Chapter 11.02
UTILITY DEFINITIONS1
Sections:
11.02.010 Title.
This title shall be known as the “utility ordinance of the city of Ketchikan, Alaska.” (Ord. 1065 § 1, 1985)
11.02.020 Definitions.
Except where the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases shall have the following meaning:
“Additional listing” means any additional entry in the telephone directory in connection with a customer’s telephone number over and above that to which they are entitled in connection with their regular utility service.
“Announcement” provides a customer created prerecorded message for callers to hear. May be used with voice mail menu(s).
“Anonymous call reject” means an enhanced custom calling feature that allows a subscriber to reject incoming calls from callers who have intentionally blocked all of the associated caller identification information. If the incoming call is anonymous, it is routed to a recorded announcement and the anonymous call rejection subscriber does not receive any indication that calls are being rejected.
“Applicable codes” means meeting the provisions of the current edition of the National Electric Code and/or National Electric Safety Code, and such other rules, regulations, codes or standards as apply to the subject, conditions, facility or use involved.
“Applicant” means any person requesting a utility service or other assistance, or service under the provisions of this title.
“Asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL)” service is an additional feature for an existing telephone line which provides the customer always-on, high-speed Internet access while retaining the ability to make and receive voice telephone calls.
“Base rate” means a schedule rate for any form of exchange service which does not include mileage or other incremental charges.
“Base rate area” means that part or parts of an exchange area, as specified in the local exchange tariff, within which base rates apply for local telecommunications services.
“Basic choice” is a bundled package of services. This package consists of caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling and distinctive ring. Customers who have basic choice with voice mail prior to April 1, 2007, are grandfathered, but voice mail is no longer a part of the basic package going forward.
“Business complex service” is the basic business service provided on a line basis plus hunt group features.
“Business office(s)” means the office(s) of the utility which handles customer billing, collections and public requests for service.
“Call” means to connect a call to an outside phone number without requiring the caller to redial. Used with voice mail menu(s).
“Call forward remote activation” allows a customer to activate, deactivate or change the call forwarding feature from any remote location using a touch-tone phone.
“Caller ID” means an enhanced custom calling feature that allows a subscriber to view the main directory name and telephone number of an incoming call before answering. After the first ring, the name and telephone number of the calling party as well as the current month, day, hour and minute are displayed on a telephone set or a separate display unit capable of displaying the incoming call information.
Caller ID Blocking. There are two forms of caller ID blocking: per call blocking and per line (all call) blocking. Per call blocking is activated with *67 to prevent the delivery of the calling party’s number and name. Per line or all call blocking prevents the delivery of the calling party’s number and name on a permanent basis and will always display to the called party as “private caller.”
“Calling name delivery” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when installed on a subscriber’s line, provides the called party the directory name of the calling party.
“Calling number delivery” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when installed on the subscriber’s line, provides the called party with the telephone number of the calling party. The definition, terms and conditions for caller ID apply.
“Central office coin supervision” means the capability of central office line equipment to pass signals or tones from a pay telephone access line to the pay telephone service provider’s designated operator service provider.
“Central office line” means a telecommunications circuit directly connecting an individual line or party line main telephone, or a private branch exchange system, with a central office. Central office lines serving private branch exchanges shall be known as “central office trunks.”
“Class of service” means the various established categories of service and are as follows:
(1) “Business or commercial service” means utility service provided to firms, corporations, agencies, partnerships, associations and other institutions, public or private, whose basic concern is the conduct of business, or the fulfillment of a public responsibility, and which are normally engaged in acts of commerce.
(2) “Harbor service” means utility service provided to boats moored at public or private floats.
(3) “Industrial service” means utility service provided to large volume users of electric and/or water utilities for industrial purposes.
(4) “Residential service” means utility service supplied for residential or domestic purposes to individual private dwellings or apartments from which business is not normally conducted.
