Verizon CLEC User Forum (CUF) Guidelines

Transcription

1 Verizon CLEC User Forum (CUF) Guidelines Overview The purpose of the CLEC User Forum (CUF) is to provide a forum that allows for businessto-business discussion focused on improving communication and processes between Verizon wholesale operations and its CLEC customers. These discussions are for local wholesale operational issues that are not resolved through normal business channels and/or impact more than one CLEC. The CUF is not meant to replace day to day operational support that should be managed by both the CLECs and their respective Verizon Account Manager and/or operations team manager. The forum is meant to open dialog between Verizon and the CLECs, allowing us to work together to identify and implement practical solutions that provide operational benefits to all parties. Verizon and CLEC legal and regulatory personnel should not participate in the CUF in their legal/regulatory capacity. The purpose and intent of the CUF is to have open business-to-business discussions focused on resolving issues that negatively impact customer service resulting in the reduction of revenue growth or increased costs. Meetings The CUF will meet on a bimonthly basis a minimum of five times a year via teleconference (unless the collective team determines the need for more or less frequent meetings) with three face-face meetings on site in New York City. The primary focus of each meeting is to evaluate new issues for potential investigation by the CUF and to review progress on open issues. Examples of issues typically managed by the CUF include determining if process flow improvements can be made for specific product offerings, determining if intervals can be improved, and developing or posting documentation to clarify operational procedures. Often a CUF issue can be open for months as the issue is researched, resolutions are proposed and, if possible, implemented by either Verizon or both Verizon and the CLECs. All participants are encouraged to invite their respective Subject Matter Experts to the meetings when they are explaining an issue they wish to bring forward or need to provide more detail on an existing issue. In doing so, it helps the CUF members to better understand issue(s) and determine if a practical solution can be implemented. Issue Submission The CLECs may meet prior to each CUF meeting to discuss and review possible new issues and determine if the CUF is the appropriate forum to raise the particular issue. Aside from the CLEC submitting the issue form, one or more additional CLECs that have experienced the same or similar operational issues must support the CLEC submitting the issue and provide recent examples to Verizon. Prior to the CUF meeting, the CLECs will the Verizon CUF mailbox at cufexternal@verizon.com with any new completed CUF Issue Form(s) for inclusion on the meeting agenda along with concrete examples and a proposed resolution(s). Verizon may review the issue internally prior to the meeting and gather background information so all parties can have an active dialog on the proposal. The open dialog between the members ensures that the issue is reviewed from multiple perspectives. When a determination is made that the issue raised is systemic rather than pertaining to an individual customer issue and could provide operational benefits to the CLECs, Verizon, or to both the MPP CUF Guidelines Rev 0 Page 1 of 6

2 CLECs and Verizon, the issue will be accepted for ongoing investigation by the CUF. Operational process changes may be required of the CLECs, Verizon, or both CLECs and Verizon. Any recommended change that requires changes to OSS interfaces may also need to be presented in Verizon s Change Management forum for eventual resolution. Issues presented for consideration by the CUF may not always be accepted for further investigation. Often issues may be tabled until enough information is available to understand the business impact. In such instances, the issue will be continued until parties agree there is an issue that the CUF can work to resolve. If an issue is accepted into the CUF for review and investigation, it does not infer the CUF can develop and/or implement a resolution. Both Verizon and/or the CLECs will research the processes and systems in place within their respective realm of accountability and determine what actions could be implemented by Verizon and/or the CLECs as a potential solution. For example, some issues require Verizon to reinforce and/or re-educate Verizon employees on standard operational procedures. Some issues require further documentation and training materials for the CLECs. Other issues can result in process and/or interval improvements which may require Verizon to queue up the issue in another forum (for example to add as an initiative to the Change Management Forum for system modifications). There are times that the parties cannot invent a meaningful or economically reasonable resolution and agree to maintain existing processes in place. The attached two pages provide the general rules for the CUF meeting protocol and the guidelines for how an Issue is submitted, evaluated and accepted into the CUF. MPP CUF Guidelines Rev 0 Page 2 of 6

