Virginia Law

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Ancillary services" mean a service or services that are supplemental or incidental to the provision of basic telephone service including, but not limited to, directory assistance, directory listings, voice mail, vertical services, or detailed billing.

"Basic bundle" means a bundled service that includes basic telephone service and additional service components in the designated group of services. The additional service components of the basic bundle are limited to vertical and ancillary services, interstate and intrastate interexchange services provided by the LEC or an affiliated carrier of the LEC, or any combination of these additional components.

"Basic telephone service" means the customer's dial tone line and local usage. Local usage can be purchased on a flat rate, measured, or per message basis, or some combination thereof.

"Bona fide dispute" means (i) a dispute on an identified charge or charges between the LEC and its customer that is being investigated and is pending a determination by the LEC or (ii) a dispute on an identified charge or charges being investigated and pending disposition by the commission.

"Bundled service" means a designated group of services or products offered to customers at a package or set price. A bundled service may consist of regulated and nonregulated services or products.

"Commission" means the State Corporation Commission.

"Customer" means any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or lawful entity that purchases local exchange telecommunications services.

"Dial tone" means the audible sound that a customer hears when the telephone is taken off hook. The sound advises a customer that the telephone line is active and available for use.

"Disconnect" means the LEC's intentional cessation of service or services to a customer.

"Fee or surcharge" means an additional charge appearing on the customer's bill separate from the rates and charges for a service or product. These charges may be specifically authorized by a regulatory or legislative body, or in other instances, may be initiated by a LEC or other carrier.

"Interexchange carrier (IXC)" means a carrier that offers interexchange long-distance telecommunications services.

"Interexchange service" means interexchange telephone service as defined by § 56-1 of the Code of Virginia.

"Interstate" means service that originates in one state and terminates in another state.

"Intrastate" means service that originates and terminates within a state.

"Local exchange carrier (LEC)" means a certificated provider of local exchange services.

"Local exchange service" or "local exchange services" for purposes of this chapter means the offerings provided by a LEC certificated pursuant to Chapter 10.1 (§ 56-265.1 et seq.) of Title 56 of the Code of Virginia.

"Selective toll blocking" means the ability to block calls from a specific customer's telephone line or lines from being routed to, or carried by, a specific IXC.

"Subscriber line charge (SLC)" means a per line charge allowed by the Federal Communications Commission appearing on a customer's local telephone bill intended to recover a portion of a LEC's interstate costs. A SLC or comparable charge may be identified on the bill by other names, such as access line charge or end user common line charge.

"Telecommunications relay service (TRS)" means telecommunications relay service as defined by § 56-484.4 of the Code of Virginia or successor statute.

"Universal service fund (USF)" means a federal government program, the goal of which is to help make telephone service affordable and available to all households. The USF provides support for low income households, high cost (i.e. rural) LECs, schools and libraries, and rural healthcare. The USF is funded by assessments on telecommunications carriers, many of which charge their customers a fee to recover the assessments.

"Vertical services" means optional, advanced calling features associated with a customer's basic telephone service such as, but not limited to, the ability to identify callers and manage multiple calls.