Common use of Network Connections Clause in Contracts

Network Connections. 4.1 In each exchange area in which either Party wishes to exchange traffic with the other Party’s End Users, each Party, at a minimum, will: 4.1.1 Route such traffic via direct network facilities to either a) each other’s access and local tandem(s) or End Offices (upon mutual agreement of the parties), meeting the other Party’s facilities at the existing Exchange Area Boundary (EAB) (see Section 4.2.2 for exclusions); or b) another mutually agreed upon point. . 4.1.1.1 For FX-NXX service, the interconnection facilities and trunks between the Parties’ networks shall only be used for traffic exchanged between the Parties’. No Third Party traffic shall be routed over these facilities. 4.2 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Parties understand and agree that either Party, upon ten (10) days notice to the other Party where regulatory environment permits, may block any traffic that is improperly routed over any trunk groups and/or which is routed outside of the mutual agreement of the Parties. 4.3 AT&T-21STATE shall not compensate any Third Party Incumbent Carrier and/or Telecommunications Carrier for Local, EAS, Toll, IXC or any other traffic that is inappropriately routed to AT&T-21STATE (as reflected in the LERG). Any compensation due AT&T-21STATE for such misrouted traffic shall be paid by ILEC, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both Parties. The appropriateness of such routing and the correct AT&T-21STATE serving tandems are reflected by AT&T-21STATE in the LERG. This also includes traffic that is destined to End Offices that do not subtend AT&T-21STATE tandem. 4.4 Within thirty (30) days from the Effective Date of this Agreement, the Parties agree to have met and developed joint planning and forecasting responsibilities which are applicable to services described in this Agreement, if necessary. Either Party may delay processing the other Party’s service orders should the Parties not perform obligations as specified in this Section. Such responsibilities shall include but are not limited to the following: 4.4.1 The Parties will establish periodic reviews of network and technology plans and will notify one another no later than six (6) months in advance of changes that would impact either Party’s provision of services. 4.4.2 The Parties will furnish to each other, information that provides for state-wide annual forecasts of order activity, in-service quantity forecasts, and facility/demand forecasts. 4.4.3 The Parties will develop joint forecasting responsibilities for traffic utilization over trunk groups and yearly forecasted trunk quantities. 4.4.4 The Parties shall notify each other promptly of changes greater than ten percent (10%) to current forecasts (increase or decrease) that generate a shift in the demand curve for the following forecasting period. 4.5 The Parties agree that if either Party establishes additional tandems in an exchange, the other Party may also connect to the additional tandems and must re-home traffic upon industry notification if either Party establishes a tandem to relieve the first tandem of call congestion. 4.6 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither Party shall deliver traffic destined to terminate at the other Party’s End Office via another CARRIER’s End Office. In addition, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither Party shall deliver traffic destined to terminate at an End Office subtending the other Party’s access tandem via another CARRIER’s tandem, unless mutually agreed upon in writing by both Parties. 4.7 Connection of a trunk group to a Party’s tandem will provide the connecting Party access to the other Party’s End Offices, IXCs, CARRIERs and WSPs as served by the respective serving tandem(s) for the aforementioned call-types.

Network Connections. 4.1 In each exchange area in which either Party wishes to exchange traffic with the other Party’s End Users, each Party, at a minimum, will: 4.1.1 Route such traffic via direct network facilities to either a) each other’s access and local tandem(s) or End Offices (upon mutual agreement of the parties), meeting the other Party’s facilities at the existing Exchange Area Boundary (EAB) (see Section 4.2.2 for exclusions); or b) another mutually agreed upon point. . 4.1.1.1 For FX-NXX service, the interconnection facilities and trunks between the Parties’ networks shall only be used for traffic exchanged between the Parties’. No Third Party traffic shall be routed over these facilities. 4.2 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Parties understand and agree that either Party, upon ten (10) days notice to the other Party where regulatory environment permits, may block any traffic that is improperly routed over any trunk groups and/or which is routed outside of the mutual agreement of the Parties. 4.3 AT&T-21STATE shall not compensate any Third Party Incumbent Carrier and/or Telecommunications Carrier for Local, EAS, Toll, IXC or any other traffic that is inappropriately routed to AT&T-21STATE (as reflected in the LERG). Any compensation due AT&T-21STATE for such misrouted traffic shall be paid by ILECLEC, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by both Partiesaccordance with AT&T- 21STATE’s applicable tariff. The appropriateness of such routing and the correct AT&T-21STATE serving tandems are reflected by AT&T-21STATE in the LERG. This also includes traffic that is destined to End Offices that do not subtend AT&T-21STATE tandem. 4.4 Within thirty (30) days from the Effective Date of this Agreement, the Parties agree to have met and developed joint planning and forecasting responsibilities which are applicable to services described in this Agreement, if necessary. Either Party may delay processing the other Party’s service orders should the Parties not perform obligations as specified in this Section. Such responsibilities shall include but are not limited to the following: 4.4.1 The Parties will establish periodic reviews of network and technology plans and will notify one another no later than six (6) months in advance of changes that would impact either Party’s provision of services. 4.4.2 The Parties will furnish to each other, information that provides for state-wide annual forecasts of order activity, in-service quantity forecasts, and facility/demand forecasts. 4.4.3 The Parties will develop joint forecasting responsibilities for traffic utilization over trunk groups and yearly forecasted trunk quantities. 4.4.4 The Parties shall notify each other promptly of changes greater than ten percent (10%) to current forecasts (increase or decrease) that generate a shift in the demand curve for the following forecasting period. 4.5 The Parties agree that if either Party establishes additional tandems in an exchange, the other Party may also connect to the additional tandems and must re-home traffic upon industry notification if either Party establishes a tandem to relieve the first tandem of call congestion. 4.6 Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither Neither Party shall deliver traffic destined to terminate at the other Party’s End Office via another CARRIER’s End Office. In addition, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, neither Party shall deliver traffic destined to terminate at an End Office subtending the other Party’s access tandem via another CARRIER’s tandem, unless mutually agreed upon in writing by both Partiesupon. 4.7 Connection of a trunk group to a Party’s tandem will provide the connecting Party access to the other Party’s End Offices, IXCs, CARRIERs and WSPs as served by the respective serving tandem(s) for the aforementioned call-types.