CG-STUG-001 Issue 1.28-August 4, 2006

The CLEC must complete the forms or actions described in this section before ordering services. The necessary information and forms specified should be submitted to the following address or to the Advisory Team, as directed during initial contact.

BellSouth Interconnection Services Advisory Team
10th Floor
600 N 19th ST
Birmingham, AL 35203
888-560-CLEC (888-560-2532)

An example of each form, along with any accompanying instructions, can be found in Appendix B.

Operating Company Number

Service requests cannot be processed without an Operating Company Number (OCN), an alphanumeric code assigned by the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA). Contact the NECA at 800-223-7751 for appropriate information. The fax number for the NECA 800-551-3038. To find out more about NECA, please visit their website at http://www.necaservices.com/source/NECAServices_Home.asp.
NECA

The "NECA Company Code Request Form" that is required for an OCN can be found at NECA's website: http://www.necaservices.com/source/NECAServices_Home.asp
Company Code Request Form

Blanket Letter of Authorization

The CLEC must sign a blanket Letter of Authorization (LOA) prior to processing service order requests. This blanket LOA is required for CLECs to have access to BellSouth's Customer Service Records (CSRs). The blanket LOA does not relieve the CLEC of the obligation to secure and maintain authorization from every end-user whose CSR it will view or use. BellSouth may request a copy of the end-user authorization obtained by the CLEC from the CLEC's end-user to view and/or use in the event of an end-user dispute.

This BellSouth Blanket Agency Agreement for Local Service Providers is located in Appendix B of this guide.

CLEC Misdirected Call Contact Number

A form is required to advise BellSouth how to handle a misdirected call from the CLEC's end-user. For example, a CLEC's end-user calling BellSouth Repair for maintenance or repair issues will be given the appropriate number(s) provided by the CLEC for calls misdirected to BellSouth.

The name of this form is Telephone Number for Misdirected CLEC Calls - CLEC Contact Number. This form can be found in Appendix B of this guide.

CLECs may use the following number to refer BellSouth end-users that dial a CLEC in error to BellSouth for assistance: 800-282-9973.

CLEC CNA Code

Customer Name and Address (CNA) information can now be obtained through BellSouth Directory Assistance.

PIC/LPIC Form

The Primary Interexchange Carrier/IntraLATA Primary Interexchange Carrier (PIC/LPIC) Change Notification is a report provided to Resellers when the end-user's PIC/LPIC of record changes. This report will provide the CLEC with an up-to-date record of the end-user's account for subsequent order activity and accurate records for trouble reporting.

The CLEC only receives notification of PIC/LPIC changes for service requests processed mechanically through the Equal Access Service Center (EASC). Service orders issued in the LCSC at the request of the CLEC will not be included in the report.

To receive the report, the CLEC must complete the PIC/LPIC Change Notification Form and forward it to the Equal Access Service Center at the address provided below.

Manager - Equal Access Service Center
BellSouth Interconnection Services
15th Floor
600 N 19th ST
Birmingham, AL 35203

State	Equal Access Service Center
Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina	780-2778 *
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky	557-6001 *
All other states	800-456-9127

*Dial local area code in areas where 10-digit dialing is required.

Notification to the Reseller is mechanically generated after the service request has been completed.

The form required is the PIC/LPIC Change Notification Report, which is located in Appendix B of this guide.

ACNA and CIC

Note:
This section is only applicable to Facility-based Carriers.

Facility-based CLECs must have an Access Customer Name Abbreviation (ACNA) and a Carrier Identification Code (CIC) to place orders for Access Service.

ACNA - To order Special or Switched Access from BellSouth, the CLEC must have an Access Customer Name Abbreviation (ACNA). To obtain an ACNA, the CLEC must:

• Contact Telecordia directly. Telecordia charges $350.00 for the ACNA.
• Telecordia - 877-699-5577

CIC - To order Local Access Trunks from BellSouth, the CLEC must also have a Carrier Identification Code (CIC) in addition to the Access Customer Name Abbreviation (ACNA). To obtain a CIC, the CLEC must contact
NANPA (North American Numbering Plan) www.nanpa.com
NANPA
Nancy Fears 281-584-0345, e-fax 208-694-5329.