(5) “Temporary service” means utility service for enterprises or activities which are temporary in character or where it is known in advance that service will be of limited duration. Service which, in the opinion of KPU, is for operations of a speculative character or the permanence of which has not been clearly established shall be deemed to be temporary service.
“Continuous redial” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, directs the central office to place a call to the telephone number of the last outgoing call from their telephone. The central office will redial the telephone number whether or not the original call was answered, unanswered or busy. If the redialed number is busy, the central office will monitor the status of that line for up to 30 minutes. When the line becomes available, the continuous redial subscriber will be signaled with a distinctive ring and upon lifting the handset, the call will be automatically dialed.
“Contributions in aid of construction” means money paid in advance towards the construction costs of providing any new or modified utility service.
“Cost” or “actual cost” means the cost of labor, materials, reasonable overhead, and other actual expenses incurred.
“Customer” means any person connected, or any applicant for connection, to an electrical, telecommunications or water utility system owned or operated by KPU.
“Customer originating trace” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, allows the subscriber who has been receiving harassing or prank calls to immediately activate a trace of the last incoming call. If the subscriber decides to follow up, the authorities may use the traced number to find out where the call came from. Data received as a result of the trace will be released only to law enforcement authorities or pursuant to court order or subpoena.
“Customer premises equipment” includes any type of customer provided equipment used to provide communications service.
“Customer provided equipment” includes any type of equipment used to provide a communications service.
“Digital data service” is private line digital service, offered in a point-to-point or multipoint configuration between customer designated premises.
“Digital subscriber line (DSL)” is a digital service which provides the subscriber with a data and voice telephone service over a single pair of wires.
“Digital subscriber service (DSS)” is a direct digital connection between KPU’s switching network and a customer designated premises. The service will allow direct inward dial (DID), direct outward dial (DOD) or a combination of both (DID/DOD) applications, and one-way and two-way trunks.
“Directory listing” means information contained in the KPU owned telephone directory, including advertising, whereby telephone users may ascertain the telephone number of customers’ stations.
“Directory listing/directory database” is an up-to-date (current to within five days) list of telephone subscribers, in paper or diskette form, provided in a nondiscriminatory manner to competing providers of local exchange service, providers of toll service, or directory assistance agents authorized to obtain listings under 47 CFR 51.217.
“Disconnect” means discontinuation of service made at the request of the customer or at the option of the KPU for nonpayment of service or other valid reasons.
“Distinctive call ring/call waiting” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, the subscriber can identify up to 12 numbers to be automatically identified by distinctive ringing, or, if the subscriber line is in use, a distinctive call waiting tone accompanies the incoming call.
“Domestic service” means utility service provided, or to be provided, for residential operations incident to domestic life on the premises of a residential dwelling unit.
“Equipment rate” means a charge established to recover all costs of providing and maintaining KPU-provided equipment.
“Express messaging” sends messages or broadcasts to voice mail boxes within a group without calling an extension number.
“Extension bell” means a bell on the same circuit and operated in connection with the bell or other signal at a telephone or other terminating equipment.
“Facilities” means utility poles and appurtenances and all other utility fixtures and materials both overhead and underground which are necessary for the delivery, maintenance and operation of utility service.
“Foreign attachments” means any apparatus or equipment attached to or connected with KPU-provided equipment which is not owned or authorized by KPU for use with KPU service.
“Four-wire voice grade service” is a four-wire point-to-point channel between customer designated premises, limited to 56 Kbps throughput.
“Grade of service” means the exchange service with respect to the number of main telephones which may be connected to a central office line or designating a specific type of exchange service, i.e., private line, party line, private branch exchange, etc.
“Grandfathered” means an existing customer is allowed to keep a discontinued service under the same terms and conditions the service was offered at the time it was discontinued.
“High definition video stream” means a channel of video being transmitted at a minimum of eight Mbps using MPEG-4 in a continuous stream to a service location.
