Advisor Order Expectations Guide

This guide outlines important items that will often come up during the process of installation/implementation that will have an effect on timeline and quality of provisioning. AppDirect wants to ensure you are set up for an easy install.

To be as prepared as possible for your order(s), please review this document judiciously and reach out to AppDirect if you have any questions.

View mobility processes here

Contracts

The contracts that your customer signs are legally binding documents. Please ensure that it is reviewed for accuracy before signing. Once signed, your customer is liable, regardless of verbal agreements, for what lies within the contract. It is difficult to change items post-signature without penalty. AppDirect is not liable for contracts signed by the customer after submission. A signed contract denotes that your customer has read and understands the terms and conditions therein and is prepared to accept penalties for any breach.

  • Providers change and evolve their contracts as time passes. Please do not assume that each contract “type” is the same in each instance.
  • Please be aware that once a contract is generated, it has an “expiration date” on which the terms/pricing may expire. If a contract is signed after the expiration, it will not be accepted by the Provider and new pricing/ contracts will have to be generated.
  • At times, an LOA (Letter of Agency) is required in order to generate a contract. If a valid, signed LOA is not on file, AppDirect may not be able to proceed with contract generation.
  • Many contracts come with several other documents that are required for the order package. Any documents that AppDirect sends to you and your customer to complete are required documents to submit a clean order to the Provider. Refusal to return required forms may result in the order not being placed.
  • Some services do not require paperwork to order. However, other documents, such as a Letter of Agency, may be required, but a physical contract may not be needed. The LOA in this instance acts as the “contract” with the Provider.
  • When placing orders, ensure that there are no current open orders for the same location. Most providers only allow 1 open order per location and will not proceed with further orders until the current order is completed.
  • Contracts must be legible, without stray marks, and not cut off in any way. The signature and any date/initial must be legible and not cut-off in any way. We are unable to edit the document once signed. If the document is illegible, cut off, or contains stray marks, a new document will need to be generated.
  • The customer’s legal business name as registered with the Secretary of State must be provided for contracts.
  • If there is an MSA (Master Service Agreement) in place for the customer, please let AppDirect know when requesting pricing/contracts. AppDirect will not assume there is a current MSA in place.
  • When requesting contracts/paperwork, it is important to know what type of handoff is required from the customer to receive the services. This is typically outlined in the contract and ordered as such. If the wrong handoff is ordered, new contracts will need to be generated and the process will start over.
  • If you need to make any modifications after order acceptance is confirmed by the Provider, it may require new contracts and may start the process from the beginning.

Bill Reviews

AppDirect does not conduct first bill reviews for customers. This is the responsibility of the Customer/Advisor.


Billing Inquiries/Disputes

If there is a billing discrepancy after services have installed, AppDirect does not provide the same success for our advisor’s clients that our Advisors achieve on their own, therefore, AppDirect does not submit billing Inquiries or Disputes, nor do we obtain copies of bills. This can all be done by the Customer. It is the responsibility of the Customer/Advisor to understand when billing begins.

Our best of breed advisors have told us in unison that they do not expect AppDirect to engage in billing inquiries given that they can be more effective themselves. While AppDirect has attempted to assist in the past, our delivery has been average at best.

Your client has an agreement of service with you; the client has a contract with the provider, thus the client has to be involved given the billing collections relationship. AppDirect’s involvement only adds another unneeded layer. We do not hold the Letter of Agency, and cannot create the same level of client ownership you have with your personal client relationship. Below is our policy:

  1. Advisors or their customers shall submit their initial disputes to the provider directly with detailed, written information, supporting their claim.

  2. Advisors and their customers will utilize the legally binding contract the customer has with the provider for first escalations.

  3. AppDirect will escalate to executives once the provider has not done what was promised. Clear documentation of this can be sent to for further escalation.


Address Validation

  • Not all Providers have every address built into their systems. At times, AppDirect will need to open a technical ticket with the Provider in order to have the address added into the Provider’s system for the order to flow. This can add time onto the overall process and AppDirect is unable to escalate this technical ticket. At times, further documentation may be required to build an address into the Provider’s system as well.

  • Once an address is validated, it does not guarantee service even if an order acceptance confirmation is delivered by the Provider.


Site Requirements Prior to Install

  • Inside Wiring and DMARC extensions are the responsibility of the customer and must be done before installation. Any questions about what is needed can be directed to the Provider/AppDirect Project Coordinator. If the provider offers to assist for a fee, AppDirect recommends that the Advisor/Customer find their own vendor to extend inside wiring.

