2006 Minnesota Statutes

237.50 DEFINITIONS.
    Subdivision 1. Scope. The terms used in sections 237.50 to 237.56 have the meanings
given them in this section.
    Subd. 2.[Repealed, 1995 c 190 s 17]
    Subd. 3. Communication impaired. "Communication impaired" means certified as deaf,
severely hearing impaired, hard-of-hearing, speech impaired, deaf and blind, or mobility impaired
if the mobility impairment significantly impedes the ability to use standard customer premises
equipment.
    Subd. 4. Communication device. "Communication device" means a device that when
connected to a telephone enables a communication-impaired person to communicate with another
person utilizing the telephone system. A "communication device" includes a ring signaler, an
amplification device, a telephone device for the deaf, a Brailling device for use with a telephone,
and any other device the Department of Human Services deems necessary.
    Subd. 4a. Deaf. "Deaf" means a hearing impairment of such severity that the individual
must depend primarily upon visual communication such as writing, lip reading, manual
communication, and gestures.
    Subd. 5. Exchange. "Exchange" means a unit area established and described by the tariff of
a telephone company for the administration of telephone service in a specified geographical area,
usually embracing a city, town, or village and its environs, and served by one or more central
offices, together with associated facilities used in providing service within that area.
    Subd. 6. Fund. "Fund" means the telecommunications access Minnesota fund established in
section 237.52.
    Subd. 6a. Hard-of-hearing. "Hard-of-hearing" means a hearing impairment resulting in
a functional loss, but not to the extent that the individual must depend primarily upon visual
communication.
    Subd. 7. Interexchange service. "Interexchange service" means telephone service between
points in two or more exchanges.
    Subd. 8. Inter-LATA interexchange service. "Inter-LATA interexchange service" means
interexchange service originating and terminating in different LATAs.
    Subd. 9. Local access and transport area. "Local access and transport area (LATA)" means
a geographical area designated by the Modification of Final Judgment in U.S. v. Western Electric
Co., Inc., 552 F. Supp. 131 (D.D.C. 1982), including modifications in effect on the effective
date of sections 237.51 to 237.54.
    Subd. 10. Local exchange service. "Local exchange service" means telephone service
between points within an exchange.
    Subd. 11. Telecommunication relay service. "Telecommunication relay service" means a
central statewide service through which a communication-impaired person, using a communication
device, may send and receive messages to and from a non-communication-impaired person
whose telephone is not equipped with a communication device and through which a
non-communication-impaired person may, by using voice communication, send and receive
messages to and from a communication-impaired person.
History: 1987 c 308 s 1,8; 1988 c 621 s 2; 1993 c 272 s 2-6,17; 1995 c 190 s 1; 2004 c
228 art 1 s 74