sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Telecom Service & Providers Understanding the LEC

Hello,

Im new to this forum and I do hope that you'll be able to help me understand the how LEC works. Im managing small businesses and i would really appreciate if some of you will be able to give me an overview or background on how LEC works since I engage them if we have telephone issues. Below are some my questions:

1. How do the LEC test the T1 circuit?

2. What test patterns do the LEC run when testing the T1 circuit?

3. How do the LEC test a POTS Line?

4. If the telephone number having issue is part of the T1 circuit, should we ask the LEC to test the single line or have the whole T1 tested? What’s the difference (when it comes to result) when testing an individual line in a T1 as compared to testing the whole T1?

5. When can we ask the LEC to check their CO for a possible issue if they said that they tested ok remotely?

6. As end user, what probing questions should I ask LEC if they told me that they tested ok (remotely) if issue is not yet resolved (i.e still experiencing static or drop calls)?

7. Should I engage my internal vendor right away whey the LEC said that they tested good up to the Smart jack?

8. If I ask the LEC to go to the site to check the SmartJack, is it automatically billable?

9. Before I let the LEC leave the site (let’s say he tested good at the NIU), what questions should I ask that will help my internal vendor identify the trouble? Should I always ask the LEC to do head to head testing with their center before leaving the site?

10. If my site is experiencing intermittent drop calls or static on the line (not all telephone lines), what information should I give to the LEC so they can troubleshoot the issue?

11. I would always report to the LEC about hunting issues wherein some calls are not rolling over to the next line or the 3rd line is always RNA wherein no one is using the 3rd line. The LEC would always say that the programming is fine. What troubleshooting can I ask the LEC to do that would ensure that there’s no problem on the LEC side?

12. The LEC asks for sample numbers/time of drop calls since they’ll be doing line trace? What is a line trace? How accurate is the line trace?

13. The LEC for of the site that I’m managing is XO Comm but how come Verizon tech was dispatched to site?

14. There was a time that the LEC and my internal vendor would not like to own the issue and they point fingers at each other. How will I be able to resolve this and have them work together?

15. Sometimes that LEC would say that they tested good (remotely) but after my internal vendor checked my phone system, they would identify that it’s a LEC issue. I asked the LEC then to dispatch to the site and they found a bad cable. Does this mean the remote testing is not 100% accurate?

Lots of questions! I'll answer a few of them.

8) If you ask for a dispatch out and the LEC finds no trouble (aka "N.T.F.") they will bill you. If a trouble is found with the smart jack, then there is no charge.

11) You will need to test the hunting and provide specific details to the LEC. Busy out the 1st line and use a cell phone to call the main number. Does the 2nd line ring? If so, keep the 1st line busy and busy out the 2nd line. Call the main telephone number. Does the 3rd line ring?

If the 3rd line does not ring, it could be that the LEC has the hunt sequence wrong (they are sending the call to some other telephone number), the 3rd line could be dead or there is a mis-option of the telephone equipment (does the 3rd line ring correctly if you call it directly?)

12) A trace is used to track the "route" that a telephone call takes between 2 locations. The search of the call begins in the switch that provides the dial tone. So if the call was sent to the local Verizon central office, Verizon would start the trace process. If the call was sent to XO's switch, then XO would start the trace.

13) As a LEC/RBOC, Verizon owns most of the infrastructure in your area (the telephone poles, overhead wires/fiber switching equipment...etc).

XO acts as a CLEC. They provide telephone service, but they use Verizon's cables/fiber and infrastructure to get the service to the site.

If there is a service problem, XO will test the circuit to the smart jack (if one exists) & CSU.

If the test results indicate a problem within Verizon's network, XO will open a trouble ticket with Verizon and VZN's technicians will do whatever is needed (including sending a technician to the site) to fix the problem.

14) In this instance a "vendor meet" is required. Your internal vendor, Verizon and maybe XO would send technicians to the site to jointly test the circuit and discuss the problem(s).

1. Upon a customer report they will remotely loop the smartjack(NIU) back from a test point as far away as they are allowed from your location which allows the test to be run through as much equipment and facilities (fiber/copper) as possible.

2. Test pattern requirements and time durations have changed some but basically:

QRSS-Simulates live voice traffic. ALL ONES- puts maximum stress on regenerators. They expend the most energy recreating binary one pulses. 3IN24,1IN8 or 1IN7- To varying degrees these test patterns test timing and recovery circuitry.

ALL ZEROES- Is the test used to indicate that the option of B8ZS is correctly functioning.

3 to 5 minutes of QRSS, ALLONES, 3/24, 1/8, 1/7.

About 30 seconds of ALL ZEROES. Since this is a test of the B8ZS option it will pass or fail immediatly.

Thank you John and dexman

To answer a few more questions:

3) MLT test, a remote test looking for shorts/grounds/opens/foreign voltage is normally used for POTS lines. Please be aware that this type of testing is NOT available on CLEC dialtone lines.

4) There are several different test units that can test a PRI (if this is what you're interested in) channel by channel and making sure that everything works the way it's supposed to. I always test the full T-1 first, and then go into individual channels.

5) You really can't do this. Verizon will determine whether the problem is inside the CO, outside, or possibly both.

6) Do bear in mind that if your service provider is XO (or any other CLEC for that fact) Verizon sees you as "the end user" and not the customer, so in quite a few occasions they'll explain next to nothing to you. Their customer in that set of circumstances is XO, and not you.

15) There is such a thing as "fluctuating" troubles. Standard remote testing takes a snapshot of the circuit and will not necessarily always catch intermittent troubles.

Hope this helps.