The purpose of this process is to document requirements for submitting billing disputes to the Wholesale Billing Service Delivery Coordinator (SDC).
Once billing has occurred, and if you have a general question about your bill or charge on your bill, you should contact the Qwest Billing SDC assigned to your account. If the Qwest Billing SDC cannot resolve the billing type question, you may submit a dispute for the disputed amount.
Check individual state tariffs and/or your Interconnection Agreement for time limits for submitting a dispute.
Qwest offers two options for submitting disputes.
Click here to fill out the Dispute Notification Form (in WORD format).
Click here to fill out the Dispute Notification Form (in EXCEL format).
The following rules apply when filling out the Dispute Notification Form:
The following are only examples. You can attach dispute summary and detail information to the dispute form or attach detail spreadsheet information to the dispute form.
Example #1:
| Sub Account | Dispute type/ Description | Dispute Reason | Qty | Service Order | Billed Rate | Should bill | Difference |
| 0000000000000 | MRC G235M Qwest High-Speed Internet™ | Rates does not match contract section 1000.0 | 1 | C1234567 | $10.00 | $1.00 | $9.00 |
| 1111111111111 | MRC G235M High-Speed Internet | " | 1 | C8910111 | $10.00 | $1.00 | $9.00 |
| 2222222222222 | MRC G235M High-Speed Internet | " | 1 | C1213145 | $10.00 | $1.00 | $9.00 |
| Total | $30.00 | $3.00 | $27.00 |
Example #2:
Tab 1: Dispute Form
Tab 2: Main Account Number with Summary Information
Example Summary Tab:
| Dispute Type and Description | Dispute Reason | Amount in Dispute |
| MRC on Long Distance Charges | Not in ICA Section 1000 | $30.00 |
Tab 3: Main Account Number with detailed explanation
Example Detail Tab:
| Intralata TOLL | Description | Disputed Amount |
| 801239XXXXCUS | Long Distance Charges | $10.00 |
| 801239X1X1CUS | Long Distance | $10.00 |
| 801239X2X2CUS | Long Distance | $10.00 |
| Total | $30.00 |
Once the dispute submittal form is completed, submit your dispute by email, fax or U. S. Mail (or other written format jointly agreed upon between Qwest and you) to the assigned Qwest Billing SDC. If submitted by email, : Customer ACNA or RSID or ZCID or TRAK, Customer dispute ID # (if applicable), State and disputed bill month(s) should be included in the subject line as space permits.
If you receive an email "Out of Office" message, send the dispute to the Billing SDC backup in order for the dispute to be processed using the date you submitted the dispute. The Billing SDC out of office message will contain the following message:
"I will be out of the office from MM-DD-YYYY to MM-DD-YYYY. Any disputes received during that time will be acknowledged and reviewed upon my return. If your request is of an urgent nature, please contact my backup, (Billing SDC name) at (email address) and telephone number. Receipt of a dispute will be the date I am scheduled to return unless the dispute is sent to my backup."
If the dispute is sent to the SDC backup, the receipt of the dispute will be the date the dispute was sent to the SDC backup. If you do not receive an out of office message, the receipt of the dispute will be the day the dispute was sent to the SDC.
Billing days/hours for receipt of billing disputes are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (per Qwest Billing Office time zone), excluding Qwest Legal Holidays. Disputes for billing errors received outside these business hours shall be considered received at 8:00 AM on the first business day thereafter.
Qwest will provide acknowledgment of your written documented dispute within two business days of receipt of dispute by email, fax or U. S. Mail (or other written format jointly agreed upon between Qwest and you pursuant to a written agreement). The acknowledgment will include:
Email Subject Line: Customer name, customer dispute ID # (if applicable), Qwest ID #, State, and disputed bill month will be included in the subject line as space permits. The acknowledgment will include:
At the time of acknowledgment, the dispute is considered one dispute. The entire dispute is rejected if missing any required information. At the time of resolution, the dispute is counted by "dispute type" (also known as reason code).
Examples how Qwest treats a dispute:
How Qwest counts Acknowledgment (ACK) and Resolution (Reso) Disputes:
| Dispute Receive Date: | Bill PER | Disputed Bill Date | Billing Account Number | Dispute Type(s): | ACKCount: | ResoCount: |
| 5-04-04 | 1st | 01-01-04 | 303B040000000 | 1. NRC on a USOC | 1 | 1 |
| 4/01/04 | 1st | 3-10-04 | 6120000000000 | 1. TAX 2. LPC |
1 | 2* |
*Each dispute type counts as a dispute.
