Expedites and Escalations Overview - V70.0
Introduction
CenturyLink™ quickly responds to your escalation or expedite requests offering you clear and complete explanations so you can satisfactorily respond to your end-users.
- Expedites are requests for an improved standard interval that is shorter than the interval defined in our Service Interval Guide (SIG) or your interconnection Agreement (ICA), Individual Case Basis (ICB) or committed to ICB (Ready for Service (RFS) + Interval) date.
- Escalations can be initiated for any issue, at anytime, and at any escalation point. Escalations can also be for requests for status or intervention around a missed date.
The following summarizes the processes used within CenturyLink for all Wholesale Products and Services to handle expedite and escalation requests.
Expedites
Requesting an expedite follows one of two processes. If the request being expedited is for a "Pre-Approved Expedite", your ICA must contain language supporting expedited requests with an associated expedite charge for due date interval improvement, or there must be a Commission ordered rate. If the request being expedited meets the terms for Expedites Requiring Approval (which, in some states or in some ICAs, may depend upon the product being requested), then the expedited request follows the process defined in the "Expedites Requiring Approval" section below.
Expedites Requiring Approval
For all states, except as provided below, for products not listed in the Pre-Approved Expedites section (non-designed products such as POTS and Centrex, the following expedite process applies.
In the State of Arizona, and in other states when your ICA allows, for products listed (without an asterisk (*)) in the "Pre-Approved Expedites" section below, and other products such as POTS and Centrex, the following expedite process applies:
Expedite charges are not applicable with the Expedites Requiring Approval Process.
Following is a list of conditions where an expedite is granted:
- Fire
- Flood
- Medical emergency
- National emergency
- Conditions where your end-user is completely out of service (primary line)
- Disconnect in error by CenturyLink
- Requested service necessary for your end-user's grand opening event delayed for facilities or equipment reasons with a future RFS date
- Delayed orders with a future RFS date that meet any of the above described conditions
- National Security
- Business Classes of Service unable to dial 911 due to previous order activity
- Business Classes of Service where hunting, call forwarding or voice mail features are not working correctly due to previous order activity where the end-users business is being critically affected
For any of the above conditions, expedited requests can be made either prior to, or after, submitting your service request.
To request an expedite on a Local Service Request (LSR) you can either:
- Submit the request with your expedited due date and populate the EXP field. Also include in REMARKS the reason for the expedited request and then call the CenturyLink Call Center.
- Submit the request with a due date interval from our SIG or your ICA and then call the CenturyLink Call Center.
In both scenarios, a call to the CenturyLink Call Center is required on 1-866-434-2555 to process the expedites requiring approval request.
To request an expedite on service requests issued via an Access Service Request (ASR), you may use either of the options described above for LSRs to submit the ASR. You should then call 1 866-434-2555 for ASR expedite inquiries.
You may be asked to provide verification of the reason or situation for any of the expedite emergency conditions listed above. In some cases, you may be asked for the service order number that caused the expedite condition, such as the service order number that caused the hunting or call forwarding expedite. The type of verification required will depend on the specific circumstances of the expedite and will be determined on an Individual Case Basis (ICB).
Once your expedite request is received, your Wholesale representative will review the request based on the previous list of available expedite scenarios to determine if the request is eligible for an expedite. If approved, the next step is for the Wholesale representative to contact our Network organization to determine resource availability.
Depending on the type of service on the account, the following action is taken by CenturyLink once the request is determined to be eligible for an expedited due date:
Non-Designed/No Dispatch Required
For requests that do not require a dispatch, the order is issued with the expedited due date.
Non-Designed/Dispatch Required
For requests that require a dispatch, the Network organization is contacted to determine Technician availability. If appointments are available on the requested due date, your expedite is granted. If no appointments are available, then CenturyLink will offer an alternative date, if one is available, prior to the requested due date. You can expect to receive a response to your expedited request usually within four business hours.
Designed Services
For Designed Services, the Network organization is contacted to determine resource availability for the Central Office and Outside Technicians as well as for the Testers that work with you to accept the service. You can expect to receive a response usually within four business hours.
