[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 3 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1759-1761]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-247]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
7 CFR Part 1755


RUS General Specification for Digital, Stored Program Controlled 
Central Office Equipment (Form 522)

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This document proposes to amend the Rural Utilities Service 
(RUS) General Specification for Digital, Stored Program Controlled 
Central Office Equipment by eliminating the requirement for multiparty 
service and certain other technical aspects associated with this 
service. This amendment does not diminish public telephone service 
integrity.

DATES: Written comments must be received by RUS or postmarked no later 
than February 6, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Orren E. Cameron 
III, Director, Telecommunications [[Page 1760]] Standards Division, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service, room 2835-S, 
Washington, DC 20250-1500. RUS requires a signed original and three 
copies of all comments (7 CFR 1700.30(e)). Comments will be available 
for public inspection during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27 (b)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John J. Schell, Chief, Central Office 
Equipment Branch, Telecommunications Standards Division, Rural 
Utilities Service, room 2836-S, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250-1500, telephone (202) 720-0671.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Executive Order 12866

    This proposed rule has been determined to be not-significant for 
purposes of Executive Order 12866 and therefore has not been reviewed 
by OMB.

Executive Order 12778

    This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, 
Civil Justice Reform. This proposed rule will not:
    (1) Preempt any State or local laws, regulations, or policies, 
unless they present an irreconcilable conflict with this rule;
    (2) Have any retroactive effect; and
    (3) Require administrative proceedings before parties may file suit 
challenging the provisions of this rule.

Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification

    RUS has determined that this proposed rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, 
as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
The changes to the General Specification for Digital, Stored Program 
Controlled Central Office Equipment in this proposed rule are updates 
which have been made so that RUS telephone borrowers can continue to 
provide their subscribers with the most up-to-date and efficient 
telephone service.

Information Collection and Recordkeeping Requirements

    In compliance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
regulations (5 CFR Part 1320) which implements the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-511) and section 3504 of that Act, the 
information collection and recordkeeping requirements contained in this 
proposed rule have been approved by OMB under control number 0572-0059. 
Comments concerning these requirements should be directed to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer 
for USDA, room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 
20503.

National Environmental Policy Act Certification

    RUS has determined that this proposed rule will not significantly 
affect the quality of the human environment as defined by the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Therefore, 
this action does not require an environmental impact statement or 
assessment.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The program described by this proposed rule is listed in the 
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Programs under No. 10.851, Rural 
Telephone Loans and Loan Guarantees, and 10.852, Rural Telephone Bank 
Loans. This catalog is available on a subscription basis from the 
Superintendent of Documents, the United States Government Printing 
Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325.

Executive Order 12372

    This proposed rule is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 
12372, Intergovernmental Consultation. A Notice of Final rule entitled 
Department Programs and Activities Excluded from Executive Order 12372 
(50 FR 47034) exempts RUS and RTB loans and loan guarantees to 
governmental and nongovernmental entities from coverage under this 
Order.

Background

    Since publication of the regulation on REA General Specification 
for Digital, Stored Program Controlled Central Office Equipment, the 
Federal Crop Insurance Reform and Department of Agriculture 
Reorganization Act of 1994, Public Law 103-354, 181 Stat. 3178 
(Reorganization Act) has been enacted. Pursuant to the Reorganization 
Act the United States Secretary of Agriculture simultaneously abolished 
the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) and established the 
Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Rules formerly published by REA were 
reassigned to RUS pursuant to a final rule published in the Federal 
Register at 59 FR 66438. Therefore, this proposed rule culminating a 
rulemaking proceeding initiated by REA is being published by RUS.
    RUS makes loans and loan guarantees to telephone systems to provide 
and improve telecommunications service in rural areas, as authorized by 
the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 901 et 
seq., (RE Act). RUS issues construction standards and specifications 
for materials and equipment. In accordance with the RUS loan contract, 
these standards and specifications apply to facilities constructed by 
RUS telephone borrowers. The Rural Electrification Loan Restructuring 
Act of 1993 (RELRA) (107 Stat. 1356) mandates the elimination of 
multiparty service. This proposed rule will eliminate the requirement 
in 7 CFR 1755.522 for multiparty service along with features which are 
associated with that service such as revertive calling and 
multifrequency ringing.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 1755

    Loan programs--communications, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Rural areas, Telephone.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, chapter XVII of title 7 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 1755--TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION

    1. The authority citation for part 1755 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq., 1921 et seq.

    2. Section 1755.522 is amended by revising paragraphs (e)(5), 
(e)(6), (e)(7), (e)(11), and (e)(19)(vii), removing paragraph 
(f)(1)(ii), redesignating paragraph (f)(1)(iii) as paragraph 
(f)(1)(ii), removing paragraphs (g)(2)(ii), (g)(2)(iii), (g)(8), 
(g)(8)(i), and (g)(8)(ii), redesignating paragraphs (g)(2)(iv) through 
(g)(2)(xv) as paragraphs (g)(2)(ii) through (g)(2)(xiii), and 
paragraphs (g)(9) through (g)(12)(iii) as paragraphs (g)(8) through 
(g)(11)(iii), revising paragraphs (i)(2)(ix) and (p)(1)(vi), 
introductory text, amending paragraph (p)(3)(i) by removing the entry 
``Revertive'' from the table, removing paragraph (r)(6), redesignating 
paragraphs (r)(7) through (r)(8)(vii) as paragraphs (r)(6) through 
(r)(7)(vii), and revising paragraphs (s)(5)(ii)(A), (s)(5)(ii)(C), 
introductory text and (s)(6)(ii) to read as follows:


Sec. 1755.522  RUS general specification for digital, stored program 
controlled central office equipment.

