(b)(1) through 36.375(b)(4), during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any Publishing directory listing expense to the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33207, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.376   All other.
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(a) For apportionment purposes this classification must be divided into three categories:

(1) Category 1—Local Business Office Expense.

(2) Category 2—Customer Services Expense.

(3) Category 3—All Other Customer Services Expense.

§ 36.377   Category 1—Local business office expense.
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(a) The expense in this category for the area under study is first segregated on the basis of an analysis of job functions into the following subcategories: End user service order processing; end user payment and collection; end user billing inquiry; interexchange carrier service order processing; interexchange carrier payment and collection; interexchange carrier billing inquiry; and coin collection and administration. Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the subcategories, as specified in §36.377(a), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these categories/subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(1) End-user service order processing includes expenses related to the receipt and processing of end users' orders for service and inquiries concerning service. This subcategory does not include any service order processing expenses for services provided to the interexchange carriers. End user service order processing expenses are first segregated into the following subcategories based on the relative number of actual contacts which are weighted, if appropriate, to reflect differences in the average work time per contact: Local service order processing; presubscription; directory advertising; State private line and special access; interstate private line and special access; other State message toll including WATS; other interstate message toll including WATS; and TWX.

(i) Local service order processing expense (primarily local telephone service orders) is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(ii) Presubscription service order processing expense is assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(iii) Directory advertising service order processing expense is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(iv) State private line and special access service order processing expense is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(v) Interstate private line and special access service order processing expense is assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(vi) Other State message toll including WATS service order processing expense is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(vii) Other Interstate message toll including WATS service order processing expense is assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(viii) TWX service order processing expense is allocated between the jurisdictions based on relative State and interstate billed TWX revenues.

(ix) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620-Services to the categories/subcategories, as specified in §§36.377(a)(1)(i) through 36.77(a)(1)(viii), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these categories/subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion TWX service order processing expense, as specified in §36.377(a)(1)(viii) among the jurisdictions using relative billed TWX revenues for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. All other subcategories of End-user service order processing expense, as specified in §§36.377(a)(1)(i) through 36.377(a)(1)(viii), shall be directly assigned.

(2) End User payment and collection includes expenses incurred in relation to the payment and collection of amounts billed to end users. It also includes commissions paid to payment agencies (which receive payment on customer accounts) and collection agencies. This category does not include any payment or collection expenses for services provided to interexchange carriers. End user payment and collection expenses are first segregated into the following subcategories based on relative total state and interstate billed revenues (excluding revenues billed to interexchange carriers and/or revenues deposited in coin boxes) for services for which end user payment and collection is provided: State private line and special access; interstate private line and special access; State message toll including WATS; interstate message toll including WATS, and interstate subscriber line charge; local, including directory advertising; and TWX.

(i) State private line and special access payment and collection expense is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(ii) Interstate private line and special access payment and collection expense is assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(iii) State message toll including WATS payment and collection expense is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(iv) Interstate message toll including WATS and interstate subscriber line charge payment and collection expense is assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(v) Local, including directory advertising payment and collection expense is assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(vi) TWX payment and collection expense is allocated between the jurisdictions based on relative State and interstate billed TWX revenues for service for which end user payment and collection is provided.

(vii) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620-Services to the subcategories, as specified in §§36.377(a)(2)(i) through 36.377(a)(2)(vi), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these categories/subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion TWX payment and collection expense, as specified in §36.377(2)(vi) among the jurisdictions using relative billed TWX revenues for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. All other subcategories of End User payment and collection expense, as specified in §§36.377(a)(2)(i) through 36.377(a)(2)(vi), shall be directly assigned.

(3) End user billing inquiry includes expenses related to handling end users' inquiries concerning their bills. This category does not include expenses related to the inquiries of interexchange carriers concerning their bills. End user billing inquiry costs are first segregated into the following subcategories based on the relative number of actual contracts, weighted if appropriate, to reflect differences in the average work time per contact: State private line and special access; interstate private line and special access; State message toll including WATS, interstate message toll including WATS, interstate subscriber line charge; TWX; and other.

(i) State private line and special access billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(ii) Interstate private line and special access billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(iii) State message toll including WATS billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(iv) Interstate message toll including WATS, and interstate subscriber line charge billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(v) TWX billing inquiry expense is allocated between the jurisdictions based on relative State and interstate billed TWX revenues for service for which end user billing inquiry is provided.

(vi) Other billing inquiry expense (primarily related to local bills but also including directory advertising) is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(vii) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620-Services to the subcategories, as specified in §§36.377(a)(3)(i) through 36.377(a)(3)(vi), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion TWX billing inquiry expense, as specified in §36.377(a)(3)(v) among the jurisdictions using relative billed TWX revenues for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. All other subcategories of End user billing inquiry expense, as specified in §§36.377(a)(3)(i) through 36.377(a)(3)(vi), shall be directly assigned.

(4) Interexchange carrier service order processing includes expenses associated with the receipt and processing of interexchange carrier orders for service and inquiries about service. Interexchange carrier service order processing expenses are assigned to the following subcategories based on the relative number of actual contacts which are weighted, if appropriate, to reflect differences in the average work time per contact: State special access and private line; interstate special access and private line; State switched access and message toll including WATS; interstate switched access and message toll including WATS; State billing and collection; and interstate billing and collection.

(i) State special access and private line service order processing expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(ii) Interstate special access and private line service order processing expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(iii) State switched access and message toll including WATS service order processing expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(iv) Interstate switched access and message toll including WATS service order processing expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(v) State billing and collection service order processing expense is directly assigned to the state jurisdiction.

(vi) Interstate billing and collection service order processing expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(vii) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the subcategories, as specified in §§36.377(a)(4)(i) through 36.377(a)(4)(vi), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. All subcategories of Interexchange carrier service order processing expense, as specified in §§36.377(a)(4)(i) through 36.377(a)(4)(vi), shall be directly assigned.

(5) Interexchange carrier payment and collection includes expenses associated with the payment and collection of interexchange carrier billings, including commissions paid to payment and collection agents. Interexchange carrier payment and collection expenses are assigned to the following subcategories based on relative total State and interstate revenues billed to the interexchange carriers: State special access and private line; interstate special access and private line; State switched access and message toll including WATS; interstate switched access and message toll including WATS; State billing and collection; and interstate billing and collection.

(i) State special access and private line payment and collection expense is directly assigned to the Interstate jurisdiction.

(ii) Interstate special access and private line payment and collection expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(iii) State switched access and message toll including WATS payment and collection expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(iv) Interstate switched access and message toll including WATS payment and collection expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(v) State billing and collection payment and collection expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(vi) Interstate billing and collection payment and collection expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(vii) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the subcategories, as specified in §§36.377(a)(5)(i) through 36.377(a)(5)(vi), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. All subcategories of Interexchange carrier payment expense, as specified in §§36.377(a)(5)(i) through 36.377(a)(5)(vi), shall be directly assigned.

