Section 5 - Sprint
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Section 5
Managing
FTS2001 Service
5.0 Identifying Service Impairments
Sprint has the responsibility for identifying and clearing all FTS2001 service impairments associated with calls originating on the Sprint FTS2001 network for all services provided. Sprint’s Service Management Center (SMC) is responsible for receiving and resolving all user trouble reports, user complaints, service inquiries, call credit requests. The SMC also conducts ongoing service analysis to ensure a prompt and effective response to user trouble reports.
A service impairment is any problem which disrupts quality or connectivity of a Sprint provided service or feature. There are three types of impairments: access, translations, and transmission quality.
Access
Access is the ability to reach the FTS2001 network to place a call (i.e., receive a dial tone from the serving switch).
Translations
The ability to traverse the network and connect to the distant end telephone, data set, or computer.
Transmission Quality
Once a call is connected through the network and conversation or a data session is established, a degradation of transmission quality or disruption of actual transmission constitutes an impairment. This could manifest itself in an echo, call processing tones, low volume, or loss of connectivity during a conversation or data call.
5.1.1 Access Impairments
Access problems could result in several ways:
Virtual Switched On-Net locations
▪ 1010333 PIC feature not working properly
Dedicated On-net locations
▪ Impaired service – Up to 75% of the dedicated circuits are inoperable, limiting access to the network.
▪ Severely impaired service – 75% to 99% of the dedicated circuits are inoperable, limiting access to the network.
▪ Out of Service (OOS) – A complete disruption of dedicated service or impairments which renders service unusable.
▪ Recorded Announcements – Calls not reaching the network may terminate in a Sprint or Local Exchange Carriers’s recording. Sprint recordings have a trailer number, such as 44230.
5.1.2 Translation Impairments
Translation problems are identified as calls not completing through the network, terminating in a fast busy tone, a ‘high and dry’ (“dead air”), or a Sprint recording.
5.1.3 Transmission Quality Impairments
Transmission quality problems are identified as interruptions or a degradation of the circuit during a conversation. Examples of transmission quality problems during a voice call include:
▪ Echo during conversation
▪ Static during conversation
▪ Low or high volumes during conversation
Transmission quality problems on data calls may appear as garbled or extraneous characters on the screen. There may be slow through-putthroughput or data errors in the transferred information. If a circuit fails, or has high slippage, the Sprint switch site or Technical Operating Center (TOC) will receive a carrier group alarm or excessive frame slip report and will begin repairs prior to receiving a trouble report.
Transmission quality problems on video calls may appear as:
▪ Video break-up and audio pops
▪ Audio feedback heard by remote site
▪ Poor or missing graphics
▪ Audio echo at remote site
▪ Poor or missing motion video
▪ No encryption (loss of security)
5.2 Reporting Service Impairments
If you experience a service problem or have a Complaint with your FTS2001 Services, report it to the
Sprint Service Management Center (SMC) as soon as possible. The SMC is a support division of the
FTS2001 Customer Service Office (CSO).
To report service issues or Complaints, 24 hours a day, simply follow these steps:
1. Contact the FTS 2001 - Sprint Service Management Center at (877) 387-3667 and follow the recorded instructions to reach a representative for the Sprint service you are reporting.
2. When reporting a problem, be prepared to provide the following information:
Switched Services
▪ Your name, telephone number and account number (Customer ID Number)
▪ Telephone number originating the call
▪ Telephone number terminating the call
▪ Number of call attempts
▪ Nature of problems
▪ Time of occurrence
▪ Recorded voice announcement and 5 digit ID code or tones, if applicable
▪ 14 digit FONCARD number, if applicable
▪ Can circuit be tested intrusively at this time, if applicable
Private Lines
▪ Your name, telephone number and private line circuit ID
▪ Nature of problem
▪ Time of occurrence
▪ Can circuit be tested intrusively at this time
Sprint Data Services
▪ Your name, telephone number
▪ Host & Site After hour Contacts, and access hours
▪ Host & Site network address (If applicable)
▪ Local Access Number (If applicable)
▪ Nature of problem (Not operating, Slow response, Busy, Ring No Answer)
▪ Can intrusive testing be done at this time
Rotary
1. Local Access number
2. Baud Rate (Modem Speed)
3. City and State Local Access number originate
3. Scripted or manually dialed, if scripted results of manual dialing
X.25 (DAF)
1. Modem type and reading
2. Trouble location Host or Remote
Frame Relay
1. Are you able to connect to any locations on this line?
2. Is trouble to one location only?
3. Verification of physical street address of site (if dispatch is needed)
4. If trouble reported is slow response, need DLCI # or N.A. of both sites
Manage Router
1. Specific description of the problem (Router crashed, not responding, not routing)
2. IP address of router (if known, ex: 192.157.38.42)
3. When may router/access facility be taken for testing
4. Any special instructions or requirements
5. Has anything been changed in the router hardware or software configuration
ATM
Can circuit be taken for testing?
