Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Calls part of the Wholesale Line Rental Product offering ?
2. What typical areas of activity are Service Provider's "SPs" expected to carry out under the IT-WLR contract ?
3. How does a potential Service Provider "SP" become established to place orders for "IT-WLR" ?
4. How does a potential "SP" commence the process "IT-WLR" ?
5. Can you give me a brief outline of the Service Establishment process ?
6. How do "SPs" interact with "IT-WLR" ?
7. What are the billing arrangements associated with "IT-WLR" ?
8. Are Call Data Records provided to support the "IT-WLR" service ?
9. Why is it critical that we provide "IT" with 3 month advance forecasts ?
10. Are there any financial penalties involved with under or over forecasting ?
11. How would an "SP" acquire new customers ?
12. What is the process by which a line is transferred from BT Retail to an "SP" ?
13. Do BT Retail have an opportunity to retain any customers acquired as a transfer ?
14. Is there a break in service when a line is transferred from BT Retail to an "SP" ?
15. Is broadband compatible with "IT-WLR" ?
16. Is Carrier pre-select "CPS" compatible with "IT-WLR" ?
17. Are there any minimum term conditions associated with "IT-WLR" line rental ?
18. What validation details are required to transfer a line ?
19. Are there any other products that are not compatible with "IT-WLR" ?
20. Do BT Wholesale deal with SP end customers ?
21. What are an "SP"s options with regard to raising queries, questions or issues ?
22. Is there a charge related to "IT-WLR" OCB ?
23. Pricing & Billing ?
24. If an "SP" requires an immediate site visit, will they be charged, even if the fault turns out to be the fault of BT ?
25. Why does the "IT-WLR" Customer Management Centre "CMC" not feed back what is on the Directory Entries even though the "SP" has ticked the like for like box ?
1. Are Calls part of the Wholesale Line Rental Product offering ?
Yes, when a line is initially transferred to a Service Provider "SP" the default Wholesale rates in your Schedule and Contract apply, "SPs" may also opt for the tiered one year commitment scheme, Wholesale Call Commitment package "WCCP", in order to obtain discounted rates.
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2. What typical areas of activity are Service Providers "SPs" expected to carry out under the IT-WLR contract ?
The main functions required to be carried out by "SPs" are: End customer billing and debt management; Sales, Marketing, and Technical Support to the end customer; First line customer service; Providing "IT-WLR" with regular forecasts; Submitting provision orders onto the "IT" or "BT" gateway; This is not an exhaustive list but a general outline of some main areas.
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3. How does a potential Service Provider "SP" become established to place orders for "IT-WLR" ?
Anyone wishing to take the "IT-WLR" product must complete the contract application and details requested before ordering "IT-WLR" services.
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4. How does a potential "SP" commence the process "IT-WLR" ?
Contact your "IT" Account Manager (if you have one) or call us to appoint one, and they will explain the process to you. Timescales are normally driven by the requirements of the potential "SP". Generally this takes approximately 6-8 weeks to complete. This can be reduced if customers are prepared to work to tighter timescales to achieve this.
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5. Can you give me a brief outline of the Service Establishment "SE" process ?
Initially a potential "SP" should have a full overview of the product and understand the areas of responsibility within the contract framework. A potential "SP" will then be required to provide a 3-month forecast, which will be used as a factor in a standard Credit Vetting Procedure. This may generate the need for a deposit. Following successful contract signature the "SP" will be added to the billing and order handling systems, and after a period of training and testing the SP, will be able to place orders. Training, testing and full support is delivered as part of the "SE" process.
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6. How do "SPs" interact with "IT-WLR" ?
For provisioning new orders, interaction is via the internet-based Service Provider Gateway "SPG", and for repair it is via the "IT-WLR" repair Centre by direct telephone contact. Other supporting information such as Call Data Records and confirmation of customer acquisitions are online.
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7. What are the billing arrangements associated with "IT-WLR" ?
Billing is on a monthly cycle for all Line Rental and call charges and Call Data Records "CDR's" can be downloaded as required by the "SP" from time to time. Please note that we do not send out "CDR's" as they our available on the Service Provider Gateway "SPG" Online. This allows access charges and call usage records to be transferred onto the "SPs" billing system at anytime.
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8. Are Call Data Records provided to support the "IT-WLR" service ?
Yes, these are available on the "SPG" via the "IT-WRL" website, and Passcode protected through our "SSL" server and available to each "SP" on a daily basis. Please note that these "CDR's" are normally standard CDR's. However further "CDR's" and charges can be applied later subject to other products ordered that the "SP" decides to sell which may not be part of the "IT-WLR".
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9. Why is it critical that we provide "IT" with 3 month advance forecasts ?
Forecasts are necessary to enable "IT" and BT to provide optimum levels of customer service, without incurring unnecessary product costs. Provision of advance forecasts allows "IT" and BT to manage and plan this more effectively.
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10. Are there any financial penalties involved with under or over forecasting ?
No, but there are operational penalties. For persistent under forecasting, "IT" or BT will process all orders outside of forecasted volumes on an as soon as is reasonably practical basis. Over or under-forecasting may trigger a Re-Credit Vetting Procedure. Over-forecasting may result in future forecasts being set by "IT" and rationed in line with actual volumes received. See forecasting policy for more details.
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11. How would an "SP" acquire new customers ?
Service Providers acquire new customers either by instructing "IT-WLR" to provision a brand new line on an "SPs" behalf, alternatively by an "SP" acquiring an existing customer from BT Retail or another Service Provider. This is known as a line transfer.
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12. What is the process by which a line is transferred from BT Retail to an "SP" ?
The "SP" must complete an electronic Customer Requirements Form "CRF" on the gateway, and submit this to "SPG" for processing. If the order progresses successfully, 10 calendar working days later the service provider acquires the new customer, and a farewell letter is sent to the end customer from BT Retail. For any aquired customers, a daily email is dispatched to all "SPs" advising them of their details of any acquired customers.
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13. Do BT Retail have an opportunity to save any customers acquired as a transfer ?
Yes, BT Retail have one opportunity to retain the customer, usually via an outbound phone call or a letter, during the 9 calendar day window. Their agents used to carry out this work in BT Retail are a ring-fenced team and have specific compliance training in this area.
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14. Is there a break in service when a line is transferred from BT Retail to an "SP" ?
No, however some BT Retail specific discount packages such as Friends and Family will be removed from the line during the transfer process.
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15. Is broadband compatible with "IT-WLR" ?
BT and other "SP" provided broadband equivalents are compatible, with the exception of BT Broadband the BT Retail offering, this will cause the line transfer to be rejected.
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16. Is Carrier pre-select "CPS" compatible with "IT-WLR" ?
Yes, as "IT-WLR" can send any call(s) to any CPS Carrier. However, there may be an additional charge for this service.
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17. Are there any minimum term conditions associated with "IT-WLR" line rental ?
Only to ISDN circuits, but not on Analogue Lines, as there is a minimum commitment term required from BT. However an end user with Analogue line(s) may have some outstanding term agreements in place with BT Retail which could generate termination payments under certain circumstances.
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18. What validation details are required to transfer a line ?
The end customers CLI (Telephone number) and the BT Retail Account number, this is to be found on the BT Retail blue bill.
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19. Are there any other products that are not compatible with "IT-WLR" ?
Yes, for an overview of the types of services that are defined as unsuitable or incompatible with "IT-WLR" please refer to the detailed product description in your handbook once you have joined "IT-WLR".
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20. Do "IT-WLR" deal with "SP" end customers ?
In general "IT-WLR" wholesale does not have any direct dealings with end customers, any calls that do come through to 150 / 152 will be referred back to the SP. However in some cases BT engineers will have to visit end customers premises for installation or maintenance reasons.
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21. What are an "SPs" options with regard to raising queries, questions or issues ?
Raise an issue through your "IT-WLR" account manager. "IT-WLR" manages an issues register designed to capture, manage and resolve any issues you may have with "IT-WLR" services. Contact "IT-WLR" customer service centre "CMC", for day to day queries regarding order placement and fault handling. If you have any issues that you don't understand we will be more than happy to help.
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22. Is there a charge related to "IT-WLR" OCB ?
Yes there is a charge for OCB to be applied to single line and/or 1st line of an aux group, and also for additional lines of an aux group. The full "IT-WLR" Product Description and Pricing can be found in your booklet when you join.
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23. Pricing & Billing
"IT-WLR" billing varies depending on "SP's" requirements. Pricing is on an up/down scale. If there is commitment this allows "SP's" to automatically recieve discounts on a month by month basis saving them having to ask their Account Managers for better prices. This is called the Reward Program. So the more you sell the cheaper it becomes. Ask your Account Manager for details.
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24. If an "SP" requires an immediate site visit, will they be charged, even if the fault turns out to be the fault of BT ?
If the "SP" requires a visit immediately and a fault report is made outside of our contractual response times to faults under standard, prompt and totalcare. Then they will be charged under the time related charges process, this is subject to engineering availability irrespective of the fault locations. It is the "SP's" responsibility to carry out the 1st line diagnostics to prove the fault in the first instance.
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25. Why does the "IT-WLR" CMC not feed back what is on the Directory Entries even though the "SP" has ticked the like for like box ?
That is how the system has been designed i.e. if an order is Like-for-Like "L4L" then the directory entry is transferred as existing. It would be up to the "SP" to obtain the directory entry information from their customer at the point of sale.
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