(6) Interexchange carrier billing inquiry includes expenses related to the handling of interexchange carrier billing inquiries. Interexchange carrier billing inquiry expenses are assigned to the following subcategories based on the relative number of actual contacts, weighted if appropriate, to reflect differences in the average work time per contact: State special access and private line; interstate special access and private line; State switched access and message toll including WATS; interstate switched access and message toll including WATS; State billing and collection; and interstate billing and collection.

(i) State special access and private line billing inquiry expenses is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(ii) Interstate special access and private line billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(iii) State switched access and message toll including WATS billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(iv) Interstate switched access and message toll including WATS billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(v) State billing and collection billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the State jurisdiction.

(vi) Interstate Billing and Collection billing inquiry expense is directly assigned to the interstate jurisdiction.

(vii) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the subcategories, as specified in §36.377(a)(6)(i) through 36.377(a)(6)(vi), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. All subcategories of Interchange carrier billing inquiry expense, as specified in §§36.377(a)(6)(i) through 36.377(a)(6)(vi), shall be directly assigned.

(7) Coin collection and administration includes expenses for the collection and counting of money deposited in public or semi-public phones. It also includes expenses incurred for required travel, coin security, checking the serviceability of public or semi-public telephones, and related functions. These expenses are apportioned between the State and interstate jurisdictions in proportion to the relative State and interstate revenues deposited in the public and semi-public telephones.

(i) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the subcategories, as specified in §36.377(a)(7), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to these subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(ii) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Coin collection and administration expense among the jurisdictions using the relative state and interstate revenues deposited in the public and semi-public telephones, as specified in §§36.377(a)(7), for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any Coin collection and administration expense among the jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33207, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.378   Category 2—Customer services (revenue accounting).
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(a) The Revenue Accounting proportion of Account 6620 expenses comprise the salaries and other expenses in Account 6620 directly assignable or allocable to the billing of customers and the accounting for revenues, including the supervision of such work.

(b) Revenue Accounting expenses for the study area are separated on the basis of a Job Function analysis into three main classifications: Message processing expense, other billing and collecting expense, and carrier access charge billing and collecting expense.

(1) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the classifications, as specified in §36.378(b), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to those classifications during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(2) [Reserved]

(c) The term “ticket” denotes either a ticket prepared manually by an operator or the mechanized equivalent of such a ticket processed by the revenue accounting office.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33208, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.379   Message processing expense.
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(a) This classification includes the salary and machine expense of data processing equipment, including supervision, general accounting administrative and miscellaneous expense associated with the processing of individual toll tickets and local message tickets.

(b) The expense assigned to this classification is divided into the subcategories Toll Ticket Processing Expense and Local Message Processing Expense on the basis of the relative number of messages. Toll Ticket Processing Expense is allocated between the State and interstate jurisdiction on the basis of the relative number of toll messages. Local Message Processing Expense is assigned to the exchange operation.

(1) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the subcategories, as specified in §36.379(b), based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to those subcategories during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(2) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Toll Ticketing Processing Expense among the jurisdictions using the relative number of toll messages for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. Local Message Process Expense is assigned to the state jurisdiction.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33208, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.380   Other billing and collecting expense.
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(a) This classification includes the salary expense, including supervision, general accounting administrative, and miscellaneous expense, associated with the preparation of customer bills other than carrier access charge bills and with other revenue accounting functions not covered in §36.379. Included in this classification are the expenses incurred in the preparation of monthly bills, initial and final bills, the application of service orders to billing records (establishing, changing, or discontinuing customers' accounts), station statistical work, controlling record work and the preparation of revenue reports.

(b) Local exchange carriers that bill or collect from end users on behalf of interexchange carriers shall allocate one third of the expenses assigned this classification to the interstate jurisdiction, and two thirds of the expenses assigned this classification to the state jurisdiction.

(c) Local exchange carriers that do not bill or collect from end users on behalf of interexchange carriers shall allocate five percent of the expenses assigned this classification to the interstate jurisdiction, and ninety-five percent of the expenses assigned this classification to the state jurisdiction.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the Other billing and collecting expense classification based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to those subcategory during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(e) Effective July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Other billing and collecting expense among the jurisdictions using the allocation factor utilized, pursuant to §§36.380(b) or 36.380(c), for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

[53 FR 33011, Aug. 29, 1988, as amended at 62 FR 15416, Apr. 1, 1997; 66 FR 33208, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.381   Carrier access charge billing and collecting expense.
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(a) This classification includes the revenue accounting functions associated with the billing and collecting of access charges to interexchange carriers.

(b) Of access charges other than end user common line access charges are assessed for the origination or termination of intrastate services in a particular state, one-half of such expense shall be apportioned to interstate operations. If no such access charges are assessed in a particular state, all such expense shall be assigned to interstate operations.

(c) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to the Carrier access charge billing and collecting expense classification based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to that classification during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, all study areas shall apportion Carrier access charge billing and collecting expense among the jurisdictions using the allocation factor, pursuant to §36.381(b), for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33208, June 21, 2001]

§ 36.382   Category 3—All other customer services expense.
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(a) Effective July 1, 2001, through June 30, 2006, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the balance of Account 6620–Services to this category based on the relative percentage assignment of the balance of Account 6620 to this category during the twelve month period ending December 31, 2000.

(b) Category 3 is apportioned on the basis of Categories 1 and 2.

[66 FR 33208, June 21, 2001]

Corporate Operations Expense
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§ 36.391   General.
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Corporate Operations Expenses are included in the following account:

General and Administrative...................  Account 6720. 

[69 FR 12552, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.392   General and administrative—Account 6720.
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(a) These expenses are divided into two categories:

(1) Extended Area Services (EAS).

(2) All other.

(b) Extended Area Services (EAS) settlements are directly assigned to the exchange operation.

(c) The expenses in this account are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the cost of the combined Big Three Expenses which include the following accounts:

Plant Specific Expenses

Central Office Switching Expenses—Account 6210 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6211 and 6212 (Class A Telephone Companies)

Operators Systems Expenses—Account 6220

Central Office Transmission Expenses—Account 6230 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6231 and 6232 (Class A Telephone Companies)

Information Origination/Termination Expenses—Account 6310 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6311, 6341, 6351, and 6362 (Class A Telephone Companies)

Cable and Wire Facilities Expense—Account 6410 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6411, 6421, 6422, 6423, 6424, 6426, 6431, and 6441 (Class A Telephone Companies)

Plant Non-Specific Expenses

Network Operations Expenses—Account 6530 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6531, 6532, 6533, 6534, and 6535 (Class A Telephone Companies)

Customer Operations Expenses

Marketing—Account 6610 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 6611 and 6613 (Class A Telephone Companies)

Services—Account 6620

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 69 FR 12552, Mar. 17, 2004]

Operating Taxes
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§ 36.411   Operating taxes—Account 7200 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accounts 7210, 7220, 7230, 7240, and 7250 (Class A Telephone Companies).
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(a) This account includes the taxes arising from the operations of the company, i.e.,

Operating Investment Tax Credits

Operating Federal Income Taxes

Operating State and Local Income Taxes

Operating Other Taxes

Provision for Deferred Operating Income Taxes

§ 36.412   Apportionment procedures.
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(a) For apportionment purposes, the expenses in this account are segregated into two groups as follows: (1) Operating Federal, State and local income taxes and (2) all other operating taxes.

