Section 731.205 Submission of Wholesale Service Quality Plans

a)         Each time a Level 1 carrier's wholesale service quality plan is amended, that carrier shall submit a brief explanation of any changes to the plan, provided that the Level 1 carrier is not required to make a submission when the only change to the plan is an extension in its term.

b)         Any carrier designated by the Commission as a Level 1 carrier pursuant to Section 731.110 or 731.635 shall submit to the Director of the Policy Division its wholesale service quality plan within 90 days after its designation as a Level 1 carrier by the Commission, and, after one year from the submission of its initial wholesale service quality plan, shall submit all amended wholesale service quality plans pursuant to subsection (a).

c)         If the Commission has reason to believe that implementation of a Level 1 carrier's wholesale service quality plan discriminates against a telecommunications carrier that is not a party to the agreement, or if the Commission has reason to believe that implementation of the plan is not consistent with the public interest, convenience and necessity, it may initiate a proceeding to investigate that wholesale service quality plan. After an investigation and notice and an opportunity to be heard, the Commission may modify, update, or in any way amend the plan prior to the end of the triennial period. If the Commission initiates a docket investigating a plan, a verified answer to the initiating order shall be filed and served on the appropriate parties within 30 days after the date upon which the initiating order issued.

d)         45 days' prior notice of any proposed change or modification to a Plan, other than an extension in its term, shall be served on the Director of the Policy Division of the Commission and all affected carriers via mail, with postage prepaid, or fax, or e-mail and shall be available for inspection on that Level 1 carrier's website. Any carrier contesting the proposed change must file, within 30 days after the date of service of the notice of the proposed change, a complaint, with the Commission, in which the complaining carrier sets forth the reasons it contests the change. A verified answer to a complaint shall be filed and served on the appropriate parties within 30 days after the date upon which the complaint was filed.

e)         At any hearing regarding a change or modification to a plan, the carrier proposing the change or modification to the plan shall have the burden of proof to establish the justness and reasonableness of the changes or modifications.

(Source:  Amended at 41 Ill. Reg. 4731, effective April 19, 2017)