ATIS-0300030

Next Generation Interconnection Interoperability (NGIIF) Reference Document

Part IX, Installation, Testing and Maintenance Responsibilities of Facilities

Version 12.0

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This document was developed by the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions’ (ATIS) sponsored Next GenerationInterconnection Interoperability Forum (NGIIF). The NGIIF addresses next-generation network interconnection and interoperability issues associated with emerging technologies. Specifically, it develops operational procedures which involve the network aspects of architecture, disaster preparedness, installation, maintenance, management, reliability, routing, security, and testing between network operators. In addition, the NGIIF addresses issues which impact the interconnection of existing and next generation networks and facilitate the transition to emerging technologies. All changes to this document shall be made through the NGIIF issue resolution process.

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The NIIF Reference Document was formerly known as the Network Operations Forum (NOF) Reference Document. The NOF Reference Document was published and maintained by Bellcore. The last version of the NOF Reference Document is Issue 13.

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ATIS-0300024, NGIIF Reference Document, Part IX, Installation, Testing and Maintenance Responsibilities of Facilities, Formerly NIIF 5026

The NGIIF Reference Document, Part IX, Installation, Testing and Maintenance Responsibilities of Facilities, is an ATIS standard developed by the NGIIF.

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INSTALLATION, TESTING, AND MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FACILITIES

Table of Contents

1General

2Responsibilities

2.1Access Service Customer (ASC)

2.2Access Service Provider (ASP)

3Network Service Center (NSC)

4Network Modification Notification

5Facilities Installation......

5.1Facility Order Activity

5.2Establishing Interface

5.3Pre-service Testing

5.4Cooperative Acceptance Testing

5.5Digital Acceptance Testing Guidelines

5.6Acceptance of DS-1

5.6.1Performance Limits, Using QRSS (From ANSI T1.510)

5.6.2Performance, Using Pattern Sensitive Testing AMI and B8ZS MATRIX

5.6.3Long Term Performance Testing (From ANSI T1.510)

5.6.4Line Code Option Verification

5.6.5AMI/B8ZS Mismatch Testing

5.7Acceptance Testing Of DS-3 Service

5.7.1Test limits and objectives for 44.736 Mbit/s service (T1-510-1999)

5.8DS-3 Testing - Optical Interface

5.9Completions

5.10Facility Disconnects

5.11Facility Rearrangements

5.12Coordinated Conversions

5.13Change Orders

6Facilities Maintenance

6.1Routine Maintenance

6.2Potential Service Affecting Activities

6.3Deferred Service Restoration

6.4Trouble Reporting

6.5Trouble Clearance Reporting

6.6Specialized Trouble Handling

6.6.1Inoperative and Impaired Facilities

6.6.2Chronic Facility Failures

6.6.3Synchronization

6.7Escalation

6.8Trouble Report Status

6.9Sectionalization and Repair

6.10Maintenance of DS-1 Service

6.10.1AMI and B8ZS MATRIX

6.11Chronic Trouble of DS-1 Service

6.12Maintenance of DS-1 Service Within A DS-3 Service

6.13Maintenance Testing Of DS-3 Service

6.14DS-3 Testing - Optical Interface

6.15Facility Restoration Procedures

6.16Maintenance Make-Busy Procedure for Facilities

6.16.1Facility Make-Busy (Facility Failure)

6.16.2Maintenance Removal from Service

6.16.3Expedited Make-Busy Procedure for Facilities

6.17Verification Tests

6.18End to End Intercarrier Testing

7Additional Billing

7.1Billable Overtime Installation and Repair

7.2Additional Cooperative Acceptance Testing (ACAT)

