Billing & Collection Services

Overview ................................................................................................................ 2
Types of Billing Services......................................................................................... 2
Customer Access Billing System (CABS)................................................................. 2
Customer Records Information System (CRIS) ...................................................... 2
Intercompany Billing Information System (IBIS) .................................................. 3
SWBT Primary Carrier Billing.................................................................................. 3
Centralized Message Data Systems (CMDS) ........................................................... 4
Description of Billing Services ................................................................................ 4
Printed Bills............................................................................................................ 4
Bill Plussm ............................................................................................................... 4
Consolidated Bill .................................................................................................... 5
Electronic Data Interchange Billing (EDIB) ............................................................ 5
Usage Extract Feed................................................................................................. 5
Billing Reports........................................................................................................ 6
Toll Sort Options .................................................................................................... 7
Other Charges and Credit Reports .......................................................................... 7
Other Charges and Credits Sort Options ..................................................................7
Long-Distance Summary Reports ........................................................................... 7
Tax Summary Report.............................................................................................. 7
Billing Inquiry ........................................................................................................ 8
Resale Conversion Charge Policy............................................................................ 8
Transactions Not Qualifying as Resale Conversions ............................................... 8

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Overview
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company makes no claim or guarantee when a bill will be
delivered to a customer. SWBT's own internal guidelines suggest that paper bills be placed
in the U.S. Mail on the sixth workday following the bill date. Allowing for delivery from the
postal service, a customer can usually expect to receive their bill from SWBT by the tenth or
eleventh workday following the bill date. This applies regardless of the bill media type
(paper, Bill Plus or EDI) selected by the customer. Occasionally, some bills may be held
beyond the normal ten or eleven days for auditing and certification purposes.
A CABS Billing Account Number, (BAN) will be assigned to your account by the
representative at the LSC and returned on your FOC. This is the number that will appear on
your bill. Any time you are placing an order and the charges should appear on this BAN, this
will need to be indicated on the LSR form.
If for some reason you are wanting the charges to appear under a new BAN, you should
indicate this by placing 'N' in the BAN1 Section of the LSR form.

Types of Billing Services

The CLEC will be receiving various types of bills from SWBT. The following is a brief
description of each one.

Customer Access Billing System (CABS)

The Customer Access Billing System (CABS) is used for billing access services, but has been
enhanced to bill Unbundled Network Elements (to non-facility based CLECs), including the
following:
· Loops
· Ports, associated usage and available vertical features
· Dedicated Transport
There are 2 general types of bills produced by CABS: facility-type bills and usage-
sensitive bills, and these bills are rendered on the 5th, 15th, and 25th of the month,
dependent upon the type of bill. Generally, facility-type bills are generated within the
25th bill period and usage-sensitive bills are generated within the 5th and 15th bill
periods.
· Facility-type bills, normally associated with special access service (dedicated
facilities), are billed flat-rated monthly charges and non-recurring installation
charges. These charges are billed in advance and at a circuit level.
· Usage-sensitive bills, normally associated with switched access service
(shared/common facilities), are billed usage-sensitive charges based upon
minutes of use, messages, etc. These bills can also include flat-rated monthly
charges and non-recurring installation charges. Usage charges are billed in
arrears and at an end office level.

Customer Records Information System (CRIS)

The billing of a few items which may be utilized by a facility-based CLEC are performed in
CRIS. The CRIS system will bill intraLATA toll over UNE facilities and is also the system out
of which INP is billed.

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Intercompany Billing Information System (IBIS)

The IBIS billing system is used for billing Ancillary Services such as:
· Directory Assistance
· Mutual Exchange of Directory Assistance Listings
· White Pages
· Operator Services
· FGA
· 800 Data Base
· LIDB Storage
IBIS bills are based on a calendar month. These bills are mailed on the tenth working day of
each month with payment due thirty (30) days from receipt.