  • It is the Customer/Advisor's responsibility to determine if a phone or IT vendor is required during activation. AppDirect does not supply this service.

  • Ensure the proper local and technical contacts are given so the Provider can contact the proper individuals should they need to ask questions and/or visit the site. This could potentially be an AppDirect Advisor or the customer.

  • Ensure the customer's site is ready and equipped for provisioning. If you have questions about what needs to be done, you may contact the Provider directly or send questions to the AppDirect Project Coordinator.

  • At times, even the day of the provisioning, a Provider may determine further construction is required to make the site ready. In this case, the Provider will inform your customer and will work with them to get things squared away. In most cases, the customer is responsible for these additional costs, but will have the option to cancel services prior to install, provided construction is not agreed upon.

  • Please ensure your customer understands when billing will begin for your services. Most times, it is when the service installs. If there are multiple sites, it can vary as to when the billing starts but could be as soon as the first site is installed regardless of use. Ask these questions up-front to ensure there are no unexpected charges.

  • If the customer has CPE (customer-premise equipment), they must ensure that it is delivered and they know where it is prior to the turn-up. If the CPE is not managed by the Provider, the Provider will not install or manage the equipment.

  • If managed service is ordered, some Providers require a dedicated OOB (POTS) line for monitoring the service. This needs to be provided by the customer, or ordered separately from the managed services contract.

  • If you are moving a service to another location and the Provider determines a need to move the service to a different wire center within their network, there is a possibility that ETFs/TLAs take effect. When moving a service, please ensure to ask the Provider if any additional fees are incurred. AppDirect is not liable for any ETFs/TLAs associated with moving a service after an order is placed.

  • Speed/Serviceability validation is conditional until a site survey is conducted. AppDirect is not liable for conditional validation.

  • If you need to know what IP addresses were assigned to the service, AppDirect will obtain them upon request, but please be aware that for some Providers, AppDirect is unable to obtain them and the Customer must obtain them directly.

  • Some Providers offer a “tele-install” or “self-install” option. Most times, this is requested and signed off for on the contract. If you would like a technician to install the services, this will come with a charge. AppDirect is not liable for what is signed for in the contract once the order is placed.


Provider Technician Installs

  • If a Provider Technician is assisting with the install of your services (in most cases you will need to request this up front), permission prior to install may be needed before the Tech can enter property. This permission must be obtained by the Customer and provided in writing to the Provider. In most cases there is a form provided by the Provider that must be completed.

  • If a Technician shows up to an installation site and the site is not ready, is refused entry, or turned away by the customer, the customer may be liable for charges associated with the Technician’s visit and will be at the liberty of the next available time a Technician is in the area. In most cases, we cannot escalate for a better time slot.


Site Surveys

Depending on the services that are requested, Providers will conduct site surveys at different times within the process, even after a contract is signed. Please understand that most services are not guaranteed until a site survey is conducted by the Provider and they accept the order, even if a contract is signed.

  • At times, a site survey can reveal that further construction is needed in order to proceed. The construction costs are typically the Customer’s responsibility and can add a great deal of time to the install timeline. If the construction costs are too high, the customer can cancel a signed contract.

  • A desktop survey may be conducted at time of quote request and determine a specific speed is available for a location. When a site survey is conducted by the Provider, that speed may not be available at the physical address. At that time, AppDirect will work with you and your customer to get a solution that works.

  • If a Provider divulges plans for a pre-build/hyper-build, this does not guarantee that services will be available in the timeline provided. Oftentimes, pre-builds are preliminary plans for network expansion and do not constitute service availability. AppDirect recommends that you do not rely on pre-builds and look for alternate options for the Customer.

  • Prior to a site survey being conducted, depending on the Provider, automated systems will sometimes generate “placeholder” dates that can be sent to the Customer. Please know that these dates are not confirmed until a site survey is concluded.


Permits and Construction

If construction is necessary to move an order forward and the Provider/Customer has chosen to accept this construction, there may be times when a municipal permit is required to proceed. This is obtained by the Provider from the municipality and gives them permission to proceed with construction. Depending on the municipality and number of locations, this process can take anywhere from 15 days to upwards of 9 months. Neither the Provider nor AppDirect has the capability to escalate permits on behalf of the Customer.

