History Log

Product Description

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is a deployed, unlit strand or pair of fiber optic strands that connects two points within Qwest's network within the same LATA and state. UDF is a single, existing transmission path that terminates on a Qwest Fiber Distribution Panel (FDP) or equivalent, between two Qwest Wire Centers, between a Qwest Wire Center and your wire center, or between a Qwest Wire Center and an appropriate Outside Plant (OSP) structure or end-user premises. A wire center contains a device that switches traffic, or a node leading to such a switch. The switch is registered with a Common Language® Location Identifier (CLLI^TM) Code listed in the Local Exchange Routing Guide (LERG^TM).

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is offered in the following configurations:

• Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) Interoffice Facility (UDF-IOF) provides a deployed route between two Qwest Wire Centers.
• Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF)-Loop provides a deployed route between a Qwest Wire Center and the end-user premises, or a Qwest Wire Center and an approved outside plant structure (Controlled Environment Vault (CEV), Hut, Remote Terminal (RT), etc).
• Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) Sub-Loop is a fractional portion of an existing UDF-Loop. UDF Sub-Loop is available between existing splice points, FDPs and/or a combination of splice points and FDPs. UDF Sub-Loop may or may not have one terminating end at a Qwest Wire Center.
• Extended UDF (E-UDF) provides a deployed route between a Qwest Wire Center and your wire center. Refer to your Interconnection Agreement to determine availability of E-UDF.  If E-UDF is not available, UDF-IOF will be offered instead. In states where E-UDF is offered as UDF-IOF, no splicing will be allowed between the Qwest Wire Center and your wire center.

For other UDF configurations, contact your Qwest Service Manager.

Product Diagram
Unbundled Dark Fiber Interoffice Facility (UDF-IOF), Qwest Central Office (CO) to Qwest or Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) CO.

In certain states, E-UDF is the only product routing to your CO. Refer to your Interconnection Agreement to determine if the UDF-IOF can be routed to your CO.

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) -Loop, Qwest CO to Qwest OSP Structure.

Unbundled Dark Fiber-Loop, Qwest CO to your end-user premises.

Availability
Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is available throughout Qwest's 14-state local service territorywhen spare fibers are available in the same state and in the same Local Access and Transport Area (LATA). 'Spare' means fibers beyond those that would be normally held for maintenance (5% of fibers in a sheath) and approved jobs.

Border town cities are physically located in one state with service provided from a Qwest Serving Wire Center located in a different state. UDF loop requests that involve a border town will be provisioned, if facilities are available, and your collocation or technically feasible means of network demarcation is located at the border town Qwest serving wire center. The tariff or Interconnection Agreement for the state in which the collocation is physically located is the tariff and/or Interconnection that applies for the border town.

Terms and Conditions
Your Interconnection Agreement must specifically address the types of UDF (and the applicable rates and charges) you require in order to request UDF. If your Interconnection Agreement does not include the type of UDF you are requesting, you will need to amend your Interconnection Agreement. For additional information on amending your Interconnection Agreement, refer to the Product Prerequisites section of this web page.

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is provided where facilities exist and/or where you have CLEC Requested UNE Construction (CRUNEC) per the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement, which addresses options available to you when facilities do not exist.

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) access is provided at accessible terminals such as FDPs and splice points in the UDF-Loop, E-UDF (if available), and UDF Sub-Loop. You may request placement of an FDP at any building or CEV location in the Qwest network in order to access unterminated UDF.

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) Sub-Loop access will not be provided at terminals that require excavation, such as buried splice cases. Refer to your Interconnection Agreement for availability.

Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) Sub-Loop and E-UDF is available at splice locations in the following conditions or according to the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement:

• Spare unspliced fiber is available if the spare fiber is not ribbon fiber.
• Spare splice capacity is available in the Qwest splice case.
• Space exists for your splice case.
• Qwest will perform splices in the Qwest splice case.
• You will not have access to the Qwest splice case.
• Qwest will provide a fiber stub for you to splice the Qwest fiber stub to your fiber strand in your splice case.
• Qwest will perform all splices in the Qwest splice case when you are not providing fiber facilities.
• Qwest will not open or break any existing splices on continuous fiber optic cable routes. Where the end of a fiber optic strand exists in a splice case. Qwest will open that splice case and stub out the end of the UDF strand for you.
• It is your responsibility to perform splices in your splice case on the UDF-Loop or E-UDF.
• All splicing access is subject to the Field Verification and Quote Preparation (FV/QP) process.