Approved Expedited Requests
If the expedited request is approved and the original request contained the expedited due date and the EXP field was populated, CenturyLink will return a Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) acknowledging the agreed to expedited due date. If the expedited or agreed to due date CenturyLink can meet is different from what was originally submitted on the ASR or LSR and the EXP field is populated, CenturyLink will return a FOC with the new due date and continue to process the request. If the expedite is approved and the EXP field is not populated, CenturyLink will request that you supplement your ASR or LSR with the new DDD and that you populate the EXP field. If the supplement is not received within four business hours, CenturyLink will continue to process the ASR or LSR as if the expedited request was not received and will FOC back the standard interval or the original due date provided on the ASR or LSR if it was longer than the standard interval.
Denied Expedited Requests
If denied, CenturyLink will provide you reasons that the request was denied or we will offer an alternative date that we could install the service. If the request is denied, and you still want to continue to have CenturyLink provision the service request, CenturyLink will return a FOC with the standard interval or the original due date provided on the FOC if it was longer than the standard interval.
In the State of Arizona, and in other states when your ICA allows, if your request did not qualify as an emergency condition and is a qualifying service, you can opt to continue to expedite your request. Refer to the terms documented in the "Pre-Approved Expedites" process below.
Pre-Approved Expedites
The Pre-Approved expedite process is available for the products listed below when your ICA contains language for expedites with an associated expedite charge for due date interval improvement.
In the State of Arizona and in other states when your ICA allows, for the products listed below (without an asterisk (*)) if your expedite request is for one of the conditions that is listed in the "Expedites Requiring Approval" process, your expedite can be obtained at no charge. The CLEC is required to call the CenturyLink Service Center (as described in the Expedites Requiring Approval Process) before the order is completed to determine if your request qualifies. If no call is made to the CenturyLink Service Center and the EXP field is populated with a "Y", your expedite request will continue to be processed using the Pre-Approved Expedite process and the applicable expedite charge will be applied.
Rates billed are dependent upon the terms and conditions of your ICA, or the Commission ordered rate if you do not have an expedite rate in your ICA.
Note: Resold Designed products are automatically included based on the terms and conditions outlined in the ICA and individual state tariffs, catalogs or price lists.
For products other than the Resold Design products identified below, if your contract does not contain the appropriate expedite language, you will not be able to expedite the request unless the expedite is due to a CenturyLink caused reason.
The Expedites Requiring Approval section of this procedure does not apply to any of the products listed below (unless you are ordering services in the state of AZ).
An expedite charge applies per ASR or LSR for every day that the due date interval is improved, or as based on the standard interval in the SIG, ICA, or ICB criteria as described above. It is not necessary for you to call into CenturyLink to have the expedite approved. To expedite a service request on an ASR or LSR you must populate the EXP field and put the desired expedited due date in the DDD field on the ASR or LSR.
Note: If the ASR/LSR you are submitting requests a same day due date, your request must be received before 12 noon MT.
When CenturyLink receives an ASR or LSR with the EXP populated and the DDD is less than the standard interval, CenturyLink will determine if the request is eligible for an expedite without a call from you. If the request meets the criteria for the Pre-Approved Expedite process, CenturyLink will process the request and return a FOC acknowledging the expedited due date. The appropriate expedite charge will be added to your service order.
If the due date CenturyLink can meet is different from what was originally requested on the ASR or LSR, CenturyLink will return a FOC with the new due date and continue to process the ASR or LSR. The appropriate expedite charge will be added to your service order. For supplements issued for an improved interval, expedite charges would be calculated from the supplement receive date to the new requested DD, if applicable, based on the terms and conditions of your ICA, or the Commission ordered rate if you do not have an expedite rate in your ICA (if your individual ICA states otherwise, the terms and conditions of the ICA would apply). If the due date on the FOC does not meet your needs, you can supplement the request to a due date that is equal to or greater than standard interval as defined in CenturyLink SIG, ICA or ICB canceling the expedite.