At any time during an order, with or without warning, construction may be necessary to proceed. Neither the Provider nor AppDirect has the capability to escalate construction jobs on behalf of the Customer.

If the service location is new construction, meaning that there is a new structure being built, there are several things to keep in mind:

  • Please specify up-front if the site is a trailer

    • Please ensure you have correct building names/numbers and suite numbers on your order, especially if it is a multi-tenant or campus environment

    • Please specify if the service is going into a closed/riser building and if a COI (certificate of insurance) is required

  • At times, when the land is first surveyed by municipal authorities, they will assign a provisional address. When the structure is finished or close to completion, that address may change to a permanent address. If this does happen, please let all parties know as soon as possible as this could add huge delays to the whole timeline.

  • All provisional and/or permanent addresses must be registered to the national E911 database. If a LEC or last-mile provider is involved, this can delay the overall timeline. The E911 database is the source that LECs use to validate addresses. Once the E911 database is updated with the new address and it is validated by the LEC, the order can proceed.


Last-Mile / Provider-to-Provider Escalations

At times, a Provider will use another Provider to deliver the service to the DMARC (last mile). AppDirect is not able to escalate directly to the last-mile provider and will have to rely on the primary Provider to do so. AppDirect will not be able to affect any timelines that are associated with delays caused by the last-mile Provider or LEC.

Paid Expedites

Some of the Providers we work with offer paid expedites on installs. Paying for an expedite does not guarantee that the install will happen faster or guarantee a specific installation date/time. However, a paid expedite does move the work order toward the top of the stack for processing. Paid expedites are non-refundable and cannot be re-granted by the Provider via credits.

*Not applicable for orders in construction status.


Disconnects (this does not apply to COAX services)

Although AppDirect can submit disconnect requests on your behalf, it is recommended that the Customer/Advisor work directly with the Provider to ensure a timely disconnect and to not incur any further charges. The following process is required for all disconnect requests:

An email should be sent by the Advisor or Customer to orders@appdirect.com with "DISCONNECT REQUEST" in the subject line.

The following information must be included:

  • Customer Legal Business Name and Primary Contact

  • Services that are being disconnected

  • Service Address (and billing address)

  • Circuit IDs / Account Numbers Date to have the services disconnected

Once sent, AppDirect will confirm receipt of the disconnect request. AppDirect will inform the Advisor/Customer of the timeline for the disconnect. Please be advised that disconnects can take up to 30-60 days to complete, depending on Provider/LEC. The customer will be billed for all services used until then and will be liable for any Early Termination Fees outlined in the service contract. Some providers do not allow AppDirect to request disconnects and require the customer to do it directly. In this case, AppDirect will inform you.

If you are requesting to disconnect voice lines, please inform AppDirect of any migration/porting of lines that is to take place. It is important that the Provider is aware up-front to avoid any delays in disconnection and continuance of billing.

Before sending to AppDirect for disconnection, please make sure that the circuit ID is out of contract. If it is still under contract, the customer may incur early termination fees. AppDirect is not liable for circuit disconnected prior to the end of the contract term.

If you submit a disconnect and it is accepted by the provider, it is very difficult to reverse the disconnect process. AppDirect is not liable for disconnects that occur even if we ask the Provider to stop the process.


Porting

The porting of telephone numbers between service carriers requires preliminary steps to ensure a smooth process. To minimize the chance of rejection or delays, it is essential to set expectations and clearly define responsibilities of the Customer vs. the Provider, and verify that the information in the porting request is accurate. The following information highlights requirements and recommendations to ensure your customers' porting processes are successful.

Customer Requirements for Porting

The customer must provide a signed Letter of Agency (LOA) authorizing AppDirect to take action to port one or more specific telephone number(s) (all of which must currently be assigned to the customer by their current provider). The signed LOA must be within the last 30 days and include the current provider and telephone numbers being ported.

A revised LOA with a current date may be requested if porting does not take place prior to the date on the original LOA. The CSR must precisely match the LOA. The signatory’s name/signature on the LOA must be the authorized person of the losing Provider’s account.

LOA should also include:

  • Current provider

  • Service address

  • Telephone numbers being ported

  • Billing address (if different)

  • Current billing telephone number (BTN)

  • Exact customer name on record with the provider.

  • Any discrepancy or change to this information will cause a delay in confirming the port in date.

