KFR, Tele-Tech’s parent company, was pleased to be the Platinum Sponsor of the annual Razorsight Users' Conference September 16–18, 2009, in Washington D.C. While Razorsight has traditionally focused on network cost analysis, its recent acquisition of Single Tusk and move toward usage-based analytics makes Tele-Tech's data particularly advantageous for Razorsight's customer base.
KFR Co-Presidents Stephanie Fetchen and Kim Russo attended the conference. While there, they met with clients and colleagues in the Washington D.C. area to discuss how our data is performing in their environment; as well as reviewing the potential benefits of utilizing our data with new contacts.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Universal Service/Low Income Support Database
We're pleased to announce our newest database, developed to serve our CLEC and wireless customers that are offering Lifeline service to low-income subscribers. Our End User Access Line (EUCL) Database gives the tariffed EUCL rate for each incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) in each state. The database shows the rate at which the Universal Service Fund (USF) Administrator will reimburse a service provider in exchange for that service provider reducing rates to low-income subscribers. Our customers use this data to submit accurate requests for reimbursement to the USF Administrator, since they must be reimbursed at the rate tariffed by the ULEC. Submitting inaccurate calculations of the amount due to the USF Administrator can lead to audits, which may potentially result in penalties.
Local exchange carriers have typically reduced their standard line charges by the amount available for reimbursement by the USF when serving eligible low-income subscribers. But a new trend among prepaid wireless service providers is to offer low-income subscribers free service, and to be compensated only at the amount available from the Universal Service Fund. The EUCL rate is currently capped at $6.50 per month.
The USF is funded through mandatory contributions from service providers and is currently set at 12.9% of revenue collected for interstate traffic. Generally, providers pass through these charges to customers as a fee on their phone bills. The total amount currently contributed to the USF each quarter is in excess of $18 billion. In addition to subsidizing low-income subscribers, the USF offers reimbursement to companies serving rural areas where the costs of providing service to small numbers of subscribers is very high. It also provides funds to subsidize Internet service in schools and libraries.
KFR's EUCL database includes supporting tariff pages and documentation to be used in the event of an audit by the USF Administrator.
Please call Kim Russo at 800-433-6181 x7103 or email krusso@telecomdb.com for more information.
Local exchange carriers have typically reduced their standard line charges by the amount available for reimbursement by the USF when serving eligible low-income subscribers. But a new trend among prepaid wireless service providers is to offer low-income subscribers free service, and to be compensated only at the amount available from the Universal Service Fund. The EUCL rate is currently capped at $6.50 per month.
The USF is funded through mandatory contributions from service providers and is currently set at 12.9% of revenue collected for interstate traffic. Generally, providers pass through these charges to customers as a fee on their phone bills. The total amount currently contributed to the USF each quarter is in excess of $18 billion. In addition to subsidizing low-income subscribers, the USF offers reimbursement to companies serving rural areas where the costs of providing service to small numbers of subscribers is very high. It also provides funds to subsidize Internet service in schools and libraries.
KFR's EUCL database includes supporting tariff pages and documentation to be used in the event of an audit by the USF Administrator.
Please call Kim Russo at 800-433-6181 x7103 or email krusso@telecomdb.com for more information.
Tele-Tech Stats Update
As you may be aware, we use this blog to provide information on errors found in our local calling area data that do not meet the criteria to be included in our publicly reported accuracy stats, generally because the error was made prior to the time period on which we report. Recently, we discovered an error in the area of Quincy, IL. A special circumstance where telephone subscribers in Quincy, IL, can call subscribers in one specific NXX in the St. Louis, MO, rate center (but not the remainder of the St. Louis rate center) was not properly reflected in our database. This problem has been corrected. The error dates to more than 2 years ago, so it is not included in our home page stat that shows errors introduced into the database in the past 24 months.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Quality Update
We've decided to use this space to report on occasional discrepancies in our local data that do not show up in our local calling accuracy stat because the problem was not in the actual local calling area data.
This report involves a specific area in Missouri where a customer can subscribe to a very large local calling area at a higher monthly fee. We had identified this local calling area as optional in our data. However, customers that select this local calling plan are assigned a special NXX. Therefore, for customers in that NXX, this is not an optional plan. We have changed our database to more accurately reflect this.
As always, we want to hear from you. Let us know if you have any questions.
This report involves a specific area in Missouri where a customer can subscribe to a very large local calling area at a higher monthly fee. We had identified this local calling area as optional in our data. However, customers that select this local calling plan are assigned a special NXX. Therefore, for customers in that NXX, this is not an optional plan. We have changed our database to more accurately reflect this.
As always, we want to hear from you. Let us know if you have any questions.
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