Disposition of LIDB Contract Negotiations

Line Information Database (LIDB) is a database system designed to provide validation of calling card and other billing information. The purpose of providing LIDB access service is to provide screening validation on operator assisted calls on billing number records for CLECs with a signed LIDB Storage Agreement. The CLEC will provide its billing number records information to BellSouth's LIDB for the initial loading and daily updates each business day by a method agreed upon by both companies. The CLEC will arrange and pay for transportation of its updates to the LIDB database. The CLEC must advise BellSouth of its decision to store its numbers in BLS' LIDB. Contact your BellSouth Local Contract Manager for additional information concerning a LIDB storage agreement.

Tariffs

Tariff Information is available on the AT&T Tariff page.

Contract

A Resale Agreement between the CLEC & BellSouth is required before a CLEC places service order requests.

Bona Fide Request Process

Request For Unbundled Capabilities

The Bona Fide Request (BFR) Process has been developed to evaluate the availability and feasibility of all CLEC requests for additional access to unbundled network elements, services or capabilities not currently provided in interconnection agreements. The BFR Process ensures that all requests for new services are answered in a timely and efficient manner and in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

If you would like to submit a Nondisclosure Agreement in association with your request, please request a BellSouth prepared non-disclosure agreement from the assigned Local Contract Manager. You should then complete and attach the agreement to your request. If you have questions or concerns regarding any of the information being requested, please contact the assigned Local Contract Manager

The completed Request for Unbundled Capabilities form, located in Appendix B of this guide, should be returned to your assigned Local Contract Manager.

Access to Poles, Conduits, and Rights-of-Way

Under the provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Section 224 (47 U.S. C. 224), BellSouth will grant to competing telecommunications service providers the authority to attach facilities to BellSouth owned or controlled poles or to place facilities within BellSouth owned or controlled conduits, ducts or rights-of-way. BellSouth will provide the requesting CLEC with equal and nondiscriminatory access to pole space, conduits, ducts, and right-of-way on terms and conditions equal to those provided by BellSouth to itself or to any other telecommunications service provider. Authority will be granted by individual licenses under terms specified in the "BellSouth Poles, Conduits and Rights of Way License" agreement.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allows parties to negotiate rates, terms, and conditions different from those that might have been negotiated with other entities. BellSouth offers a Generic Structures Access agreement, but CLECs are free to propose other terms. All CLEC Structures Access license agreements must be negotiated through the Competitive Structures Provisioning Center (CSPC).

For information regarding negotiations or for copies of "Inquiry and License Application" documents contact:

Competitive Structures Provisioning Center
North W3D2
3535 Colonnade Parkway
Birmingham, AL 35243
Fax (205) 977-7730

Staff Contacts:
Primary Contact, Arthur Williams - Staff Manager (205) 977-5068
Secondary Contact, Kirk Smith - Manager (205) 977-5725

End-users with Disabilities

BellSouth offers local Directory Assistance at no charge on calls from an approved telephone line for end-users with disabilities. For the purposes of this guide an approved line is a resold line only. End-users who are legally blind or are visually or physically disabled may apply for the exemption. The application for Directory Assistance exemption automatically expires in two (2) years for a residential line and in one (1) year for a business line. For the end-user's exemption to continue uninterrupted, a renewal request must be received in the Telecommunications Center for Customers with Disabilities (TCCD) prior to the expiration date. A copy of this application is located in Appendix B of this guide.

BellSouth also offers reduced long distance rates for calls from an approved telephone line for end-users with disabilities. End-users with an Impairment of Hearing or an Impairment of Speech condition may apply for the reduction. A copy of this application is located in Appendix B of this guide. The end-user must contact his/her long distance carrier, if other than BellSouth, for information concerning reduced rates for its service.

When a CLEC end-user wishes to apply for the local Directory Assistance exemption or the BellSouth reduced long distance rates, the CLEC should provide the end-user with the appropriate application. If an end-user already has a disability exemption for local directory assistance or for reduced long distance rate and switches to another local service provider, a new application must be completed. The CLEC is responsible for maintaining the end-user's application in its files. For the purposes of this guide an approved line is a resold line only.

