Section 730.305  Maintenance of Plant and Equipment

Each local exchange carrier shall: 

a)         adopt a maintenance program for its equipment based on the minimum standards set forth in this Part, which program shall be updated regularly but not less than every two years unless an earlier update is requested by the Commission.

b)         inspect every two years, in accordance with the National Electric Safety Code (NESC) standards identified in 83 Ill. Adm. Code 305, its electrical grounding equipment owned by such carrier for each central office, including, without limi­tation, the component of such system commonly known as the master ground bar, to ascertain the integrity of the central office ground field, and maintain a copy of the test results in the office and available for inspection.

The inspection shall be performed annually if one of the following events occurs: an office conversion (replacement of the current switching equipment), a building addition to a central office, or renovations to the building facilities and grounds, such as water, sewer, gas, electric facilities or parking lot.

c)         copy, on a monthly basis, its database for switching equipment applicable to each central office and store such copy off-site or in a fireproof on-site storage for use in  emergency restoration purposes (such copying and storage to be performed in accordance with current software backup procedures).

d)         copy, on a monthly basis, its digital access and cross-connect system (DACS) database for each central office, if technically feasible, and store such copy off-site or in a fireproof on-site storage for use in emergency restoration purposes (such copying and storage to be performed in accordance with current software backup procedures).

e)         copy, on a monthly basis, its fiber optic terminal database for each central office, if technically feasible, and store such copy off-site or in a fireproof on-site storage for emergency restoration purposes (such copying and storage to be performed in accordance with current software backup procedures).

(Source:  Amended at 27 Ill. Reg. 17997, effective December 1, 2003)