Customer Recommendations for Porting

  • Provide a Customer Service Record (CSR). Oftentimes, the winning Provider will obtain this, but please take steps to ensure this process is started as soon as possible. AppDirect will not be able to pull CSRs for you or your customer.

  • Provide a current bill copy (less than 30 days old) that clearly lists the telephone numbers to be ported.

  • If all TN's under a BTN are not being ported, this is considered a partial port and a new BTN will need to be designated by the customer so it can be included on the port request. If a new BTN is not designated by the customer before the port request is issued, 1 of 2 things will happen:

    • The winning Provider will reject the porting request

    • The winning Provider will disconnect the remaining TN's at the time of the port

  • Ensure none of the TN's being ported have DSL on them. Some carriers will allow porting of a DSL line but this cannot be determined until the porting request is issued.

  • Ensure none of the TN's being ported have a PIC freeze on them. A TN cannot be ported until a PIC freeze is removed.

  • Ensure none of the TN's being ported have a pending order of any kind against them. A TN cannot be ported if the losing carrier has a pending order open against it.

  • Disconnected numbers cannot be ported. Numbers cannot be disconnected while port orders are pending.

  • Disconnects are allowed before or after the port.

Process Intervals for Porting

Porting intervals from start to finish, assuming the circuit and equipment has been turned up and the order is clean with LOA. (LOA needs to precisely match the CSR):

  • 49 or less Telephone Numbers to Port: (in 15 business days) *If order is rejected, order needs to be corrected and resubmitted - Port Order Process Interval is reset.

  • 50 or more Telephone Numbers to Port: (in 30 business days) *If order is rejected, order needs to be corrected and resubmitted - Port Order Process Interval is reset.

Rejections are for isolated incidents for factors including, but not limited to

  • Name

  • Address BTN

  • LOA legibility and semblance to CSR

  • Telephone Number Discrepancy

Requested Due Dates and Times for Porting

Due date and times are requested based on the losing carrier’s porting interval. The request is made by the winning Provider at time of order submission to the losing Provider and it is based on the number of telephone numbers on the port order.

  • 49 or less: 15 business days out

  • 50 or more: 30 calendar days out

*EXPEDITES AND ESCALATIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR PORTING*

Confirmation Due Dates and Times for Porting

Once confirmation is received, porting will occur automatically on this date and time. Any adjustments to the confirmed due date and time require a minimum of a 48-hour notice.

The customer needs to understand the potential for early porting and be sure their business needs are not dependent on the timeframe. The only recourse for numbers that are ported earlier than scheduled by a CLEC is generally if the Customer contacts the Provider directly and requests a "win-back" for the affected number(s) until a new porting date can be coordinated. If the Customer is porting from an ILEC, we can usually initiate that on their behalf as a "snap-back" (some time constraints exist depending on the carrier).

Once a porting date has been established between providers, an attempt to stop or delay that action cannot be guaranteed. In most cases, with sufficient notice (at least 48 hours/2 business days), it can be done. However, if any one of the involved providers doesn't accept or properly process the change in date requested, the existing service can be dropped in error. To that point- we should encourage our customers to avoid changing port dates, always have their vendor scheduled for the established time, and if they must reschedule, provide a reasonable notice as indicated above.

Expected Process Timeline for Porting

Porting is not fulfilled until all providers connected to the NPAC are updated in respect to the provider who services a ported number update. It should be acknowledged for the majority of providers in 30 minutes or less. It can take up to 4 hours, or in rare occurrences longer, for some providers to acknowledge that a new provider now services the number.

In the transition to an IP telephony service from a traditional land line service, the ILEC servicing the customers local calling area must facilitate a build of the number in a rate center supporting switch, and a parallel disconnect of the same number from the previous Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) switch.

During this process, you may receive a "This number has been disconnected" message or a fast busy when attempting to dial the number from within the same local calling area. This condition is temporary and should not alarm the consumer or suggest the port will not be fulfilled.


Repair Tickets/Outages

If there is a problem with service, it is recommended that the Customer/Advisor call and open a repair ticket as soon as possible and obtain documentation that the ticket has successfully been opened. Once a ticket is opened, provide the ticket number and documentation. At that point, AppDirect can assist in escalating the ticket.

AppDirect is not liable for restitution due to the customer as a result of an outage. This should be addressed with the Provider once services are restored.

In the event of an outage, the Customer/Advisor should call the Provider directly immediately and open a trouble ticket. Once this is done, please let AppDirect management know and we will assist in escalating toward a resolution.