Sec.  69.112   Direct-trunked transport.

   (a) A flat-rated direct-trunked transport charge expressed in dollars and
   cents per unit of capacity shall be assessed upon all interexchange carriers
   and  other persons that use telephone company direct-trunked transport
   facilities.

   (b)(1) For telephone companies subject to price cap regulation, initial
   direct-trunked  transport charges based on the interoffice charges for
   equivalent voice grade, DS1, and DS3 special access services as of September
   1, 1992, adjusted for changes in the price cap index calculated for the July
   1,  1993  annual  filing  for telephone companies subject to price cap
   regulation, generally shall be presumed reasonable if the benchmark defined
   in   Sec. 69.108  is  satisfied.  Direct-trunked  transport  charges may be
   distance-sensitive. Distance shall be measured as airline kilometers between
   customer-designated points.

   (2) For telephone companies not subject to price cap regulation, initial
   direct-trunked  transport charges based on the interoffice charges for
   equivalent voice grade, DS1, and DS3 special access services generally shall
   be presumed reasonable if the benchmark defined in  Sec. 69.108 is satisfied.
   Direct-trunked transport charges may be distance-sensitive. Distance shall
   be measured as airline kilometers between customer-designated points.

   (c) If the telephone company employs distance-sensitive rates:

   (1)  A  distance-sensitive  component shall be assessed for use of the
   transmission  facilities,  including intermediate transmission circuit
   equipment, between the end points of the circuit; and

   (2) A nondistance-sensitive component shall be assessed for use of the
   circuit equipment at the ends of the transmission links.

   (d) Telephone companies shall apply only their shortest term special access
   rates in setting direct-trunked transport rates.

   (e) Except as provided in pagagraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section,
   telephone companies shall not offer direct-trunked transport rates based on
   term discounts or volume discounts for multiple DS3s or any other service
   with higher volume than DS3.

   (f) Except in the situations set forth in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this
   section,  telephone  companies  may offer term and volume discounts in
   direct-trunked transport charges within each study area used for the purpose
   of jurisdictional separations, in which interconnectors have taken either:

   (1) At least 100 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the transmission of
   switched traffic (as described in  Sec. 69.121(a)(1)) in offices in the study
   area that the telephone company has assigned to the lowest priced density
   pricing  zone  (zone 1) under an approved density pricing zone plan as
   described in  Sec.  Sec. 61.38(b)(4) and 61.49(k) of this section; or

   (2)  An  average  of at least 25 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the
   transmission of switched traffic per office assigned to the lowest priced
   density pricing zone (zone 1).

   (g) In study areas in which the telephone company has implemented density
   zone pricing, but no offices have been assigned to the lowest priced density
   pricing  zone  (zone 1), telephone companies may offer term and volume
   discounts in direct-trunked transport charges within the study area when
   interconnectors have taken at least 5 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the
   transmission of switched traffic (as described in  Sec. 69.121(a)(1) of this
   chapter) in offices in the study area.

   (h)  In study areas in which the telephone company has not implemented
   density  zone  pricing,  telephone companies may offer term and volume
   discounts in direct-trunked transport charges when interconnectors have
   taken at least 100 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the transmission of
   switched traffic (as described in  Sec. 69.121(a)(1) of this chapter) in offices
   in the study area.

   (i)  Centralized equal access providers as described in Transport Rate
   Structure and Pricing, CC Docket No. 91–213, FCC 92–442, 7 FCC Rcd 7002
   (1992),  are not required to provide direct-trunked transport service.
   Telephone companies that do not have measurement and billing capabilities at
   their end offices are not required to provide direct-trunked transport
   services at those end offices without measurement and billing capabilities.
   Telephone companies that are not classified as Class A companies under
    Sec. 32.11 of this chapter are required to provide direct-trunked transport
   service  upon  request.  All other telephone companies shall provide a
   direct-trunked transport service.

   [ 57 FR 54720 , Nov. 20, 1992, as amended at  58 FR 41190 , Aug. 3, 1993;  58 FR 44950 , Aug. 25, 1993;  58 FR 48764 , Sept. 17, 1993;  60 FR 50121 , Sept. 28,
   1995]