4931.47 Determining rates and charges.

4931.47 Determining rates and charges.

(A) In accordance with Chapters 4901., 4903., 4905., 4909., and 4931. of the Revised Code, the public utilities commission shall determine the just, reasonable, and compensatory rates, tolls, classifications, charges, or rentals to be observed and charged for the wireline telephone network portion of a basic or enhanced 9-1-1 system, and each telephone company that is a wireline service provider participating in the system shall be subject to such chapters, to the extent they apply, as to the service provided by its portion of the wireline telephone network for the system as described in the final plan or to be installed pursuant to agreements under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, and as to the rates, tolls, classifications, charges, or rentals to be observed and charged for that service.

(B) Only the customers of a participating telephone company described in division (A) of this section that are served within the area covered by a 9-1-1 system shall pay the recurring rates for the maintenance and operation of the company’s portion of the wireline telephone network of the system. Such rates shall be computed by dividing the total monthly recurring rates set forth in the company’s schedule as filed in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, by the total number of residential and business customer access lines, or their equivalent, within the area served. Each residential and business customer within the area served shall pay the recurring rates based on the number of its residential and business customer access lines or their equivalent. No company shall include such amount on any customer’s bill until the company has completed its portion of the wireline telephone network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or an agreement made under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code.

(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2) of this section, a participating telephone company described in division (A) of this section may receive through the credit authorized by section 5733.55 of the Revised Code the total nonrecurring charges for its portion of the wireline telephone network of the system and the total nonrecurring charges for any updating or modernization of that wireline telephone network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to agreements under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, as such charges are set forth in the schedule filed by the telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code. However, that portion, updating, or modernization shall not be for or include the provision of wireless 9-1-1. As applicable, the receipt of permissible charges shall occur only upon the completion of the installation of the network or the completion of the updating or modernization.

(2) The credit shall not be allowed under division (C)(1) of this section for the upgrading of a system from basic to enhanced wireline 9-1-1 if both of the following apply:

(a) The telephone company received the credit for the wireline telephone network portion of the basic 9-1-1 system now proposed to be upgraded.

(b) At the time the final plan or agreement pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code calling for the basic 9-1-1 system was agreed to, the telephone company was capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of an enhanced 9-1-1 system within the territory proposed to be upgraded, as determined by the public utilities commission under division (A) or (H) of section 4931.41 or division (C) of section 4931.48 of the Revised Code.

(3) If the credit is not allowed under division (C)(2) of this section, the total nonrecurring charges for the wireline telephone network used in providing 9-1-1 service, as set forth in the schedule filed by a telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, on completion of the installation of the network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, shall be paid by the municipal corporations and townships with any territory in the area in which such upgrade from basic to enhanced 9-1-1 is made.

(D) If customer premises equipment for a public safety answering point is supplied by a telephone company that is required to file a schedule under section 4905.30 of the Revised Code pertaining to customer premises equipment, the recurring and nonrecurring rates and charges for the installation and maintenance of the equipment specified in the schedule shall apply.

Effective Date: 12-31-2004; 05-06-2005