Connection of Customer-Provided Terminal Equipment to the Telephone Network

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 2 and 68

[CC Docket No. 93-268, RM-7815, RM-6147; FCC 93-484]

Connection of Customer-Provided Terminal Equipment to the

Telephone Network

agency: Federal Communications Commission.

action: Proposed rules.

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summary: This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposes to amend

rules which regulate the terms and conditions under which customer-

provided terminal equipment may be connected to the telephone network.

The proceeding was initiated by petitions for rulemaking filed by

Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (SWB) and Ameritech Operating

Companies (Ameritech) who ask that regulations governing switched

digital services be added. The effect of the proposed rules would be to

promote rapid exploitation of switched digital technology. We propose

also to provide for a registration revocation procedure which should

greatly enhance our ability to enforce applicable rules as well as the

Telecommunications Trade Act of 1988; and we take this opportunity to

propose clarifications to other rules.

dates: Comments were to be submitted on or before January 13, 1994, and

replies by January 28, 1994; however, those dates have been extended to

February 10, 1994 for comments and February 25, 1994 for replies.

addresses: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission,

1919 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 20554, with copy to William H. von

Alven, FCC, Mail Stop 1600B2, Washington, DC 20554.

for further information contact: William H. von Alven, Domestic

Services Branch, Domestic Facilities Division, Common Carrier Bureau,

(202) 634-1833.

supplementary information: This summarizes the NPRM in CC Docket 93-

268, RM-7815, and RM-6147 (FCC 93-484) adopted October 22, 1993 and

released November 22, 1993, supplemented by an Errata, and Order

Extending Comment Period released January 12, 1994 (DA 94-46). Persons

affected by part 68 practice and procedure are urged to review the full

texts of both the NPRM and Errata, and the supporting file, which are

available for inspection and copying during the weekday hours of 9 a.m.

to 4:30 p.m. in the FCC Reference Center, room 239, 1919 M St., NW.,

Washington, DC. Copies may be purchased from the Commission's

duplicating contractor, ITS, Inc., 2100 M St., NW., suite 140,

Washington, DC 20037, (202) 857-3800.

Paperwork Reduction Act

Reporting and recordkeeping activities needed to comply with the

proposed rules are usual and customary.

Analysis of Proceeding

1. By this NPRM we contemplate amending parts 2 and 68 of the

rules, 47 CFR parts 2 and 68. A purpose of part 68 is to maintain

uniform standards for the protection of the telephone network from

harms caused by the connection of terminal equipment and associated

wiring. This proceeding was initiated by two petitions for rulemaking,

one filed by SWB (RM-7815) and the other by Ameritech (RM-6147).

2. SWB requests that part 68 be amended to include the regulation

of terminal equipment connected to the two-wire Basic Rate Access (BRA)

interface and to the Primary Rate Access (PRA) interface provided by

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) access technology. BRA

consists of one or two 64 Kbps information channels with a 16 Kbps

channel for dialing and network access information. The 1.544 Mbps PRA

consists of 23 64 Kbps information channels and the 64 Kbps dialing and

network access channel. ISDN is in a developmental phase, being

deployed these last few years in an experimental mode. The Public

Notice of SWB's petition elicited comments from eight parties and reply

comments from three. There was overwhelming support for including this

service in part 68 in order to promote, on a nationwide and worldwide

basis, rapid exploitation of this technology with minimum mandatory

criteria for connection of CPE (customer premises equipment). Thus, we

propose for comment technical standards for including this service in

part 68 in supplement to the existing standards for non-switched

leased-line digital services which were added in 1985.

3. Commenting on SWB's petition, AT&T recommends (a) that part 68

rules covering PRA not be limited to the two-wire ISDN BRA service but

also authorize terminal equipment connected to the 4-wire ISDN PRA

(1.544 Mbps) interface pursuant to performance and compatibility

standards adopted by ANSI (American National Standards Institute); (b)

that amendments to part 68 provide equipment specifications for both

PRA and BRA interfaces; (c) that Sec. 68.308(h)(2) be amended to apply

its limitations on encoded analog content to PRA terminal equipment

comparable to the limitations suggested by SWB for BRA terminal

equipment; and (d) that the signaling interference requirements in

Sec. 68.314(d)(2) apply also to ISDN terminal equipment. The rules we

present for comment reflect those recommendations.

4. AT&T observes also that SWB's petition would add a new

Sec. 68.310(m) to introduce a ``longitudinal-to-metallic'' (L-M)

balance requirement for equipment connected to the ISDN interface. AT&T

notes that the L-M balance concept was rejected by the Commission in

previous rulemakings in favor of the ``metallic-to-longitudinal'' (M-L)

balance methodology currently in the rules. The L-M methodology is

considered to be a performance measure which is not a primary concern

of part 68, whereas the M-L balance requirement squarely addresses

crosstalk interference that terminal equipment may induce in cables

running to the central office, which is a harm to the network and thus

within part 68's purview. Thus, we propose adding to part 68

limitations on encoded analog content for equipment connected to the

ISDN interface.

