Section 725.500  Telecommunications Carriers

 

a)         A 9-1-1 telecommunications service provides a terminating only service that connects a person who has dialed the universal emergency service code 9-1-1 to the PSAP assigned to that trunk group.  Consistent with the language contained in subsection (c), 9-1-1 telecommunications service shall be provided through either dedicated direct trunking or tandem trunking.  No 9-1-1 calls shall ever be delivered to Operator Services.

 

b)         Each telecommunications carrier shall file tariffs under Section 9-102 of the Public Utilities Act [220 ILCS 5/9-102] for 9-1-1 Telecommunications Service to be applied to all services peculiar to 9-1-1 installations.

 

c)         Dedicated direct trunking shall be considered to be the standard method of providing incoming 9-1-1 circuits.  Incoming trunking shall initially be designed assuming a minimum offered load of 1.00 CCS (expected traffic load) per 1000 main stations to be served, or a minimum of two trunks, whichever is higher.  Within 6 months after the on-line date, each trunk group shall be re-evaluated and maintained to assure 99% completion of calls placed to 9-1-1 during the average busy hour of the average busy day, or a minimum of two trunks, whichever is higher.  In the event there is a host/remote central office configuration, additional trunks should be added in either a separate trunk group from each host/remote or in consolidated trunk groups based on cost and engineering considerations.  Each trunk group should be sized to deliver calls to the selective routing switch being engineered in such a manner that will meet or exceed a P.01 grade of service.

 

1)         If dedicated direct trunking is not available from a remote switch, either to the host office or to the 9-1-1 control office serving the PSAPs, use of the umbilical for 9-1-1 will be allowed from the remote to the host.  When direct remote trunking is available, dedicated trunk groups shall be provisioned directly from the remote switch.

 

2)         Alternative incoming 9-1-1 trunking methods may be utilized by the PSAP if technology and/or local telecommunications facilities can be designed and implemented.  The quantity of trunks and related switching components in the telephone network shall be engineered in accordance with good engineering practices and the applicable Commission Standards of Service specified for the interoffice and intertoll network to ensure completion of calls placed to 9-1-1 during the average busy hour of the average busy day.  A detailed description of the trunking method to be used must be included in tentative 9-1-1 plans.  Approval by the Commission's 9-1-1 Program regarding alternative incoming 9-1-1 trunking methods shall be required by the petitioner prior to submitting the final application.  Requests for alternative trunking methods for existing systems require a detailed written description of the trunking method to be used for approval by the Commission's 9-1-1 Program prior to implementation.

 

d)         All 9-1-1 circuits shall be arranged for one way incoming only service to the PSAP.  Outbound dialing on 9-1-1 circuits is prohibited.

 

e)         Telecommunications carriers shall use the Common Language Circuit Identifier "ES" in identification of 9-1-1 telecommunications service "A" link trunks and the circuit identifier "EMNC" shall be used for "B" link circuits to prevent confusion with other special services.

 

f)          Coin-free dialing shall be provided from all coin telephones within an exchange with 9-1-1 service. 

 

g)         "9-1-1 Telecommunications Service" may be of two types: Basic or Enhanced 9-1-1 or E9-1-1.

 

1)         Consistent with the language contained in subsections (c) and (d), Basic 9-1-1 telecommunications service shall be provided through either dedicated direct trunking and/or tandem trunking.  The features associated with the dedicated direct trunking service shall be according to the following format types:

 

A)        Type #1 – This is the most basic configuration available, and provides:

 

i)          no per-call charge,

 

ii)         loop-type ringdown signaling toward PSAP,

 

iii)         ringback tone to caller, and

 

iv)        transmission path for communication between the caller and the PSAP.

 

B)        Type #2 – This configuration provides all the features of the Type #1 circuit with the following options:

 

i)          called party hold,

 

ii)         forced disconnect,

 

iii)         idle circuit tone application, and

 

iv)        originating Switchhook Status Indication contingent on the installation of appropriate terminal equipment at the PSAP.

 

C)        Type #3 – This configuration provides all the features of the Type #1 and Type #2 circuits with the addition of ringback of the calling party on a held line.