If the request does not meet the criteria for the Pre-Approved Expedite process, the ASR or LSR will be processed using the standard interval that is defined in the Standard Interval Guide for Resale, UNE and Interconnection Services.
Following is a list of the products, which require expedite language in the applicable contract and may be expedited that will receive the appropriate Expedite Charge:
- UBL
- UBL DID (Unbundled digital trunk)
- UBL DS1 (Unbundled digital trunk facility)
- UNE-C PL (EEL)
- UDIT
- LIS
- CCSAC SS7 Trunk or Facility
- *CenturyLink™ Local Services Platform (CLSP)™ (CLSP™) ISDN BRI
- * CLSP PBX Trunks
Note: All products with an * must have Commercial Agreement language in order to expedite, including the State of Arizona.
Following is a list of Resold Designed Products, which do not require an amendment, which may be expedited and will receive the appropriate expedite charge:
- Analog PBX DID
- Private Line (DS0, DS1, DS3 or above)
- ISDN PRI T1
- ISDN PRI Trunk
- ISDN BRI Trunk
- Frame Relay Trunk
- DESIGNED TRUNKS (Includes designed PBX trunks) Trunk
- MDS / MDSI (IIS Only)
- DPAs (multiple DPAs or FX, FCO) Trunk
- Port In/Port Within associated with any of the applicable designed products listed above
Note: Any requests that are expedited due to a CenturyLink caused reason, do not incur an expedite charge. Additionally, if the due date of an expedited request is missed due to CenturyLink reasons, expedite charges do not apply.
If the order becomes a Delayed Order on the due date, CenturyLink will cooperatively work with you to obtain the best Ready For Service date (RFS) possible and expedite charges do not apply.
If an order becomes delayed for facilities prior to the due date, once CenturyLink establishes a new RFS it is communicated to you via the FOC. If you do not accept the due date that is established and request to expedite the RFS, expedite charges may apply. Each expedited delayed order request will be reviewed on an ICB to determine if expedite charges apply. If the expedited due date request results in CenturyLink incurring additional costs to improve the date that was FOC'd, expedite charges apply. CenturyLink will advise you if expedite charges apply prior to confirming the expedited request to obtain approval from you, or offer an alternate date that CenturyLink can meet. The expedite charges will be based on the number of days improved from the original RFS date or per the language in your ICA.
If an order was delayed due to a Customer Not Ready (CNR) condition as described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview; and you wish to expedite the newly requested due date, supplement the request with the new Desired Due Date and populate the EXP field of the LSR/ASR. CenturyLink will review your expedited request for resource availability and return a FOC acknowledging the due date CenturyLink can meet. Expedite charges apply and are based on the number of days the CNR standard interval is improved.
Expedites Supporting Non-CenturyLink caused Restoral Requests
This process includes Restoral Requests on Resale/ QPP/CLSP/Retail to Resale or QPP/CLSP Conversions and Transfer of Service when the service orders have completed. This process applies to Resale/QPP/ POTS, Resale QPP/CLSP Centrex 21 products, including QBR.
You will follow this documented Expedite process as outlined when you require an expedite to a standard interval in order to restore an end-user due to a Non-CenturyLink caused out of service condition. An expedite restoral request is a result of your inability to complete a conversion or outside move service request where you were unable to cancel or change the due date on the service order(s) prior to order completion. Restoral requests may involve you alone, a CenturyLink Retail account and you, or you and a different CLEC on conversion and outside move (T & F) type service orders. Restoral requests will be accepted for both full and partial restorals.
When an expedite restoral request situation occurs, refer to the following when you prepare your service request:
- Issue the Restoral Request LSR as directed per the Decision
Charts and order type scenarios.
