As used in this chapter and ch. 197, unless the context requires otherwise:

      (c)    Telecommunications resellers or resellers. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Basic local exchange service: includes extended community calling and extended area service. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Broadcast service: means the one-way transmission to the public of video or audio programming regulated under 47 U. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Cable service: has the meaning given in 47 U. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Commercial mobile radio service provider: means a telecommunications provider that is authorized by the federal communications commission to provide commercial mobile service. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Commercial mobile service: has the meaning given in 47 U. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Commission: means the public service commission. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.

Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.

Following: when used by way of reference to any statute section, means the section next following that in which the reference is made. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Interconnection agreement: means an interconnection agreement that is subject to approval by the commission under 47 U. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.

Person: includes all partnerships, associations and bodies politic or corporate. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Property: includes real and personal property. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Public utility: includes all of the following:

         1. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

State: when applied to states of the United States, includes the District of Columbia, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the several territories organized by Congress. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Switched access service: means the offering of switched access to a local exchange network for the purpose of enabling an entity to originate or terminate telecommunications service within the local exchange. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Telecommunications carrier: means any person that owns, operates, manages or controls any plant or equipment used to furnish telecommunications services within the state directly or indirectly to the public but does not provide basic local exchange service, except on a resale basis. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Telecommunications provider: means any person who provides telecommunications services. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Telecommunications service: includes switched access service. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Telecommunications utility: means any person, corporation, company, cooperative, unincorporated cooperative association, partnership, association and lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court that owns, operates, manages or controls any plant or equipment used to furnish telecommunications services within the state directly or indirectly to the public. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

Town: may be construed to include cities, villages, wards or districts. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Village: means incorporated village. See Wisconsin Statutes 990.01

Wide-area telecommunications service: means the offering of message-based telecommunications service using a single, dedicated access line at the originating end of the call at a significant volume-based discount. See Wisconsin Statutes 196.01

   (1b)   “Access service” means the provision of switched or dedicated access to a local exchange network for the purpose of enabling a telecommunications provider to originate or terminate telecommunications service. “Access service” includes unbundled local service provided to telecommunications providers.

   (1d)   “Alternative telecommunications utility” means any of the following:

      (c)    Telecommunications resellers or resellers.

      (f)    Any other telecommunications provider if the commission finds that the service offered by the telecommunications provider is available from other telecommunications providers within this state directly or indirectly to the public.

      (g)    A telecommunications utility certified under s. 196.203 pursuant to s. 196.50 (2) (j) 1. a.

   (1g)   “Basic local exchange service” means the provision to residential customers of an access facility, whether by wire, cable, fiber optics or radio, and essential usage within a local calling area for the transmission of high-quality 2-way interactive switched voice or data communication. “Basic local exchange service” includes extended community calling and extended area service. “Basic local exchange service” does not include additional access facilities or any discretionary or optional services that may be provided to a residential customer. “Basic local exchange service” does not include cable service or services provided by a commercial mobile radio service provider.

   (1j)   “Basic message telecommunications service” means long distance toll service as provided on January 1, 1994, on a direct-dialed, single-message, dial-1 basis between local exchanges in this state at tariff rates. “Basic message telecommunications service” does not include any wide-area telecommunications service, 800-prefix service, volume, dedicated, discounted or other interoffice services or individually negotiated contracts for telecommunications service.

   (1m)   “Broadcast service” means the one-way transmission to the public of video or audio programming regulated under 47 U.S. Code § 301 to 334 that is provided by a broadcast station, as defined in 47 U.S. Code § 153 (dd), including any interaction with a recipient of the programming as part of the video or audio programming offered to the public.

   (1p)   “Cable service” has the meaning given in 47 U.S. Code § 522 (6).

   (2g)   “Commercial mobile radio service provider” means a telecommunications provider that is authorized by the federal communications commission to provide commercial mobile service.

   (2i)   “Commercial mobile service” has the meaning given in 47 U.S. Code § 332 (d).

   (2m)   “Commission” means the public service commission.

   (2s)   “Incumbent local exchange carrier” has the meaning given in 47 U.S. Code § 251 (h).

   (3)   “Indeterminate permit” means any grant, directly or indirectly, from the state to any public utility of power, right or privilege to own, operate, manage or control any plant or equipment or any part of a plant or equipment within this state for the production, transmission, delivery or furnishing of any public utility service.

   (3a)   “Interconnected voice over Internet protocol service” has the meaning given in 47 C.F.R. 9.3.

   (3b)   “Interconnection agreement” means an interconnection agreement that is subject to approval by the commission under 47 U.S. Code § 252 (e).

   (3e)   “Interlata” means between local access and transport areas.

   (3g)   “Intralata” means within the boundaries of a local access and transport area.