“Individual contract basis (ICB)” denotes an arrangement in which the rates, regulations and charges for special services, such as high speed data services, may be developed based on the customer’s unique needs, conditions and volume.
“Integrated services digital network (ISDN)” means a digital service that provides an integrated voice/data capability to the customer premises facility, utilizing the public switched network. It is a central office based service arrangement which consists of host central office interface equipment and software located on KPU’s premises. ISDN distributes voice, data, video and facsimile by using two standard methods of access: a basic rate interface (BRI) and/or a primary rate interface (PRI).
“Internet” is both a transport network and a network of computers that allows the user to access, retrieve, process and store information from around the world.
“Internet access” is the method by which users connect to the Internet, usually through the services of an Internet service provider.
“Internet service provider (ISP)” is a vendor that provides access for customers to the Internet and the World Wide Web. The ISP typically provides a core group of utilities and service such as email. The user usually reaches the ISP by either dialing up with their own computer, modem and phone lines, or over a dedicated line installed by the telecommunications company.
“KPU” means the city of Ketchikan doing business as Ketchikan public utilities.
“Last call return” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, will recall the last incoming call to the subscriber’s telephone and automatically dial that number without the subscriber knowing the telephone number of the calling party.
“Lifeline services” means telephone service offered to qualified low-income, single party, residential subscribers at a reduced or discounted service rate. Enhanced lifeline service is available to all qualified lifeline subscribers residing in the state of Alaska effective October 1, 2000.
“Line charge” means the tariffed rate established to recover all costs of providing, operating and maintaining the exchange service excluding customer premises equipment.
“Linkup service” means telephone service offered to qualified low-income, single party, residential subscribers at a reduced or discounted service connection rate. Expanded linkup service is available to all qualified linkup subscribers residing in the state of Alaska effective October 1, 2000.
“Local directory assistance” means the ability to dial a listed number and receive information for customers not listed in the local telephone directory.
“Local directory assistance blocking” means a service that lets subscribers elect not to allow calls to local directory assistance or “4-1-1.”
Lot. See the definition of “premises” in this section.
“Main station” means the primary telephone at a customer’s premises exclusive of extension stations.
“Meet-me conference bridge” provides a teleconference number for up to nine callers to dial and be connected on one conference call, and can be ordered on a one-time basis or as a scheduled monthly service.
“Message indicator tone/light” serves as the primary message indicator for voice mail. This feature simply equips the line with a broken dial tone when a new message has been delivered to the mail box. The message indicator light feature provides a light signal (requires designated telephone equipment for usage) when a new message has been delivered to the mail box.
“Minimum contract period” means the minimum length of time for which a customer is obligated to pay for service, facilities and equipment, whether or not received or used by the customer for such minimum length of time.
“Nonfirm power” means power or power producing capacity available under an arrangement which has no continuous availability guarantees.
“Nonlisted number” means the telephone number of the customer which, at the request of the customer, is not listed in the telephone directory but can be obtained by contacting the information operator.
“Nonpublished number” means the telephone number of the customer which, at the request of the customer, is not listed in the KPU telephone directory and is not available to the information operator or other telephone users.
“Off-premises extensions (OPX)” means service which provides a connection from an extension telephone station to the main station line. The extension telephone is located at a customer’s location which is noncontiguous to the main location.
“Office hours” means the period 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except recognized city holidays.
“One-party service” means a grade of exchange service furnished by means of a central office line arranged to serve one primary station only, although additional stations may be connected to the line as extensions.
“Optical wide area network (OWAN)” is a local fiber optic network designed for data transmission at various bandwidth levels. OWAN permits customers to link across multiple points in the fiber optic network to various locations of their operations.
“Owner” means the person shown as the current owner of the property on the records on file in the office of the borough assessor or proof of ownership by deed or title.
“Permanent personal residence” means a permanent single-family dwelling owned and resided in by the owner of the property to which service is rendered, or is to be rendered.
“Permanent utility service” means utility service supplied to a location which is intended to last without change.
“Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, joint stock company, corporation, estate, trust, business, religious organization, receiver, trustee, syndicate, or any other group or combination acting as a unit.
“Premises” means real property, land, building, house or structure presently served or to be served with utility service.
“Premium choice” is a bundled package of services. This package consists of caller ID, voice mail basic, call waiting, continuous redial, last call return, distinctive ring, call forwarding, call forward busy, call forward don’t answer, three-way calling, speed call long-30, anonymous call reject, select call forward and select call reject.
“Primary rate interface (PRI)” means a service of integrated services digital network (ISDN) providing integrated voice, circuit-switched data and packet-switched data services over a local special circuit. Basic PRI delivers 23 B-channels and a single D-channel. Tiered PRI services are offered in a 10 B-channel, as well as a 15 B-channel, configuration. Each 64-Kbps B-channel can carry circuit-switched user voice, video or data traffic. The D-channel is used for networking signaling. An additional arrangement of 24 channels may be added to basic PRI. Recurring and nonrecurring PRI rates are found at KMC 11.12.080(f)(2).
“Private branch exchange (PBX) service” means an intercommunication system composed of switchboards, automatic switching equipment, and various ancillary devices located on the customer’s premises and includes local stations with intercommunication capability between them through automatic switching equipment. Access to KPU’s local exchange and long distance facilities is by means of one or more central office trunks.
“Private line” means a central office line designated for the connection of one main telephone.
“Private pay telephone” or “privately owned pay telephone” means a type of pay telephone, other than a public pay telephone, that can be connected to a local exchange carrier telephone line provisioned and tariffed specifically for private pay telephone service.
“Prompt maintenance number” means a special phone number used with passwords to let a customer change an announcement or voice mail menu(s).
“Property benefited” means property that is specifically benefited by a utility service that is connected to or services the property.
“Public access line” means an access line provided by a local exchange carrier to a private pay telephone provider who, in turn, furnishes private pay telephone service with a privately owned pay telephone.
“Public pay telephone” means a telephone instrument, usually equipped with a coin-collecting device, which is installed by a utility certified to provide local exchange service for the use of the general public. A public pay telephone is not a private pay telephone provided to the general public.
“Qualifying low-income subscriber” means a subscriber who meets the eligibility criteria established by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) or, if the RCA does not provide state lifeline support, a subscriber who participates in one of the following programs: Medicaid; food stamps; supplemental security income; federal public housing assistance; or low-income home energy assistance program; National School Lunch Program (free meals program only); Head Start Program (only those meeting its income qualifying standards); tribally administered temporary assistance for needy families; or Bureau of Indian Affairs general assistance.
“Revert call directory number” transfers a caller to a receptionist or attendant by simply pressing “0.” This feature may be used with voice mail, voice mail menu(s) and announcements.
“Select call accept” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, will allow the subscriber to store up to 31 telephone numbers from which the subscriber wishes to receive calls. An incoming call from a telephone number that is not on the list will receive an announcement stating that the called party does not wish to receive the call.
“Select call forward” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, will allow the subscriber to store up to 31 telephone numbers to be forwarded to another location.
“Select call reject” means an enhanced custom calling feature that, when activated, will allow the subscriber to store up to 31 telephone numbers from which incoming calls are to be rejected.
“Service charge” means a fee to be paid each time a new service connection is established, or each time an existing service connection is changed.
“Special event service” is a high-speed digital data service at four Mbps, provided from and to key facilities within the local service area to be used mainly for broadcast of live events.
“Standard definition video stream” means a channel of video being transmitted at four Mbps in a continuous stream to a service location. Recording of a program on a PVR different than what is being viewed constitutes a separate video stream.
“Subscriber line charge” (long distance access charge) means a flat monthly fee imposed on all telephone subscribers by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to recover a part of the interstate portion of the local line (loop) that exists between the subscriber and the central office of the local telephone company that is used or may be used for local exchange service.