You must have an established collocation or other technically feasible (and mutually agreeable) means of network demarcation at both terminating points of the UDF-IOF, or at the Serving Wire Center of either the UDF-Loop or the E-UDF. In certain states, UDF-IOF will be between a Qwest Wire Center and your wire center, in this case, the collocation is only required in the Qwest Wire Center. Collocation is not required in intermediate wire centers where your UDF is cross-connected as a pass through. You don't have access to UDF in intermediate wire centers. A Qwest FDP or equivalent serves as a minimum point of presence for collocation for Sub-Loop at an end-user premises.

A network demarcation point must be established in order to accommodate UDF optical terminations through an existing collocation. A request for UDF will not be provisioned until the collocation build is completed. If collocation and/or other network demarcation arrangements have not yet been completed, you must obtain a preliminary Alternate Point of Termination (APOT) and Carrier Facility Assignment (CFA) for your network demarcation points in each Qwest Wire Center where the UDF terminates. You must obtain the final APOT prior to ordering UDF service. If the final APOT is different from the preliminary APOT, the UDF provisioning interval may be affected. Additional APOT information is located in Collocation - General Information. If your collocation is being augmented for fiber terminations, you must provide your Qwest Service Manager with the service order number and due date of the augmentation.

CLEC to CLEC UDF-IOF connections with UDF are permissible with the mutual exchange of traffic as outlined in your Interconnection Agreement. UDF that is ordered as UDF-IOF and UDF-Loop transport combination, may be used to substitute for special or Switched Access Services if you provide a significant amount of local exchange traffic to your end-users as set forth by Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Qwest does not have an obligation to unbundle UDF under the circumstance, unless otherwise stated in your Interconnection Agreement.

Qwest will provide access to deployed UDF facilities that include all local exchange UDF that Qwest owns directly or has a right to access under agreements with other parties, affiliated or not, based on the terms and conditions of the agreement between Qwest and the other party. Refer to your Interconnection Agreement to determine accessibility. All terms, conditions, and policies for interconnection with other companies may apply for a request to terminate UDF in wire centers located outside Qwest's 14-state local service territory.

Technical Publications
Technical characteristics, including Network Channel/Network Channel Interface (NC/NCI™) codes are described in Technical Publication, Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77383.

Pricing

Rate Structure

Recurring charges bill on a month-to-month basis; term contracts are not available.

Recurring charges are comprised of the following rate elements:

• UDF-IOF Termination (fixed rate element)
• UDF-IOF Fiber Transport (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF-IOF Fiber Cross Connect (a minimum of two per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF-Loop Termination (fixed rate element)
• UDF-Loop Fiber (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF-Loop Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• E-UDF Termination (fixed rate element - 2 E-UDF terminations apply per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• E-UDF Fiber (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• E-UDF Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF Sub-Loop Termination (fixed rate element)
• UDF Sub-Loop Fiber (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF Sub-Loop Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)

Nonrecurring charges are comprised of the following rate elements:

• Initial Records Inquiry (IRI)
• Engineering Verification (EV)
• FV/QP
• Order charge (initial and each additional UDF per pair/strand/route/order)
• Splicing
  

  First Splice Location -

  This rate element is for the work performed at the first manhole or splicing location associated with an order.

  Additional Splice Location -

  This rate element is for the work performed at the second manhole or splicing location associated with an order that requires assessment of the first splice location element.
  If a third splice is a required for a single order, the first splice location rate will apply.

• UDF-IOF Fiber Cross Connect (a minimum of two per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF-Loop Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• E-UDF Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
• UDF Sub-Loop Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)

In certain states, if E-UDF is not available, UDF-IOF will be offered instead and billed at UDF-IOF rates. An order may be cancelled at any time up to and including the service date. Cancellation charges will apply to all cancelled orders.

In certain states, E-UDF has been integrated into the UDF-IOF billing structure. In these states, the UDF-IOF rate applies for the interoffice facilities between a Qwest Wire Center and your wire center.

Rates

Wholesale rates for this product or service, including tariff references and any applicable discounts, are provided in your current Interconnection, Resale, Commercial, or other governing agreement.

A nonrecurring charge applies to the installation of service(s) and in some states a disconnect service(s) charge will apply. Consult your state specific Interconnection Agreement to determine if UDF is available by the strand or by the pair. If your Interconnection Agreement does not contain both UDF options, then please contact your Service Manager to make state-specific amendments to your Interconnection Agreement.

Tariffs, Regulations, and Policies

Tariffs, regulations and policies are located in the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price List.

Directory Listings are not part of the UDF product offering.

An IRI is required prior to requesting provisioning of UDF, unless otherwise stated in your Interconnection Agreement. The IRI process is described in Pre-Ordering section of this web page.