7.3Non-Scheduled Testing

7.4Maintenance of Service Charge

7.5Stand-By Time

7.6Other Labor

8Facilities Provided by Multiple Exchange Carriers

8.1Installation

8.2Common Completion

8.3Jeopardy

8.4Maintenance

8.4.1Trouble Report Exceptions

8.4.2Request for Test Assistance

8.4.3Request for Escalation Assistance from ASC

9Optional DS-1 Test Patterns

9.1Background – CCITT / ITU-T Test Signals, Other Tests, and Test Signals

9.1.1215 -1 32,757-bit PRBS note1 test pattern (Inverted) note 2

9.1.2220 –1 1,048,575-bit PRBS test pattern note 2

9.1.3223-1 8,388,607-bit PRBS test pattern (Inverted) note 2

9.1.41-IN-16 (1:15) A single ONE bit followed by fifteen ZERO-bits.

9.1.555-Octet Stress Test Pattern

1General

This document outlines Access Service Customer (ASC) and Access Service Providers (ASP) responsibilities for Installation, Testing and Maintenance of Facilities as established by the Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NGIIF). It is intended to be a living document to aid operations work forces. It does not replace nor supersede Tariffs, Contracts or any other legally binding documents.

The installation and maintenance of SS7, Specials and Feature Group A, Feature Groups B, C, and D are included in separate sections of the NGIIF Reference Document. In addition, Network Management Guidelines and Testline Guidelines are included as well.

In addition to other operational and technical agreements made at the Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum, this document is being issued to incorporate the following changes.

This document is a new addition to the Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum library of documentation, exclusively for Facilities.

The ASCs are communications common carriers authorized by the appropriate regulatory bodies, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide interLATA, interstate communications and/or by State or Provincial Public Utilities Commissions (PUCs) to provide interLATA, intrastate or intraLATA communications to their end users. The ASCs may request Access Service Providers (ASP) to provide various facilities as addressed in this document to be used as part of the ASC’s services. The fundamental principles governing the relations between the ASPs and the ASCs are:

The ASCs have responsibility for the end-to-end service of their end users.

The ASPs will provide facility connectivity to the ASCs as set forth by their Access Service Tariffs and will show no discrimination between different ASCs.

2Responsibilities

This section outlines the responsibilities for Access Service Customers (ASC) and Access Service Providers (ASP).

2.1Access Service Customer (ASC)

The ASC has the overall installation and maintenance responsibility for the total facility to its end user. The ASC is responsible for the overall coordination of installation and testing of its facilities. The ASC is responsible for negotiation of control to another entity.

The following are the responsibilities of the ASCs:

  • Provides trained personnel.
  • Advises the ASP when there is an ASC network failure that may affect the ASP services.
  • Provides a contact number for trouble reporting that is readily accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Maintains complete and accurate installation and repair records.
  • Provides ASP personnel access to the Point of Termination (POT) when required.
  • Provides access to testlines where appropriate.
  • Provides billing authorization to the ASP for any additional labor requested.
  • Ensures the test equipment used is compatible with the ASP’s test equipment.
  • Cooperates with the ASP ensuring that facilities are installed in accordance with the service requests.
  • Notifies the ASP of any changes affecting the service requested, including the service due date.
  • Assumes control functions for maintenance of its facilities.
  • Consulting with the ASP before making any changes that would affect service except under emergency conditions.
  • Accepts trouble reports from their end users.
  • Accepts trouble reports from the ASPs.
  • Sectionalizes and clears the trouble in its own network.
  • Test cooperatively and with the ASP to further isolate and clear the trouble.
  • Keeps their end user advised of the status of all trouble report(s).
  • Performs cooperative analysis to determine if a trouble pattern exists.
  • Refers troubles to the ASP using the trouble reporting procedures.
  • Dispatches its own maintenance forces.
  • Performs verification test to ensure that trouble has been cleared.
  • Performs scheduled testing and other maintenance services when requested.
  • Participates cooperatively with the ASP to further isolate and clear the trouble when trouble exists and cannot be sectionalized.

2.2Access Service Provider (ASP)

The ASP is responsible for ensuring that the facilities furnished to an ASC are installed and function properly. In addition, the ASP should work cooperatively and with the ASC in the testing of the facilities it provides.