(b) Operating Federal, State and local income taxes are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the approximate net taxable income (positive or negative) applicable to each of the operations. The approximate net taxable income from each of the operations is the summation of the following amounts apportioned to each operation by means of the procedures set forth in this Manual:

(1) Operating revenues,

(2) Less operating expenses,

(3) Less operating taxes except the net income tax being apportioned and except any other tax not treated as a deductible item in the determination of taxable net income for this purpose.

(4) Less operating fixed charges.

(i) The amount of fixed charges attributable to the operations is obtained by subtracting the tax component (positive or negative) attributable to other than the operating fixed charges, i.e., fixed charges on non-operating investments are that proportion of total fixed charges which non-operating net investments are of total operating and non-operating net investments.

(ii) Operating fixed charges including interest on Rural Telephone Bank Stock are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the cost of telephone plant less appropriate reserves.

(c) Other operating taxes should be directly assigned to the appropriate jurisdiction where possible, e.g., Local Gross Receipts may be directly identified as applicable to one jurisdiction. Where direct assignment is not feasible, these expenses should be apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the cost of Telecommunications Plant in Service—Account 2001.

Equal Access Expenses
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§ 36.421   Equal access expenses.
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(a) Equal access expenses include only initial incremental pre-subscription costs and other initial incremental expenditures related directly to the provision of equal access, that would not be required to upgrade the capabilities of the office involved absent the provision of equal access. Equal access expenses are limited to such expenditures for converting central offices that serve competitive interexchange carriers or where there has been a bona fide request for conversion to equal access.

(b) Equal access expenses are apportioned between the jurisdictions by first segregating them from all other expenses in the primary accounts and then allocating them on the same basis as equal access investment.

Subpart E—Reserves and Deferrals
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§ 36.501   General.
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For separations purposes, reserves and deferrals include the following accounts:

Other Jurisdictional Assets_Net...........  Account 1500.Accumulated Depreciation..................  Account 3100.Accumulated Depreciation_Property Held for  Account 3200. Future Telecommunications Use.Accumulated Amortization_Capital Leases...  Account 3400 (Class B                                             Telephone Companies);                                             Account 3410 (Class A                                             Telephone Companies).Net Current Deferred Operating Income       Account 4100. Taxes.Net Noncurrent Deferred Operating Income    Account 4340. Taxes.Other Jurisdictional Liabilities and        Account 4370. Deferred Credits_Net. 

[69 FR 12553, Mar. 17, 2004]

§ 36.502   Other jurisdictional assets—Net—Account 1500.
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(a) Amounts in this account are separated based upon analysis of the specific items involved.

§ 36.503   Accumulated depreciation—Account 3100.
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(a) Amounts recorded in this account shall be separated on the basis of the separation of the associated primary Plant Accounts or related categories, excluding amortizable assets.

§ 36.504   Accumulated depreciation—Property held for future telecommunications use—Account 3200.
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(a) Amounts in this account are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the costs of the related items carried in Account 2002—Property Held for Future Telecommunications Use.

§ 36.505   Accumulated amortization—Tangible—Account 3400 (Class B Telephone Companies); Accumulated amortization—Capital Leases—Account 3410 (Class A Telephone Companies).
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(a) Amounts in these accounts are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separation of the related accounts.

§ 36.506   Net current deferred operating income taxes—Account 4100, Net noncurrent deferred operating income taxes—Account 4340.
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(a) Amounts in these accounts are maintained by plant account and are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the separations of the related plant accounts.

§ 36.507   Other jurisdictional liabilities and deferred credits—Net—Account 4370.
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(a) Amounts in this account are separated based upon an analysis of the specific items involved.

Subpart F—Universal Service Fund
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General
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§ 36.601   General.
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(a) The term Universal Service Fund in this subpart refers only to the support for loop-related costs included in §36.621. The term Universal Service in part 54 of this chapter refers to the comprehensive discussion of the Commission's rules implementing section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 254, which addresses universal service support for rural, insular, and high cost areas, low-income consumers, schools and libraries, and heath care providers. The expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart F shall be added to interstate expenses and deducted from state expenses after expenses and taxes have been apportioned pursuant to subpart D of this part. Beginning January 1, 1998, the expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart will be administered and funded through the new universal service system discussed in part 54 of this chapter.

(b) The expense adjustment will be computed on the basis of data for a preceding calendar year which may be updated at the option of the carrier pursuant to §36.612(a).

(c) Until June 30, 2001, the annual amount of the total nationwide expense adjustment shall consist of the amounts calculated pursuant to §54.309 of this chapter and the amounts calculated pursuant to this subpart F. The annual amount of the total nationwide loop cost expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart F shall not exceed the amount of the total loop cost expense adjustment for the immediately preceding calendar year, increased by a rate equal to the rate of increase in the total number of working loops during the calendar year preceding the July 31st filing. The total loop cost expense adjustment shall consist of the loop cost expense adjustments, including amounts calculated pursuant to §36.612(a) and §36.631. The rate of increase in total working loops shall be based upon the difference between the number of total working loops on December 31 of the calendar year preceding the July 31st filing and the number of total working loops on December 31 of the second calendar year preceding that filing, both determined by the company's submissions pursuant to §36.611. Beginning January 1, 2000, non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers and, eligible telecommunications carriers serving lines in the service area of non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers, shall only receive support pursuant to this subpart F to the extent that they qualify pursuant to §54.311 of this chapter for interim hold-harmless support. Support amounts calculated pursuant to this subpart F but not received due to the phase down of interim hold-harmless support or the receipt of forward-looking support pursuant to §54.311 of this chapter shall not be redistributed to other carriers.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 56 FR 27422, June 14, 1991; 58 FR 69242, Dec. 30, 1993; 61 FR 34376, July 2, 1996; 62 FR 32947, June 17, 1997; 62 FR 40748, July 30, 1997; 63 FR 2124, Jan. 13, 1998; 64 FR 30924, June 9, 1999; 64 FR 67430, Dec. 1, 1999; 65 FR 78992, Dec. 18, 2000; 66 FR 30085, June 5, 2001]