During collocation builds, UDF may be reserved for 30, 60, or 90 calendar days. The reservation may be extended for the same length of time of the original request, if there is a delay in the completion of the collocation build. In addition, Qwest will allow UDF reservations, if the affected collocation needs to be augmented for the initial fiber terminations. At the time that the UDF IRI is submitted and reservations are requested due to a collocation augment, you must provide Qwest with the augmentation order number and due date. UDF reservations will also be accepted for a six-month period if your Collocation Application has not been filed. To continue the UDF reservation, Qwest must receive a Collocation Application no later than the last business day of the six-month period. In all cases, to extend UDF reservations, the CLEC must contact Qwest with information that authorizes the extension or the UDF will be reclaimed following the reservation expiration date. If you do not contact Qwest, Qwest will discontinue the reservation and stop the billing on the first calendar day following the reservation requested interval (i.e., 31st, 61st, 91st calendar days).

UDF-IOF reservation recurring charges include fiber transport, cross connects and terminations. UDF-Loop reservation recurring charges include the fiber loop, cross connects and terminations. The recurring charges will be assessed at the start of the reservation; the nonrecurring charges will be assessed after installation.

Qwest will provide you with access to deployed UDF facilities. You will be responsible for obtaining and connecting electronic equipment to both ends of the UDF, and you will be able to use the regenerating equipment that already exists in the facility. UDF technical parameters and related design requirements are described in Technical Publication, Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77383.

When you submit your service request and facilities are not available, your request may be held for 90 business days. For exceptions and detailed information, refer to the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Access to UDF in Qwest's network is provided in either single mode or multi-mode. During the IRI process, Qwest will contact you by phone or email of the availability of either offering.

When UDF is disconnected, the UDF must be returned to Qwest in the same condition it was originally provided to you. If you have connected your fiber with Qwest's through an OSP structure, the fiber cable must be removed at the point of interconnection with Qwest's fiber (e.g., CEV, RT, utility holes or other OSP structures).

You are required to notify and ensure that all of your end-users are disconnected from the UDF prior to your requested disconnect due date.

Optional Features
No optional features are available with UDF.

See Features/Benefits.

Product Prerequisites
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 Agreementor New Customer Questionnaire, information is located in the Interconnection Agreement.

Pre Ordering

Prior to ordering UDF the following pre-ordering functions may apply according to the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement:

• Establish collocation or other technically feasible means network demarcation.
• Determine if your UDF request is an IRI-simple or IRI-complex inquiry, refer to the definitions below.
• Check the Fiber Data Reports Tool to determine if spare UDF is available.
• Complete and submit an Initial Request Inquiry (IRI) Form .
• Request reservation of spare UDF, if desired.

To request multiple splice locations or UDF combinations of UDF-IOF and UDF Loop refer to the Special Request (SR) Process. Contact your Qwest Service Manager if you are interested in this offering.

UDF requests that are IRI-simple include:

• IOF between two Qwest Wire Centers,
• Loop between a Qwest Wire Center and the end-user premises,
• E-UDF between a Qwest Wire Center and your wire center.

UDF requests that are IRI-complex include:

• A UDF IOF/UDF Loop Premises combination.
• A UDF connection at an existing OSP structure or IOF mid span splice point, if offered per your Interconnection Agreement.
• A UDF connection when splicing is requested.

To investigate the availability of spare UDF, you may access the Fiber Data Reports Tool, formerly called The Loop Fiber Inventory Tool.

In order to access the Fiber Data Reports Tool, you must download a digital certificate from the OSS Overview. Once you have a digital certificate, you will be able to access the Fiber Data Reports and the Fiber Data Reports User Guide.

The Fiber Data Reports Tool is not a guarantee of availability of spare UDF. Qwest will verify if UDF is available when you submit an IRI.

You may access the following reports to check the availability of spare UDF:

• A-Z Location Fiber Inventory
• Building Electronics Inventory
• Fiber Products Spare Count
• Splice Point Fiber Inventory

Your Qwest Service Manager can arrange a meeting for you to meet with a Qwest Engineer to access relevant plat, maps, engineering records and other Qwest records as described in your Interconnection Agreement. Information regarding the Outside Plant Record Viewing Guidelines is located in Access to Poles, Ducts and Rights of Way (ROW).