The end-user should return the application to the CLEC. After review by the CLEC to insure the application is complete, the application, along with proof of the disability, must be mailed to the BellSouth TCCD. The TCCD does not accept Local Service Requests. Only applications for end-user disability exemptions, special equipment inquiries, and orders after local service is established are accepted.

The completed application(s) and appropriate documentation from the end-user, should be mailed to:

Telecommunications Center for Customers with Disabilities
BellSouth - Room 205N
3196 Highway 280 South
Birmingham, AL 35243
Fax (205) 977-7997

No credit for calls or charges prior to receipt and processing of the application (including calls or charges not yet billed) will be given.

CLECs may call the following voice-only numbers with questions about the local directory assistance exemption application and other special services and equipment available for use by the CLEC or CLEC end-users with disabilities. CLEC end-users should NOT be referred to these numbers.

State	TCCD
Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee	557-6253 *
Florida - Outside Miami Area, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia - Outside Atlanta Area	780-2273 *
Georgia Inside Metro - Atlanta Area	404-780-2273
Florida Inside Metro - Miami Area	305-780-2273
Non-BellSouth territory or Outside BellSouth Region	800-982-2891

* Dial local area code in areas where 10-digit dialing is required.

Application for BellSouth Directory Assistance Exemption

Persons whose disability prevents their use of directories will not be charged for BellSouth Directory Assistance calls billed to their approved telephone number line. All BellSouth Directory Assistance calls charged to the approved telephone number line will be automatically exempted (deleted) from the bill. The number of allowable free Directory Assistance calls may vary by state. This exemption may be removed if abuse of this exemption is confirmed by investigation. For the purposes of this guide an approved line is a resold line only.

Persons with the following disabilities may qualify for BellSouth Directory Assistance Exemptions:

• Legally Blind - Those whose visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.
• Visual Disabled - Those whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement with respect to "Legal Blindness" are certified as unable to read normal printed material. (This includes telephone book size characters.)
• Physically Disabled - Those who are certified by competent authority as unable to read or use ordinary printed materials as a result of physical limitations.Examples of physical disability cited are: loss of hands, or use or control of hands; constant severe tremor, spasticity or paralysis; non-correctable double or triple vision; incapacitating confinement as in iron lung; severely debilitating conditions such as found in advanced stages of certain diseases.

The Federal Register (Vol. 35, No. 126, Tuesday, June 30, 1970) is the reference source for these definitions.

If the end-user needs an exemption for business use or employment, he/she must complete an application for that request also.

This application for BellSouth Directory Assistance Exemption is for 2 years for a residence and for one year for a business. At the end of that period, a renewal application will be requested which will not require recertification. For information about free Directory Assistance for long distance numbers, the end-user should call his/her long distance company.

A letter from the end-user's physician, clinic or appropriate group/agency verifying the disability, on the official letterhead of the physician, should be attached to the application. The telecommunications company will not be responsible for any charges incurred to obtain certification. This application can be located in Appendix B of this guide.

Application for Reduction in BellSouth Long Distance Charges

Persons whose hearing or speech impairment requires their use of a teletypewriter or telecommunications device for the deaf for telephone communications are eligible for reduced long distance rates.

Those qualifying for reduction are:

• persons with hearing impairment as defined in the Standards and Definitions of Impairment section of this guide; or
• persons with severe speech impairment as defined in the Standards and Definitions of Impairment section of this guide.

Reduced rates may apply for long distance dial station-to-station (DDD) day or evening calls originated from a designated residence telephone associated with a Portable Communications Terminal or TDD/TTY. The reductions are as follows:

• a DDD call made in the day rate period will be billed at the evening DDD rate
• a DDD call made in the evening rate period will be billed at the night DDD rate

Please print clearly or type the application found in Appendix B of this guide according to the following instructions.

