82.04.065 - Telephone, telecommunications, and ancillary services -- Definitions. - Washington Statutes

Telephone, telecommunications, and ancillary services — Definitions.

(1) "800 service" means a telecommunications service that allows a caller to dial a toll-free number without incurring a charge for the call. The service is typically marketed under the name "800," "855," "866," "877," and "888" toll-free calling, and any subsequent numbers designated by the federal communications commission.

     (2) "900 service" means an inbound toll "telecommunications service" purchased by a subscriber that allows the subscriber's customers to call in to the subscriber's prerecorded announcement or live service. "900 service" does not include the charge for: Collection services provided by the seller of the telecommunications services to the subscriber, or services or products sold by the subscriber to the subscriber's customer. The service is typically marketed under the name "900" service, and any subsequent numbers designated by the federal communications commission.

     (3) "Ancillary services" means services that are associated with or incidental to the provision of "telecommunications services," including but not limited to "detailed telecommunications billing," "directory assistance," "vertical service," and "voice mail services."

     (4) "Charges for mobile telecommunications services" means any charge for, or associated with, the provision of commercial mobile radio service, as defined in section 20.3, Title 47 C.F.R. as in effect on June 1, 1999, or any charge for, or associated with, a service provided as an adjunct to a commercial mobile radio service, regardless of whether individual transmissions originate or terminate within the licensed service area of the mobile telecommunications service provider.

     (5) "Competitive telephone service" means the providing by any person of telecommunications equipment or apparatus, or service related to that equipment or apparatus such as repair or maintenance service, if the equipment or apparatus is of a type which can be provided by persons that are not subject to regulation as telephone companies under Title 80 RCW and for which a separate charge is made.

     (6) "Conference-bridging service" means an ancillary service that links two or more participants of an audio or video conference call and may include the provision of a telephone number. "Conference-bridging service" does not include the telecommunications services used to reach the conference bridge.

     (7) "Customer" means: (a) The person or entity that contracts with the home service provider for mobile telecommunications services; or (b) the end user of the mobile telecommunications service, if the end user of mobile telecommunications services is not the contracting party, but this subsection (7)(b) applies only for the purpose of determining the place of primary use. The term does not include a reseller of mobile telecommunications service, or a serving carrier under an arrangement to serve the customer outside the home service provider's licensed service area.

     (8) "Designated database provider" means a person representing all the political subdivisions of the state that is:

     (a) Responsible for providing an electronic database prescribed in 4 U.S.C. Sec. 119(a) if the state has not provided an electronic database; and

     (b) Approved by municipal and county associations or leagues of the state whose responsibility it would otherwise be to provide a database prescribed by 4 U.S.C. Secs. 116 through 126.

     (9) "Detailed telecommunications billing service" means an ancillary service of separately stating information pertaining to individual calls on a customer's billing statement.

     (10) "Directory assistance" means an ancillary service of providing telephone number information, and/or address information.

     (11) "Enhanced zip code" means a United States postal zip code of nine or more digits.

     (12) "Fixed wireless service" means a telecommunications service that provides radio communication between fixed points.

     (13) "Home service provider" means the facilities-based carrier or reseller with whom the customer contracts for the provision of mobile telecommunications services.

     (14) "Licensed service area" means the geographic area in which the home service provider is authorized by law or contract to provide commercial mobile radio service to the customer.

     (15) "Mobile telecommunications service" means commercial mobile radio service, as defined in section 20.3, Title 47 C.F.R. as in effect on June 1, 1999.

     (16) "Mobile telecommunications service provider" means a home service provider or a serving carrier.

     (17) "Mobile wireless service" means a telecommunications service that is transmitted, conveyed, or routed regardless of the technology used, whereby the origination and/or termination points of the transmission, conveyance, or routing are not fixed, including, by way of example only, telecommunications services that are provided by a commercial mobile radio service provider.

     (18) "Paging service" means a telecommunications service that provides transmission of coded radio signals for the purpose of activating specific pagers; these transmissions may include messages and/or sounds.

     (19) "Place of primary use" means the street address representative of where the customer's use of the mobile telecommunications service primarily occurs, which must be:

     (a) The residential street address or the primary business street address of the customer; and

     (b) Within the licensed service area of the home service provider.

     (20) "Prepaid calling service" means the right to access exclusively telecommunications services, which must be paid for in advance and which enable the origination of calls using an access number or authorization code, whether manually or electronically dialed, and that is sold in predetermined units or dollars of which the number declines with use in a known amount.

     (21) "Prepaid telephone calling service" means the right to purchase exclusively telecommunications services that must be paid for in advance, that enables the origination of calls using an access number, authorization code, or both, whether manually or electronically dialed, if the remaining amount of units of service that have been prepaid is known by the provider of the prepaid service on a continuous basis.