VTS Services
1. Your name, telephone number and account number (Customer ID Number)
2. Private Line Number
3. Equipment Types
4. CSU and or Channel Bank status
5. Secured or Unsecured Transmission
6. Nature of problems
7. Time of occurrence
8. Can circuit be tested intrusively at this time, if applicable
Fax Trouble
1. Has it ever worked?
2. Any recent changes to Faxfax machine (repair, new unit, line move, equipment upgrade, etc.)?
3. Does it work to other numbers?
4. Is number autodialed? If so, results from manual dial?
5. Does fax machine have dedicated line? If not, do voice calls work?
6. Contacts / Alternate contact information
7. Model/manufacturer of fax machine
8. a) What is exact problem?
b) At what point does it happen? (Specifics - immediately, after handshake, after first page, etc.)
9. For international termination, is fax machine set up for international faxing?
10. Is terminating end having problems from other areas?
Data trouble
1. Has it ever worked?
2. Any recent changes (repair, new unit, line move, equip upgrade, etc.)?
3. Does it work to other numbers?
4. Is number autodialed? If so, results from manual dial? (if possible )possible)
5. Does modem machine have dedicated line? If not, do voice calls work?
6. Platform used
7. Is terminating end having problems from other locations? If so provide term end contact info.
8. RCF (remote call forwarding), can customer complete to translated toll free number?
9. Transmission rate (1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 14400, 28800, 33600B/ps)?
10. What type of equipment is customer using, terminal, modem?
Intermittent Trouble (additional information on all service types)
1. To one or multiple terminating numbers?
2. Patterns noticed....Time of Day, Day of Week, One User, One office line
3. Any recent changes (repair, new unit, line move, etc.)?
4. If multiple lines, can line be individually selected?
5. Results of second attempt
ISDN VIDEO / DATA
1. Telephone number originating the call (On net number if VPN Service type VN)
2. Telephone number terminating the call (On net or off net number)
3. Number of attempts
4. Time of occurrence
5. Recorded voice announcement and 5 digit ID, if applicable
6. Number of channels used / data rate of call
7. Whether or not service works on local calls
8. If service works in local loopbackloop back
9. If service works to Sprint loopbackloop back
10. If anything has changed in hardware / software configuration
Toll Free Service, WL/W9 Service Types
1. Number of attempts
2. Recorded voice announcement and 5 digit ID, if applicable
3. Service Guarantee information (10 digit ANI to forward calls to for duration of outage) (if requested)
4. Results to translated number (WL service only)
Telemedia
1. Prompt(s) used
2. Backend number, if known
3. Number of attempts
4. Recorded voice announcement and 5 digit ID, if applicable
Virtual Private Net (VPN)VINN
1. Telephone number originating the call (On net number if VPN Service type VN)
2. Telephone number terminating the call (On net or off net number)
3. OPART
4. Results of 700 test
5. Were any features recently added or taken off service?
6. Is an Autodialer dialing any of the digits
7. Exact dialing pattern used by customer
8. If TAP, are other services affected
9. Number of attempts
10. Recorded voice announcement and 5 digit ID, if applicable
Voice Service
1. Number of attempts
2. Time of occurrence
3. Recorded voice announcement and 5 digit ID, if applicable
4. FONCARD access (10333,0, 800-877-8000, Sprint Express)?
5. Exact dialing pattern used by customer
6. Have any features recently been added or removed from account (ACF, V ACF)?
7. Results of700 /00 test on Ll/L9 service types
8. Results of attempt using 10333
If the Support Representative assisting you cannot resolve the issue during your initial call, the representative will open a Trouble or Complaint ticket and provide you with a ticket number. Provide this ticket number when communicating with the SMC representative relating to this issue.
Your SMC Representative will keep you apprised of the status of your trouble on a regular basis. If your ticket is not progressing in an acceptable manner, the representative will escalate your ticket according to established guidelines based on the severity of your trouble. Please refer to the attached status and escalation guidelines for specific details.
3.1 Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
In the case your circuit being reported has a TSP rating of 1-5, The Service Representative in the SMC will be able to identify the assigned rating while pulling up your circuit records. The trouble ticket will be opened with the appropriate TSP assigned automatically and technicians will work these troubles based on the TSP regulations and rating. Escalations for circuits with a TSP rating follow the same process as non-TSP circuits.
