47 CFR § 211.2 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t47/s211.2"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "47 CFR § 211.2 - Definitions."
title_number: 47
title_name: "Telecommunication"
section_number: "211.2"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL"
part_number: "211"
part_name: "EMERGENCY RESTORATION PRIORITY PROCEDURES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "84 Stat. 2083 and Executive Order 12046, 43 FR, 13349  March 29, 1978."
regulatory_source: "43 FR 50431, Oct. 30, 1978, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "211"
---


# 211.2 Definitions.

The following definitions apply herein—

(a) *Communications common carrier* or *carrier* means any person gaged in communications common carriage for hire, in intrastate, interstate, or international telecommunications.

(b) *Circuit* means a carrier's specific designation of the overall facilities provided between, and including, terminals for furnishing service. When service involves network switching, *circuit* includes those circuits between subscriber premises and switching centers (access lines) and those between switching centers (trunks).

(c) *Station* means transmitting or receiving equipment or combination transmitting and receiving equipment, at any location, or any premise, connected for private line service.

(d) *Private line service* means leased intercity private line service provided by carriers for intercity domestic and international communications over integrated communications pathways, and includes interchange facilities, local channels, and station equipment which may be integral components of such communications service.

(e) *Restoration* means the recommencement of service by patching, rerouting, substitution of component parts, and other means, as determined necessary by a carrier.

(f) *Government* means Federal, foreign, State, county, municipal, and other local government agencies. Specific qualifications will be supplied whenever reference to a particular level of government is intended, e.g., *Federal Government, State government. Foreign Government* includes coalitions of governments secured by treaty, including NATO, SEATO, OAS, UN, and associations of governments or government agencies, including the Pan American Union, International Postal Union, and International Monetary Fund. *Quasi-government* includes eleemosynary relief organizations, such as the Red Cross organizations.

(g) *National Communications System (NCS)* means that system established by the President's Memorandum of August 21, 1963, “Establishment of a National Communications System” (28 FR 9413, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 858).

(h) *Executive Agent* means the Executive Agent of the National Communications System.

(i) *Commission* means the Federal Communications Commission.