§ 36.602   Calculation of non-rural carrier portion of nationwide loop cost expense adjustment.
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Effective July 1, 2001, for purposes of determining non-rural carrier interim hold-harmless support, pursuant to §54.311 of this chapter, the annual amount of the total nationwide loop cost expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart F shall not exceed the amount of the total loop cost expense adjustment for the immediately preceding calendar year, increased by a rate equal to the rate of increase in the total number of working loops during the calendar year preceding the July 31st filing. The total loop cost expense adjustment shall consist of the loop cost expense adjustments, including amounts calculated pursuant to §§36.612(a) and 36.631. The rate of increase in total working loops shall be based upon the difference between the number of total working loops on December 31 of the calendar year preceding the July 31st filing and the number of total working loops on December 31 of the second calendar year preceding that filing, both determined by the company's submissions pursuant to §36.611. Non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers and eligible telecommunications carriers serving lines in the service area of non-rural incumbent local exchange carriers shall only receive support pursuant to this subpart F to the extent that they qualify pursuant to §54.311 of this chapter for interim hold-harmless support. Support amounts calculated pursuant to this subpart F but not received due to the phase down of interim hold-harmless support or the receipt of forward-looking support pursuant to §54.311 of this chapter shall not be redistributed to other carriers.

[66 FR 30085, June 5, 2001]

§ 36.603   Calculation of rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of nationwide loop cost expense adjustment.
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(a) Effective July 1, 2001, the rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the annual nationwide loop cost expense adjustment will be recomputed by the fund administrator as if the indexed cap calculated pursuant to §36.601(c) and the corporate operations expense limitation calculated pursuant to §36.621 had not been in effect for the calendar year 2000. For the period July 1, 2001, to December 31, 2001, the annualized amount of the rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the nationwide loop cost expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart F shall not exceed the non-capped amount of the total rural incumbent local exchange carrier loop cost expense adjustment for the calendar year 2000, multiplied times one plus the Rural Growth Factor calculated pursuant to §36.604. For the period January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2002, the annual amount of the rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the nationwide loop cost expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart F shall not exceed the non-capped amount of the total rural incumbent local exchange carrier loop cost expense adjustment for calendar year 2000, multiplied times one plus the Rural Growth Factor for 2001, which then shall be multiplied times one plus the Rural Growth Factor for 2002. Beginning January 1, 2003, the annual amount of the rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the nationwide loop cost expense adjustment calculated pursuant to this subpart F shall not exceed the amount of the total rural incumbent local exchange carrier loop cost expense adjustment for the immediately preceding calendar year, multiplied times one plus the Rural Growth Factor calculated pursuant to §36.604.

(b) The annual rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the nationwide loop cost expense adjustment shall be reduced to reflect the transfer of rural incumbent local exchange carrier access lines that are eligible for expense adjustments pursuant to §36.631. The reduction shall equal the amount of the §36.631 expense adjustment available to the transferred access lines at the time of the transfer and shall be effective in the next calendar quarter after the access lines are transferred.

(c) Safety net additive support calculated pursuant to §36.605, and transferred high-cost support and safety valve support calculated pursuant to §54.305 of this chapter shall not be included in the rural incumbent local exchange carrier portion of the annual nationwide loop cost expense adjustment.

[66 FR 30085, June 5, 2001, as amended at 67 FR 44083, July 1, 2002]

§ 36.604   Calculation of the rural growth factor.
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The Rural Growth Factor (RGF) is equal to the sum of the annual percentage change in the United States Department of Commerce's Gross Domestic Product—Chained Price Index (GPD-CPI) plus the percentage change in the total number of rural incumbent local exchange carrier working loops during the calendar year preceding the July 31st filing submitted pursuant to §36.611. The percentage change in total rural incumbent local exchange carrier working loops shall be based upon the difference between the total number of rural incumbent local exchange carrier working loops on December 31 of the calendar year preceding the July 31st filing and the total number of rural incumbent local exchange carrier working loops on December 31 of the second calendar year preceding that filing, both determined by the company's submissions pursuant to §36.611. Loops acquired by rural incumbent local exchange carriers shall not be included in the RGF calculation.

[66 FR 30085, June 5, 2001]

§ 36.605   Calculation of safety net additive.
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(a) “Safety net additive support.” A rural incumbent local exchange carrier shall receive safety net additive support if it satisfies the conditions set forth in paragraph (c) of this section. Safety net additive support is support available to rural telephone companies, as conditioned in paragraph (c) of this section, in addition to support calculated pursuant to §36.631. Safety net additive support shall not be available to rural telephone companies for exchange(s) that are subject to §54.305 of this chapter.

(b) Calculation of safety net additive support: Safety net additive support is equal to the amount of capped support calculated pursuant to this subpart F in the qualifying year minus the amount of support in the year prior to qualifying for support subtracted from the difference between the uncapped expense adjustment for the study area in the qualifying year minus the uncapped expense adjustment in the year prior to qualifying for support as shown in the following equation: Safety net additive support = (Uncapped support in the qualifying year−Uncapped support in the base year)−(Capped support in the qualifying year−Amount of support received in the base year).

(c) Operation of safety net additive support: (1) In any year in which the total carrier loop cost expense adjustment is limited by the provisions of §36.603 a rural incumbent local exchange carrier shall receive safety net additive support as calculated in paragraph (b) of this section, if in any study area, the rural incumbent local exchange carrier realizes growth in end of period Telecommunications Plant in Service (TPIS), as prescribed in §32.2001 of this chapter, on a per loop basis, of at least 14 percent more than the study area's TPIS per loop investment at the end of the prior period.

(2) If paragraph (c)(1) of this section is met, the rural incumbent local exchange carrier must notify the Administrator; failure to properly notify the Administrator of eligibility shall result in disqualification of that study area for safety net additive, requiring the rural incumbent local exchange carrier to again meet the eligibility requirements in paragraph (c)(1) of this section for that study area in a subsequent period.

(3) Upon completion of verification by the Administrator that the study area meets the stated criterion in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) of this section, the Administrator shall:

(i) Pay to any qualifying rural telephone company, safety net additive support for the qualifying study area in accordance with the calculation set forth in paragraph (b) of this section; and

(ii) Continue to pay safety net additive support in any of the four succeeding years in which the total carrier loop expense adjustment is limited by the provisions of §36.603. Safety net additive support in the succeeding four years shall be the lesser of:

(A) The sum of capped support and the safety net additive support received in the qualifying year; or

(B) The rural telephone company's uncapped support.