 

D)        Type #4 – This configuration provides for optional features beyond those described in the configuration of Type #2 or Type #3.  This type of Basic 9-1-1 also requires trunks capable of carrying ANI.

 

2)         The E9-1-1 feature provides the capability to serve several PSAPs existing within the 9-1-1 service area with tandem trunking through the E9-1-1 selective router.  The main characteristic of E9-1-1 service is the capability of the E9-1-1 selective router to selectively route a 9-1-1 call originating from any station in the 9-1-1 service area to the correct primary PSAP.  The features associated with tandem trunking in an E9-1-1 System may include the following:

 

A)        selective routing;

 

B)        default routing;

 

C)        alternate routing;

 

D)        central office transfer;

 

E)         ANI; and

 

F)         ALI.

 

h)         The transmission grade of service on 9-1-1 circuits using inter-exchange facilities shall be at least equivalent to the transmission grade of service specified in 83 Ill. Adm. Code 730.520 dealing with interoffice transmission objectives.

 

i)          The transmission grade of service for the intra-exchange loop portion of any 9-1-1 circuit shall be at least equivalent to the transmission grade of service specified in  83 Ill. Adm. Code 730.525 dealing with local loop transmission objectives.

 

j)          When all 9-1-1 circuits are busy in the originating central office, the switching facility, where equipped to provide the function, shall route the caller to an announcement or busy tone.  When an all-trunks busy situation occurs in an intermediate switching facility, that machine shall, where equipped, route the caller to an appropriate backup answering location, announcement, or busy tone.

 

k)         All telecommunications carriers shall arrange for each of their switching offices to accept the 9-1-1 code.

 

l)          No circuits associated with a 9-1-1 system shall be opened, grounded, short circuited, or tested in any manner until maintenance personnel have obtained release of the affected circuits from the appropriate PSAP personnel.  Telecommunications carrier maintenance personnel will endeavor to advise PSAP personnel regarding the length of time that will be required to perform any work involving circuits associated with a 9-1-1 system.  Telecommunications carrier personnel shall notify 9-1-1 system management a minimum of 48 hours prior to performing any action that could adversely affect 9-1-1 service, including, but not limited to: central office switching installations, E9-1-1 selective router installations, upgrades, rehomes, or NPA additions.

 

m)        Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt practices to minimize the possibility of service disruption on all circuits associated with 9-1-1 service to a PSAP.  These practices will provide for circuit guarding at all terminations with protective devices that will minimize accidental worker contact.  These practices shall also contain procedures for physical identification of all 9-1-1 circuit appearances with special warning tags and/or labels, and identification of circuits in company records.

 

n)         Prior to a 9-1-1 system going on-line, each telecommunications carrier is responsible for having in its records a contact number for each PSAP in the event of outage or failure of a 9-1-1 system.

 

o)         Except as otherwise provided in this Part, call boxes shall be a part of the 9-1-1 system.  Each system shall be engineered and provisioned with call boxes to adequately serve a system in the event the central office is isolated from the control office or selective router.  Call boxes shall only be provisioned to central offices and to those remote central offices that have the capability to stand alone and function when severed from the host central office.  A high priority of attention shall be given to all trouble reports and requested restorals.  Call boxes shall be designed to meet the following requirements:

 

1)         Call boxes shall have a minimum of two lines, with additional lines agreed to by system management and the telecommunications carriers;

 

2)         The type of vault used to house the call box circuitry shall be weather resistant and have a locking capability;

 

3)         The call boxes shall be provisioned with a transfer switch for use by authorized personnel to route 9-1-1 calls from the network to the call box jacks;

 

4)         The call boxes shall be provisioned with the lines busied out until the transfer switch is thrown to prevent calls from ringing into an unattended call box;

 

5)         The call boxes shall be equipped with an intrusion alarm at an additional cost to be assessed to the system management through a tariff filed pursuant to Section 9-201 of the Public Utilities Act;

 

6)         Call boxes shall be located, installed and maintained so that 9-1-1 system personnel have unrestricted access to the call box 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  If the call box is to be located within any secured area, the telecommunications service provider shall provide 9-1-1 system management immediate, unrestricted access to the secured area; and

 

7)         The calls boxes shall be tested in conjunction with 9-1-1 system management annually, at a minimum.

