Title 47

SECTION 64.1401

64.1401 Expanded interconnection.

§ 64.1401 Expanded interconnection.

(a) Every local exchange carrier that is classified as a Class A company under § 32.11 of this chapter and that is not a National Exchange Carrier Association interstate tariff participant, as provided in part 69, subpart G of this chapter, shall offer expanded interconnection for interstate special access services at their central offices that are classified as end offices or serving wire centers, and at other rating points used for interstate special access.

(b) The local exchange carriers specified in paragraph (a) of this section shall offer expanded interconnection for interstate switched transport services:

(1) In their central offices that are classified as end offices or serving wire centers, as well as at all tandem offices housed in buildings containing such carriers' end offices or serving wire centers for which interstate switched transport expanded interconnection has been tariffed;

(2) Upon bona fide request, in tandem offices housed in buildings not containing such carriers' end offices or serving wire centers, or in buildings containing the carriers' end offices or serving wire centers for which interstate switched transport expanded interconnection has not been tariffed; and

(3) Upon bona fide request, at remote nodes/switches that serve as rating points for interstate switched transport and that are capable of routing outgoing interexchange access traffic to interconnectors and in which interconnectors can route terminating traffic to such carriers. No such carrier is required to enhance remote nodes/switches or to build additional space to accommodate interstate switched transport expanded interconnection at these locations.

(c) The local exchange carriers specified in paragraph (a) of this section shall offer expanded interconnection for interstate special access and switched transport services through virtual collocation, except that they may offer physical collocation, instead of virtual collocation, in specific central offices, as a service subject to non-streamlined communications common carrier regulation under Title II of the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 201-228).

(d) For the purposes of this subpart, physical collocation means an offering that enables interconnectors:

(1) To place their own equipment needed to terminate basic transmission facilities, including optical terminating equipment and multiplexers, within or upon the local exchange carrier's central office buildings;

(2) To use such equipment to connect interconnectors' fiber optic systems or microwave radio transmission facilities (where reasonably feasible) with the local exchange carrier's equipment and facilities used to provide interstate special access services;

(3) To enter the local exchange carrier's central office buildings, subject to reasonable terms and conditions, to install, maintain, and repair the equipment described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section; and

(4) To obtain reasonable amounts of space in central offices for the equipment described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

(e) For purposes of this subpart, virtual collocation means an offering that enables interconnectors:

(1) To designate or specify equipment needed to terminate basic transmission facilities, including optical terminating equipment and multiplexers, to be located within or upon the local exchange carrier's buildings, and dedicated to such interconnectors' use,

(3) To monitor and control their communications channels terminating in such equipment.

(f) Under both physical collocation offering and virtual collocation offerings for expanded interconnection of fiber optic facilities, local exchange carriers shall provide:

(1) An interconnection point or points at which the fiber optic cable carrying an interconnectors' circuits can enter each local exchange carrier location, provided that the local exchange carrier shall designate interconnection points as close as reasonably possible to each location; and

(2) At least two such interconnection points at any local exchange carrier location at which there are at least two entry points for the local exchange carrier's cable facilities, and space is available for new facilities in at least two of those entry points.

(g) The local exchange carriers specified in paragraph (a) of this section shall offer signalling for tandem switching, as defined in § 69.2(vv) of this chapter, at central offices that are classified as equal office end offices or serving wire centers, or at signal transfer points if such information is offered via common channel signalling.

[57 FR 54331, Nov. 18, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 48762, Sept. 17, 1993; 59 FR 32930, June 27, 1994; 59 FR 38930, Aug. 1, 1994]