[66 FR 30086, June 5, 2001, as amended at 66 FR 65856, Dec. 21, 2001]

Data Collection
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§ 36.611   Submission of information to the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA).
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In order to allow determination of the study areas and wire centers that are entitled to an expense adjustment pursuant to §36.631, each incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) must provide the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) (established pursuant to part 69 of this chapter) with the information listed for each study area in which such incumbent LEC operates, with the exception of the information listed in paragraph (h) of this section, which must be provided for each study area and, if applicable, for each wire center, as defined in part 54 of this chapter, and each disaggregation zone as established pursuant to §54.315 of this chapter. This information is to be filed with NECA by July 31st of each year. The information provided pursuant to paragraph (h) of this section must be updated pursuant to §36.612. Rural telephone companies that acquired exchanges subsequent to May 7, 1997, and incorporated those acquired exchanges into existing study areas shall separately provide the information required by paragraphs (a) through (h) of this section for both the acquired and existing exchanges.

(a) Unseparated, i.e., state and interstate, gross plant investment in Exchange Line Cable and Wire Facilities (C&WF) Subcategory 1.3 and Exchange Line Central Office (CO) Circuit Equipment Category 4.13. This amount shall be calculated as of December 31st of the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing.

(b) Unseparated accumulated depreciation and noncurrent deferred federal income taxes, attributable to Exchange Line C&WF Subcategory 1.3 investment, and Exchange Line CO Circuit Equipment Category 4.13 investment. These amounts shall be calculated as of December 31st of the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing, and shall be stated separately.

(c) Unseparated depreciation expense attributable to Exchange Line C&WF Subcategory 1.3 investment, and Exchange Line CO Circuit Equipment Category 4.13 investment. This amount shall be the actual depreciation expense for the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing.

(d) Unseparated maintenance expense attributable to Exchange Line C&WF Subcategory 1.3 investment and Exchange Line CO Circuit Equipment Category 4.113 investment. This amount shall be the actual repair expense for the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing.

(e) Unseparated corporate operations expenses, operating taxes, and the benefits and rent proportions of operating expenses. The amount for each of these categories of expense shall be the actual amount for that expense for the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing. The amount for each category of expense listed shall be stated separately.

(f) Unseparated gross telecommunications plant investment. This amount shall be calculated as of December 31st of the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing.

(g) Unseparated accumulated depreciation and noncurrent deferred federal income taxes attributable to local unseparated telecommunications plant investment. This amount shall be calculated as of December 31st of the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing.

(h) For rural telephone companies, as that term is defined in §51.5 of this chapter, the number of working loops for each study area. For non-rural telephone companies, the number of working loops for each study area and for each wire center. For universal service support purposes, working loops are defined as the number of working Exchange Line C&WF loops used jointly for exchange and message telecommunications service, including C&WF subscriber lines associated with pay telephones in C&WF Category 1, but excluding WATS closed end access and TWX service. These figures shall be calculated as of December 31st of the calendar year preceding each July 31st filing.

[62 FR 32947, June 17, 1997, as amended at 64 FR 67430, Dec. 1, 1999; 66 FR 30086, June 5, 2001]

§ 36.612   Updating information submitted to the National Exchange Carrier Association.
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(a) Any rural telephone company, as that term is defined in §51.5 of this chapter, may update the information submitted to the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) on July 31st pursuant to §§36.611 (a) through (h) one or more times annually on a rolling year basis according to the schedule, except that rural telephone companies in service areas where an eligible telecommunications carrier has initiated service and has reported line count data pursuant to §54.307(c) of this chapter must update the information submitted to NECA on July 31st pursuant to §36.611(h) according to the schedule. Every non-rural telephone company must update the information submitted to NECA on July 31st pursuant to §36.611 (h) according to the schedule.

(1) Submit data covering the last nine months of the previous calendar year and the first three months of the existing calendar year no later than September 30th of the existing year;

(2) Submit data covering the last six months of the previous calendar year and the first six months of the existing calendar year no later than December 30th of the existing year;

(3) Submit data covering the last three months of the second previous calendar year and the first nine months of the previous calendar year no later than March 30th of the existing year.

(b) [Reserved]

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 62 FR 32947, June 17, 1997; 63 FR 2124, Jan. 13, 1998; 64 FR 67430, Dec. 1, 1999; 66 FR 30086, June 5, 2001]

§ 36.613   Submission of information by the National Exchange Carrier Association.
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(a) On October 1 of each year, the National Exchange Carrier Association shall file with the Commission and Administrator the information listed below. Information filed with the Commission shall be compiled from information provided to the Association by telephone companies pursuant to §36.611.

(1) The unseparated loop cost for each study area and a nationwide-average unseparated loop cost.

(2) The annual amount of the high cost expense adjustment for each study area, and the total nationwide amount of the expense adjustment.

(3) The dollar amount and percentage of the increase in the nationwide average unseparated loop cost, as well as the dollar amount and percentage increase for each study area, for the previous 5 years, or the number of years NECA has been receiving information under §36.611, whichever is the shorter time period.

(b) [Reserved]

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1997, as amended at 62 FR 32948, June 17, 1997; 63 FR 2124, Jan. 13, 1998]

Calculation of Loop Costs for Expense Adjustment
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§ 36.621   Study area total unseparated loop cost.
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(a) For the purpose of calculating the expense adjustment, the study area total unseparated loop cost equals the sum of the following:

(1) Return component for net unseparated Exchange Line C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment and Exchange Line CO Circuit Equipment Category 4.13 investment. This amount is calculated by deducting the accumulated depreciation and noncurrent deferred Federal income taxes attributable to C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment and Exchange Line Category 4.13 circuit investment reported pursuant to §36.611(b) from the gross investment in Exchange Line C&WF subcategory 1.3 and CO Category 4.13 reported pursuant to §36.611(a) to obtain the net unseparated C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment, and CO Category 4.13 investment. The net unseparated C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment and CO Category 4.13 investment is multiplied by the study area's authorized interstate rate of return.

(2) Depreciation expense attributable to C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment, and CO Category 4.13 investment as reported in §36.611(c).

(3) Maintenance expense attributable to C&WF subcategory 1.3 investment, and CO Category 4.13 investment as reported in §36.611(d).

(4) Corporate Operations Expenses, Operating Taxes and the benefits and rent portions of operating expenses, as reported in §36.611(e) attributable to investment in C&WF Category 1.3 and COE Category 4.13. This amount is calculated by multiplying the total amount of these expenses and taxes by the ratio of the unseparated gross exchange plant investment in C&WF Category 1.3 and COE Category 4.13, as reported in §36.611(a), to the unseparated gross telecommunications plant investment, as reported in §36.611(f). Total Corporate Operations Expense, for purposes of calculating universal service support payments beginning July 1, 2001, shall be limited to the lesser of:

(i) The actual average monthly per-loop Corporate Operations Expense; or

(ii) A monthly per-loop amount computed according to paragraphs (a)(4)(ii)(A), (a)(4)(ii)(B), (a)(4)(ii)(C), and (a)(4)(ii)(D) of this section. To the extent that some carriers' corporate operations expenses are disallowed pursuant to these limitations, the national average unseparated cost per loop shall be adjusted accordingly.