 

p)         All telecommunications carriers shall coordinate call box procedures or alternative call box procedures with 9-1-1 system management and the Commission's 9-1-1 Program.  Where call boxes are not a viable solution for a telecommunications carrier, the following options are available:

 

1)         Diverse routing is required if used in lieu of a call box and shall be provisioned to meet the P.01 grade of service by the telecommunications carrier and shall meet the following requirements:

 

A)        A minimum of two facility paths that are in physically separate cable routes between the central office and the 9-1-1 selective router; and

 

B)        Trunks divided as equally as possible in the two facility paths between the central office and the 9-1-1 selective router.  Trunking shall be provisioned as stated in subsection (c).

 

2)         Other viable solutions as technology permits may be utilized with prior approval by the Commission's 9-1-1 Program.  A detailed written description of the proposed solution to be utilized must be submitted to the Commission's 9-1-1 Program for approval prior to deployment.  Approval will be determined based on good engineering practices, the cost and rate consequences (if applicable), and the effect on the provisioning of 9-1-1 service.

 

q)         Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt practices to notify a primary point of contact within a 9-1-1 system within 15 minutes after a confirmed outage within the system and to also advise the primary point of contact as to the magnitude of the outage.  If more than one 9-1-1 system is served out of a central office, the telecommunications carrier shall make notification to a primary PSAP within each 9-1-1 system affected.

 

r)          Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt practices to notify a primary point of contact within a 9-1-1 system within 15 minutes after the confirmed restoration of 9-1-1 services.

 

s)         Each telecommunications carrier shall provide written notification including 24 hour 9-1-1 service and repair center contacts to 9-1-1 system management prior to offering telecommunications services within the 9-1-1 service area.

 

t)          Each telecommunications carrier shall deliver 9-1-1 service elements as requested by 9-1-1 system management for the provisioning and ongoing maintenance of the 9-1-1 systems as follows:

 

1)         Provide surcharge coordination with 9-1-1 system management;

 

2)         Provide database coordination with the system provider;

 

3)         Provide network coordination with the system provider; and

 

4)         Provide maintenance and repair procedures, service and repair center contact information, restoration plan and call trace procedures to 9-1-1 system management.

 

u)         Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt testing practices in conjunction with 9-1-1 system management to perform, at a minimum, central office to PSAP 9-1-1 test calls when any of the following changes occur:

 

1)         New central office switching installations;

 

2)         E9-1-1 selective router installations, upgrades, or rehomes;

 

3)         NPA additions;

 

4)         Central office switch upgrades to allow LNP;

 

5)         Number pooling implementations; and

 

6)         Any other event that affects 9-1-1.

 

v)         Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt practices and implement procedures to reduce or minimize the conditions that cause default routed calls.

 

w)        Each telecommunications carrier shall provide the feature "default routing" to all 9-1-1 customers.  Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt practices to coordinate default routing requirements with the 9-1-1 service provider for the 9-1-1 service area in which they are operating.  Default routing will be provided, at a minimum, by county.  Where an exchange boundary/rate center crosses county boundaries, the telecommunications carrier may establish a single default with the approval of 9-1-1 system management for those affected 9-1-1 systems.

 

x)         Each telecommunications carrier shall adopt practices and procedures to deliver 9-1-1 calls to the appropriate selective router based on the originating caller's location and assigned NPA for the 9-1-1 service provider's selective router coverage area.

 

y)         Each telecommunications carrier will adopt practices to provide the appropriate telecommunications services to Private Business Switch and Private Residential Switch subscribers for the purposes of complying with Sections 15.5 and 15.6 of the ETSA [50 ILCS 750/15.5 and 15.6] and 83 Ill. Adm. Code 726.

 

z)         Each telecommunications carrier shall update the 9-1-1 database on a daily basis (Monday through Friday during business hours).

 

(Source:  Amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 15742, effective December 1, 2004)