Rejected (or returned) means a Qwest Dispute ID number is assigned, but required information is missing. Qwest will send an acknowledgment response to you and identify why the dispute is rejected and communicate what information is missing. To resubmit the dispute, provide the original Qwest Dispute ID # and the missing information.
Rejection examples:
If your account is in Carrier Access Billing System Bill Output Specifications (CABS BOS) Bill Data Tape Records (CABS/BOS) format, check the Differences List. The BOS Bill Data Tape (BDT) Differences List is provided to inform customers, who choose the BDT option, of any instance where Qwest differs from the standards detailed in the current version of Telcordia's CABS/BOS documentation. The differences may be in the record outlay, the use of data elements, the use of phrase codes, or identifying the company's local calling plans.
Sub Accounts are not provided in CABS/BOS format. If Qwest provides a list of the Working Telephone Numbers (WTN) for UNE-P accounts and a list of the Circuit IDs for Unbundled Loop accounts, then your dispute must provide this level of supporting documentation.
Once the dispute is resolved, the Qwest Billing SDC will provide the results of the investigation in a dispute resolution notification letter. The dispute will be either resolved in customer favor or resolved in Qwest favor or partially resolved in Qwest and Customer favor.
If Qwest sends a resolution saying Qwest resolves in customer favor, Qwest will identify on the resolution letter the credit from and through dates. In this example, you are not required to continue to send in disputes each month saying the rate is wrong. The credit will automatically apply usually within two billing cycles for the time the adjustment was issued.
Example:
| Dispute Receive Date: | Bill PER | Disputed Bill Period/Year submitted on dispute: | Dispute Type(s): | Resolution Letter Sent Date: | Effective Date: |
| 5-04-04 | 1st | 01-01-04 to 4-1-04 | 1. MRC on a USOC | 5-30-04 | 01-01-04 |
In the example above, the charges are corrected from your January 1, 2004 bill and going forward. You received Qwest Resolution Letter on May 30, 2004 stating you should see a credit within the next two billing cycles. If today is June 2, 2004 and you see the exact rate is wrong on your June 1, 2004 bill, you would not need to submit another dispute.
Note: If a Commission final cost docket order has been issued, but not implemented by Qwest, Qwest will provide you with a final resolution letter describing whether Qwest is resolving in Qwest favor or Customer favor or partial Qwest and customer favor. Qwest will notify you when rates will be implemented and the true up adjustment effective dates per the Commission.
The following will be entered on the resolution:
Email Subject Line: Customer name, Qwest Dispute ID #, Customer dispute ID # (if applicable), State and disputed bill month will be included in the subject line as space permits.
The following additional fields could appear on the Resolution Notification Letter if resolved in Qwest Favor:
The following additional fields could appear on the Resolution Notification Letter if resolved in Customer Favor:
Spreadsheet attachments or other documentation that details the resolution for each Dispute Type/Description, including how or why the conclusion was reached may also be included.
Download Sample Resolved Customer Favor Dispute Resolution Letter
Download Sample Resolved Customer/Qwest Favor Resolution Letter
Download Sample Resolved Qwest Favor Resolution Letter
If the Qwest Billing SDC is unable to resolve the dispute within 28 calendar days after acknowledgment of the dispute, a status update per dispute type/reason will be provided to you in writing on a Qwest status notification letter. The follow-up date will be no later than 28 calendar days from the receipt of the dispute or sooner if dispute is resolved.
If you do not agree with Qwest's Resolution Letter provide, in writing, the reason why you disagree and the original Qwest Dispute ID #. Submit via email, fax or U. S. Mail (or other written format jointly agreed upon between Qwest and you) to the assigned Qwest Billing SDC.
If the SDC is unable to resolve the problem or provide the requested information to your satisfaction, you may initiate an escalation for any issue, at any time, and at any escalation point. Resolution of the dispute is expected to occur at the first level of management resulting in a recommendation for resolution of the dispute.
If you are a new CLEC and are ready to do business with Qwest, view Getting Started as a Facility-Based CLEC. If you are an existing CLEC wishing to amend your Interconnection Agreement or New Customer Questionnaire, additional information is located in the Interconnection Agreement.
Customer Records and Information System (CRIS) billing is described in Billing Information - Customer Records and Information System (CRIS).
Integrated Access Billing System (IABS) billing is described in Billing Information - Integrated Access Billing System (IABS™).
Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART) billing is described in Billing Information - Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART).
Local Qwest 101 "Doing Business With Qwest"
View additional Qwest courses by clicking on Course Catalog
Qwest contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.
This section is being compiled based on your feedback.
Last Update: January 18, 2008