(A) For study areas with 6,000 or fewer working loops the amount monthly per working loop shall be $33.30853−(.00246 × the number of working loops), or, $50,000 ÷ the number of working loops, whichever is greater;

(B) For study areas with more than 6,000 but fewer than 18,006 working loops, the monthly amount per working loop shall be $3.83195 + (88,429.20 ÷ the number of working loops); and

(C) For study areas with 18,006 or more working loops, the monthly amount per working loop shall be $8.74472.

(D) Beginning January 1, 2002, the monthly per-loop amount computed according to paragraphs (a)(4)(ii)(A), (a)(4)(ii)(B), and (a)(4)(ii)(C) of this section shall be adjusted each year to reflect the annual percentage change in the United States Department of Commerce's Gross Domestic Product-Chained Price Index (GDP-CPI).

(b) [Reserved]

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 56 FR 27422, June 14, 1991; 62 FR 32948, June 17, 1997; 62 FR 40748, July 30, 1997; 63 FR 2124, Jan. 13, 1998; 66 FR 30086, June 5, 2001]

§ 36.622   National and study area average unseparated loop costs.
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(a) National Average Unseparated Loop Cost per Working Loop. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, this is equal to the sum of the Loop Costs for each study area in the country as calculated pursuant to §36.621(a) divided by the sum of the working loops reported in §36.611(h) for each study area in the country. The national average unseparated loop cost per working loop shall be calculated by the National Exchange Carrier Association. Effective July 1, 2001, the national average unseparated loop cost for purposes of calculating expense adjustments for rural incumbent local exchange carriers, as that term is defined in §54.5 of this chapter, is frozen at $240.00.

(1) The National Average Unseparated Loop Cost per Working Loop shall be recalculated by the National Exchange Carrier Association to reflect the September, December, and March update filings.

(2) Each new nationwide average shall be used in determining the additional interstate expense allocation for companies which made filings by the most recent filing date.

(3) The calculation of a new national average to reflect the update filings shall not affect the amount of the additional interstate expense allocation for companies which did not make an update filing by the most recent filing date.

(b) Study Area Average Unseparated Loop Cost per Working Loop. This is equal to the unseparated loop costs for the study area as calculated pursuant to §36.621(a) divided by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area.

(1) If a company elects to, or is required to, update the data which it has filed with the National Exchange Carrier Association as provided in §36.612(a), the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop and the amount of its additional interstate expense allocation shall be recalculated to reflect the updated data.

(2) [Reserved]

(c) The National Average Unseparated Loop Cost per Working Loop shall be the greater of:

(1) The amount calculated pursuant to the method described in paragraph (a) of this section; or

(2) An amount calculated to produce the maximum total Universal Service Fund allowable pursuant to §36.601(c).

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 56 FR 27422, June 14, 1991; 58 FR 69242, Dec. 30, 1993; 60 FR 65012, Dec. 15, 1995; 61 FR 34377, July 2, 1996; 62 FR 32948, June 17, 1997; 63 FR 2125, Jan. 13, 1998; 64 FR 67430, Dec. 1, 1999; 66 FR 30087, June 5, 2001]

Calculation of Expense Adjustment—Additional Interstate Expense Allocation
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§ 36.631   Expense adjustment.
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(a) Until December 31, 1987, for study areas reporting 50,000 or fewer working loops pursuant to §36.611(h), the expense adjustment (additional interstate expense allocation) is equal to the sum of the following:

(1) Fifty percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 115 percent of the national average for this cost but not greater than 150 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area; and

(2) Seventy-five percent of the study area unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 150 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area.

(b) Until December 31, 1987, for study areas reporting more than 50,000 working loops pursuant to §36.611(h), the expense adjustment (additional interstate expense allocation) is equal to the sum of the following:

(1) Twenty-five percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 115 percent of the national average for this cost but not greater than 150 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area; and

(2) The amount calculated pursuant to §36.631(a)(2).

(c) Beginning January 1, 1988, for study areas reporting 200,000 or fewer working loops pursuant to §36.611(h), the expense adjustment (additional interstate expense allocation) is equal to the sum of paragraphs (c)(1) through (2) of this section. After January 1, 2000, the expense adjustment (additional interstate expense allocation) for non-rural telephone companies serving study areas reporting 200,000 or fewer working loops pursuant to §36.611(h) shall be calculated pursuant to §54.309 of this chapter or §54.311 of this chapter (which relies on this part), whichever is applicable.

(1) Sixty-five percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 115 percent of the national average for this cost but not greater than 150 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area; and

(2) Seventy-five percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 150 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area.

(d) Beginning January 1, 1988, for study areas reporting more than 200,000 working loops pursuant to §36.611(h), the expense adjustment (additional interstate expense allocation) is equal to the sum of paragraphs (d)(1) through (4) of this section. After January 1, 2000, the expense adjustment (additional interstate expense allocation) shall be calculated pursuant to §54.309 of this chapter or §54.311 of this chapter (which relies on this part), whichever is applicable.

(1) Ten percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 115 percent of the national average for this cost but not greater than 160 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area;

(2) Thirty percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 160 percent of the national average for this cost but not greater than 200 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area;

(3) Sixty percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 200 percent of the national average for this cost but not greater than 250 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area; and

(4) Seventy-five percent of the study area average unseparated loop cost per working loop as calculated pursuant to §36.622(b) in excess of 250 percent of the national average for this cost as calculated pursuant to §36.622(a) multiplied by the number of working loops reported in §36.611(h) for the study area.

(e) Beginning April 1, 1989, the expense adjustment calculated pursuant to §36.631 (c) and (d) shall be adjusted each year to reflect changes in the size of the Universal Service Fund resulting from adjustments calculated pursuant to §36.612(a) made during the previous year. If the resulting amount exceeds the previous year's fund size, the difference will be added to the amount calculated pursuant to §36.631 (c) and (d) for the following year. If the adjustments made during the previous year result in a decrease in the size of the funding requirement, the difference will be subtracted from the amount calculated pursuant to §36.631 (c) and (d) for the following year.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33011 and 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 63 FR 2125, Jan. 13, 1998; 64 FR 67430, Dec. 1, 1999; 64 FR 73428, Dec. 30, 1999; 69 FR 12553, Mar. 17, 2004]

Transitional Expense Adjustment
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§ 36.641   Transition.
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(a) The expense adjustment for 1993 and subsequent years shall be the amount computed in accordance with §36.631.

