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ARCHIVED - Telecom Order CRTC 2002-335

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Telecom Order CRTC 2002-335

Ottawa, 13 August 2002

Northwestel Inc. PIC/CARE Access Customer Handbook

Reference: 8643-N1-01/01

1.

The Commission received an application from Northwestel Inc. (Northwestel), dated 19 November 2001, requesting approval of its Primary Interexchange Carrier/Customer Account Record Exchange Access Customer Handbook (PIC/CARE handbook).

2.

Northwestel's handbook would provide interexchange carriers (IXCs) with information relating to the exchange of PIC/CARE information between the IXC and a small incumbent telephone company.

3.

No comments were received.

4.

The CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) Business Process Working Group developed in July 2000 a model PIC/CARE handbook (CISC model) for use by the telecommunications industry. While the Commission notes that the information provided in Northwestel's PIC/CARE handbook is generally consistent with the CISC model, it considers that certain provisions and sections of Northwestel's PIC/CARE handbook are incomplete or require corrections.

5.

The Commission accordingly directs the company to issue a revised PIC/CARE handbook forthwith, incorporating the amendments identified below:

· Include a "Proprietary warning" at the beginning of the PIC/CARE handbook:

Northwestel Inc.

"The information contained in this document is not to be reproduced or translated in whole or in part without the written consent of Northwestel Inc.

This work incorporates portions of a document produced by TELUS, Copyright © 1994, reproduced by Northwestel Inc. with permission.

This work contains material that has been derived from the Customer Account Record Exchange - Industry Support Interface (CARE - ISI) guidelines maintained by the Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF). These guidelines may be obtained by contacting the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) at www.atis.org.

This document is provided subject to the terms and conditions including fees as set out in Northwestel Inc. Tariff CRTC 21480, item 40, Access Services Tariff for Interconnection with Interexchange Carrier (IXC's).

· On the list of Appendices, (1) replace the title to Appendix H with "Equal Access Confirmation Form" and (2) add a "Third Party Verification Order Confirmation Form" and in Appendix H, include the "Third Party Verification Order Confirmation Form".
· In 1.0 Introduction, 1.1 Background, include the following wording - "Equal Access also provides the end-user with the ability to access the network of the other ACs on a per-call basis by dialing a 101xxx access code."
· In 1.6 Rates and Changes, add the wording "Unauthorized PIC change" to the bullet list and correct the spelling to read "Rates and Charges".
· Replace 2.1 CIC Codes with the following:

2.1 - Carrier Identification Code (CIC Codes)

In order for an AC to offer Equal Access and PIC processing, it must obtain a Carrier Identification Code (CIC). The assignment and management of CIC Codes is administered by the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA). Canadian applicants shall submit all applications for North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) administered resources directly to the CNA for processing.

For further information, refer to the Carrier Identification Code Assignment Guidelines developed by the Industry Numbering Committee (INC) and the Canadian Adjunct to the INC Carrier Identification Code (CIC) Assignment Guidelines.

· In 2.4 Access Customer Care Profile, include the following wording after the first paragraph: "A profile is required for each AC CIC code."
· In 3.2 Services Subject to PIC Selection, delete the word " monopoly".
· In 3.4 Subscriptions, add the following wording, specifying the number of days: "Ex: No later than xx business days prior to the original requested due date, and must allow at least xx hours (or business days) for the new due date."
· Replace 4.4 Validation of Conflicting Requests with the following:

4.4 - Validation of Conflicting Requests

When the Northwestel CSG receives valid subscription order for the same WTN from more than one AC, the following procedures will be used to determine which order takes precedence.

- When the respective dates of end-user authorization on the orders are different, the order with the most recent end-user authorization shall take precedence;

- When the respective dates of end-user authorization on the orders are the same, the customer will remain with the current long distance provider.

In each case described above, Northwestel CSG will inform each AC of the disposition of its subscription request using the appropriate TCSI code.

· In 4.5 Stale Dated Orders, add the following wording to: "Stale-dated transactions are measured from the date of customer authorization to the date of the order is received by the AC."
· In 4.0 AC and AP PIC/CARE Processing Options, add the following, specifying the number of days were appropriate:

4.6 - Billing Telephone Number (BTN) Subscriptions

A BTN is typically a real working number and is often the end-user's main WTN.

Upon a receipt of a subscription request for a particular BTN, Northwestel CSG first checks to ensure that at least one WTN is associated with the BTN. Northwestel CSG then "explodes" the subscription into the associated WTN level transactions. All validations, as well as confirmations and rejections, occur at the WTN level.

The AC will be notified of the rejection of lines already subscribed to the requesting AC through a reject transaction. The exploded list of WTNs will include any WTNs PIC'd to another AC with more recent authorization date; these WTNs will be rejected.

Cancellations or due date changes must be submitted at the BTN level.