4 FTS2001 Trouble & Complaint Reporting Instructions
FTS2001 Reporting Telephone: 877 / FTS - FONS
877-387- 3667
FTS200l International Access to the SMC is Collect Dialed to (703) 264-0270. The International Operator will be answered with a collect call accepted message and the caller is then answered by an SMC Representative.
Follow prompts for your service type.
MANAGEMENT and ESCALATION CONTACTS - LEVELS 1- 5:
|Hours |Days |Contact |Telephone No. |
|7AM - 5PM EST |Monday - Friday |Supervisor | 877-387-3667 |
| |Saturday | | |
| |Sunday | | |
|12PM - 9PM EST |Monday - Friday |Supervisor | 877-387-3667 |
|5PM - 1AM EST |Tuesday-Saturday |Supervisor | 877-387-3667 |
| |Sunday-Monday | | |
|1AM-8AM EST |Tuesday-Saturday Sunday-Monday |Supervisor | 877-387-3667 |
MANAGER: 24x7x365 703/437-2501 OR 877-FTS-FONS
DIRECTOR: 24x7x365 800/927-1894
5.4 Escalation Guidelines
Escalation opportunities are evaluated on a scheduled basis according to the severity of the trouble (see next page). The following guidelines are used to determine if an escalation is appropriate at the scheduled opportunity.
REASONS FOR ESCALATING:
1. Cause of impairment is not known.
2. Fix agency is not escalating with external agencies (i.e., local telephone company) at acceptable intervals.
3. Unacceptable progress is being made toward fix action - resolution objectives are in jeopardy.
4. Lack of adequate status/repair updates from fix agencies documented in the Trouble Reporting System (TRS).
5. Indecision between fix agencies to who is responsible for repair (i.e., Private Line vs. Frame Relay).
6. Customer or Account Team requests escalation.
REASONS FOR NOT ESCALATING:
1. No access to the customer premise when it is required for further troubleshooting and/or resolution. If the condition is out of service and it is extending into the customer's non-business hours, the SMC will coordinate a plan of action and will advise the customer, before they are non-accessible, of this plan.
2. Dispatch is pending and the timeframe is acceptable to the customer, or the timeframe is the best possible.
3. Trouble has been referred to an external fix agency (i.e., local telephone company) and acceptable progress is being made toward repair. Internal SMC escalations may continue as necessary.
|Severity Level |Status Reporting |Definition / Examples of Severities |
| |Guidelines | |
|Severity 1 |Initial status reported to Government |Out of Service – multiple locations |
| |caller within thirty minutes of ticket |Multiple switched services at a location out of service |
| |entry, and every hour thereafter. |DTS circuits out of service |
| | |ITAP T-1 out of service |
| | |Public Rotary Dial out of service |
|Severity 2 |Initial status reported to Government |Out of Service – single location |
| |caller within one hour of ticket entry, and|Single circuit on an ITAP out of Service. |
| |every two hours thereafter as necessary. |All calls have poor quality |
| | |Continuous errors or garbled data |
| | |Circuits Down/Restored on dial backup |
|Severity 3 |Status will be provided to Government |Service Related / Impaired |
| |caller every two hours as necessary. |Multiple quality or connectivity problems to a single number |
| | |Intermittent errors on data services |
| | |Slow response |
|Severity 4 |Status will be provided to Government |Routine |
| |caller a minimum of once a day or as |Single rotary port outage |
| |necessary. |Intermittent quality or connectivity problems with switched voice |
| | |services additions |
Table 5.1 Status Guidelines
|Stage |Procedures |
|Initiation |Personnel observing service failure and/or upon receipt of a trouble ticket affecting services |
| |with TSP restoration codes assigned will take immediate action to restore the service. |
|Restoration Priorities |Problems are worked in the order indicated by the assigned restoration priority code. If two or |
| |more services have the same restoration priority code, operations personnel will work the |
| |problem in the order that most efficiently restore the affected services. |
| |When restoring priority service, restoration at lower or no priority services that are on |
| |parallel channels may occur. This is acceptable if the parallel channel restoration does not |
| |delay restoration of the priority service. |
|Patching Services |Temporarily patching services to spare channel is the preferred method of minimizing restoration|
| |time. Operations personnel will patch the service in the order indicated by the assigned |
| |priority until the priority traffic exceeds the alt-route’s capacity. Services will be returned |
| |to their original configuration as soon as the trouble is repaired. |
|Emergency |In an emergency, restoration activities take priority over all other tasks. Restoration |
| |activities are documented in TRS. |
Table 5.2 Sprint’s Operational Guidelines for Restoring Priority Services
No Government trouble ticket is closed until service is fully restored and the reporting party or its designee authorizes ticket closure. Sprint is responsible for maintaining a record of the closeout that includes recording entries for the beginning time and ending time of the outage. Sprint’s trouble reporting system tracks and maintains information on each trouble ticket and associated service outage credit(s).
If the Government’s site contact is unavailable to participate in cooperative testing to confirm re-establishment of the service, Sprint will note the time interval between the request for the Government’s assistance and the time the Government’s assistance for cooperative testing was actually obtained. This time interval will be subtracted from the total outage time in order to compute the interval for credit adjustment.
Sprint is responsible for maintaining a record of the closeout that includes recording entries for the beginning time and ending time of the outage. This information will be included in a PMO periodic report. The trouble reporting, tracking and complaint system will track each trouble ticket number and will automatically process any outage credits applicable to the service outage based on this record of information.
The Service Management Center is operational 24 hours a day. Escalations to all levels of management may be made by contacting the SMC and requesting the appropriate individual be paged.
5.5 Customer Service Center (CSC)
Customer Service Numbers:
(800) 366-0888877 387-3667 (Voice) (705) 437-2500 (FAX)
The Customer Service Center is available for receipt of customer service requests. Requests can be made via the 800 number, fax or email (FTS2001.customerservice@mail.). Customer service will reply to requests from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday. The following functions are handled by Customer Service:
▪ General inquiries;
▪ Billing inquiries
▪ Adjustment/Disputes
(Process description and form provided on pages 5-10 through 5-13)
▪ Credit requests
(The FTS2001 Contract provides for service credits on outages for those services with monthly recurring charges).
• Complaint Reporting
▪ Account updates
Change of address, contact, or phone number
ANI (telephone number) additions and deletions
(The installing and changing of ANIs cannot be processed through the normal implementation process must be followed.)
▪ Lost/stolen FOONCARDSM cancellation only
▪ Receipt, tracking, and status to customers on resolution of formal complaints.
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FTS2001 ADJUSTMENT/DISPUTE PROCESS
The billing adjustment/dispute process is grounded in Sprint’s Customer Hierarchy and Reporting System (CHARS) and provides FTS2001 customers with a very robust and specialized level of service.
• Disputes are handled on a case-by-case basis
• Disputes are categorized into the following major categories:
o Billing System Related Issues
o Service Order Related Issues
o Service Management Issues (Outages)
o Contractual Issues
• Time intervals based on the above categories:
o Target resolution for disputes less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) is thirty (30) days
o Target resolution for disputes more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) is sixty (60) days
o Contractual issues may take longer
After the form is filled out by the GSA/Agency, a copy of the adjustment/dispute form along with any documentation needed to support the claim will be sent to the SMC Customer Service Office, where the form will be logged in and given a log number. A customer service representative will be assigned to research each adjustment/dispute. Based upon this research, either a credit or a denial will be given. If the resolution results in a full or partial credit, a claim number along with the amount of credit will be reported to GSA/Agency. If the dispute is denied, a reason code will be assigned and sent back to GSA/Agency.
Please contact Sprint’s FTS2001 Customer Service Center at 800 366-9888 if additional information or assistance is required.
FTS2001 ADJUSTMENT/DISPUTE FORM
PROVIDE COMPLETE AND DETAILED EXPLANATION & ATTACH COPY OF THE INVOICE
PLEASE FILL OUT COMPLETELY AND LEGIBLY
Date: ___/___/___ Fax #: _________________________
Name: ______________________Agency Hierarchy Code: __________________________
Contact #: ______________________Agency Tracking #: __________________________
Customer #: _____________________Type of Service: __________________________
Name of Account: _____________________SDP ID #: ___________________________
Location ID #: _____________________
BTN/Telephone Number: ____________________ Bill :_____/______/______to:____/_____/_______
Private Line/Circuit Number: ______________________
****LIST INVOICE, DATE AND ADJUSTMENT/DISPUTE AMOUNT BEING REQUESTED****
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* * * * Provide detailed explanation for Request * * * *
Attach another sheet of paper if needed.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE FAX: 703 437-2500 CUSTOMER SERVICE PHONE: 800 366-9888
CUSTOMER SERVICE ADDRESS:
13221 WOODLAND PARK ROAD
M.S. VAHRNA0203
HERNDON, VA 20171
PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AND A COPY OF INVOICE PAGE(S) ATTACHED
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ADJUSTMENT/DISPUTE FORM
FIELD DESCRIPTIONS
Date: Date sent to Sprint
Name: Name of person filling out form/to call for resolution
Contact #: Telephone number of person filling out form/to call with resolution
Customer #: The Seventy-one (71) million number (7100011111) for Agency
Name of Account: i.e. Department of Treasury
Location ID #: The invoice level where credit is to appear i.e. 710003131
Fax #: Fax number of person filling out form/to call with resolution
Agency Hierarchy Code: GSA 28 digit number for Agency
Agency Tracking #: Number assigned by the agency to track the adjustment/dispute
Type of Service: CSS, CSDS, ATM, FR, IP, Toll Free, 900 etc.