SWBT Primary Carrier Billing

SWBT bills local, optional and transit intercompany terminating compensation, and
intraLATA access charges to CLECs via the Primary Carrier billing system. This system relies
on the exchange of originating records for Local, Optional, Transit and IntraLATA traffic.
SWBT has developed detailed 'Technical Exhibit Settlement Procedures' (TESP) which
describe the flow of records and settlements for all traffic types. This document is
segregated by Direct Dialed, 800, Operator Handled, and Wireless Traffic. SWBT has also
developed a supplemental detailed record data creation package which outlines the step-by-
step process necessary to create and transmit detail 92-01 and summary 92-99 records
respectively. Please contact your Account Manager for a copy of the 'Technical Exhibit
Settlement Procedures,' and data creation package.
The Primary Carrier billing process operates on a calendar month record exchange and
billing cycle. For example, for the September data month the Parties would exchange
summary 92-99 records during the first week of October, with billing reflecting that same
usage during the first week of November, for subsequent payment. If there are any billing
or originating record exchange questions related to intercompany terminating compensation
please contact your Account Manager.
The Primary Carrier system also acts as a vehicle for the clearing of intraLATA CLEC carried
SWBT five state credit card, collect and third number revenues from the billing to the
originating (earning) Party. SWBT acts as the in-region vendor for this process. Appendix
Clearinghouse which may be established in the Interconnection Agreement describes the
qualifying message criteria, responsibilities of the Parties, processing charges, etc., relative
to the clearinghouse process.
For additional information regarding the above billing services, please contact your Account
Manager.

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Centralized Message Data Systems (CMDS)

The Facilities-Based CLEC may choose to participate in the:
· Nationwide Bell Operating Company Credit Card and Third Number System (BOC-
CATS),
· Southwestern Bell Telephone Credit Card and Third Number System (SWBT-CATS),
· Purchase of Accounts Receivable Information System (PARIS), or
· State clearinghouse operations
These systems are designed to deliver and process the billing of inter-company credit card,
collect, and third number messages. SWBT will perform the necessary activities of a CMDS
host, when requested by a certified CLEC, under negotiated terms and conditions.
Calling cards may be established by the CLEC for its end user customers. The CLEC must
assemble, transmit, format and deliver all messages in standard industry format. To obtain
information regarding clearinghouse operations and standard industry format, the CLEC
should consult with its SWBT Account Manager.

Description of Billing Services

SWBT offers a variety of printed and electronic billing services to Competitive Local
Exchange Carriers (CLECs). The following are brief descriptions of each offering.

Printed Bills
Printed billing offers CLECs a choice between the traditional-size bill (6.5 inches X 8.5
inches) and a full-page bill (8.5 inches X 11 inches).

Bill Plussm
Bill Plussm offers the option for CLECs to receive Their bill on CD ROM. Bill Plussm provides
monthly service detail by station number, additional bill data for service order activity and
other charges and credits, as well as itemized calls. CLECs can use tab delimited text files
for internal programming and reports. Bill Plussm is Windows-based and provides the ability
to
· view the bill on a computer screen
· search for information quickly
· print selected portions of the bill
· create customized reports
· export selected bill data

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Consolidated Bill
The Consolidated Bill allows CLECs to combine their separate end-user accounts/billing
numbers (BTNs) within a geographic billing area into one consolidated arrangement (SWBT
has seven geographic billing areas). Consolidated bills include a consolidated summary and
the account detail for each end user account.
Size Limitations include the following:
· One consolidated bill can include a maximum of 5,000 business BTN accounts
· One consolidated bill can include a maximum of 10,000 residence BTNs
· One consolidated bill cannot include both business and residence accounts
Note: If CLECs receive the Bill Plussm CD option, the following limitations apply:
· One consolidated bill can contain a maximum of 2,500 business billing telephone
number accounts
· One consolidated bill can contain a maximum of 5,000 residence billing telephone
number accounts
With the Consolidated Bill option, CLECs can choose among 15 monthly bill dates in each of
SWBT's seven RAOs (Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and three in Texas). CLECs can
select separate bill dates for residence consolidated bills and for business consolidated bills
in each geographical billing area.
Once a CBA has reached the maximum number of accounts as stated above, CLECs must
establish a new CBA in a different billing period. After a CLEC has established one CBA in
each of the 15 bill periods, the CLEC can establish a second CBA in the same bill period.
Note: Because the Consolidated Bill Arrangement becomes the CLEC's 'Official' bill, any late
payment charges incurred apply to the entire unpaid balance.