The following are the responsibilities of the ASPs:

  • Provides trained personnel.
  • Advise the ASC when there is a potential service affecting ASP network failure.
  • Provides a contact number for trouble reporting that is readily accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Maintain complete and accurate installation and repair records.
  • Consults with the ASC before making any changes that could affect service except under emergency conditions. (See Network Modification section).
  • Provides access to testlines where appropriate.
  • Assumes control functions for the installation of the facilities.
  • Coordinates with the ASC ensuring that facilities are installed in accordance with the service requests.
  • Notifies the ASC of any changes affecting the service requested, including the service due date.
  • Accepts trouble reports from the ASCs.
  • Sectionalizes and clears the trouble in its own network.
  • Test cooperatively with the ASC to identify and clear a trouble when the trouble has been sectionalized to an ASC network.
  • Performs cooperative analysis to determine if a trouble pattern exists.
  • Refers troubles to the ASC using the trouble reporting procedures.
  • Dispatches its own maintenance forces.
  • Performs verification tests to ensure that trouble has been cleared.
  • Provide status reports to the ASC regarding installation and repair activity.
  • Perform scheduled testing and other maintenance services when requested.
  • Participates cooperatively with the ASC to further isolate and clear the trouble when trouble exists.
  • Provides ASC personnel access to the Point of Termination (POT) when required.
  • Ensures that test equipment used is compatible with the ASC’s test equipment.

3Network Service Center (NSC)

The NSC, or other regionally designated centers, will be the contact point for non-circuit specific trouble reports from the ASC. The ASP will provide the ASC with a contact number, escalation and guidelines for reporting of non-circuit specific troubles. The NSC will provide status and feedback to the Reporting ASC, when requested.

4Network Modification Notification

A Network Modification is any type of planned equipment, software, trunk or facility activity that has the potential to significantly affect interconnected networks (e.g. rearrangement of existing network elements, switch homing arranges, SS7 rehoming)

The NGIIF has developed the following guidelines outlining the medium by which internetwork affecting maintenance activity notification will be provided to the interconnected company and the time frame prior to the planned activity:

Notification when possible should be made at least 5 working days prior to the planned change activity.

Notification should be made in the form of:

  • E-Mail (recommended where available),
  • FAX or,
  • Telephone call.

Notification should be provided to the affected company’s appropriate notification center. Contact information is included in the NGIIF Service Provider Contact Directory. An example of a notification form is located in the NM Section, Part VI, of the NGIIF Reference Document.

When network modifications are scheduled that could significantly affect traffic between directly interconnected networks, it is recommended that the affected ASPs and ASCs will notify each other, prior to the event.

The following information should be exchanged at the time of notification:

  • Originator, (company name/contact number)
  • Affected Network Element
  • Date and Time of the Change
  • Expected Duration
  • Traffic Types Affected During Change
  • Description of the Work to be Completed

5FacilitiesInstallation

5.1Facility Order Activity

The ASC will order from each ASP the required facility through their Interexchange Customer Service Center (ICSC) or equivalent organization. The ICSC or equivalent is an Access Service Negotiation work group that will handle inquires and orders. It is to serve as a point of contact for the access service order needs of Interexchange Customers. During the installation period ASP order number will reference all inquiries.

Each of the ASPs will negotiate facility due date intervals, either on a standard or individual case basis. Ordering procedures are described in the Access Services Tariff.

5.2Establishing Interface

The point of connection between the ASP and the ASC facilities or equipment is referred to as the Point of Termination (POT). It is the responsibility of the ASC to arrange for suitable equipment space and electrical power, if required, at the POT. The space furnished shall be in a safe working area and will be accessible during normal working hours to ASP personnel for installation and maintenance purposes or ASC personnel will be available to work with ASP personnel.

