(a) Operator systems equipment is contained in Account 2220. It includes all types of manual telephone switchboards except tandem switchboards and those used solely for recording of calling telephone numbers in connection with customer dialed charge traffic. It includes all face equipment, terminating relay circuits of trunk and toll line circuits, cord circuits, cable turning sections, subscriber line equipment, associated toll connecting trunk equipment, number checking facilities, ticket distributing systems, calculagraphs, chief operator and other desks, operator chairs, and other such equipment.

(1) Operator systems equipment is generally classified according to operating arrangements of which the following are typical:

(i) Separate toll boards

(ii) Separate local manual boards

(iii) Combined local manual and toll boards

(iv) Combined toll and DSA boards

(v) Separate DSA and DSB boards

(vi) Service observing boards

(vii) Auxiliary service boards

(viii) Traffic service positions

(2) If switchboards as set forth in §36.123(a) are of the key pulsing type, the cost of the key pulsing senders, link and trunk finder equipment is included with the switchboards.

(3) DSB boards include the associated DSB dial equipment, such as link and sender equipment.

(4) Traffic service position systems include the common control and trunk equipment in addition to the associated groups of positions wherever located.

(5) Effective July 1, 2001, through December 31, 2024, study areas subject to price cap regulation, pursuant to §61.41 of this chapter, shall assign the average balance of Account 2220, Operator Systems, to the categories/subcategories, as specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balance of Account 2220 to these categories/subcategories during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

(6) Effective July 1, 2001 through December 31, 2024, all study areas shall apportion the costs assigned to the categories/subcategories, as specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, among the jurisdictions using the relative use measurements for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000 for each of the categories/subcategories specified in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section.

(b) The cost of the following operator systems equipment is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds handled at the switchboards under consideration.

(1) The following types of switchboards at toll centers are generally apportioned individually:

(i) Separate toll boards. These usually include outward, through and inward positions in separate lines and associated inward toll switchboard positions in line.

(ii) Switchboards handling both local and toll, either combined or having segregated local and toll positions in the same line.

(iii) Switchboards handling both toll and DSA, either combined or having segregated toll and DSA positions in the same line.

(iv) Traffic service positions, including separately located groups of these positions when associated with a common basic control unit.

(2) The following types of switchboards at toll centers are apportioned individually, or by groups of comparable types of boards for each exchange:

(i) Separate local manual boards. This includes the local positions of manual boards where inward toll positions are in the same line.

(ii) Separate DSA boards.

(iii) Separate DSB boards.

(3) Tributary boards may be treated individually if warranted or they may be treated on a group basis.

(c) Auxiliary service boards generally handle rate and route, information, and intercept service at individual or joint positions. The cost of these boards is apportioned as follows:

(1) The cost of separate directory assistance boards is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds handled at the boards under consideration. Directory assistance weighted standard work seconds are apportioned among the operations on the basis of the classification of these weighted standard work seconds as follows:

(i) Directory assistance weighted standard work seconds first are classified between calls received over toll directory assistance trunks from operators or customers and all other directory assistance calls.

(ii) The directory assistance weighted standard work seconds of each type further are classified separately among the operations on the basis of an analysis of a representative sample of directory assistance calls of each type with reference to the locations of the calling and called stations for each call.

(2) The cost of separate intercept boards and automated intercept systems in the study area is apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of subscriber line minutes of use.

(3) The cost of separate rate and route boards is generally included with the cost of the toll boards served and is apportioned with those boards.

(4) Where more than one auxiliary service is handled at an auxiliary board, the cost of the board is apportioned among the auxiliary services on the basis of the relative number of weighted standard work seconds for each service. The cost of that part of the board allocated to each auxiliary service is apportioned among the operations in the same manner as for a separate auxiliary board.

(d) The cost of joint exchange and toll service observing boards is first apportioned between exchange and toll use on the basis of the relative number of exchange and toll service observing units at these boards. The cost of separate toll service observing boards and the toll portion of joint service observing boards is apportioned between state and interstate operations on the basis of the relative number of toll minutes of use associated with the toll messages originating in the offices observed.

(e) Traffic Service Position System (TSPS) investments are apportioned as follows:

(1) Operator position investments are apportioned on the basis of the relative weighted standard work seconds for the entire TSPS complex.

(2) Remote trunk arrangement (RTA) investments are apportioned on the basis of the relative processor real time (i.e., actual seconds) required to process TSPS traffic originating from the end offices served by each RTA.

(3) The remaining investments at the central control location, such as the stored program control and memory, is apportioned on the basis of the relative processor real time (i.e., actual seconds) for the entire TSPS complex.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33205, June 21, 2001; 75 FR 30301, June 1, 2010; 76 FR 30841, May 27, 2011; 79 FR 36236, June 26, 2014]