You must submit an Initial Request Inquiry (IRI) Form to verify that spare UDF exists for the route requested, unless otherwise stated in your Interconnection Agreement. Information describing form content is in the Initial Request Inquiry (IRI) Form Instructions

If you wish to reserve UDF using the IRI, you will be asked to specify the time period of the UDF reservation. If you wish to reserve UDF during a collocation augmentation for initial fiber terminations, you must provide Qwest with the augmentation order number and due date on the order. You may choose to reserve UDF at a later date by using the UDF Reservation Request form as described below.

Once the IRI form is complete, submit the form to Qwest via email to the Wholesale Service Support Team (WSST) at: wholesale.servicesupportteam@qwest.com. If spare UDF is available, you will receive the Unbundled Dark Fiber IRI/Reservation Confirmation Form containing:

• Up to five routes
• Intermediate wire centers, if applicable, for each route
• An estimate of recurring and nonrecurring charges for each route
• A confirmation of the length of the UDF reservations
• The Reservation Effective Date
• UDF in strand or by the pair

The routes available will be displayed from shortest to longest, and if you requested a reservation of UDF on the IRI form, the route reserved will be the first route listed on the response. If more than five routes are available, your Qwest Service Manager will contact you by phone or email that the additional routes exist and negotiate how the information will be made available. You will also be provided with up to five (5) routes, if available, on UDF IOF/UDF Loop Premises combination requests. If the UDF IOF/UDF Loop Premises request cannot be provided, you will be advised by the WSST that UDF is not available.

To view an example of a completed Unbundled Dark Fiber IRI/Reservation Confirmation Form click here. You will receive this form in response to submitting an IRI.

If the UDF request is an IRI-complex you are required to complete the Field Verification / Quote Preparation (FV/QP) Form for Qwest to verify the locations for splicing and the fieldwork required for conversion of the UDF section for your use. Qwest will verify the spare UDF and splice locations, and observe the facility or manhole for entrance methods. You may complete the FV/QP Form and return the request to: wholesale.servicesupportteam@qwest.com. Refer to the Field Verification / Quote Preparation (FV/QP) form Instructions to obtain information on how to complete the FV/QP form.

The FV/QP process is 20 business days. The FV/QP process initiates the quotedue date for access to the existing structure or splicing locations. As a part of the FV/QP process, EV will identify additional engineering records with splicing locations and availability. The EV starts the FV/QP timeframe of 20 business days. If a single splice is not available over the requested route, Qwest will terminate the request, and you will be billed for the EV portion of the FV/QP. If a single splice is available and you want to move forward with the process, the timeline for the FV/QP will remain on schedule for the remainder of the 20 business days and you will be billed for the FV/QP. The cost of the EV is deducted from the total charge of the FV/QP.

If you did not reserve spare UDF using the IRI, you may choose to complete the UDF Reservation Request. Information describing form content is in the UDF Reservation Request instructions. Submit the completed UDF Reservation Request to: wholesale.servicesupportteam@qwest.com.

Border town characteristics, including a NPA/NXX matrix are described in the Pre-Ordering Overview.

Ordering

UDF products are ordered using the Access Service Ordering Guidelines (ASOG) forms with unique NC/NCI codes identified in Technical Publication, Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77383. Form and field entry requirements are described in the ASOG. The Order and Billing Forum (OBF) nationally agree upon the ASOG forms.

The standard ASOG forms used for ordering UDF products are:

ASOG forms	UDF-IOF	E-UDF	UDF Loop, UDF Sub-Loop	UDF Loop, UDF Sub-Loop
Access Service Request (ASR)	X	X	X	X
Additional Circuit Information (ACI)	X	X	X	X
Transport form	X	X	X	X
Service Address Location Information (SALI) form		X	X	X

Although additional forms and fields are required, the following field entries identify the order as a UDF product.

Form Name	Field Name	Definition	Valid Entry
ASR	REQTYP	Request Type.	S
	SPEC	Service and Product Enhancement Code. Will be populated with the type of UDF being ordered.	If ordering: UDF-IOF = UDFTSP E-UDF = UDFEX UDF-Loop = UDFLP UDF Sub-Loop = UDFSLP UDF IOF/UDF Loop Premises = UDFLP
	REMARKS	If you have UDF reservation include the Reservation CLO(s).	"UDF Reservation CLO(s) __________." A Reservation CLO includes 3 alpha characters and 9 numeric characters.
		Include the name and contact information of the person who accessed the Fiber Data Reports Tool, along with the date the Fiber Data Reports Tool was checked.	"UDF is available per the Fiber Data Reports Tool on MM/DD/YY for more information contact ________at ___-___-____."
		If the desired route contains intermediate wire centers, include the CLLI codes found on the Unbundled Dark Fiber IRI/Reservation Confirmation form.	CLLI code(s) identifying the intermediate wire centers.
		If UDF IOF/UDF Loop premises combination	"This is a UDF IOF/UDF Loop premises combination"
		If this a UDF-IOF request	CLLI Code(s) identify the test wire center for Qwest Technicians to provide light detector
		If IRI performed	Must have a BAN for IRI
	IMPCON	Implementation ContactIdentifies the person responsible for UDF continuity testing.	First and last name of continuity testing contact, this field allows 15 alphanumeric characters.
	TEL NO (IMPCON)	Telephone number for the UDF continuity testing contact.	This field allows 17 numeric characters (including 3 preprinted hyphens).

