[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 3]
[Revised as of October 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR51.217]

[Page 23-25]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 51_INTERCONNECTION--Table of Contents
 
          Subpart C_Obligations of All Local Exchange Carriers
 
Sec. 51.217  Nondiscriminatory access: Telephone numbers, operator 
services, directory assistance services, and directory listings.

    (a) Definitions. As used in this section, the following definitions 
apply:
    (1) Competing provider. A ``competing provider'' is a provider of 
telephone exchange or telephone toll services that seeks 
nondiscriminatory access from a local exchange carrier (LEC) in that 
LEC's service area.
    (2) Nondiscriminatory access. ``Nondiscriminatory access'' refers to 
access to telephone numbers, operator services, directory assistance and 
directory listings that is at least equal to the access that the 
providing local exchange carrier (LEC) itself receives. 
Nondiscriminatory access includes, but is not limited to:

[[Page 24]]

    (i) Nondiscrimination between and among carriers in the rates, 
terms, and conditions of the access provided; and
    (ii) The ability of the competing provider to obtain access that is 
at least equal in quality to that of the providing LEC.
    (3) Providing local exchange carrier (LEC). A ``providing local 
exchange carrier'' is a local exchange carrier (LEC) that is required to 
permit nondiscriminatory access to a competing provider.
    (b) General rule. A local exchange carrier (LEC) that provides 
operator services, directory assistance services or directory listings 
to its customers, or provides telephone numbers, shall permit competing 
providers of telephone exchange service or telephone toll service to 
have nondiscriminatory access to that service or feature, with no 
unreasonable dialing delays.
    (c) Specific requirements. A LEC subject to paragraph (b) of this 
section must also comply with the following requirements:
    (1) Telephone numbers. A LEC shall permit competing providers to 
have access to telephone numbers that is identical to the access that 
the LEC provides to itself.
    (2) Operator services. A LEC must permit telephone service customers 
to connect to the operator services offered by that customer's chosen 
local service provider by dialing ``0,'' or ``0'' plus the desired 
telephone number, regardless of the identity of the customer's local 
telephone service provider.
    (3) Directory assistance services and directory listings--(i) Access 
to directory assistance. A LEC shall permit competing providers to have 
access to its directory assistance services, including directory 
assistance databases, so that any customer of a competing provider can 
obtain directory listings, except as provided in paragraph (c)(3)(iv) of 
this section, on a nondiscriminatory basis, notwithstanding the identity 
of the customer's local service provider, or the identity of the 
provider for the customer whose listing is requested. A LEC must supply 
access to directory assistance in the manner specified by the competing 
provider, including transfer of the LECs' directory assistance databases 
in readily accessible magnetic tape, electronic or other convenient 
format, as provided in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this section. Updates to 
the directory assistance database shall be made in the same format as 
the initial transfer (unless the requesting LEC requests otherwise), and 
shall be performed in a timely manner, taking no longer than those made 
to the providing LEC's own database. A LEC shall accept the listings of 
those customers served by competing providers for inclusion in its 
directory assistance/operator services databases.
    (ii) Access to directory listings. A LEC that compiles directory 
listings shall share directory listings with competing providers in the 
manner specified by the competing provider, including readily accessible 
tape or electronic formats, as provided in paragraph (c)(3)(iii) of this 
section. Such data shall be provided in a timely fashion.
    (iii) Format. A LEC shall provide access to its directory assistance 
services, including directory assistance databases, and to its directory 
listings in any format the competing provider specifies, if the LEC's 
internal systems can accommodate that format.
    (A) If a LEC's internal systems do not permit it provide directory 
assistance or directory listings in the format the specified by the 
competing provider, the LEC shall:
    (1) Within thirty days of receiving the request, inform the 
competing provider that the requested format cannot be accommodated and 
tell the requesting provider which formats can be accommodated; and
    (2) Provide the requested directory assistance or directory listings 
in the format the competing provider chooses from among the available 
formats.
    (B) [Reserved]
    (iv) Unlisted numbers. A LEC shall not provide access to unlisted 
telephone numbers, or other information that its customer has asked the 
LEC not to make available, with the exception of customer name and 
address. The LEC shall ensure that access is permitted to the same 
directory information, including customer name and address, that is 
available to its own directory assistance customers.

[[Page 25]]

    (v) Adjuncts to services. Operator services and directory assistance 
services must be made available to competing providers in their 
entirety, including access to any adjunct features (e.g., rating tables 
or customer information databases) necessary to allow competing 
providers full use of these services.
    (d) Branding of operator services and directory assistance services. 
The refusal of a providing local exchange carrier (LEC) to comply with 
the reasonable request of a competing provider that the providing LEC 
rebrand its operator services and directory assistance, or remove its 
brand from such services, creates a presumption that the providing LEC 
is unlawfully restricting access to its operator services and directory 
assistance. The providing LEC can rebut this presumption by 
demonstrating that it lacks the capability to comply with the competing 
provider's request.
    (e) Disputes--(1) Disputes involving nondiscriminatory access. In 
disputes involving nondiscriminatory access to operator services, 
directory assistance services, or directory listings, a providing LEC 
shall bear the burden of demonstrating with specificity:
    (i) That it is permitting nondiscriminatory access, and
    (ii) That any disparity in access is not caused by factors within 
its control. ``Factors within its control'' include, but are not limited 
to, physical facilities, staffing, the ordering of supplies or 
equipment, and maintenance.
    (2) Disputes involving unreasonable dialing delay. In disputes 
between providing local exchange carriers (LECs) and competing providers 
involving unreasonable dialing delay in the provision of access to 
operator services and directory assistance, the burden of proof is on 
the providing LEC to demonstrate with specificity that it is processing 
the calls of the competing provider's customers on terms equal to that 
of similar calls from the providing LEC's own customers.

[61 FR 47350, Sept. 6, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 51911, Sept. 27, 1999]

    Effective Date Note: At 64 FR 51911, Sept. 27, 1999, Sec. 51.217 
was amended by revising paragraph (c)(3). This paragraph contains 
information collection and recordkeeping requirements and will not 
become effective until approval has been given by the Office of 
Management and Budget.