“T-1 service” is a digital transmission link with a total signaling speed of 1.544 Mbps. T-1 service can be delivered as a channelized service (delivered as up to 24 separate voice or data channels) or as an unchannelized raw bit stream with 1.544 Mbps of transmission (including signaling) in a synchronous mode.
“Tariff” means the entire embodiment of the requirements, definitions and charges under which telecommunications service is provided within the exchange area of KPU. It is a contract between KPU and its customer binding on both and approved by the city.
“Teen/alternate number service” allows a residential or business single line to be assigned up to four separate directory numbers. Incoming calls are identified by a distinctive ringing cadence.
“Temporary disconnect” means a short term suspension of utility service without removal or disconnection of any customer equipment.
“Through dial service” is used with voice mail menu(s) to connect a call to an internal extension or name without requiring the caller to redial.
“Toll blocking” means a service that lets subscribers elect not to allow the completion of outgoing toll calls from their telecommunications channel.
“Toll charges” means charges incurred for calls which are placed to telephone numbers outside of the local exchange serving area that may be billed to the subscriber in addition to local service charges on their local telephone bill or on a separate bill from their chosen long distance provider. “Toll charges” are commonly referred to as long distance charges.
“Total choice” is a bundled package of services. This package consists of caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, continuous redial, last call return, selective call forwarding, selective call rejection, voice mail basic, call forward busy, call forward don’t answer, call forward call waiting, three-way calling, speed call long-30, wake-up call reminder, anonymous call reject, call forward remote activation, caller ID with anonymous call reject, caller ID blocking, distinctive ring, and select call accept.
“Trunk line” means a channel of communication from the central office to another switching system, or between a PBX, key system or similar intercommunication device, and the utility’s central office.
“Two-wire voice grade service” is a two-wire point-to-point channel between customer designated premises, limited to 56 Kbps throughput.
“Utility line extension” means the carrying or extending of electrical, telecommunications, or water utility supply lines from an existing point of utility service to another point, excluding a utility service connection.
“Utility service” means any utility service, or any combination of utility services, that KPU provides or is authorized to provide. These utilities services consist of electrical, telecommunications, and water utilities.
“Utility service connection” means a connection extending from a KPU supply point to a customer service entrance point. Such customer service entrance point may be, but is not limited to, a weatherhead or meter point (electric), a water valve (water), or a jack terminal block or station block (telecommunications).
“Voice mail menus” permits incoming calls to be forwarded to an in-house extension, an announcement, another menu(s), a voice mail box or another phone number without an attendant answering the call. Voice mail menus may contain up to nine menu selections.
“Voice messaging (voice mail)” means a service provided by telecommunications company equipment that turns the subscriber’s phone into a reliable and personal answering machine that takes messages whether the subscriber is on the phone, away from home or unable to answer the phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Wake-up call reminder” means a service that allows a customer to program their telephone to be used as an automated wake-up service.
“Wi-Fi spot wireless service” delivers a wireless Internet access point that can be accessed by a user with proper authentication and credit card payment on an hourly, daily or monthly basis. (Amended during 3/15 supplement; Ord. 1699 § 1, 2012; Ord. 1615 § 1, 2009; Ord. 1576 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1571 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1570 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1563 § 1, 2007; Ord. 1536 § 1, 2005; Ord. 1500 § 1, 2004; Ord. 1495 §§ 1, 2, 3, 2004; Ord. 1476 § 1, 2003; Ord. 1447 § 1, 2001; Ord. 1418 §§ 1, 2, 1999; Ord. 1413 § 1, 1999; Ord. 1394 § 1, 1998; Ord. 1383 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1367 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1340 § 1, 1996; Ord. 1065 § 1, 1985)
For definition of “public utility,” see City Charter § 1-6(11). For charge provisions as to city-operated public utilities and enterprises generally, see Charter Art. VIII, §§ 8-1 – 8-4.