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ACTA and Part 68: Past, Present, and Future

Explore the history, present regulations, and future developments of Part 68, governing the connection of Terminal Equipment (TE) to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

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ACTA and Part 68: Past, Present, and Future

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  1. ACTA and Part 68Past, Present, and FutureOctober 8, 2008Jim Haynes, ACTA Chair

  2. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future Early History The origins of Part 68 go back to the beginning of electrical wireline communications in the 1800’s. The Telephone business as we know today, began in 1968 with the FCC’s approval of the Carterphone Decision. Two inventors standout: Samuel F.B. Morse – Electric Telegraph Alexander Graham Bell – Voice Telephone

  3. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future Steps of the CarterPhone Decision • 1966 – AT&T is sued to permit connection of Tom Carter’s circuit to the telephone network. • 1968 – Court orders AT&T to establish tariffs that permit connection of customer owned premise equipment. • 1969 – Development of a telephone interconnection policy is initiated. • 1975 – Report and Order in Docket 19528 is released which leads to the interconnection of answering machines, toll restrictors, and data modems. • 1977 – Part 68 Registration program of telephones and other interconnected devices begins.

  4. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future What Is Part 68 ? Per the FCC’s website, “Part 68 of the FCC rules (47 C.F.R. Part 68) governs the connection of Terminal Equipment (TE) to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).” also, “Under Part 68, wireline telecommunications carriers must allow all TE to be connected directly to their networks, provided the TE meet certain criteria for preventing four proscribed harms.”

  5. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future Additional Rules Contained In Part 68 • Provisions to protect consumers • Allow consumers to access competitive services • Rules concerning Hearing Aid Compatibility and Volume Control for telephones • Dialing frequency for automatic dialing machines • Source identification for fax transmissions • Technical criteria for inside wiring

  6. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future What are Harms to the Network ? • Electrical hazards to operating company personnel • Damage to network equipment • Malfunction of billing equipment • Degradation of service to customers other than the user of the TE and that person’s calling and called parties

  7. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future No Man has done More for Part 68 than William von Alven, “Father of Part 68” Member of the FCC Staff with over 25 Years of Dedicated Service to the Commission Manager of the FCC’s Part 68 program until his retirement in 1998

  8. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future ACTA was formed as a result of the FCC’s 2000 Biennial Review of Part 68 contained in the Report &Order (CC Docket No. 99-216). The Order privatized the process by which technical criteria for the prevention of harm are established for customer premise or terminal equipment that may be sold for connection to the telephone network, and for the approval of such equipment to demonstrate compliance with the relevant technical criteria.

  9. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future The Order directed the industry, through the co-sponsorship and support of the Telecommunications Industry Association and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions to establish ACTA as the open body that would assume the FCC’s Part 68 role for those items privatized.

  10. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future ACTA is the acronym for: Administrative Council for Terminal Attachments The Council assumes the coordination and management role for the adoption and publication of technical requirements for terminal equipment and the associated databases. The Council does not make technical decisions regarding the development of technical criteria. The Mission, Scope, and the Responsibilities of the Council are in the Operating Principles and Procedures document located on the ACTA webpage (www.part68.org).

  11. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future The original ACTA was comprised of two members (plus one alternate) from six industry segments, and a non-voting Chair: • Local Exchange Carriers (“LEC”) • Interexchange Carriers (“IXC”) • Terminal Equipment Manufacturers (“TEM”) • Network Equipment Manufacturers (“NEM”) • Testing Laboratories (“LAB”) • Other Interested Parties (“OIP”)

  12. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future In December 2007, ACTA modified its Operating Principals and Procedures to reduce the number of interest segments from six to four. They are: • Service Provider Segment (“SPS”) • Manufacturer Segment (“MS”) • Testing Laboratories Segment (“LAB”) • Other Interested Parties (“OIP”)

  13. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future With the current ACTA segment configuration, the number of available council member seats has not changed. OldNew LEC – 2 seats + Alt. SPS - 4 seats + Alt. IXC – 2 seats + Alt. MS - 4 seats + Alt. TEM – 2 seats + Alt. LAB - 2 seats + Alt. NEM – 2 seats + Alt. OIP - 2 seats + Alt. LAB – 2 seats + Alt. OIP – 2 seats + Alt. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Total = 12 + Alts. Total = 12 + Alts.