- Populate the RPON field with the PON used on the original LSR if available
- Populate the EXP field
- Populate Manual IND = Y
- The REMARKS field can be populated with the specific reason
for the request such as:
- Restoral request Full, Resale to QPP/CLSP conv, restore original service, Or
- Restoral request, Partial, Resale to QPP/CLSP conv, restore original service, Or
- Restoral request, Partial, QPP/CLSP to Resale conv, restore original service, Or
- Restoral request, Full, Resale or QPP/CLSP T&F, restore F location, etc., Or
- Restoral Request, Restore original full service back to CLEC XXXX, Or
- Restoral Request, Restore original partial service back to CLEC XXXX, Or
- Restoral Request, Restore original F Loc service, full/partial back to old CLEC
- Restoral Request, Disc service, restore original Retail service, full/partial
- Contact the Customer Service Inquiry and Education (CSIE) Center at 866-434-2555
- Open an Escalation ticket.
- Request a Restoral Request for Previous Service.
- Provide LSR ID if appropriate per Decision Chart and order type scenarios.
Benefits
- Expedited intervals for restoral of previous service
- Uniform documented process for restoral requests
- CenturyLink will negate the one month minimum billing on a disconnect or conversion service order as applicable.
Restrictions
- You must issue appropriate LSRs first (if directed to do so per the Decision Chart below) followed by opening a Call Center escalation ticket. Restoral requests received prior to new LSR issuance will not be accepted, excludes CenturyLink Retail restorals.
- Standard intervals must be used when submitting LSRs, CSIE will expedite due date appropriately for restoral
- Expedited restoral requests must be requested within 24 hours, extending into the next business day, following the LSR completion date. Restoral requests received after 3 PM will be considered next business day work activity; this includes restoral requests received after 3 PM on Saturday based on the SIG (except for QBR)."
- Service being restored must be the same type of service with same features, same TN's, etc. as was previously provisioned. Full or partial restorals are acceptable.
- CenturyLink will reuse facilities when the facilities are available for the restoral.
- All applicable recurring and non-recurring charges will apply, based on order completion and physical work that was completed or needs to be completed to restore service. Retail practices will apply when restoring CenturyLink Retail accounts.
- When a restoral involves two CLECs, it is up to you and the old CLEC to coordinate and agree upon an expedite, prior to opening up the Call Center Escalation ticket(s).
- Expedite charges may apply based upon individual interconnection agreements or state tariffs.
The following Order Type Scenario's are included in this restoral process:
- Resale / QPP/CLSP T & F, same CLEC
- Resale to QPP/CLSP Conversion as is, same CLEC
- Resale to QPP/CLSP Conversion as specified, same CLEC
- UNE-P to Resale Conversion as is, same CLEC
- UNE-P to Resale Conversion as specified, same CLEC
- Resale / QPP/CLSP Migration to new CLEC with move via single LSR
- Resale to QPP/CLSP Conversion as is, to a new CLEC
- Resale to QPP/CLSP Conversion as specified, to a new CLEC
- QPP/CLSP to Resale Conversion as is, to a new CLEC
- QPP/CLSP to Resale Conversion as is, to a new CLEC
- CenturyLink Retail to Resale / QPP/CLSP Conversion as is
- CenturyLink Retail to Resale / QPP/CLSP Conversion as specified
- CenturyLink Retail to Resale / QPP/CLSP Conversion with move via single LSR process
| Decision Chart, Scenario's 1-5, Same CLEC | ||
| IF | AND | THEN |
| Conversion, Migration and/or Move Service Order has completed | You want full or partial restoral of previous service |
|
| Decision Chart, Scenario's 6-10, To a New CLEC | ||
| IF | AND | THEN |
| Conversion, Migration and/or Move Service Order has completed | You want full or partial restoral of previous service |
|
| Decision Chart, Scenario's 11-13, Conversion from CenturyLink Retail to New CLEC | ||
| IF | AND | THEN |
| Conversion, Migration and/or Move Service Order has Completed | You want full or partial restoral of previous service |
|
Escalations
Escalations are a request for status or intervention around a missed critical date such as:
- Plant Test Date (PTD)
- Due Date (DD)
- Ready For Service (RFS)
CenturyLink's Service Centers pro-actively escalate any critical dates in jeopardy and will notify you. If, however, you find it necessary to initiate an escalation, call the assigned CenturyLink Wholesale Center Representative at one of the numbers listed in the Expedites section for assistance. Regardless of how initiated, by you or internally, CenturyLink escalation roles and responsibilities can be summarized as:
- CenturyLink Wholesale Center Representatives
Local Service Request (LSR) or Access Service Request (ASR) escalations related to Rejects/Delayed orders, critical dates and Firm Order Confirmations (FOC). - CenturyLink Service Manager
Involved only after normal processes fail to resolve the escalation to your satisfaction. Evaluates the situation based on commitments managing associated resolution activities. - CenturyLink Senior Service Manager/Director
Involved only when the Service Manager's efforts are unsuccessful. Provides direction to those working the issue, partnering with Center Coaches and Team leaders. - CenturyLink Senior Director/Vice President
Contacted for direction and/or assistance for those working the escalation, providing timely status updates back to the prior level and you directly.