5. AT&T states also that though-gain limitations in

Sec. 68.308(b)(5) should be established for ISDN services. We

understand that this is a current project for the Telecommunication

Industry Association's (TIA's) TR-41 Committee, whom we anticipate will

provide appropriate recommendations.

6. The types of plug-jack connectors to be used for ISDN services

engendered comment. Ameritech says that the ANSI standard for BRA

proposes an eight-position non-keyed jack in which two positions are

for the tip and ring connections to the service itself, and the

remaining six positions are reserved. Ameritech offers ISDN BRA via the

standard RJ11C jack which provides connections for two wires, although

the jack itself can accommodate up to six wires. Most ISDN compatible

equipment can accommodate such a connection, so there is no need to

require the eight-position jack, states Ameritech, who believes that

manufacturers who ``build-to'' the eight-position interface could

provide connection to the type RJ11C through a simple six-position to

eight-position double-male adapter. US West recommends that the jack

type SJA-11 (8-position) proposed by ECSA (the Exchange Carriers

Standards Association's T1E1 Technical Subcommittee) be approved by the

Commission's tariff implementation procedure. We solicit comments on

these proposals for ISDN BRA and PRA interface connectors and for

suitable connectors for the Public Switched Digital Services (PSDS). It

would be helpful also if interested parties would, as requested in n.7

of the NPRM, offer comments on the recommendations of ECSA for network

connectors for ISDN BRA and PSDS.

7. The Public Notice of Ameritech's petition produced two comments

and two reply comments. Ameritech petitions for amendment of part 68 to

include terminal equipment that connects to PSDS. We request comment.

As the result of joint comments by Mountain States Telephone Company,

Northwestern Bell Telephone Company and Pacific Northwestern Bell

Telephone Company, equipment standards for a four-wire 56 Kbps service

are also included for comment. It is important to recognize that all

three technologies (56 and 64 Kbps time compression and four-wire 56

Kbps switched services) are call-compatible, and a performance and

compatibility standard for the three has recently been published by

TIA. Not discussed in the pleadings is the fact that a new technology

known as ``inverse multiplexing'' or ``bandwidth on demand'' is being

used which permits customers to utilize PSDS and ISDN BRA technologies

to order wider bandwidths in multiples of 56 or 64 Kbps. Commenters

should address whether inverse multiplexing utilizing such channels and

other bandwidths require consideration under part 68.

8. In outlining the intent of newly-proposed part 68, the

Commission stated in its First Supplemental Notice, released April 3,

1973, 40 F.C.C.2d 315, 316 (1973) that ``[r]egistration would

constitute authorization for the equipment to be directly connected to

the switched telephone network. However, in appropriate cases,

registration could be revoked.'' But the rules do not include part 68

equipment authorization revocation procedures which can be relied upon;

therefore, we propose adoption of rules which detail the circumstances

under which equipment registrations may be revoked and which define

equipment revocation procedures, including automatic denial of

equipment authorization of the same product for a period of six months

from the date of revocation. The proposed revocation procedure tracks

closely established Commission procedure for Notice of Apparent

Liability (NAL) for assessment of a monetary penalty (47 CFR 1.80 and

1.89). Revocation of an equipment registration may be imposed in

addition to or in lieu of an amount in forfeiture pursuant to section

1.80 of the rules. Therefore, we propose that a Notice of Intent to

Revoke may be served concurrently with and as part of a NAL. In the

case of joint NAL and Intent to Revoke, Sec. 1.80 of the rules would

govern all procedural issues. In those cases where a material dispute

of fact is involved, the Commission would, if appropriate, designate

the proceeding for hearing before an administrative law judge. The

registration revocation procedure is expected to greatly enhance our

ability to enforce part 68, as well as the Telecommunications Trade Act

of 1988 which requires that all telecommunications equipment imported

into the United States meet the requirements of the Commission's rules

and regulations. We seek comment on these procedures which are set

forth in detail in the NPRM and proposed rules.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

No significant impact.

Ex Parte Presentations

This is a nonrestricted notice and comment rulemaking proceeding.

Ex Parte presentations are permitted, except during the Sunshine Agenda

period, provided they are disclosed as required by Commission rules.

See generally 47 CFR 1.1202, 1.1203 and 1.1206(a).

Legal Basis

Authority for this action is contained in 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i),

154(j), 201-205, 225 and 403.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 2

Communications equipment.

47 CFR Part 68

Communications equipment, Integrated Services Digital Network,

Public Switched Digital Services, Telephone.

Federal Communications Commission.

William F. Caton,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 94-2107 Filed 2-2-94; 8:45 am]

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