~Subject: Part 68 and ringbacks Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC ~Date: Sun, 21 Feb 1993 20:29:55 GMT ~Lines: 251 Someone posted a question to this group, namely how to find out how to make the phone line ring back for testing newly installed wiring. I responded that the way to find out is to call your telco, since under Part 68 they have to tell you. (This is in the US only.) I also acknowledged that many telcos play dumb and say they are not aware they have to reveal the ringback number. A number of readers have written to me since then asking where they could find the regulation that requires this, and I assume it is so they can show it to their local telco who is playing dumb. So here it is, in case it may be helpful. If you are like me you will read the section hoping to find a place where it says "the telco has to tell you how to do ringback". Those words do not appear. Instead, the section talks about contacting the telco to see if it is available. A telco that wants to be a jerk will say, yes it is available, but not to non-telco employees, thus they do not have to tell you. That's the wrong answer. What the section means is if their switch does not have the feature at all, then they don't have to tell you since there is no such number. But if there is such a feature and they make it available to their own installers, they have to make it available to you. Title 47--Telecommunication; Revised as of October 1, 1991 CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SUBCHAPTER B--COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PART 68 --CONNECTION OF TERMINAL EQUIPMENT TO THE TELEPHONE NETWORK Subpart C--Registration Procedures Sec. 68.213 Installation of other than "fully protected" non-system premises wiring. 47 CFR 68.213 (a) Scope of this rule. Provisions of this rule are limited to "unprotected" premises wiring used with simple installations of wiring for one and two-line residential and business telephone service. More complex installations of wiring for multiple line services, for use with systems such as PBX and key telephone systems, are controlled by sec. 68.215 of these rules. (b) Wiring authorized. "Unprotected" premises wiring (wiring which is not located electrically behind apparatus which protects against hazardous voltages and imbalance) may be used to connect units of terminal equipment or protective circuitry to one another, and to the network interface (or demarcation point), if installed in accordance with these rules. Subsequent relocation of a demarcation point may be arranged, either at the subscriber's request or on the serving telephone company's initiative, but the serving telephone company shall not discriminate in its treatment of demarcation point location, or relocation. Responsibility for the protector (and its associated grounding) on the network side of the demarcation point rests with the telephone company, though the subscriber is responsible for consequences resulting from erroneous wiring procedures conducted under his or her direction. Responsiblity for wiring on the subscriber's side of the demarcation point (including any protector that maybe installed as part of the premises wiring) purchased inplace or wholly or partially new, rests with the owner (or subsequent owner) of the wiring. (c) Material requirements. Conductors shall have insulation with a 1500 Volt rms breakdown rating. This rating shall be established by covering the jacket or sheath with at least six inches (measured lineraly on the cable) of conductive foil, and establishing a potential difference between the foil and all of the individual conductors connected together, such potential difference gradually increased over a 30 second time period to 1500 Volts rms, 60 Hertz, then applied continuously for one minute. At no time during this 90 second timeinterval shall the current between these points exceed 10 milliamperes peak. (d) Attestation. Manufacturers (or distributors or retailers, whichever name appears on the packaging) of non-system telephone premises wire shall attest in a letter to the Commission that the wire conforms with Part 68, FCC Rules. (e) Notice to the telephone company. Subscribers performing installation, connection, disconnection, reconfiguration or removal of premises wiring to or from the telephone network shall, upon request of the telephone company, inform the telephone company of: (1) The responsible subscriber's telephone number(s). (2) A description of the location of the jack to which the premises wiring isto be connected. (3) A statement that all applicable rules, building codes and electrical codes will be complied with. (4) The wire manufacturer, or brand name, and model number, if any, of the wire used. (f) Acceptance testing. Non-system premises wiring installed in accordance with these rules shall be tested under the acceptance tests specified in this subsection whenever an operation associated with any installation, reconfiguration or removal of wiring (other than final removal) is performed. Atelephone which responds to ringing shall be used to perform the tests when the CPE connected or to be connected to the premises wiring does not itself provide ringing. (1) Dial tone testing. A telephone connected with the line(s) shall be used to perform this test in the following order: (i) Lift the handset of the telephone to create the off-hook state on the line under test. (ii) Listen for noise. Confirm that there is neither audible hum nor excessive noise. (iii) Listen for dial tone. Confirm that dial tone is present. (iv) Break the dial tone by dialing a digit. Confirm that dial tone is broken as a result