Wholesale: Products & Services

Open Product/Process CR PC040204-1 Detail

Description Of Change

This process is easier for Covad to process payment to Qwest. In turn Qwest will receive a quicker turn around on payments.

Here is an example of the initial bill that we receive via e-mail:

Project Meetings

June 16, 2004 CMP Meeting minutes: Mark Nickell – Qwest recapped the CR. Mark advised that Qwest is continuing our investigation to determine the level of effort for converting BART billing to IABS. Kathy Stitcher – Eschelon asked about the two questions that came up on the previous ad hoc call. Mark answered the questions advising that IABS can handle billing for non recurring charges and electronic billing is provided via IABS if the customer is willing to subscribe to the electronic billing format. John Berard – Covad asked how long does Qwest anticipate it will take to finish the investigation. Mark Nickell - Qwest advised he anticipates a few more weeks. This CR will remain in Evaluation Status.

PC040204-1 Collocation Final Invoice sent electronically via email rather than paper Ad Hoc Meeting Thursday June 3, 2004 1:00 – 2:00

In attendance: Kathy Stichter Eschelon Debra Knopp Qwest Communications Mark Nickell Qwest Communications Chad Warner MCI John Berard Covad Kim Isaacs Eschelon Sandy Thomas Qwest Communications Cindy Macy Qwest Communications

Cindy Macy – Qwest reviewed the purpose of the call. Cindy Macy advised that Qwest held the Clarification Call in April and have been reviewing options to address the CR. Qwest would like to share this information with the CLECs and gather additional data. Cindy asked John Berard-Covad to summarize what Covad is requesting with this CR.

John Berard – Covad explained that they currently receive the initial bill via email. The final bill comes via paper though. A paper bill takes longer to process. Covad would like to get the final bill via email also. Cindy Macy – Qwest asked John to clarify if this is the bill for recurring charges also, or just the non recurring charges from the Collocation quote. John advised it is just the non recurring charges. The monthly recurring charges are billed from IABS.

Mark Nickell – Qwest explained the items that the team reviewed to try and address Covad’s request. Mark advised there would be impacts to the BART billing systems. The team also looked at manual processes. The manual efforts will not replace the paper bill. The team came up with an ‘email notification’ that notifies the CLEC that the request to product a bill has been sent to BART. There would not be charges on the email notice and the CLECs need to still submit the bar code from the BART bill with their payment. The draft example – email template was reviewed with the team.

Debra Knopp – Qwest clarified that the 1st email is the quote. The 1st paper bill has a scan code (from BART). And the final bill has a scan code (from BART). Debra said that Covad will use the quote to pay their bill but that isn’t the correct process. When this happens it usually hold up posting of the payment (approximately 10 days) as the bar code is not included with the payment and BART has to investigate and manually process the payment. Kathy Stichter verified that BART sends out the initial and final bill.

John Berard – Covad advised that the email wouldn’t meet their needs as we could not remit payment with it. John advised he didn’t want Qwest to waste their time if it doesn’t really meet our needs.

Kathy Stichter asked what was the rational to place the billing for non recurring in BART and the recurring in IABS? Mark Nickell advised that he is not sure as that was determined quite some time ago, but probably because BART is a ‘one time’ billing mechanism used for a variety of miscellaneous billing activities.

The CLECs asked if Qwest would look into what it would take to move the non recurring billing from BART to IABS.

Mark Nickell – Qwest advised he would check on the following three items:

1. Does IABS provide electronic billing? 2. Does IABS provide non recurring billing? 3. Can IABS provide the bill for nonrecurring charges for Collocation initial and final bills, instead of BART?

Cindy Macy advised next steps are to gather this information and provide status at the June CMP meeting. Another ad hoc call may be held.

May 19, 2004 CMP Meeting notes: Mark Nickell – Qwest advised that we have evaluated several different options and would like to have an ad hoc meeting with Covad to ensure our potential solution will meet Covad’s needs. John Berard – Covad advised all we are looking for is an email to be sent. Kathy Stichter – Eschelon advised this is important to Eschelon also and we would like to participate in the ad hoc meeting. Kathy asked why this meeting isn’t open to all the CLECs. Cindy Macy – Qwest advised it can be open to all the CLECs, the question was just directed to Covad as this is a Covad CR. Cindy advised she will post a meeting to the CLEC calendar. This CR will move to Evaluation Status.

April 21, 2004 CMP Meeting notes: Mike Zulevic – Covad presented this CR. Mike advised that Covad is trying to address how the bills are sent to us. Emails are used on the initial quote and paper is sent on the final bill. Paper delays the process. Covad would pay the bill faster if they got the bill via email. Kathy Sticheter – Eschelon advised that they would like to see this as well. Steve Nelson – Qwest advised that we held a Clarification call and we understand the request. Steve advised that this CR will transition to Mark Nickell. Mark introduced himself to the team. This CR will move to Presented Status.