* * * * *
    (e) * * *
    (5) The basic switching system shall include the provision of 
software programming and necessary hardware, including memory, for 
optional custom calling services such as call waiting, call forwarding, 
three-way calling, and [[Page 1761]] abbreviated dialing. It shall be 
possible to provide these services to any individual line (single-
party) subscriber. The addition of these services shall not reduce the 
anticipated ultimate engineered line, trunk, and traffic capacity of 
the switching system as specified in appendix A of this section.
    (6) The requirements in this specification apply only to single 
party lines. Although only single frequency ringing is required, other 
types may be requested in appendix A of this section.
    (7) Provision shall be made for local automatic message accounting 
(LAMA), and for traffic service position system (TSPS) trunks, or 
equivalent, to the operator's office when required either initially or 
in the future.
* * * * *
    (11) Provision shall be made for hotel-motel arrangements, as 
required by the owner, to permit the operation of message registers at 
the subscriber's premises to record local outdial calls by guests (see 
Item 10.5, appendix A of this section).
* * * * *
    (19) * * *
    (vii) If the 911 service bureau is holding a calling line, it shall 
be possible for the 911 line to cause the equipment to ring back the 
calling line. This is done by providing a flash of on-hook signal from 
the 911 line lasting from 200 to 1,100 milliseconds. The signal to the 
calling line shall be ringing current if the line is on-hook, or 
receiver off-hook (ROH) tone if the line is off-hook.
* * * * *
    (i) * * *
    (2) *  * *
    (ix) Distinctive tone, when required for alarm calls, or other 
features, shall consist of high tone interrupted at 200 IPM with tone 
on 150 ms and off 150 ms.
* * * * *
    (p) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (vi) The traffic capacity in the following table should be used for 
small trunk groups such as pay station, special service trunks, 
intercept, and PBX trunks, unless otherwise specified in appendix A of 
this section. * * *
* * * * *
    (s) * * *
    (5) * * *
    (ii) * * *
    (A) The ringing generators shall have an output voltage which 
approximates a sine wave and, as a minimum, shall be suitable for 
ringing straight-line ringers. Although not a requirement for RUS 
listing, decimonic, synchromonic, or harmonic ringing may also be 
specified in appendix A of this section.
* * * * *
    (C) The output of each generator shall have three or more voltage 
taps or a single tap with associated variable control. Taps or control 
shall be easily accessible as installed in the field. Software control 
of ringing generator outputs via I/O devices may be provided in lieu of 
taps. The taps, or equivalent, shall be designated L, M, and H. The 
variable control shall have a locking device to prevent accidental 
readjustment. The outputs at the terminals of the generators with a 
voltage input of 52.1 volts and rated full resistive load shall be as 
follows for the ringing frequencies provided. * * *
* * * * *
    (6) * * *
    (ii) The ringing cycle provided by the interrupter equipment shall 
not exceed 6 seconds in length. The ringing period shall be 2 seconds.
* * * * *

Appendix A to 7 CFR 1755.522 [Amended]

    3. Appendix A to 7 CFR 1755.522 is amended by removing items 6.1.3, 
6.1.4, and 6.1.5, redesignating items 6.1.6 through 6.1.16.2 as items 
6.1.3 through 6.1.13.2, amending item 7.1 by removing from the table 
the entries ``Two-party--Res'', ``Two-party--Bus'', and ``Four-party'', 
removing items 10.2 through 10.2.1.3, and redesignating items 10.3 
through 10.8.5 as items 10.2 through 10.7.5.

Appendix B to 7 CFR 1755.522 [Amended]

    4. Appendix B to 7 CFR 1755.522 is amended by removing items 1.2 
and 1.3 and redesignating items 1.5 through 1.9 as items 1.4 through 
1.7.

Appendix C to 7 CFR 1755.522 [Amended]

    5. Appendix C to 7 CFR 1755.522 is amended by revising item 3.1.3.1 
to read as follows:
* * * * *
    3.1.3.1  The number of directory numbers provided shall be based on 
the total directory numbers required (Item 6.1.11, appendix (A), as 
modified by the memory increment of the proposed system.
* * * * *
    Dated: December 6, 1994.
Bob J. Nash,
Under Secretary, Rural Economic and Community Development.
[FR Doc. 95-247 Filed 1-4-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P