3 MEETING PROTOCOL Verizon s CLEC customers, who are currently doing business with Verizon wholesale for local services, are eligible to attend the CUF meetings. CLEC customers can be included on the invitee distribution list at their request. RSVPs are required for those attending the CUF meeting either in person for security reasons or via teleconference to ensure adequate conference lines. Individuals attending the CUF meeting in person must sign-in with the meeting facilitator. The CUF will attempt to manage meetings so they tend not to exceed three hours. Person(s) participating via Conference Bridge must announce their name and company in order to be recognized as participating in the CUF meeting. Attendees announced will be included in the meeting minutes. Meeting minutes will be distributed within two weeks of the CUF meeting. Open and closed issue logs will be maintained in the Event Calendar found in the Verizon Partner Solutions web site at: To find the current logs, please use the drop down box to select the calendar month in which the CUF meeting was or will be held. MEETING FORMAT Verizon Partner Solutions facilitates the CUF meeting. The format is structured as follows: New Business and/or Issues Special Presentations (If any) Open Issues Status Round table discussions MEETING MINUTES Meeting minutes are distributed two weeks after CUF meeting. Open issues are updated to reflect meeting notes and issue status. Changes or amendments to the minutes should be communicated to Verizon immediately via the CUF mailbox at cufexternal@verizon.com. Meeting minutes are archived on the Verizon Partner Solutions website in the Event Calendar. MPP CUF Guidelines Rev 0 Page 3 of 6

4 ISSUE SUBMISSION New Issue(s) Sponsorship Any new issue(s) presented to the CUF must be co-sponsored by at least one CLEC and submitted using the CUF NEW ISSUE SUBMISSION FORM (available on Verizon Partner Solutions Website). The CLEC originating the issue must provide examples of the operational issues they have experienced. Opening / Closing an issue(s) New issues submitted to the CUF will be officially opened as a new issue and given an issue number once the initial review validates that the issue(s) belongs in the CUF forum. Issues are closed from the CUF forum once they are resolved, moved to another forum, or agreement is reached with the CLEC(s) to close the issue. Once an issue has been accepted at the CUF the issue will remain until considered Closed. Accepted issues can only be Closed with consensus of the issue owner and Verizon. Acceptance Criteria for a new CUF issue(s) Must have been initially been brought to the attention of Account Management and/or an operations channel and have had Account Management and/or operations involvement with no resolution. Must have been initially escalated to the affecting organization(s) within Verizon with no resolution. Must have an impact to more than one CLEC Withdrawing an Issue Once an issue is submitted to the CUF, the CLEC owner of that issue or a representative from their company must attend the CUF and provide dialogue and information necessary to effectively investigate the issue. Failure of the issue owner to attend two consecutive CUF meetings without a reasonable explanation will result in the issue being withdrawn, unless the co-sponsor or another CLEC deems to become the Owner. MPP CUF Guidelines Rev 0 Page 4 of 6

5 CUF NEW ISSUE SUBMISSION FORM (One Issue per Form,) Page 1 of 2 CLEC SUBMITTING ISSUE SHOULD COMPLETE LINES 1 through 11: 1. CLEC Name: 2. CLEC Contact, Phone Number and Address: 3. Alternate CLEC Contact, Phone Number and Address (Optional): 4. SUBMISSION DATE: 5. SELECT PRODUCT(S) THIS ISSUE AFFECTS: (Double-click on box(es) to mark) Collocation Line-Sharing Special Access (FCC Tariff) DSL Line-Splitting UNE-Loop Interconnection/IXC LNP UNE-Platform Interconnection/Switched Access Resale UNE Specials/IOF (Local Tariffs) OTHER (Please Specify): 6. SELECT THE CATEGORY THIS ISSUE AFFECTS: (Double-click on box(es) to mark): Pre-Order (Record Verification) Ordering (Process) Provisioning (Process) Billing (Process) Maintenance and/or Repair (Process) 7. SELECT WHERE ISSUE OCCURS: Entire Verizon East Or Entire Verizon West Or Ancillary Services (OS/DA/DL, etc.) Other General Item Entire Footprint Or Check off Specific State(s) Below: California Connecticut Delaware Florida Idaho Illinois Indiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Pennsylvania - W Rhode Island South Carolina Texas Vermont Virginia Virginia-W Washington Washington DC West Virginia Wisconsin 8. DESCRIBE THE ISSUE: 9. PROVIDE EXAMPLE (S): 10. IF CLEC HAS PROPOSED RESOLUTION, PLEASE DESCRIBE: 11. Other CLECs Supporting Issue: MPP CUF Guidelines Rev 0 Page 5 of 6

6 CUF NEW ISSUE SUBMISSION FORM Page 1 of 2 VERIZON COMPLETES LINES 12 through 14 - CUF REVIEW DATE: 12. Issue Accepted? Yes / No (If No, provide reason) 13. Assigned Issue # and Entitled 14. Issue Closed: (enter date closed) Resolution (summarize actions by Verizon and/or CLECs to resolve issue or check off applicable boxes) Issue moved to the following Forum: Agree to Disagree MPP CUF Guidelines Rev 0 Page 6 of 6