Section 5

Managing
FTS2001 Service

5.0Identifying 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.

5.1.1Access 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.

5.1.2Translation 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.

5.1.3Transmission 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)

5.2Reporting 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
  1. 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)
  1. 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.)

  1. For international termination, is fax machine set up for international faxing?
  2. 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?
  1. 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.

5.2.1Telecommunications 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.

5.3FTS2001 Trouble & Complaint Reporting Instructions

FTS2001 Reporting Telephone:877 / FTS - FONS
877-387- 3667

FTS200l International Access to the SMCis 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
Saturday
Sunday / Supervisor / 877-387-3667
12PM - 9PM EST / Monday - Friday / Supervisor / 877-387-3667
5PM - 1AM EST / Tuesday-Saturday
Sunday-Monday / Supervisor / 877-387-3667
1AM-8AM EST / Tuesday-Saturday Sunday-Monday / Supervisor / 877-387-3667

MANAGER:24x7x365703/437-2501 OR 877-FTS-FONS

DIRECTOR:24x7x365800/927-1894

5.4Escalation 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
Guidelines / Definition / Examples of Severities
Severity 1 / Initial status reported to Government caller within thirty minutes of ticket entry, and every hour thereafter. / 1)Out of Service – multiple locations
2)Multiple switched services at a location out of service
3)DTS circuits out of service
4)ITAP T-1 out of service
5)Public Rotary Dial out of service
Severity 2 / Initial status reported to Government caller within one hour of ticket entry, and every two hours thereafter as necessary. / 1)Out of Service – single location
2)Single circuit on an ITAP out of Service.
3)All calls have poor quality
4)Continuous errors or garbled data
5)Circuits Down/Restored on dial backup
Severity 3 / Status will be provided to Government caller every two hours as necessary. / 1)Service Related / Impaired
2)Multiple quality or connectivity problems to a single number
3)Intermittent errors on data services
4)Slow response
Severity 4 / Status will be provided to Government caller a minimum of once a day or as necessary. / 1)Routine
2)Single rotary port outage
3)Intermittent quality or connectivity problems with switched voice services additions

Table 5.1Status 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 5.2Sprint’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.

5.5Customer 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 (). 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 FOONCARDSMcancellation only
  • Receipt, tracking, and status to customers on resolution of formal complaints.

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:
  • Billing System Related Issues
  • Service Order Related Issues
  • Service Management Issues (Outages)
  • Contractual Issues
  • Time intervals based on the above categories:
  • Target resolution for disputes less than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) is thirty (30) days
  • Target resolution for disputes more than Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) is sixty (60) days
  • 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.