History Log

Description

Proof of Authorization (POA) and Letter of Agency (LOA) are used for obtaining permission from end-users to act on their behalf in matters pertaining to their communications services or to perform activities on behalf of another Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) when trunk facilities are owned by another CLEC. You must be authorized to act on behalf of the other CLEC. As the service provider of choice, you are responsible for obtaining POA, either via a LOA or via another method as described below. The terms POA and Letter of Authorization/Agency (LOA) are used interchangeably, except with Access Services and Access Service Requests (ASRs), where a LOA (Letter of Agency) is specifically required.

For Access Service Requests (ASRs)

Below are two different scenarios when Qwest requires a LOA:

• Qwest requests a LOA from you when you are acting on behalf of another entity. For example: when the Customer Carrier Name Abbreviation (CCNA) (ordering customer) on the Access Service Request (ASR) is different from the Access Customer Name Abbreviation (ACNA) (billed customer). LOA is required. This is indicated on the ASR form in the Agency Authorization (AGAUTH) field. The LOA must be received prior to the initiation of the work requested. An unsigned LOA can be provided and is considered confirmation that you have the actual signed and legal LOA in your possession.
• Qwest requires you obtain a LOA when a Lease Arrangement is in effect. For example: when the Access Customer Terminal Location (ACTL) or Connecting Facility Assignment (CFA) provided on the Customer Service Record (CSR) is a different customer of record than the ordering customer (CCNA). However, the LOA does not need to be transmitted to Qwest prior to the initiation of the work requested. In this case the Lease Arrangement (LA) and Date of Lease Arrangement (LADATED) fields must be populated on the ASR. These fields certify to Qwest that you have obtained the LOA for the lease arrangement associated with the ACTL and CFA entries.

For additional information on LOA for ASR's, contact your Qwest Service Manager.

An LOA must identify:

• The name(s) of the company involved
• The name(s) of the authorizing representative
• The name of a contact and telephone number for the owner
• Complete details explaining the requested action(s) such as addresses, facility information, Purchase Order Number and order numbers.
• The range of effective dates for which the LOA is in force or that the LOA is open ended (no pre-determined end date).
• Scope of authorization must include a complete and detailed description of what is being requested.

• A LOA would need to be transmitted to Qwest prior to the initiation of your request:
• When a carrier is ordering for another carrier and the ordering customer is not responsible for the Qwest charges incurred (monthly or nonrecurring) as a result of the request.
• When a carrier is connecting to a Collocation site

Confirmation of LOA

A LOA is a designation by the owner (Customer of Record) that authorizes you to act on behalf of the owner.

Whenever a change, modification, inquiry or other activity is requested by you and you do not appear as the Customer of Record on the Qwest records for the service being affected, you must have and provide confirmation of the legal authorization from the owner.

LOA cannot be passed or transferred to a 3rd party.

Failure to Provide LOA

If you are unable or refuse to provide the required documentation requested by Qwest, then the ASR and action(s) will be rejected. If it is found that you do not have a valid LOA the following could occur:

• You will be held responsible for all charges incurred
• The completed action(s) will be removed
• Additional penalties and liabilities may apply

For Local Service Requests (LSRs)

• Electronic or written Letter of Authorization
• Electronic authorization by use of an 8XX number
• Oral authorization verified by an independent third party

POA must identify:

• Scope of authorization and include a complete and detailed description of what is being requested (e.g., local service, telephone number, account number, circuit ID, associated CIC including billing responsibility, authorized to initiate trouble reports, etc.)
• Name of end-user or representative authorizing the agreement
• Effective date(s) of agreement (open ended or definite begin and end dates)

POA Available on Request

While the POA need not accompany your requests for records or services, the indication of authorization is a required field entry when you request Customer Service Records (CSR) or submit Local Service Request (LSR) forms. However, in accordance with applicable laws and rules, if a dispute or discrepancy arises regarding your authority to act on behalf of the end-user or CLEC, you are responsible for providing Qwest evidence of the authorization within three business days.

If Proof of Authorization is not supplied within the three business days, or the authority of the POA is disputed, by the end of the third business day you must:

• Notify Qwest to change the end-user back to the previous service provider,
• Provide previous service provider any information and billing records relating to the end-user,
• Notify end-user and Qwest that the change was made to the previous service provider
• Unless prohibited by applicable laws or regulations, remit a charge equal to the amount of the Customer Transfer Charges, as reflected in Exhibit A of your Qwest Interconnection Agreement (slamming charge), to Qwest as compensation for the change back to the previous service provider.