of dialing the digit. (v) With dial tone broken, listen for audible hum or excessive noise, which could indicate a faulty connection. Confirm that there is neither audible hum nor excessive noise. (2) "Ringback" testing. A telephone connected to the subscriber's line(s) shall be used as follows: (i) Either make a "ringback" call if the service is available (contact the local telephone company to determine the availability of and procedure for utilizing such ringback service) or have another person dial the number of theline being tested. (ii) Permit the telephone to ring for one minute (usually twelve rings). (iii) Lift the handset off the telephone for five seconds or longer, as necessary. (iv) Hang up. Check return of normal dial tone. (3) Failure of acceptance tests. Absence of dial tone before dialing or inability to break dial tone during either test indicates failure of premises wiring. Failure to receive ringing during the "ringback" testing may indicate failure either of the wiring or of the ringer in the telephone; if necessary, substitute a telephone which is known to be operating to determine which is at fault. Upon any failure, the failing equipment or portion of the premises wiring shall be disconnnected from the telephone network, and may not be reconnected until the cause of the failure has been isolated and removed. Any previously tested line(s) shall be retested if it was in any way involved inthe isolation and removal of the cause of the failure. (g) Extraordinary procedures. The local telephone company is hereby authorized to limit the subscriber's right of connecting one and two-line non-system premises wiring. (1) Conditions which may invoke these procedures. The extraordinary procedures authorized herein may only be invoked where one or more of the following conditions is present: (i) Information provided by the subscriber gives reason to believe that a violation of Part 68 of the FCC's rules is likely. (ii) A failure has occurred during acceptance testing. (iii) Harm has occurred, and there is reason to believe that this harm was a result of wiring operations performed under this section. The extraordinary procedures authorized in the following subsections shall not be used so as to discriminate between installations by local telephone company personnel and installations by others. In general, this would require that any charges for these procedures be levied in accordance with, or analogous to, the "maintenance of service" tariff provisions: if the installation proves satisfactory, no charge should be levied. (2) Monitoring or participation in acceptance testing. Notwithstanding the pr evious subsection, the local telephone company may monitor or participate in acceptance testing at the time of the initial installation of wiring in the absence of the conditions listed therein; at any other time, one or more of the listed conditions shall be present. Such monitoring or participation in acceptance testing should be performed from the central office test desk where possible to minimize costs. (3) Inspection. Subject to paragraph (g)(1) of this section, the local telephone company may inspect wiring installed pursuant to this section. To minimize disruption of the premises communications system, we are limiting theright of inspecting wiring as follows: (i) During initial installation of wiring: The telephone company may require withdrawal of up to 5 percent (measured linearly) of wiring run concealed in ducts, conduit or wall spaces, to determine conformance of the wiring to the information furnished by the subscriber. (ii) After failure of acceptance testing or after harm has resulted from installed wiring: The telephone company may require withdrawal of all wiring runconcealed in ducts, conduit or wall spaces which reasonably could have caused the failure or harm, to determine conformance of the wiring to the information provided by the subscriber. (4) Requiring the use of protective apparatus. In the event that any of the conditions listed in paragraph (g)(1) of this section, arises, and is not permanently remedied within a reasonable period, the telephone company may require the use of protective apparatus which protects against hazardous voltages. Such apparatus may be furnished either by the telephone company or bythe subscriber. This right is in addition to the telephone company's rights under sec. 68.108. (5) Notice of the right to bring a complaint. In any case where the telephonecompany invokes the extraordinary procedures of sec. 68.213(g), it shall afford thesubscriber the opportunity to correct the situation which gave rise to invoking these procedures, and inform the subscriber of the right to bring a complaint to the Commission pursuant to the procedures set forth in Subpart E ofthis part. On complaint, the Commission reserves the right to perform any of the inspections authorized under this section, and to require the performance ofacceptance tests. SOURCE: 49 FR 21734, May 23, 1984, as amended at 50 FR 29392, July 19, 1985; 50 FR 47548, Nov. 19, 1985; 51 FR 944, Jan. 9, 1986 AUTHORITY: Secs. 4, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 208, 215, 218, 226, 313, 314, 403, 404, 410, 602, 48 Stat. as amended, 1066, 1070, 1071, 1072, 1073, 1076, 1077, 1087, 1094, 1098, 1102; 47 U.S.C. 154, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 208, 215, 218, 226, 313, 314, 403, 404, 410, 602, unless otherwise noted. 0068 00190 -- Carl Oppedahl AA2KW (intellectual property lawyer) 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112-0228 voice 212-408-2578 fax 212-765-2519 call your local telco today! -marauder (we ain't afraid of no NOC)