5.3Pre-service Testing

Each company is responsible for that portion of the overall facility that they are providing. Each company must ensure that its facility segments have been installed correctly, prior to cooperative acceptance testing being performed, i.e.:

  • The facility has been installed correctly.
  • The pre-service tests have been performed and the requirements met.
  • Records of the tests and their subsequent results have been documented.

5.4Cooperative Acceptance Testing

The ASC has the option of accepting the facilities with or without cooperative acceptance testing on or before the due date. Prior to the due date, the Access Service Provider (ASP) will contact the ASC and advise when the facility will be ready for turn up. If the ASC requests cooperative acceptance tests, the ASP will schedule a mutually agreeable date and time and coordinate all normal and additional (as specified on the order) acceptance testing. The ASP and the ASC will verify test equipment compatibility at this time.

At the time of acceptance testing, the ASP personnel will not test directly with the ASC unless otherwise directed. Once the acceptance tests have been completed on the new facilities, the ASP will disable the termination to these facilities preventing false selection and seizures of these facilities until the due date. It will be necessary for the ASC to coordinate with the ASP for the turn up of the facility.

When the ASP deploys a DS-1 loopback device, the subsequent dispatch to the End User's POT to perform "Cooperative Acceptance Tests" will be waived by the ASC. The ASC, upon request, will be provided with the test results from the ASP. If the ASC requests "Cooperative Acceptance Testing" be performed, they will be performed remotely. Excluding the following conditions, an ASP technician will not normally be dispatched to the End User's premises to perform tests. The conditions are:

  • The DS-1 Service is not equipped with the DS-1 loopback device.
  • The test results do not meet service acceptance immediate action limits and the trouble is sectionalized to the ASP network.
  • The loopback unit is inoperable.
  • Unless the ASC requests a dispatch.

The test results will be viewed as valid (assuming they are within service parameters) for the purpose of service acceptance/maintenance.

When the ASP deploys Intelligent NCTE, the dispatch to perform "Cooperative Acceptance Tests" will be waived by the ASC.

The ASC, upon request will be provided the remotely assigned test results obtained by the ASP. If the ASC requests "Cooperative Acceptance Testing", the ASP will test remotely, using the diagnostic features of the Intelligent NCTE. Excluding the following conditions, an ASP technician will not normally be dispatched to the end user's location to perform “Cooperative Acceptance tests". The conditions are:

  • The unit is not equipped to perform basic turn-up tests.
  • The ASC requests specific Additional Cooperative Acceptance tests i.e., conditioning.
  • The Intelligent NCTE is inoperable.
  • The facility does not meet acceptance parameters.

5.5Digital Acceptance Testing Guidelines

The purpose of this section is to serve as a guide for Installation & Maintenance personnel in determining when the digital acceptance testing guidelines would apply.

When the ASP receives a work order that provides Switched Access Service FG B, C or D to a digital switch, the facility design should be reviewed to determine whether Digital to Analog (D/A) conversion takes place on the ASP(s) side of the POT. When the design shows no D/A conversion on the ASP(s) side of the POT, Digital Acceptance Tests are preferred. If the ASP has D/A conversion, the final choice of which acceptance tests are performed remains with the ASC. This determination will be made at the time cooperative acceptance testing is scheduled.

5.6Acceptance of DS-1

Acceptance testing for DS-1 Service should be performed on a POT to POT basis using Errored Second Performance Parameters. This test is typically performed utilizing a Quasi Random Signal Source (QRSS). In addition to QRSS, the 3/24 and 1/8 and All ones Test Patterns are acceptable diagnostic stress tests for DS-1 Service. These tests are not mandatory but will be performed, upon request, according to the AMI/B8ZS testing Matrix. It is recognized, that not all locations will have the test equipment to perform these tests. In these instances, appropriate loopback techniques should be utilized. It should also be recognized, that some Network elements may not be transparent to these test patterns. Normal signaling test patterns should be framed. However, due to test equipment limitations, Unframed patterns may be sent, per local agreements, between the ASPs and ASCs.