Switching Back to Qwest

If an end-user is switched from you back to Qwest, or to another CLEC, and there is a dispute or discrepancy with respect to such a change, you may request a copy of the end-user's POA obtained by Qwest. If Qwest is unable to produce a POA within three business days, Qwest shall change the end-user back to the previous service provider without imposition of any Customer Transfer Charge.

Agency Partner Agreement (APA)

Qwest will allow Agency Partner Agreements. The systems administrator for the owner CLEC must establish the partnership within the IMA system. You can add or remove agents who process LSRs or trouble reports on your behalf. When you add an agent, you authorize them to use IMA, CEMR, or MEDIACC. When you remove an agent, you can redirect the LSRs that were originally submitted by that agent. CLECs may add or delete agency partners with an eight day waiting period before the change is effective.

For additional information see the Interconnect Mediated Access GUI documents page for downloadable CLEC System Administrator's Guide and the User's Guide.

Availability

Proof of Authorization / Letter of Agency is a requirement throughout Qwest's 14-state local service territory.

Tariffs, Regulations and Policies

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

Pre Ordering

General pre-ordering activities are described in the Pre-Ordering Overview.

The Agency Authorization (AGAUTH) field on the LSR and ASR must show "Y".

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 to learn more about this course and to register.

View additional Qwest courses by clicking on Course Catalog.

Contacts

Qwest contact information is available in Wholesale Customer Contacts.

Contact your Qwest Service Manager for additional information or to discuss the importance of authorization for all parties involved.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are some examples of LOA?

ABC TELECOMMUNICATIONS

LETTER OF AGENCY

Local Exchange Carrier:

ABC Telecom appoints Vectra, the limited purpose of ordering and implementing service to the ABC Telecom facility described below. Agent orders are limited not to exceed quantity indicated below. Engineering information and LEC due dates are to be provided to ABC Telecom in accordance with standard interval practices.

End User Name/Location: ABC
220 Ash Leaf St
Tucson AZ 85705

RELATED COMS ORDER: IJ807465

CIRCUIT: MGC090724876

TELCO CFA USED:
3211/T3/25/TCSNAZMAHJ4/TCSNAZMAK03

The agency relationship shall remain in effect for the facilities indicated until modified or revoked by ABC Telecom. Neither Vectra nor ABC Telecom shall be precluded by this appointment from dealing with any LEC in arranging for other telecommunication services.

ABC Telecom Operations Approval: Shelley Roosevelt

ABC Telecom Western Region Service Provisioning

(816) 670-6047/Fax (816) 670-6991

(Must have FOC/DLR back in order to continue processing this order in timely manner)

For Local Service Requests (LSR)

Proof of Authorization (End-user Example)

End-user's Name
Phone Number
Address
Date:

Service Provider's Company Name
Name of Service Provider's Sales Associate
Address

Dear Sales Associate:

This letter authorizes Service Provider's Company Name to act as our communications representative agent when dealing with Qwest. We authorize Service Provider's Company Name to obtain information and/or copies of all our network services and to order and manage all negotiations for the installation of telecommunications services for the above listed address and with respect to the following numbers: 303-555-1000 303-555-1001 303-555-1002

This authorization shall remain in effect until canceled by us in writing. This letter of agency rescinds any other letter of agency previously entered into by End-user's Name. Sincerely,
End-user's Name

Proof of Authorization (CLEC to CLEC Example)

Name of CLEC Issuing Authorization (Principal CLEC)
Representative's Name and Title
Representative's Address and Contact Number
Date:

Name of CLEC Authorized as Agent (Agent CLEC)
Representative's Name and Title
Representative's Address and Contact Number

Dear Qwest Service Manager:

(Principal CLEC) hereby authorizes (Agent CLEC) to act as our agent. This authorization includes (possible authorizations, for illustration purposes only):
___ Agent may order inward, change, and disconnect activity
___ Agent has authority to deal directly with Qwest to initiate report troubles and receive resolution status
___ Agent receives and pays the bill associated with CIC(s)
Associated CICs_________ Associated LATAs_________ Associated Circuit IDs ____________

(Agent CLEC) is authorized to make the above referenced ordering and billing changes on behalf of my company. We agree and remain responsible for all services ordered on our behalf by our Agent. This authorization is in effect until canceled by us in writing.

Last Update: September 17, 2007