(a) Tandem switching equipment is contained in Account 2210. It includes all switching equipment in a tandem central office, including any associated tandem switchboard positions and any intertoll switching equipment. Intertoll switching equipment includes switching equipment used for the interconnection of message toll telephone circuits with each other or with local or tandem telephone central office trunks, intertoll dial selector equipment, or intertoll trunk equipment in No. 5 type electronic offices. Equipment, including switchboards used for recording of calling telephone numbers and other billing information in connection with customer dialed charge traffic is included with Local Switching Equipment—Category 3.

(1) At toll center toll offices, intertoll switching equipment comprises equipment in the toll office used in the interconnection of: Toll center to toll center circuits; toll center to tributary circuits; tributary to tributary circuits; toll center to tandem circuits or in the interconnection of the aforementioned types of circuits with trunks to local offices in the toll center city, i.e., interconnection with toll switching trunks, operator trunks, information trunks, testing trunks, etc. Equipment associated with the local office end of such trunks is included with local switching equipment or switchboard categories as appropriate.

(2) At tributary offices, this category includes intertoll switching equipment similar to that at toll center toll offices if it is used in the interconnection of: Tributary to tributary circuits; tributary to subtributary circuits; subtributary to subtributary circuits; toll center to subtributary circuits; or if it is used jointly in the interconnection of any of the aforementioned types of circuits and in the interconnection of such toll circuits with trunk circuits for the handling of traffic terminating in the tributary office. Where comparable equipment has no joint use but is used only for the handling of traffic terminating in the tributary office, it is included in the local switching equipment category.

(3) At all switching entities, this category includes intertoll switching equipment similar to that at toll center toll offices if it is used in the interconnection of switched private line trunks or TWX switching plant trunks when these functions are in addition to the message telephone switching function. Switching entities wholly dedicated to switching of special services are assigned to Category 3—Local Switching Equipment.

(b) The costs of central office equipment items assigned this category are to be directly assigned when possible. When direct assignment is not possible the costs shall be apportioned among the operations on the basis of the relative number of study area minutes of use of this equipment.

(c) 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 2210 to Category 2, Tandem Switching Equipment based on the relative percentage assignment of the average balance of Account 2210 (or, if Accounts 2211, 2212, and 2215 were required to be maintained at the applicable time, the average balances of Accounts 2211, 2212, and 2215) to Category 2, Tandem Switching Equipment during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000.

(d) Effective July 1, 2001, through December 31, 2024, all study areas shall apportion costs in Category 2, Tandem Switching Equipment, among the jurisdictions using the relative number of study area minutes of use, as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2000. Direct assignment of any subcategory of Category 2 Tandem Switching Equipment between jurisdictions shall be updated annually.

[52 FR 17229, May 6, 1987, as amended at 66 FR 33205, June 21, 2001; 69 FR 12549, Mar. 17, 2004; 75 FR 30301, June 1, 2010; 76 FR 30841, May 27, 2011; 79 FR 36236, June 26, 2014; 83 FR 63584, Dec. 11, 2018]