Clarification Meeting

April 16, 2004

1-877-552-8688 7146042#

PC040204-1 Collocation Final Invoice sent electronically via email rather than paper Attendees Name/Company:

Steve Nelson – Qwest Peggy Englert – Qwest Marie Chang – Covad John Berard – Covad Kim Isaacs - Eschelon Mark Nickel – Qwest Fred Howard – Qwest Lillian Robertson - Qwest Cindy Macy – Qwest

Meeting Agenda: Action 1.0 Introduction of Attendees Attendees introduced

2.0 Review Requested (Description of) Change John Berard – Covad reviewed the change request. John explained that Covad has to follow 2 processes to pay the bill, in 2 different ways. John advised that paper is cumbersome and not efficient. The turn around time for payment would be faster if the bill was received via email. Marie Chang – Covad advised if we get a paper copy than we have to scan or fax and store the bill. We could process the bill electronically if we received it via email. Storing the paper copy takes a lot of time and space. Steve Nelson – Qwest explained that we request the invoice from Omaha once we know when the RFS is scheduled (30 days prior to RFS date), the invoice is then created and it goes to the customer. In some states the final invoice is different than the quote due to taxes. Marie Chang - Covad advised they can’t pay until they get the final invoice, but it can be received via email. Peggy Englert – Qwest advised revisions to the quote can happen. Steve asked if Kim Isaacs-Eschelon had any additional questions. Kim advised no, she is okay. 3.0 Confirm Areas & Products Impacted Collocation invoices

4.0 Confirm Right Personnel Involved Team agreed Steve Nelson would take the lead.

5.0 Identify/Confirm CLEC’s Expectation Covad would like to receive the final invoice via email, instead of paper.

6.0 Identify any Dependent Systems Change Requests none

7.0 Establish Action Plan (Resolution Time Frame) Covad will present the CR at the April CMP Meeting Qwest will provide our Response at the May CMP Meeting

CenturyLink Response

July 13, 2004

Covad Communications John Berard, Director-Operations Support

SUBJECT: Covad’s Change Request Response – CR #PC040204-1 Collocation final invoice sent electronically via email rather than paper

This letter is in response to Covad Communications Change Request (CR) PC040204-1. Currently Qwest emails the initial quote / bill for Collocation augments or new installations to CLECs via e-mail. This initial payment is made using this quote / bill. However, Qwest sends its collocation final invoice using a paper format. Covad’s request for an e-mail invoice method is based on the premise that it is easier for Covad to process payments to Qwest. Covad further believes that the e-mail final invoice method would shorten the invoice to payment interval. This CR requests that Qwest uses the same process for the final invoice that is used on the initial bill.

Qwest has completed the investigation and identified system development and implementation costs for the BART billing system are economically infeasible. The IT estimate is $108,000. In addition, the identified system development and implementation costs for moving the Collocation non recurring billing from BARTS to IABS, which can bill electronically, are economically infeasible. The IT estimate is $275,000.

As an alternative, Qwest has also looked at performing this process manually. Creating manual email invoices for all final bills is very time intensive. In addition, a manually generated email would not represent a readily auditable document. Qwest would not have the level of tracking that is needed to effectively support billing disputes.

The other concerns for this process included: • Increase in errors and delays because of manual processing (Qwest). Past experience has shown that the more manual the process, the higher the error rate and subsequent issues. • Increase in the interval because of manual processing (CLEC and Qwest). The bar code, issued by BART, allows semi mechanized processing of payments. Bypassing this process will actually increase Qwest’s processing interval.

As a result of this investigation, Qwest denies this change request due to it being economically not feasible based on system impacts.

Sincerely,

Mark Nickell Collocation Product Manager Qwest

For Review by the CLEC Community and Discussion at the May 19, 2004 CMP Meeting

May 12, 2004

Covad John Berard Director – Operations/Change Management

SUBJECT: CR # PC040204-1 Collocation Final Invoice

This letter is in response to Covad’s Change Request (CR) PC040204-1 Collocation Final Invoice. Currently Qwest emails the initial quote / bill for Collocation augments or new installations to CLECs via e-mail. This initial payment is made using this quote / bill. However, when it comes to the final payment Qwest will only send a paper copy. The email method is easier for Covad to process payment to Qwest. In turn Qwest will receive a quicker turn around on payments. This CR requests that Qwest uses the same process for the final invoice that is used on the initial bill.

Qwest would like to leave this CR in evaluation status as it needs to continue looking at the process and costs associated with sending an email final invoice. Qwest will provide an updated response at the June CMP meeting. Qwest will move this CR to Evaluation status.

Sincerely, Mark Nickell Collocation Product Manager Qwest Communications