  14. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future ACTA SPS Segment Trone Bishop – Verizon Jimmy Salinas – AT&T Amar Ray – Embarq LAB Segment Scott Lambert – Intertek Sharon Hoffman – TIMCO ALT. Christopher Brearley - Curtis-Straus ACTA Chair Today MS Segment Roger Hunt – Thomson Ken Biholar – Alcatel-Lucent OIP Segment Milton Bush -The M Companies John Bipes – Mobile Engineering - Jim Haynes

  15. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions is the ACTA Secretariat. Key People of the ACTA Secretariat • Mr. Jean-Paul Emard, Director – Industry Forums • Mr. Paul Anderson, Committee Administrator • Mr. Mark Cassarino, Database Manager • Ms. Meisha Goodhue, Administrative Assistant

  16. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future • Membership in the ACTA is open to any organization, company, or group having an interest in the business of the Council. • The Membership of the ACTA is represented on the Council by the member’s specific Interest segment. • General communications to the ACTA are processed through the ACTA Secretariat. • Typically, there are four general ACTA meetings each year, two face-to-face (Washington DC) and two virtual. • Meetings are open to all interested parties. • Contributions and proposals should be submitted to the ACTA Secretariat at least ten days prior to meetings.

  17. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future • The ACTA does not recommend products or technologies. • The ACTA adopts and publishes technical documents submitted by ANSI-accredited standards development organizations (“SDOs”). Current Active SDOs • TIA Committee – TR41 • ATIS Sponsored Committee NIPP • Documents adopted and published by the ACTA have the ACTA-adopted logo and date affixed to the front cover. (Section 10 of the ACTA OP&P provides a complete explanation and ruling)

  18. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future ACTA Database Filings Refer to the Guidelines and Procedures for Submittal of Information to the ACTA for Inclusion in the Database of Approved Telephone Terminal Equipment (G&P). • Responsible Party Code • Formerly Applicant or Grantee Code issued by the FCC • Two types of Filings: • Telecommunications Certification Body (TCB) Filings • Supplier’s Declaration of Conformity (SDoC) Filings • ACTA Filings should be made using AOF. (ACTA Online Filing System)

  19. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future FEES • Fee for Original, Modification, and Notice of Change filings is $425.00 • Fee for Transfer of RPC is $425.00 • Fee for SDoC Posting is $425.00 • Fee for other AOF filings is $95.00 Refer to Section 3 of the G&P document on the ACTA website

  20. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future • From 2003 through 2007, ACTA processed a total of 5787 filings. • This consisted of 5227 total entries for telephone terminal devices added to the database. • 66% for Original submittals • 11% for Modification submittals • 21% for Notice of Change submittals • 2% for Recertification submittals 2003 – 1104 submittals 2004 – 1279 submittals 2005 – 993 submittals 2006 – 1023 submittals 2007 – 828 submittals 560 Responsible Party Code assigned or Transfers

  21. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future Since 2004 when there were 1279 total submittals for telephone terminal devices, the average over the last three years is down to only 948 . The decrease does not to follow the number of new models that appear to be introduced into the market. Why ?

  22. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future ENFORCEMENT ACTA is not Chartered to handle the responsibilities of Enforcement. Rules, testing, report documentation, and database entries equal “Ø” without Enforcement. ACTA is currently seeking a better method of notification to make the FCC aware of Part 68 equipment violations. Your Help is Needed !

  23. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future Summary • The rules in Part 68 and the ACTA adopted criteria have a distinct purpose to prevent harm to the telephone network. • Also, they provide a “level playing field” to manufacturers and sellers of telephone equipment intended to be connected to the network. • If you find equipment that is not marked according to the Part 68 rules, or if the device is not compliant to the mandated requirements, it may be due to ignorance. Research and contact the responsible party, it may just be a great opportunity to obtain a new customer.

  24. ACTA and Part 68 Past, Present, and Future Questions ? Remember the FCC Website and the ACTA Website are extremely useful in obtaining info about Part 68 and ACTA. www.fcc.gov www.part68.org

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