(b) The expense adjustments for 1988 through 1992 shall be as follows:

(1) Three-eighths of the amount computed in accordance with §36.631 in 1988;

(2) One-half of the amount computed in accordance with §36.631 in 1989;

(3) Five-eighths of the amount computed in accordance with §36.631 in 1990;

(4) Three-quarters of the amount computed in accordance with §36.631 in 1991; and

(5) Seven-eighths of the amount computed in accordance with §36.631 in 1992.

Subpart G [Reserved]
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Appendix to Part 36—Glossary
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The descriptions of terms in this glossary are broad and have been prepared to assist in understanding the use of such terms in the separation procedures. Terms which are defined in the text of this part are not included in this glossary.

Access Line

A communications facility extending from a customer's premises to a serving central office comprising a subscriber line and, if necessary, a trunk facility, e.g., a WATS access line, TWX access line.

Book Cost

The cost of property as recorded on the books of a company.

Cable Fill Factor

The ratio of cable conductor or cable pair kilometers in use to total cable conductor or cable pair kilometers available in the plant, e.g., the ratio of revenue producing cable pair kilometers in use to total cable pair kilometers in plant.

Category

A grouping of items of property or expense to facilitate the apportionment of their costs among the operations and to which, ordinarily, a common measure of use is applicable.

Central Office

A switching unit, in a telephone system which provides service to the general public, having the necessary equipment and operations arrangements for terminating and interconnecting subscriber lines and trunks or trunks only. There may be more than one central office in a building.

Channel

An electrical path suitable for the transmission of communications between two or more points, ordinarily between two or more stations or between channel terminations in Telecommunication Company central offices. A channel may be furnished by wire, fiberoptics, radio or a combination thereof.

Circuit

A fully operative communications path established in the normal circuit layout and currently used for message, WATS access, TWX, or private line services.

Circuit Kilometers

The route kilometers or revenue producing circuits in service, determined by measuring the length in terms of kilometers, of the actual path followed by the transmission medium.

Common Channel Network Signaling

Channels between switching offices used to transmit signaling information independent of the subscribers' communication paths or transmission channels.

Complement (of cable)

A group of conductors of the same general type (e.g., quadded, paired) within a single cable sheath.

Complex

All groups of operator positions, wherever located, associated with the same call distribution and/or stored program control unit.

Concentrating Unit (TWX)

An arrangement of central office equipment wherein traffic over a number of TWX circuits is automatically concentrated onto a lesser number of circuits between the concentrating unit and its associated TWX switching office.

Concentration Equipment

Central office equipment whose function is to concentrate traffic from subscriber lines onto a lesser number of circuits between the remotely located concentration equipment and the serving central office concentration equipment. This concentration equipment is connected to the serving central office line equipment.

Connection—Minute

The product of (a) the number of messages and, (b) the average minutes of connection per message.

Conversation—Minute

The product of (a) the number of messages and, (b) the average minutes of conversation per message.

Conversation-Minute-Kilometers

The product of (a) the number of messages, (b) the average minutes of conversation per message and (c) the average route kilometers of circuits involved.

Cost

The cost of property owned by the Telephone Company whose property is to be apportioned among the operations. This term applies either to property costs recorded on the books of the company or property costs determined by other evaluation methods.

Current Billing

The combined amount of charges billed, excluding arrears.

Customer Dialed Charge Traffic

Traffic which is both (a) handled to completion through pulses generated by the customer and (b) for which either a message unit change, bulk charge or message toll charge is except for that traffic recorded by means of message registers.

Customer Premises Equipment

Items of telecommunications terminal equipment in Accounts 2310 referred to as CPE in §64.702 of the Federal Communication Commission's Rules adopted in the Second Computer Inquiry such as telephone instruments, data sets, dialers and other supplemental equipment, and PBX's which are provided by common carriers and located on customer premises and inventory included in these accounts to be used for such purposes. Excluded from this classification are similar items of equipment located on telephone company premises and used by the company in the normal course of business as well as over voltage protection equipment, customer premises wiring, coin operated public or pay telephones, multiplexing equipment to deliver multiple channels to the customer, mobile radio equipment and transmit earth stations.

Customer Premises Wire

The segment of wiring from the customer's side of the protector to the customer premises equipment.

DSA Board

A local dial office switchboard at which are handled assistance calls, intercepted calls and calls from miscellaneous lines and trunks. It may also be employed for handling certain toll calls.

DSB Board

A switchboard of a dial system for completing incoming calls received from manual offices.

Data Processing Equipment

Office equipment such as that using punched cards, punched tape, magnetic or other comparable storage media as an operating vehicle for recording and processing information. Includes mechines for transcribing raw data into punched cards, etc., but does not include such items as key-operated, manually or electrically driven adding, calculating, bookkeeping or billing machines, typewriters or similar equipment.

Dial Switching Equipment

Switching equipment actuated by electrical impulses generated by a dial or key pulsing arrangement.

Equal Access Costs

Include only initial incremental presubscription costs and initial incremental expenditures for hardware and software related directly to the provision of equal access which would not be required to upgrade the switching capabilities of the office involved absent the provisions of equal access.

Equivalent Gauge

A standard cross section of cable conductors for use in equating the metallic content of cable conductors of all gauge to a common base.

Equivalent Kilometers of 104 Wire

The basic units employed in the allocation of pole lines costs for determining the relative use made of poles by aerial cables and by aerial wire conductors of various sizes. This unit reflects the relative loads of such cable and wire carried on poles.

Equivalent Pair Kilometers

The product of sheath Kilometers and the number of equivalent gauge pairs of conductors in a cable.

Equivalent Sheath Kilometers

The product of (a) the length of a section of cable in kilometers (sheath kilometers) and (b) the ratio of the metallic content applicable to a particular group of conductors in the cable (e.g., conductors assigned to a category) to the metallic content of all conductors in the cable.

Exchange Transmission Plant

This is a combination of (a) exchange cable and wire facilties (b) exchange central office circuit equipment, including associated land and buildings and (c) information origination/termination equipment which forms a complete channel.

Holding Time

The time in which an item of telephone plant is in actual use either by a customer or an operator. For example, on a completed telephone call, holding time includes conversation time as well as other time in use. At local dial offices any measured minutes which result from other than customer attempts to place calls (as evidenced by the dialing of at least one digit) are not treated as holding time.

Host Central Office

An electronic analog or digital base switching unit containing the central call processing functions which service the host office and its remote locations.

Information Origination/Termination Equipment

Equipment used to input into or receive output from the telecommunications network.

Interexchange Channel

A circuit which is included in the interexchange transmission equipment.

Interexchange Transmission Equipment

The combination of (a) interexchange cable and wire facilities, (b) interexchange circuit equipment and, (c) associated land and buildings.

Interlocal Trunk

A circuit between two local central office units, either manual or dial. Interlocal trunks may be used for either exchange or toll traffic or both.

Intertoll Circuits

Circuits between toll centers and circuits between a toll center and a tandem system in a different toll center area.