     (22) "Prepaid wireless calling service" means a telecommunications service that provides the right to use mobile wireless service as well as other nontelecommunications services including the download of digital products delivered electronically, content, and ancillary services, which must be paid for in advance and that is sold in predetermined units or dollars of which the number declines with use in a known amount.

     (23) "Private communications service" means a telecommunications service that entitles the customer to exclusive or priority use of a communications channel or group of channels between or among termination points, regardless of the manner in which the channel or channels are connected, and includes switching capacity, extension lines, stations, and any other associated services that are provided in connection with the use of the channel or channels.

     (24) "Reseller" means a provider who purchases telecommunications services from another telecommunications service provider and then resells, uses as a component part of, or integrates the purchased services into a mobile telecommunications service. "Reseller" does not include a serving carrier with whom a home service provider arranges for the services to its customers outside the home service provider's licensed service area.

     (25) "Serving carrier" means a facilities-based carrier providing mobile telecommunications service to a customer outside a home service provider's or reseller's licensed service area.

     (26) "Taxing jurisdiction" means any of the several states, the District of Columbia, or any territory or possession of the United States, any municipality, city, county, township, parish, transportation district, or assessment jurisdiction, or other political subdivision within the territorial limits of the United States with the authority to impose a tax, charge, or fee.

     (27) "Telecommunications service" means the electronic transmission, conveyance, or routing of voice, data, audio, video, or any other information or signals to a point, or between or among points. "Telecommunications service" includes such transmission, conveyance, or routing in which computer processing applications are used to act on the form, code, or protocol of the content for purposes of transmission, conveyance, or routing without regard to whether such service is referred to as voice over internet protocol services or is classified by the federal communications commission as enhanced or value added. "Telecommunications service" does not include:

     (a) Data processing and information services that allow data to be generated, acquired, stored, processed, or retrieved and delivered by an electronic transmission to a purchaser where such purchaser's primary purpose for the underlying transaction is the processed data or information;

     (b) Installation or maintenance of wiring or equipment on a customer's premises;

     (c) Tangible personal property;

     (d) Advertising, including but not limited to directory advertising;

     (e) Billing and collection services provided to third parties;

     (f) Internet access service;

     (g) Radio and television audio and video programming services, regardless of the medium, including the furnishing of transmission, conveyance, and routing of such services by the programming service provider. Radio and television audio and video programming services include but are not limited to cable service as defined in 47 U.S.C. Sec. 522(6) and audio and video programming services delivered by commercial mobile radio service providers, as defined in section 20.3, Title 47 C.F.R.;

     (h) Ancillary services;

     (i) Digital products delivered electronically, including but not limited to music, video, reading materials, or ring tones; or

     (j) Software delivered electronically.

     (28) "Value-added nonvoice data service" means a service that otherwise meets the definition of telecommunications services in which computer processing applications are used to act on the form, content, code, or protocol of the information or data primarily for a purpose other than transmission, conveyance, or routing.

     (29) "Vertical service" means an ancillary service that is offered in connection with one or more telecommunications services, that offers advanced calling features that allow customers to identify callers and to manage multiple calls and call connections, including conference-bridging services.

     (30) "Voice mail service" means an ancillary service that enables the customer to store, send, or receive recorded messages. "Voice mail service" does not include any vertical services that the customer may be required to have in order to use the voice mail service.

[2009 c 535 § 413; 2007 c 6 § 1003; 2007 c 6 § 1002; 2002 c 67 § 2; 1997 c 304 § 5; 1983 2nd ex.s. c 3 § 24.]

Notes: Reviser's note: The definitions in this section have been alphabetized pursuant to RCW 1.08.015(2)(k).

Intent -- Construction -- 2009 c 535: See notes following RCW 82.04.192.

Part headings not law -- Savings -- Effective date -- Severability -- 2007 c 6: See notes following RCW 82.32.020.

Findings -- Intent -- 2007 c 6: See note following RCW 82.14.495.

*Contingent effective date -- 2007 c 6 §§ 1003, 1006, 1014, and 1018: "Sections 1003, 1006, 1014, and 1018 of this act take effect the later of: The date chapter 67, Laws of 2002, becomes null and void; or July 1, 2008." [2007 c 6 § 1707.]

*Reviser's note: 2002 C 67 § 18 was repealed by 2007 c 54 § 2 without cognizance of its amendment by 2007 c 6 § 1701. That section has been decodified for publication purposes under RCW 1.12.025.

Finding -- Effective date -- 2002 c 67: See notes following RCW 82.04.530.

Findings -- Severability -- Effective date -- 1997 c 304: See notes following RCW 35.21.717.

Construction -- Severability -- Effective dates -- 1983 2nd ex.s. c 3: See notes following RCW 82.04.255.

License fees or taxes on telephone business by cities: RCW 35.21.712 through 35.21.715.

Sales tax exemption for certain telephone, telecommunications, and ancillary services: RCW 82.08.0289.