Escalations - Maintenance and Repair
At your discretion, you may initiate an escalation of your trouble report through our electronic interface Customer Electronic Maintenance and Repair-Maintenance Ticketing Gateway (CEMR-MTG) or by calling either the CenturyLink Wholesale Repair Center for Unbundled Network Elements (UNEs) and Complex services or the Repair Call Handling Center (RCHC) for Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) and Non-Complex services. Refer to our Maintenance and Repair Overview for additional information.
Escalations - Technical Escalation Process
Additional information about the Technical Escalation Process can be obtained from CenturyLink's Operations Support Systems (OSS) Production Support.
Note: Occasionally, your end-user may find their way to the CenturyLink Wholesale Center or CenturyLink Service Manager and our Wholesale Center Representatives will explain that you are our customer and direct them to you for assistance.
Should you have questions, or need additional information related to the expedite or escalation processes defined above, contact your CenturyLink Service Manager for assistance.
Training
Local CenturyLink 101 "Doing Business with CenturyLink"
- This introductory web-based training course is designed to teach the Local CLEC and Local Reseller how to do business with CenturyLink. It will provide a general overview of products and services, CenturyLink billing and support systems, processes for submitting service requests, reports, and web resource access information. Click here to learn more about this course and to register.
Contacts
CenturyLink contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts and the CenturyLink Wholesale Team Tool (CWTT).
Expedites and Escalations
- Local Service Requests (LSRs)
| Wholesale Center | |||
| Tier | Responsibility | Activity | Contacts |
| Tier 1 | Customer Service Inquiry and Education Center (CSIE) | First point of contact for CLECs | 866-434-2555 Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Central, Mountain, and Pacific Time Zones Note: Only in the case of orders due to complete on a Saturday that require a same day cancellation, due date change or concurrence should a call be made to 612.462-0263. All other requests should be made the next business day. |
| Tier 2 | Appropriate CenturyLink Service Manager | Respond to issues not resolved at Tier 1 | Service Manager |
| Tier 3 | Senior Service Manager | Respond to issues not resolved at Tier 2 | Senior Service Manager |
A call center ticket is opened on every call into the CSIE Center. Upon resolution of the ticket a close code is assigned to the ticket. Upon request the close code is provided to you. Should you disagree with the codes used to close the ticket you will use the escalation process. For a list of the close codes used at the CSIE level see the Status Response Intervals section of the Ordering Overview PCAT.
Only orders due to complete this immediate Saturday and require a cancellation or due date change or for concurrence should call 612-462-0263. All other requests should be made the next business day.
- Access Service Requests (ASRs) submitted in EASE ASR
ASR Assistance and Escalations, see CWTT - Wholesale Provisioning Contacts, Local ASR for TDM/Local Ethernet for requests submitted via EASE ASR.
- National Service Requests (NSR) submitted via Control Center
National Service Requests (NSR) Assistance and Escalations refer to CWTT Wholesale Provisioning Contacts National NSR
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This section is being compiled based on your feedback.
Last Update: March 1, 2019
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