• Provide name and address of person applying for reduction
• Fill in the name and address of the customer to whom the telephone is billed.
• Fill in the 10-digit telephone number.
• Provide the manufacturer's name, model number and serial number of the TDD/TTY device. The manufacturer's name should be on the face of the TDD/TTY equipment, the model and serial numbers generally are on the back. Check with the supplier if unable to locate these numbers.
• After completing sections a, b, c and d on the form, please provide acceptable certification in item 7. This certification must be one of the following:
  • Signature of a physician, otolaryngologist, or licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist, or of the authorized representative of a social agency that conducts programs for the hearing or speech impaired in cooperation with an official state agency.
  • As an alternative, submit a previous certification establishing the impairment of hearing or speech, such as those who qualify for social security benefits on the basis of total hearing impairment or for use of facilities of an agency for the hearing or speech impaired.

Standards and Definitions of Impairment

Impairment of Hearing

The American Academy of Otolaryngology (A.A.O.) has developed the following procedure for measuring and calculating the percentage impairment of hearing.

1. Using an audiometer that is calibrated according to American National Standard Specifications for Audiometer, S3.6-1969, readings are made on the "hearing threshold level dial" to determine the hearing level for pure tones of the frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000 and 3,000 Hz.
2. These readings show the number of decibels (dB) that the listener's threshold of hearing lies above the standard audiometric zero for each frequency.
3. The hearing level for speech is the average of the audio-metric measurements made at the four frequencies, computed separately for each ear.
4. Under the criteria used by the A.A.O., 60 percent impairment is reached when the average hearing level for pure tones in the better ear is 65 dB.
5. Where the average level is higher than 65 dB, the hearing impairment exceeds 60 percent.

In addition, certain individuals may have less than 60 percent impairment for pure tones, but have poor speech discrimination. Written confirmation from an audiologist or an otolaryngologist certifying that an individual's speech discrimination precludes normal use of the telephone will also be accepted as qualification for discounts.

Impairment of Speech

The American Medical Association's Committee on Rating of Mental and Physical Impairment recommends the following procedure for evaluating speech impairment*:

Judgments of speech impairment should be based on direct observation of the person's speech and on reports of the person's performance in situations of everyday living. Following is a summary of the recommended standardized procedure for evaluation:

1. Place the person approximately eight feet from the examiner in a "reasonably quiet" environment.
2. Interview the person to permit observation of speech in ordinary conversation.
3. Observe the person's speech in reading aloud a simple prose paragraph.
4. The examiner should record his or her judgment of the person's speech capacity in the three categories with reference to the following classifications (65 to 85 percent of impairment, according to the AMA Committee's guidelines):
   • Audibility - Can produce speech of intensity sufficient for a few of the needs of everyday speech communications; can barely be heard by a close listener . . . able to whisper audibly, but has no voice.
   • Intelligibility - Can perform a few of the necessary articulatory acts for everyday speech communications; can produce some phonetic units...however, unintelligible out of context.
   • Functional Efficiency - Can meet a few of the demands of articulation and phonation for everyday speech communication . . . such as single words or short phrases . . . speech is labored; rate is impractically slow.

The degree of impairment of speech function is equivalent to the greatest percentage of impairment as recorded for any one of the three categories.

* See Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 109-111, American Medical Association,1971.

CLECs must establish Customer Service functions to initiate service orders for their customers. CLECs must maintain all end-user records since BellSouth does not manage this.

CLEC End-user Billing

The CLEC must establish its own independent billing method and system for billing its end-users. BellSouth establishes a "Q" account from the completed Master Account Application for billing the CLEC for any services the CLEC orders for its end-users. After completing all pre-ordering requirements, the CLEC should work with the assigned Account Team representative/Local Contract Manager to determine a billing option. Please see the Billing Process section of this guide for more information.

County Wide Calling (CWC) for GA, LA, and TN only

County Wide Calling (CWC) is a mandated service in Louisiana, Georgia and Tennessee. Customers in Tennessee and Georgia can make intra-county calls at no charge. In Louisiana, this service provides parish wide calling at a discounted expanded local calling service rate but is only limited to parishes.

All Facility-based Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) should provide BellSouth with bi-monthly file updates containing end user and Taxing Area Code (TAR) information. BellSouth combines that information with the TAR information of BellSouth customers to create the TAR Masterfile.

The pre-ordering and ordering guidelines for CWC can be found at the BellSouth Interconnection Services web site at:
Pre-Ordering and Ordering Guidelines

Please contact the BellSouth Interconnection Services Advisory Team with any questions.