For purposes of this subpart, the following definitions will apply:

Affiliate. The term “affiliate” has the same meaning as in 47 U.S.C. 153(2).

Call attempt. The term “call attempt” means a call that results in transmission by the covered provider toward an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) of the initial call setup message, regardless of the voice call signaling and transmission technology used.

Covered provider. The term “covered provider” means a provider of long-distance voice service that makes the initial long-distance call path choice for more than 100,000 domestic retail subscriber lines, counting the total of all business and residential fixed subscriber lines and mobile phones and aggregated over all of the providers' affiliates. A covered provider may be a local exchange carrier as defined in §64.4001(e), an interexchange carrier as defined in §64.4001(d), a provider of commercial mobile radio service as defined in §20.3 of this chapter, a provider of interconnected voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service as defined in 47 U.S.C. 153(25), or a provider of non-interconnected VoIP service as defined in 47 U.S.C. 153(36) to the extent such a provider offers the capability to place calls to the public switched telephone network.

Covered voice communication. The term “covered voice communication” means a voice communication (including any related signaling information) that is generated—

(1) From the placement of a call from a connection using a North American Numbering Plan resource or a call placed to a connection using such a numbering resource; and

(2) Through any service provided by a covered provider.

Initial long-distance call path choice. The term “initial long-distance call path choice” means the static or dynamic selection of the path for a long-distance call based on the called number of the individual call.

Intermediate provider. The term “intermediate provider” means any entity that—

(1) Enters into a business arrangement with a covered provider or other intermediate provider for the specific purpose of carrying, routing, or transmitting voice traffic that is generated from the placement of a call placed—

(i) From an end user connection using a North American Numbering Plan resource; or

(ii) To an end user connection using such a numbering resource; and

(2) Does not itself, either directly or in conjunction with an affiliate, serve as a covered provider in the context of originating or terminating a given call.

Long-distance voice service. For purposes of subparts V and W, the term “long-distance voice service” includes interstate interLATA, intrastate interLATA, interstate interexchange, intrastate interexchange, intraLATA toll, inter-MTA interstate and inter-MTA intrastate voice services.

Operating company number (OCN). The term “operating company number” means a four-place alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies a local exchange carrier.

Rural OCN. The term “rural OCN” means an operating company number that uniquely identifies an incumbent LEC (as defined in §51.5 of this chapter) that is a rural telephone company (as defined in §51.5 of this chapter). The term “nonrural OCN” means an operating company number that uniquely identifies an incumbent LEC (as defined in §51.5 of this chapter) that is not a rural telephone company (as defined in §51.5 of this chapter). We direct NECA to update the lists of rural and nonrural OCNs annually and provide them to the Wireline Competition Bureau in time for the Bureau to publish the lists no later than November 15. These lists will be the definitive lists of rural OCNs and nonrural OCNs for purposes of this subpart for the following calendar year.

Rural telephone company. The term “rural telephone company” shall have the same meaning as in §51.5 of this chapter.

[78 FR 76239, Dec. 17, 2013, as amended at 79 FR 73227, Dec. 10, 2014; 80 FR 1007, Jan. 8, 2015; 82 FR 19615, Apr. 28, 2017; 83 FR 21737, May 10, 2018; 83 FR 47308, Sept. 19, 2018]