SECTION 165:55-17-13. Interconnection of networks

(a)   Local exchange telecommunications networks shall be interconnected, where technically feasible, so that end-users of any telecommunications service provider can seamlessly send and/or receive calls without any diminution in service quality regardless of the telecommunications service provider selected by the end-user or the called party. Such interconnection shall be made available, when requested by a competing telecommunications service provider, on an unbundled basis equally and on a nondiscriminatory basis.

(b)   A telecommunications service provider shall make available any interconnection, service, or network element, provided under an agreement to which it is a party and which has been approved by the Commission pursuant to OAC 165:55-17-7, to any other requesting telecommunications service provider upon the same terms and conditions as those provided in the agreement.

(c)   Interconnection issues not addressed or resolved by these rules, shall be addressed and resolved through the negotiation and arbitration process provided for in a manner consistent with the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 and FCC regulations prescribed thereto.

(d)   When filing an amendment to an interconnection agreement, the effective date, order number and cause number of the original interconnection agreement or the subsequent amendment that is being modified must be included.

(e)   When filing an application for approval of an agreement or an amendment to an existing interconnection agreement, a file-stamped copy will be provided to the Director of the Public Utility Division, the Oklahoma Attorney General, each E911 public safety answering point within the territory of the service area affected by the proposed agreement and any other party to the agreement. The copy to the Director of the Public Utility Division may be contained on compact disk, formatted in an IBM compatible form using Microsoft Word for Windows, or compatible software.

[Source: Added at 13 Ok Reg 2437, eff 7-1-96; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 2301, eff 7-15-03; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 828, eff 8-27-15; Added at 33 Ok Reg 645, eff 8-25-16]