Local Channel

The portion of a private line circuit which is included in the exchange transmission plant. However, common usage of this term usually excludes information origination/termination equipment.

Local Office

A central office serving primarily as a place of termination for subscriber lines and for providing telephone service to the subscribers on these lines.

Loop

A pair of wires, or its equivalent, between a customer's station and the central office from which the station is served.

Message

A completed call, i.e., a communication in which a conversation or exchange of information took place between the calling and called parties.

Message Service or Message Toll Service

Switched service furnished to the general public (as distinguished from private line service). Except as otherwise provided, this includes exchange switched services and all switched services provided by interexchange carriers and completed by a local telephone company's access services, e.g., MTS, WATS, Execunet, open-end FX and CCSA/ONALs.

Message Units

Unit of measurement used for charging for measured message telephone exchange traffic within a specified area.

Metropolitan Service Area

The area around and including a relatively large city and in which substantially all of the message telephone traffic between the city and the suburban points within the area is classified as exchange in one or both directions.

Minutes-of-Use

A unit of measurement expressed as either holding time or conversation time.

Minutes-of-Use-Kilometers

The product of (a) the number of minutes-of-use and (b) the average route kilometers of circuits involved.

Multi-Center Exchange

An exchange area in which are located two or more local central office buildings or wire centers.

Operations

The term denoting the general classifications of services rendered to the public for which separate tariffs are filed, namely exchange, state toll and interstate toll.

Operator Trunks

A general term, ordinarily applied to trunks between manually operated switchboard positions and local dial central offices in the same wire center.

Private Line Service

A service for communications between specified locations for a continuous period or for regularly recurring periods at stated hours.

Remote Access Line

An access line (e.g., for WATS or TWX service) between a subscriber's premises in one toll rate center and a serving central office located in a different toll rate center.

Remote Line Location

A remotely located subscriber line access unit which is normally dependent upon the central processor of the host office for call processing functions.

Remote Trunk Arrangement (RTA)

Arrangement that permits the extension of TSPS functions to remote locations.

Reservation

That amount or quantity of property kept or set apart for a specific use.

Reserved

Kept or set apart for a specific use.

Separations

The process by which telecommunication property costs, revenues, expenses, taxes and reserves are apportioned among the operations.

Service Observing Unit

A unit of work measurement which is used as the common denominator to express the relative time required for handling the various work functions at service observing boards.

Sheath Kilometers

The actual length of cable in route kilometers.

Special Services

All services other than message telephones, e.g., teletypewriter exchange service (TWX), private line services.

Station-to-Station Basis

The term applied to the basis of toll rate making which contemplates that the message toll service charge (telephone or TWX) covers the use made of all facilities between the originating station and the terminating station, including the stations, and the services rendered in connection therewith.

Study Area

Study area boundaries shall be frozen as they are on November 15, 1984

Subscriber Line or Exchange Line

A communication channel between a telephone station, PBX or TWX station and the central office which serves it.

Subtributary Office

A class of tributary office which does not have direct access to its toll center, but which is connected to its toll center office by means of circuits which are switched through to the toll center at another tributary office.

Tandem Area

The general areas served by the local offices having direct trunks to or from the tandem office. This area may consist of one or more communities or may include only a portion of a relatively large city.

Tandem Circuit or Trunk

A general classification of circuits or trunks between a tandem central office unit and any other central office or switchboard.

Tandem Connection

A call switched at a tandem office.

Tandem Office

A central office unit used primarily as an intermediate switching point for traffic between local central offices within the tandem area. Where qualified by a modifying expression, or other explanation, this term may be applied to an office employed for both the interconnection of local central offices within the tandem area and for the interconnection of these local offices with other central offices, e.g., long haul tandem office.

Toll Center

An office (or group of offices) within a city which generally handles the originating and incoming toll traffic for that city to or from other toll center areas and which handles through switched traffic. The toll center normally handles the inward toll traffic for its tributary exchanges and, in general, either handles the outward traffic originating at its tributaries or serves as the outlet to interexchange circuits for outward traffic ticketed and timed at its tributaries. Toll centers are listed as such in the Toll Rate and Route Guide.

Toll Center Area

The areas served by a toll center, including the toll center city and the communities served by tributaries of the toll center.

Toll Center Toll Office

A toll office (as contrasted to a local office) in a toll center city.

Toll Circuit

A general term applied to interexchange trunks used primarily for toll traffic.

Toll Connecting Trunk

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. Examples of toll connecting trunks include toll switching trunks, recording trunks and recording-completing trunks.

Toll Office

A central office used primarily for supervising and switching toll traffic.

Traffic Over First Routes

A term applied to the routing of traffic and denoting routing via principal route for traffic between any two points as distinguished from alternate routes for such traffic.

Operator System

A stored program electronic system associated with one or more toll switching systems which provides centralized traffic service position functions for several local offices at one location.

Tributary Circuit

A circuit between a tributary office and a toll switchboard or intertoll dialing equipment in a toll center city.

Tributary Office

A local office which is located outside the exchange in which a toll center is located, which has a different rate center from its toll center and which usually tickets and times only a part of its originating toll traffic, but which may ticket or time all or none, of such traffic. The toll center handles all outward traffic not ticketed and timed at the tributary and normally switches all inward toll traffic from outside the tributary's toll center to the tributary. Tributary offices are indicated as such in the Toll Rate and Route Guide.

Trunks

Circuit between switchboards or other switching equipment, as distinguished from circuits which extend between central office switching equipment and information origination/termination equipment.

TSPS Complex

All groups of operator positions, wherever located, associated with the same TSPS stored program control units.

TWX

Teletypewriter Exchange Service.

TWX Connection

A completed TWX call, i.e., a call on which a TWX communication was passed between the calling and called stations.

TWX Connection-Minute-Kilometers

The product of (a) the number of TWX connections, (b) the average minutes per TWX connection and (c) the average route kilometers of circuits involved.

TWX Switching Plant Trunks

Interexchange circuits, excluding remote access lines, which handle 100 word per minute TWX traffic only.

Weighted Standard Work Second

A measurement of traffic operating work which is used to express the relative time required to handle the various kinds of calls or work functions, and which is weighted to reflect appropriate degrees of waiting to serve time.

Wide Area Telephone Service WATS

A toll service offering for customer dial type telecommunications between a given customer station and stations within specified geographic rate areas employing a single access line between the customer location and the serving central office. Each access line may be arranged for either outward (OUT-WATS) or inward (IN-WATS) service or both.

Wideband Channel

A communication channel of a bandwidth equivalent to twelve or more voice grade channels.

Working Loop

A revenue producing pair of wires, or its equivalent, between a customer's station and the central office from which the station is served.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 53 FR 33012, Aug. 29, 1988; 53 FR 39095, Oct. 5, 1989; 58 FR 44905, Aug. 25, 1993]

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