The existence of a BTN does not imply that lines which are installed at a later time will automatically be subscribed to the AC. The AC must submit a subscription request for each WTN as it is added by the end-user.

4.7 - Due Date Processing

Once an AC request has been validated, Northwestel CSG determines the appropriate time to release the transaction to be provisioned in the switch to meet the ACs desired due date.

If the AC subscription does not specify a desired due date, Northwestel CSG assigns the earliest date possible based on the type of access line and the minimum number of days required to complete the provisioning process. Northwestel CSG will not advise the ACs in advance of completion of due dates assigned to requests received without a Desired Due Date.

If the AC subscription specifies a desired due date, Northwestel CSG verifies that the requested date provides the minimum time needed to complete the provisioning process. If a subscription request has been submitted with a desired due date and the included WTN cannot be found in the existing CARE database or on a pending service order install, then the request will be rejected.

If the AC subscription specifies a non-business date as the desired due date, the transaction will be rejected. Business days for CARE processing are Monday to Friday, excluding statutory holidays.

When the AC subscription request is dependent upon the completion of a local service order, Northwestel CSG compares the due date of the subscription request with the date of the local order. If the subscription request has an earlier due date, Northwestel CSG will (in accordance with the AC's CARE profile) change the due date to match the local service order and advise the AC accordingly.

The AC's CARE profile defines that transaction rejection or change of due date process.

4.8 - Due Date Changes or Cancellations

Northwestel CSG accepts due date changes and/or cancellations on AC subscription requests prior to the start of the provisioning process, provided the requested changes are received by Northwestel CSG at a minimum ## business date prior to the desired due date change.

The AC must include their original TCSI on any change and/or cancellation submitted.

4.9 - New Service Co-ordination

When an AC submits a subscription change for a WTN that is not yet in service, Northwestel CSG attempts to coordinate the PIC change with the activation of the access line.

When the AC subscription request is dependent upon the completion of a local service order, Northwestel CSG compares the due date of the subscription request with the date of the local service order. If the subscription request has an earlier due date, Northwestel CSG will (in accordance with the AC's CARE profile) change the date to match the local service order and advise the AC accordingly. If no pending service order install is found for the requested WTN, the subscription request will be rejected.

· In 5.2 Relocating End Users, replace "5" calendar days with "30".
· Replace 5.3 Change of Billing Responsibility with the following:

When an end-user indicates that there is a change in billing responsibility from one person/business to another, the new end-user, when accepting the billing responsibility, will also accept the existing PIC selection on file. The new end-user may change the AC selection by contacting the new AC.

It is the responsibility of the end-user to advise the AC of this change in billing responsibility.

· In 6.1 General, add "Confirmation of Customer Activation" to the bullet list.
· In 6.3 Reject Transactions, add "Refer to Appendix D for Details".
· In 7.0 Service Intervals, 7.8 replace "Service Intervals" with "Quality of Service".
· In 8.2 End User Authorization, insert the word "PIC" into the second last line to read as follows: "selected to the AP and PIC changes resulting form the transfer of a customer base between".
· In 8.3 Outbound Contact Resulting in a PIC Change i) Written Order Confirmation, insert the word "constitutes" so that the second line reads as follows: "customer's service will be transferred to the AC, constitutes a confirmation of the service".
· In 9.0 PIC Disputes, adopt the Section 9.0 of the Model Handbook eliminating references to changes in local service.
· In 11.2 Disclosure Guidelines of AC Information, add the following sentence to the first paragraph: "The existing rules for disclosure apply."
· Delete 11. 3 PIC Disputes Identified by End User.
· In 12.1 Overview, add the following sentence to the end of this section:
Where the AC's original PIC request has not yet been completed, the AC should use any available PIC/CARE processes to cancel the original request rather than submitting a PIC correction request to Northwestel CSG.
· In 12.3 PIC Correction Validation Criteria, add the following to the second bullet: "from another AC". Align the last item in bullet format.
· In 13.2 PIC Re-submission Determination, delete the following sentence: "AC had ordered the end user to validate the status of the account."
· In 13.4 PIC Re-submission Process, replace the first paragraph with the following: "Once the PIC Re-Submission Request has been validated successfully the Northwestel CSG will:"
· In the Glossary of Terms, replace the definition of AC with the following: "The company transporting telecommunications service between toll points competitively using Trunk Side Access."
· In Appendix A, replace "Bell Canada CSG" with "Northwestel CSG" in the first line of the first paragraph.
· Replace the sentence "The following status indicators (SI) are accepted by Northwestel" used throughout Appendix B with the following: "The following status indicators (SI) are accepted by Northwestel CSG".
6.

The Commission approves Northwestel's PIC/CARE handbook, as amended, pursuant to the directive set out in paragraph 5 above.

Secretary General

This document is available in alternative format upon request and may also be examined at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca

Date Modified: 2002-08-13

Date modified: