Telecomm Billing Handbook

Revised May 2004

Quick Reference:

• Do not pay telecom invoices without first doing a complete review for accuracy and contract pricing.
• Whenever you have a question on services and/or charges, please call your Telecom Service Support person in DISC.
• Key step in review and management of Telecom is to create and maintain an electronic inventory to assist in validating your bills from both DISC and outside vendors.
• Consolidated local service billings assist in reviewing vendor invoices, if practicable.
• Taxes should not be paid to vendors. (KUSF, FUSF, UCC and EUCL are all permissible)
• Long Distance charges should not exist on Local Service billings or stand-alone billings. (An exception to this rule is TeleMed circuits.) All Long Distance should appear on your DISC Kans-A-N bill only.

Local Service Checklist:

• Create electronic inventory of phone numbers, services, and features.
• Check for PICC and LPIC to AT&T, issue TSR to change should they indicate another carrier.
• Recommend consolidation of local service billings into one bill, write TSR to setup.
• Ask for full billing detail from vendor, write TSR to setup. Ask for electronic format from vendor for billing detail, such as CD; this provides export options for review of the data.
• Review features and services for appropriateness; remove as needed.
• We do not recommend agencies paying for In-line service to Southwestern Bell if they make trouble calls to DISC. DISC has no knowledge of this and handles the service calls without the agency getting the advantage of the In-line service.
• Check for taxes (generally all state agencies are tax exempt, local and fed), write TSR to remove.
• Check one time charges and match against current TSRs as well as verifying correct pricing against the existing state contract.
• Check for disconnects done via TSRs to be removed from billing. May take 1-2 months for the credit to show due to invoice timing.
• Review directory listings for accuracy as well as appropriateness, delete as needed via TSR.
• Review for toll charges and vendor issued calling cards. Shouldn’t be any calling cards.

Long Distance on Local Services Invoice:

• Create and maintain electronic inventory of account numbers and other information.
• Check charges for long-distance usage and contact Telecom Service Support Staff at DISC to review and advise the appropriate solution.
• Send copies of the bill records to user, offices, and/or departments for review and validation.
• If standard procedures for making long distance calls are not in place, write an agency policy. Review and update periodically.

AT&T ReadyLine:

• Create and maintain electronic inventory of your agency’s toll-free numbers. Document whether they are ReadyLine or MegaCom so you can determine if the most cost effective strategy is being used.
• Verify the account number on the front page of the bill.
• Check for any unused numbers. Determine if they should be disconnected.
• Audit for contract compliance against existing state contract. Review per minute rate and standard monthly fee.
• Watch for monthly variances. Can they be explained? Are they expected?

• An additional surcharge on calls placed from payphones is permissible and will affect your rate calculation.

• Check for taxes. No taxes should be paid on these accounts.
• Two miscellaneous charges appear on every bill (any other charge should be discussed with your DISC Telecom Service Support person):

• ACSFL Universal Connectivity Charge

• ACSAE Administrative Expense Fee

• For disconnects, check to see if there are destination numbers that also need to be removed.<.li>

AT&T MegaCom 800:

• Create and maintain electronic inventory of your agency’s toll-free numbers. Document whether they are ReadyLine or MegaCom so you can determine if the most cost effective strategy is being used.
• Verify the account number on the front page of the bill.
• Check for any unused numbers. Determine if they should be disconnected.
• Audit for contract compliance against existing state contract. Review per minute rate and standard monthly fee.
• Watch for monthly variances. Can they be explained? Are they expected?

• An additional surcharge on calls placed from payphones is permissible and will affect your rate calculation.

• Check for taxes. No taxes should be paid on these accounts.
• Two miscellaneous charges appear on every bill (any other charge should be discussed with your DISC Telecom Service Support person):

• ACSFL Universal Connectivity Charge

• ACSAE Administrative Expense Fee

• Review additional charges and optional services/charges.
• For disconnects, check to see if there are destination numbers that also need to be removed.

SBC SmartTrunk T-1 (voice services):

• If on month-to-month basis, consider contracting for longer term. Note any early disconnect penalties.
• Reduce channels if unused.
• Check for taxes and other charges.

DISC Telecom:

• Create electronic inventory of phone numbers, services, and features. (Suggested this inventory also includes name of employee and/or location of phone)
• Verify numbers belong to your agency.
• Check for unused numbers; periodic report from DISC may be available upon request.
• Remove unused Voice Mail and Directory Listings.
• Review equipment and labor charges provided by DISC on TSRs.
• Check for TSR activity (Moves, Adds, and Changes).
• Double-check totals; watch for unexpected or unexplained variance of monthly activity.
• Voice Conferencing:

• Create and maintain electronic inventory of cardholders and card numbers.

• Pass detail to cardholders for review and validation of calls.

• Verify card to current card inventory; cancel cards as needed via TSR.

DISC Data Services:

• Create electronic inventory services and features.
• Review node and router charges for accuracy.
• Check for TSR activity (disconnects and new installs).
• Double-check totals; watch for unexpected or unexplained variance of monthly activity.

DISC Kans-A-N:

• Create electronic inventory of phone numbers and Kans-A-N Calling Cards with cardholder’s name assigned to that card.
• Receive detail in electronic format. Use templates to import into Excel or Access.
• Double-check totals; watch for unexpected or unexplained activity and report any problems immediately to DISC.
• Usage that stops suddenly mid-billing cycle could signal that the number has “fallen off” the state network (and be billed at an inflated rate). Issue a TSR or contact your Telecom Support Staff to see if the number needs to be reloaded.

GLOSSARY OF TELECOM ACRONYMS

DISC - Division of Information Systems & Communications, Dept. of Administration

EUCL - End User Common Line Charge

FUSF - Federal Universal Service Fee

In-Line - Product offered by Southwestern Bell for a monthly fee that allow the customer to have repairs done on their telephone wiring without receiving a service bill.

KUSF - Kansas Universal Service Fee

LPIC - Local Primary Interexchange Carrier, code that identifies the local carrier.

PICC - Primary Interexchange Carrier Charge, code that identifies the long-distance carrier

SBC - Southwestern Bell Communications

TSR - Telecom Service Request, method to notify DISC of request for telecom services

UCC - Universal Connectivity Charge