§  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 § 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 § 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 § 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 § § 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 § 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 § 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 § 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]