SDP ID #: Service Delivery Point
BTN/Telephone Number: Billing Telephone number on account/telephone number(s) in question
Private Line/Circuit Number: i.e.: PL 12345 or Ckt 566812
Bill Date: Invoice date: i.e. 12/1/99 for period ending 11/30/99
List Invoice #, Date and Adjustment/Dispute Amount:
i.e.: 911000211563 12/1/99 $14.95
Provide Detailed Explanation for Request:
i.e. Telephone number 202 555-2424 has a call to 612 888-5555. Employee claims did not make a call to that number. Please credit account 710003131 for $14.95. Attached is a copy of the summary page of the invoice and a copy of the Call Detail Record.
i.e. A monthly recurring charge of $435.00 appears on the invoice for PL12345. Per our copy of pricing the monthly recurring charge should be $350.00. Please credit. Attached is copy of the invoice and pricing sheet.
Please contact Sprint’s FTS2001 Customer Service Center at 800 366-9888, if additional information or assistance is required.
8 Complaint Management
8.1 Definition
The definition of a complaint is as follows:
Users discontent or dissatisfied with their Sprint services, outside the regular technical service impairment reporting process.
8.2 Complaint Number
A user, agency or GSA/PMO representative dissatisfied with any aspect of a Sprint service begins the complaint process by placing a call to the Customer Service Center. The number is as follows:
1 800 366-9888
Upon receiving a complaint, the Government Service Representative (GSR) opens a complaint ticket and refers it to the appropriate department. The GSR is responsible for the complaint from the time the call is taken until resolution or disposition.
8.3 Complaint Routing
The GSR routes the complaints to the following departments:
• Customer Service
• Billing
• Order Administration
• Implementation Management
• Attendant Services
• Network/Operations
• Training
• Code Abuse
8.4 Escalation
The complaint handling process for FTS2001 services provides a mechanism for escalating issues that are not being resolved according to objectives. Customer Service will implement escalation procedures as necessary in order to ensure timely resolution of all complaints.
8.5 Closure
When a complaint is resolved the GSR closes the ticket. If the complaint cannot be resolved due to government policy, Federal Regulations, desired service, or capabilities outside the scope of FTS2001 services, disposition is discussed and agreed upon between the GSA PMO and the Manager, Customer Service Center.
The FTS2001 user is notified of the resolution or disposition within five business days of the initial contact by a Government Service Representative.
8.6 General Inquiries
FTS2001 users are provided with many different sources of support and assistance to make use of their services in the earliest and most cost-effective manner. Support starts with technical assistance during service planning and continues through service ordering, implementation, and post-installation.
8.8 Customer Service Center Help Desk
In order for users to be aware of the appropriate user support services and general inquiries, the CSC provides a general Help Desk.
The GSR is the single point of contact to provide user assistance relating to general inquiries.
All users requiring general assistance can call the following number:
1 800 366-9888
Examples of general inquiries are:
• “Who is my Federal Account Manager?”
• What class of service has been assigned to my FONCARDSM?”
• Could you review the dialing procedure for my FONCARDSM?”
• “I have lost my FONCARDSM and need a new one.”
8.9 Billing Inquiries
The Customer Service Center is the single point of contact to handle general billing inquiries and to process all adjustments. The Government Service Representatives (GSR) researches and validates the credit adjustment for processing.
Sprint’s CSO currently provides this level of service to users under the FTS2001 contract. The Sprint Service Management Center is responsible for accepting billing inquiries and will respond to the Government and user community. The SMC has trained and qualified GSRs who will respond to billing inquiries.
The SMC will use support systems to query billing systems to deliver expeditious service inquiries to the user community. If the information is not readily available from any billing system, the SMC routes requests to the appropriate billing subject matter expert (SMC) who will immediately respond to user requests.
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