(a) A flat-rated direct-trunked transport charge expressed in dollars and cents per unit of capacity shall be assessed upon all interexchange carriers and other persons that use telephone company direct-trunked transport facilities.

(b)

(1) For telephone companies subject to price cap regulation, initial direct-trunked transport charges based on the interoffice charges for equivalent voice grade, DS1, and DS3 special access services as of September 1, 1992, adjusted for changes in the price cap index calculated for the July 1, 1993 annual filing for telephone companies subject to price cap regulation, generally shall be presumed reasonable if the benchmark defined in §69.108 is satisfied. Direct-trunked transport charges may be distance-sensitive. Distance shall be measured as airline kilometers between customer-designated points.

(2) For telephone companies not subject to price cap regulation, initial direct-trunked transport charges based on the interoffice charges for equivalent voice grade, DS1, and DS3 special access services generally shall be presumed reasonable if the benchmark defined in §69.108 is satisfied. Direct-trunked transport charges may be distance-sensitive. Distance shall be measured as airline kilometers between customer-designated points.

(c) If the telephone company employs distance-sensitive rates:

(1) A distance-sensitive component shall be assessed for use of the transmission facilities, including intermediate transmission circuit equipment, between the end points of the circuit; and

(2) A nondistance-sensitive component shall be assessed for use of the circuit equipment at the ends of the transmission links.

(d) Telephone companies shall apply only their shortest term special access rates in setting direct-trunked transport rates.

(e) Except as provided in pagagraphs (f), (g), and (h) of this section, telephone companies shall not offer direct-trunked transport rates based on term discounts or volume discounts for multiple DS3s or any other service with higher volume than DS3.

(f) Except in the situations set forth in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this section, telephone companies may offer term and volume discounts in direct-trunked transport charges within each study area used for the purpose of jurisdictional separations, in which interconnectors have taken either:

(1) At least 100 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the transmission of switched traffic (as described in §69.121(a)(1)) in offices in the study area that the telephone company has assigned to the lowest priced density pricing zone (zone 1) under an approved density pricing zone plan as described in §§61.38(b)(4) and 61.49(k) of this section; or

(2) An average of at least 25 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the transmission of switched traffic per office assigned to the lowest priced density pricing zone (zone 1).

(g) In study areas in which the telephone company has implemented density zone pricing, but no offices have been assigned to the lowest priced density pricing zone (zone 1), telephone companies may offer term and volume discounts in direct-trunked transport charges within the study area when interconnectors have taken at least 5 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the transmission of switched traffic (as described in §69.121(a)(1) of this chapter) in offices in the study area.

(h) In study areas in which the telephone company has not implemented density zone pricing, telephone companies may offer term and volume discounts in direct-trunked transport charges when interconnectors have taken at least 100 DS1-equivalent cross-connects for the transmission of switched traffic (as described in §69.121(a)(1) of this chapter) in offices in the study area.

(i) Centralized equal access providers as described in Transport Rate Structure and Pricing, CC Docket No. 91-213, FCC 92-442, 7 FCC Rcd 7002 (1992), are not required to provide direct-trunked transport service. Telephone companies that do not have measurement and billing capabilities at their end offices are not required to provide direct-trunked transport services at those end offices without measurement and billing capabilities. Telephone companies that are not classified as Class A companies under §32.11 of this chapter are required to provide direct-trunked transport service upon request. All other telephone companies shall provide a direct-trunked transport service.

[57 FR 54720, Nov. 20, 1992, as amended at 58 FR 41190, Aug. 3, 1993; 58 FR 44950, Aug. 25, 1993; 58 FR 48764, Sept. 17, 1993; 60 FR 50121, Sept. 28, 1995]