Terms used in this chapter mean:

(1) “Addressable,” enabling users to connect and communicate with a specific party easily and securely on a dial-up, addressable basis;

(2) “Available,” ensuring that network services are available if the user requires them, even at times of peak usage; designed to be a nonblocking network, minimizing network contention;

(3) “Broadband network,” the broadband network extends the range of fully switched, addressable, robust transport services over the fiber network which increase in multiples of OC-1 (51.84 Mbps), including OC-3 (155.52 Mbps) and OC-12 (622.08 Mbps);

(4) “Centron and centron-like services,” services which provide custom switching features which include distributive dial tone, select number screening, toll restriction and screening, nonattendant busy out, nonattend and call transfer, and select trunk hunting and screening;

(5) “Commission,” the Public Utilities Commission;

(6) “Common carrier,” anyone who offers telecommunications services to the public;

(7) “Eligible telecommunications carrier,” a local exchange carrier designated by the commission pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 214(e) as of January 1, 1998, as eligible to receive universal service support funding;

(8) “Feature rich,” providing the specific features and functionality required by users’ voice, data, video, graphics, imaging, and multimedia applications; functionally beyond mere transport;

(8A) “Financial institution,” any financial institution as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 6827 as of January 1, 2003, including any financial institution affiliate that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the financial institution;

(9) “Incumbent local exchange carrier,” a local exchange carrier, including successors and assigns, which was providing local exchange service within a defined service area in this state on or before February 8, 1996;

(10) “Interexchange telecommunications service,” telecommunications service between points in two or more exchanges;

(11) “LATA,” a local access and transport area;

(12) “Local exchange area,” any geographic area established by a local exchange carrier as filed with or approved by the commission for the administration of local telecommunications service which may consist of one or more central offices or wire centers together with associated facilities used in furnishing telecommunications service in that area;

(13) “Local exchange service,” the access to and transmission of two-way switched telecommunications service within a local exchange area;

(13.5) “Mobile telecommunications service,” any commercially available interconnected mobile phone service that provides access to the public switched telephone network through mobile communications devices employing radio wave technology to transmit calls;

(14) “Narrowband network,” a fully switched digital network covering the transport range from 0 to 144,000 bits per second (144 Kbps), offering two 64 Kbps information B (Bearer) channels and a 16 Kbps signaling D (Delta) channel;

(15) “New products and services,” any new product or service introduced after July 1, 1988, which is not functionally required to provide local exchange service. Repackaging of any product or service which is fully competitive with any service regulated as emerging competitive or noncompetitive is not considered a new product or service;

(16) “Optional service,” any limited or discretionary service offered by a telecommunications company which is not functionally required for the provision of noncompetitive services and which the customer has the option to purchase;