WSPL Service Description. Residential Line Rental

Transcription

1 WSPL Service Description Residential Line Rental

2 Residential Line Rental Page Product Family: Residential Line Rental A Residential Line is used to make and receive telephone calls and / or faxes, transmit data and link to the Internet. The basic Spark Residential Line is called HomeLine. Definition of a residential customer Residential Customer means any definition of Residential Customer that Spark notifies the Service Provider is its industry standard and, at the Commencement Date, means a Spark or Service Provider customer residing at a residential property and receiving telecommunications services at that property which are required for either: a. The social and domestic purposes of the occupier and his or her family and guests; or b. Mixed social/domestic and business purposes at a dwelling provided that; i. The occupier resides full time at the same address as the business and the primary purpose of the dwelling is residential; ii. iii. The business is primarily run from the dwelling and primarily by the people who live there; and There are a maximum of three residential lines at that dwelling. HomeLine HomeLine is a local free-calling option for local residential telephone service that is provided by Spark to residential customers in accordance with the TSO Deed. The HomeLine service provides residential customers with the following services (as defined in the TSO Deed), which meet the level of the service quality measures in the TSO Deed: > Local residential voice telephone service; and > Local residential dial up data service. Spark may currently, or from time to time in the future, provide services free of charge to residential customers that are not part of the local residential telephone service or the local residential dial up data service, or that exceed the service quality measures described in the TSO Deed. The provision by Spark of any such services free of charge to residential customers does not mean that those services are part of local residential telephone service or that Spark will continue to provide any or all of those services free of charge to residential customers in the future. There are two broad geographic classifications for HomeLine. Zone 1 is areas with competitor network installed including an area up to 100m from the physical network. Zone 2 represents all other areas in New Zealand. Within Zone 2 in certain parts of the country (Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington) the HomeLine Regional service is offered that has different pricing to HomeLine. This service is identified in the Wholesale Services Price List by an entry of Wellington, Auckland or Christchurch in the Qualifier column. This service has the same service definition as the HomeLine service. Rental Charges The customer pays a monthly rental charge for the HomeLine and HomeLine Regional service. Residential customers can benefit from having additional lines at a reduced rental charge to HomeLine, subject to them being installed at the same address and billed on the same account as the first line and there being sufficient network capacity. Home Business customers can only

3 Residential Line Rental Page 2 have up to two additional lines at the second line rate, subsequent lines will be charged at business rates. The decision to supply a second line to the customer will be at the discretion of Spark. Calling Charges Local standard voice calls (as defined in the TSO Deed) that originate and terminate within the free calling areas of New Zealand are free. Using HomeLine for dial up data service (standard facsimile calls that originate and terminate in the free calling area, and standard internet calls) is also free. Standard internet calls must be dialled to numbers within the 0867 or 0873 range. Non-genuine 111 calls are charged at a flat fee per call. The first non-genuine 111 call in a monthly billing cycle is free. Second and subsequent non-genuine 111 calls in a monthly billing cycle are charged. The exception is non-genuine abusive 111 calls that are always charged. Any other calls made from a HomeLine that are not covered by a separate entry in the price list are charged to the Service Provider at Spark s standard retail charge for those calls (with no wholesale discount) in accordance with the Wholesale Agreement. Those calls do not form part of the Residential Line Product Family. They are supplied by Spark, and paid for by the Service Provider, as a condition of the supply of HomeLine. Those call types cannot be resold by the service provider independently of the resold access line. These provisions do not apply to any calls for which coded or non-coded access has been activated on the HomeLine. HomeLine Economy This product is grandfathered and no longer available to new customers. Please note that any reference throughout this document to HomeLine Economy refers to this grandfathered service and can no longer be newly provisioned for customers. HomeLine Economy features a monthly residential line rental and a local call charge. The service provided by Spark to HomeLine Economy customers is currently the same as the HomeLine service, except that local calls are chargeable. Local calls are charged per call for each call lasting 2 hours or less. There is an additional charge for each subsequent 2 hours, or part thereof, for calls lasting more than 2 hours. This includes local dial-up calls to the Internet. HomeLine Economy is not available to end users with a privately owned payphone. HomeLine and HomeLine Economy Cancellation within 30 Days There is a minimum 30 day contract period associated with residential line rental products. Should customers wish to disconnect before the 30 day period is finished they will be given the option of either retaining the service until the 30 day period is finished, or disconnecting the service straightaway and being charged until the end of the contract period. The minimum contract period may be waived if the customer is moving to an area where the service has a different price or if the disconnection is through deceased estate. 60 Plus This product is grandfathered and no longer available to new customers. 60 Plus is for those end users aged 60 and over and features a monthly line rental with a per minute local call charge. The service provided by Spark to 60 Plus customers is currently the