Service interval guidelines are located in the SIG.

The Design Layout Record (DLR) allows you to obtain design layout records leased by your company. The DLR request is described in the IMA XML Network Disclosure Document or the IMA User's Guide.

Provisioning and Installation

General provisioning and installation activites are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Qwest will contact you by phone or email to arrange joint continuity testing within the provisioning interval identified in the SIG. Qwest and your continuity testing contact identified on the ASR form in the IMPCON field, must coordinate the date and time of the continuity testing. As part of our respective duties regarding the continuity test, Qwest will furnish a light detector at one termination point of the UDF, and you will furnish the light generating equipment at the other termination point of the UDF as described below:

• UDF-IOF: Qwest and your contact will mutually agree on the wire center where Qwest must provide a light detector and the wire center where your contact must provide the light generating equipment. In some states, you may specify the wire center where Qwest will provide the light detector according to the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement.
• UDF-Loop: Qwest will provide the light detector at the Serving Wire Center, and your contact will provide the light generating equipment at the appropriate OSP structure or end-user premises.
• E-UDF: Qwest will provide the light detector at the Serving Wire Center, and your contact will provide the light generating equipment at your wire center.
• UDF Sub-Loop: Qwest will joint test at an agreed upon time scheduled with your contact and Qwest.

Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) and other UDF service intervals are located in the SIG.

A jeopardy occurs on an order if a condition exists that threatens timely completion. Detailed information regarding jeopardy codes are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Maintenance and Repair

Qwest cannot monitor UDF. Such monitoring is normally completed using electronic equipment connected to the fiber provided by you. However, in the case of a major cable failure affecting the entire cable, Qwest would normally detect problems on our fibers, taking appropriate action to restore fiber-based services.

You are responsible for trouble isolation before reporting trouble to Qwest. Joint testing between you and Qwest may occasionally be necessary to isolate trouble. Both parties will perform cooperative testing and trouble isolation to identify where trouble points exist. You are responsible for repairing your cross connections; Qwest cross connections will be repaired by Qwest.

If it is determined that the UDF does not meet the minimum fiber parameters of Technical Publication, Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77383 and the trouble is in the Qwest UDF facility, Qwest will attempt at no additional cost to repair the UDF as it relates to Qwest cross connects and jumper. If Qwest cannot repair the UDF to meet these minimum parameters, Qwest will replace the UDF at no additional cost, if suitable UDF pair(s) are available.

General maintenance and repair activities are described in the Maintenance and Repair Overview.

Billing

The IRI, EV and FV/QP will be billed to you as soon as these services are requested and payment is due upon receipt of the bill. The IRI, EV and FV/QP are billed through the Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART). BART billing is described in Billing Information - Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART). For UDF requests involving the FV/QP process, 50% of the quote provided during the FV/QP process must be received prior to intiating the work. The remaining 50% must be remitted prior to sending a service request. All recurring and nonrecurring charges associated with the installation are billed through the Integrated Access Billing System (IABS™). IABS billing is described in Billing Information - Integrated Access Billing System (IABS™).

Training

Local Qwest 101 "Doing Business With Qwest"

• This introductory web-based training course is designed to teach the Local CLEC and Local Reseller how to do business with Qwest. It will provide a general overview of products and services, Qwest billing and support systems, processes for submitting service requests, reports, and web resource access information. Click here for Course detail and registration information.

Unbundled Loop (UBL)

• This instructor-led process and systems training course is designed tointroduce and teach the Unbundled Loop (UBL) products, instructing CLECs on how to request service for Unbundled Loops. This course will provide an overview of the current UBL products, and address the PreOrder, Order, Post-Order, Provisioning, Billing and CEMR Maintenance and Repair. Click here to learn more about this course and to register.

View additional Qwest courses by clicking on Course Catalog.

Contacts

Qwest contact information is located in the Wholesale Customer Contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section is currently being compiled based on your feedback.

Last Update: April 21, 2008

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