1. A. Each utility shall establish practices for operators and representatives with the objective of providing efficient and pleasing service to the customers. Operators and representatives shall be instructed so as to be courteous, considerate, and efficient in handling all matters and to comply with the provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, in maintaining the secrecy of communications.

2. B. The Company shall maintain adequate personnel and equipment to assure that operator answering performance is provided as follows based upon a sampling of calls over a 1-month period for those offices sufficient in size to provide a statistically reliable service measurement sample:

   Class of Call	Minimum Acceptable Standard
   Toll and Assistance (Cord Board)	83% Within 10 Seconds
   Directory Assistance — % Slow Answer	79% Within 10 Seconds
   Directory Assistance — Average Interval	7.8 Seconds
   Intercept — % Slow Answer	79% Within 10 Seconds
   Operator Identified DDD	93% Within 5 Seconds
   Official P.B.X.	83% Within 10 Seconds

3. C. An “answer” means that the operator or representative of the utility is ready to render assistance or ready to accept the information necessary to process the call, or both. An acknowledgement that the customer is waiting on the line may not suffice to constitute an “answer”.
4. D. Answering time studies shall be made, utilizing recognized sampling techniques, and a monthly summarization prepared with respect to each operator office or large team complex for their various classes of calls.
5. E. Answering time recorders shall be installed or adequate service observing measurement shall be established in all toll centers and higher rank offices.

Authority: Public Utilities Article, §§2-121, 5-101, and 5-303, Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: January 1, 1976 (Order No. 61496)

Regulation .03 amended effective March 18, 2013 (40:5 Md. R. 412)

Regulation .07F amended effective January 23, 1981 (8:2 Md. R. 117)

Regulation .11B amended effective January 1, 1976 (Order No. 61570)

Regulations .11 and .12 repealed effective July 31, 1995 (22:15 Md. R. 1121)