   (4)   “Municipality” means any town, village or city wherein property of a public utility or any part thereof is located.

   (5)   

      (a)    “Public utility” means, except as provided in par. (b), every corporation, company, individual, association, their lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court, and every sanitary district, town, village or city that may own, operate, manage or control any toll bridge or all or any part of a plant or equipment, within the state, for the production, transmission, delivery or furnishing of heat, light, water or power either directly or indirectly to or for the public. “Public utility” includes all of the following:

         1.    Any person engaged in the transmission or delivery of natural gas for compensation within this state by means of pipes or mains and any person, except a governmental unit, who furnishes services by means of a sewerage system either directly or indirectly to or for the public.

         2.    A telecommunications utility.

      (b)    “Public utility” does not include any of the following:

         1.    A cooperative association organized under ch. 185 for the purpose of producing or furnishing heat, light, power or water to its members only.

         2.    A holding company, as defined in s. 196.795 (1) (h), unless the holding company furnishes, directly to the public, telecommunications or sewer service, heat, light, water or power or, by means of pipes or mains, natural gas.

         3.    Any company, as defined in s. 196.795 (1) (f), which owns, operates, manages or controls a telecommunications utility unless the company furnishes, directly to the public, telecommunications or sewer service, heat, light, water or power or, by means of pipes or mains, natural gas.

         4.    A commercial mobile radio service provider.

         5.    A joint local water authority under s. 66.0823.

         6.    A person that owns an electric generating facility or improvement to an electric generating facility that is subject to a leased generation contract, as defined in s. 196.52 (9) (a) 3., unless the person furnishes, directly to the public, telecommunications or sewer service, heat, light, water or power or, by means of pipes or mains, natural gas.

         7.    A state agency, as defined in s. 20.001 (1), that may own, operate, manage, or control all or any part of a plant or equipment for the production, transmission, delivery, or furnishing of water either directly or indirectly for the public.

   (6)   “Railroad” has the meaning given under s. 195.02.

   (7)   “Service” is used in its broadest and most inclusive sense.

   (8)   “Small telecommunications utility” means any telecommunications utility or a successor in interest of a telecommunications utility that provided landline local and access telecommunications service as of January 1, 1984, and that has less than 50,000 access lines in use in this state.

   (8d)   “Switched access rates” means the rates, rate elements, and rate structure, including all applicable fixed and traffic sensitive charges, that a telecommunications provider charges for the provision of switched access services.

   (8e)   “Switched access service” means the offering of switched access to a local exchange network for the purpose of enabling an entity to originate or terminate telecommunications service within the local exchange.

   (8m)   “Telecommunications carrier” means any person that owns, operates, manages or controls any plant or equipment used to furnish telecommunications services within the state directly or indirectly to the public but does not provide basic local exchange service, except on a resale basis. “Telecommunications carrier” does not include an alternative telecommunications utility or a commercial mobile radio service provider.

   (8p)   “Telecommunications provider” means any person who provides telecommunications services.

   (9)   “Telecommunications reseller” or “reseller” means a telecommunications utility that resells message telecommunications service, wide-area telecommunications services or other telecommunications services which have been approved for reselling by the commission.

   (9m)   “Telecommunications service” means the offering for sale of the conveyance of voice communication, including the sale of service for collection, storage, forwarding, switching, and delivery incidental to such communication, regardless of the technology or mode used to make such offering. “Telecommunications service” includes switched access service. “Telecommunications service” does not include cable service or broadcast service.

   (10)   “Telecommunications utility” means any person, corporation, company, cooperative, unincorporated cooperative association, partnership, association and lessees, trustees or receivers appointed by any court that owns, operates, manages or controls any plant or equipment used to furnish telecommunications services within the state directly or indirectly to the public. “Telecommunications utility” does not include a telecommunications carrier.

   (12g)   “Video service” has the meaning given in s. 66.0420 (2) (y).

   (12r)   “Video service provider” has the meaning given in s. 66.0420 (2) (zg), and also includes an interim cable operator, as defined in s. 66.0420 (2) (n).

   (12w)   

      (a)    “Wholesale telecommunications service” means, except as provided in par. (b), a service that satisfies all of the following:

         1.    The service is provided by a telecommunications provider to another telecommunications provider other than an affiliate, as defined in s. 196.212 (1) (a).

         2.    The service is subject to regulation by the commission under this chapter.

         3.    The service is subsequently used in the provision of a telecommunications service to retail end users.

      (b)    “Wholesale telecommunications service” does not include switched access service.

   (13)   “Wide-area telecommunications service” means the offering of message-based telecommunications service using a single, dedicated access line at the originating end of the call at a significant volume-based discount.