4 Residential Line Rental Page 3 same as the HomeLine service, except that local calls are chargeable on a per minute basis. Local calls include local dial-up calls to the Internet. To be eligible for 60 Plus: > The end user taking the package must be the householder at their place of residence. > The telephone must be installed at the end user s permanent place of residence. > The end user must be 60 years of age or over and be able to provide evidence of this e.g. Grey Card Number, Superannuation Number, Birth Certificate Number etc. > 60 Plus is not available to end users on HomeLine or HomeLine Economy. > The end user must have only one residential telephone line. Second and Subsequent HomeLine Second HomeLine is a local free-calling option for local residential telephone services that is provided to residential customers. Services and quality measures are as described for HomeLine. Eligibility & terms: > To be eligible for the Second Line service, one of the customer s lines must be billed using one of the standard residential rental options being HomeLine, Anytime or HomeLine Economy. > Second Lines are only available to Residential customers. > Second Lines are unavailable in some areas due to cable constraints (at Spark s discretion). > Both the end user s first and second lines must be Spark lines at the same physical address. > Both the first and second lines must be billed to the same Customer Number. HomeLine Economy Second line (Service Description is as per HomeLine Economy. Eligibility and terms are as per Second and Subsequent HomeLine). Reconnection Charges If a line has previously been connected to the Spark network the customer will be charged a reconnection fee. The reconnection charge applies to any lines the end user has. If a new connection to the network is required installation charges will apply. Other Charges If a customer requires a phone number to be changed they will be charged a change of number fee. Customers are not required to pay the fee if the end user is receiving an extreme level of malicious calls, or calls for the previous user of the number. Also if there has been a directory error the fee will not be charged. Customers wishing to transfer their account into the name of another member of their family can do so at no charge. If customers wish to take over an existing phone number, the standard reconnection fee will apply. Fault Location Fee A Fault Location Fee is charged when a contractor goes to fix a fault at the request of the customer, and the contractor finds that the fault is not in the network (i.e. it is on customer's premises or no fault exists).

5 Residential Line Rental Page 4 Other Services The customer name and address given when applying for a telephone line, and the associated telephone number will be published free of charge in the White Pages and where relevant the LOCAL DIRECTORY. Directory Assistance will use this number to help other customers find the number, and also include it in the Internet White Pages If the customer does not want to have the phone number listed in the White Pages or the customer does not want the Spark Operator to give it to other people, there are two choices: Not Listed Number: This means the name, address and number will not be included in the WHITE PAGES, or in any Spark directory listing on the internet. However the telephone number will still be available to anyone who asks for it from Directory Assistance on 018. The address will not be given out, although an operator can confirm if the correct address is given by the enquirer. Restricted Number: This means the name, address and number will not be included in the WHITE PAGES and will not be given out by Directory Assistance. However, if an emergency call is made from the number, that number and the address details will be passed to the emergency service. If a collect call is placed from the number, it will appear on the bill of the person paying for the call. Provisions of Wholesale Call Tracing In certain circumstances, Spark may be asked to perform call tracing across wholesaled lines, or to access and provide information about other Service Providers' Customers. Requests for Spark to provide call tracing services or call records may come from: > The Service Provider s Customer who is experiencing malicious or nuisance calls; > The Service Provider where the Service Provider s Customer is experiencing malicious or nuisance calls; or > The Police or other government agencies under legal compulsion. The following sections set out the process to be followed by Spark and the Service Provider in each of these situations. Definitions Term Malicious Calls Nuisance calls Legal Compulsion Definition Serious misuse calls that are threatening, sexually obscene, abusive or a hoax. Calls that are unwanted, non-speaking, prank, data/fax originating and hang-ups The obligation as covered by various Legislative Acts to provide call tracing services, Customer information, call records and technical data for the Police and other government agencies such as SIS, WINZ, IRD and MAF and also where necessary in public safety situations Malicious Calls:

6 Residential Line Rental Page 5 Malicious calls may be considered a criminal offence. A Service Provider who is contacted about malicious calls should refer their Customers directly to the Police. Spark is also unable to directly assist Service Provider s Customers and will refer Service Provider's Customers to the Police or back to their Service Provider. Nuisance Calls: The Service Provider is responsible for being the first point of contact for its Customers with complaints regarding Nuisance Calls. Spark will refer all Nuisance Call complaints from a Service Provider's Customer back to the Service Provider. The Service Provider must make every effort to bring matters involving non-malicious Nuisance Calls to a close at the Customer Services level, without involving Spark. The Operations Manual and the Service Provider's Wholesale Services Agreement detail the process the Service Provider must follow and the criteria that must be met before Spark is contacted for assistance. Spark operates a Call Investigation Centre (CIC) that provides call tracing services. The CIC operates from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays) for the resolution of unwanted call complaints from the public. Once the criteria have been satisfied, the Service Provider may contact the CIC following the prescribed process to request call tracing services. Requests sent to the CIC by the Service Provider will be processed inside the above hours. The CIC will endeavor to provide a response to a request for a call trace within 2 business days to the requesting Service Provider, but based on the nature of the request, all work is prioritized according to public safety considerations and legal compulsion priority requirements. Legal Compulsion: The CIC may be requested by Government agencies to provide services or information. Where the request relates to a Customer of the Service Provider, although Spark endeavors to refer the requesting party to the Service Provider, Spark is required to comply with the terms of any Legal Compulsion (e.g. police search warrant, subpoena) served including performing a call trace and, to the extent it is able to, providing any information Spark holds on its network and systems. Further details and expected referral time frames on how agency requests will be processed are set out in the Operations Manual. Charges Call tracing services in connection with the resolution of Nuisance Call complaints will not be charged to the Service Provider until further notification in writing. Temporary Disconnect Service Temporary Disconnect enables a Service Provider to credit manage its Residential Customers. There are two versions of Temporary Disconnect available; Hard Disconnect and Soft Disconnect. When a Service Provider applies to have Temporary Disconnect activated on a line they can choose which type of service they wish to have applied. Service Providers are responsible for managing the activation and deactivation of Temporary Disconnections. Ad hoc reporting is available on request that provides detail on the Service Providers end customers that have Temporary Disconnect activated on their lines.

7 Residential Line Rental Page 6 Hard Disconnect Hard Disconnect completely disconnects the line and no calls can be made or received. It is important to note that no 111 calls can be made. Soft Disconnect Soft Disconnect transfers the Calling Party directly to a Spark Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Unit. Lines with Soft Disconnect applied can receive incoming calls, including collect calls. Emergency 111 calls can be made via an IVR option. Soft Disconnect has two options available, Generic and Enhanced. The service Provider will have the Generic option as a default. Once the Service Provider has applied for the Enhances option and it has been set up, this will be the Service Provider s default option. The Service Provider chooses which option they would like to have applied. The Generic option is the default or the Service Provider can have the Enhanced option set up for their requests. Soft Temporary Disconnect is not available where any of the following products exist on the line: > Abbreviated Dial > Hotline Delayed > Divert Immediate > Group Call Diversion > Divert No answer > Wake Up > Simultaneous Call Diversion > Divert If Busy > Last number redial > Remote Call Diversion. Should a request be received to Temporarily Disconnect a service where one or more of these products are present, the request will be rejected. At this point, the Service Provider can choose to submit a request to place a Hard Temporary disconnect on the line. > On attempting to originate a call, the customer is directly forwarded to an IVR in Spark s network which states: - either Generic Temporary Disconnect: " This is a recorded message. There is a temporary restriction on the use of this phone line. For 111 Emergency Services, press 1 now. For all other calls please hang up and use another telephone. > On pressing button 1 the Calling Party is treated identically to a Spark Retail customer seeking 111 assistance. or Enhanced Temporary Disconnect: " Welcome to <name of Service Provider>. This is a recorded message. There is a temporary restriction on the use of this phone line. For 111 Emergency Services, press 1 now. If you are the person responsible for the <name of Service Provider> account on this line, press 2. For all other calls please hang up and use another telephone. > On pressing button 1 the Calling Party is treated identically to a Spark Retail customer seeking 111 assistance.

8 Residential Line Rental Page 7 > On pressing button 2 the Calling Party and the a party number are automatically transferred to a Toll-Free number provided by the Service Provider and then interacts with their Service Provider who then makes a decision over their subsequent treatment. > The scripting for the Enhanced option is provided by the requesting Service Provider. Common Features > Temporary Disconnect is only available for use by Service Providers for Residential end users who are provisioned via Spark wholesaled access lines. > Once the service capability has been set up for a Service Provider, Temporary Disconnect on a line is activated or deactivated within 4 Business Hours. Charges > Spark charges the Service Provider for each activation (per line) of Temporary Disconnect > There is no charge to set up Hard Disconnect or Soft Disconnect Generic Temporary Disconnect service capability for a Service Provider > There is a one off payment to set up Soft Disconnect Enhanced Temporary Disconnect > While Temporary Disconnect is operational on a line, the Service Provider will continue to be billed for the line rental and any associated services on that line (e.g. Call Waiting).