Electronic Data Interchange Billing (EDIB)

EDIB provides an electronic telephone bill with all the information contained in the paper
bill. CLECs may opt for the detail of monthly service. EDIB uses the national standard ANSI
ASC X12811 Transaction Set, and Value-added networks (VANs) or SWBT's CONNECT:
Direct transmission media transmits the set electronically. A customer must purchase or
develop a translator for the 811 data.
EDIB provides the ability to
· eliminate re-keying information from a paper bill to internal billing systems
· mechanically process data to internal billing systems
· manipulate billing data to generate customized internal reports and rebilling
· track and audit specific charges
Please contact your SWBT Account Team for additional information.

Usage Extract Feed

Usage Extract Feed is a daily electronic transmission provides information to CLECs on their
end users' usage-sensitive local service charges (e.g. intraLATA toll, usage-sensitive Call
Trace, Auto Redial, Call Return and Directory Assistance Auto Connect).
Usage Extract Feed offers the following:
· Tracks intraLATA long-distance calls, can be used by CLEC to detect possible toll
fraud
· CLECs can format the usage data for their internal reports
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· Provides daily usage information for CLECs to bill their end users
· Provides information for CLECs to re-bill their end users as needed.
· Provided in National Standard EMI format, the Usage Extract Feed can be
transmitted via:
n CONNECT: Direct
n TCP/IP (Internet or direct access)
There is a minimal charge as outlined in the Resale Agreement, for the Usage Extract Feed.
Please contact your SWBT CPAT Manager for additional information.
For additional information, refer to User Guides & Tech Pubs - Billing from the main menu.

Billing Reports

The Telecommunications Service Report (Resale CRIS Billing Only)

The Telecommunications Service Report consists of five different reports that provide CLECs
with a summarized inventory of services comprising the monthly service charges on a
CLEC's bill(s).
These reports are available on consolidated bill or single account level.
n Report S01 - Summary of Services by Type of Service provides a
summarized listing of all telecommunications services billed on the CLEC's bill.
The report details the total cost of the telephone services summarized by
each product code (USOC) on the account. This report is in ascending
alpha/numeric product code (USOC) order.
n Report S02 - Detail Service Analysis by Telephone Number provides a
summarized listing of all telecommunications services billed on the CLEC's bill.
The report details the total cost of the telephone services summarized by
each telephone number on the Account. The report is sorted in ascending
telephone number order.
n Report S03 - Detail Service Analysis by Type of Service provides a
summarized listing of all telecommunications services billed to the CLEC's bill.
The report details the total cost of the telephone services summarized by
each product code (USOC) on the account and the associated
telephone/circuit number. The report is sorted in ascending alpha/numeric
product code (USOC) order.
n Report S04 - Detail analysis of Data Service provides a summarized
listing of telecommunications services associated with all circuits billed to the
CLEC's bill. The report is sorted in ascending alpha/numeric circuit number
order.
n Report S05 - Additional Service Information provides a summarized
report of all listing information, Calling Card number, hunt groups and call
pickup groups associated with the CLEC's bill. The report is sorted in
ascending telephone number order.

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Toll Sort Options

CLECs can choose from four different Toll Sort Options for the intraLATA Toll on the end
user's account. Those options include:
n Point of Bill/Date - Sorts the toll by line or station number then by date. This is the
default sort option.
n Point of Bill/Amount of the Call - Sorts the toll by line or station number then by the
Amount of the Call from the most expensive to the least expensive.
n Point of Bill/Type of Call/Date - Sorts the toll by line or station number then by Type
of Call such as Collect, Calling Card and Direct Dialed then by Date.
n Point of Bill/Type of Call/Amount - Sorts the toll by line or station number then by
the Type of Call such as Collect, Calling Card and Direct Dialed then by the Amount of
the Call.

Other Charges and Credit Reports

Three different reports (separate from the bill) provide CLECs with summaries and analyses
of the service order or the miscellaneous and service order charges on the bill. These
reports can sort the OC&C charges by Line, Station or Circuit Number; or CLEC supplied
Purchase Order Number; or SWB Service Order Number.

Other Charges and Credits Sort Options

CLECs can choose from four different Other Charges and Credits (OC&C's) Sort Options on
the bill:
n Date - Sorts all OC&C's by date where possible. Where the OC&C is not date specific,
such as Directory Assistance Charges, those charges will be listed first followed by those
OC&C's with a date, in date order. This is the default sort option.
n Point of Bill/Service Order Number/Purchase Order Number - Sorts the OC&C's
by the applicable line, station or circuit number followed by the SWBT Service Order
Number followed by the Purchase Order Number if supplied by the CLEC.
n Purchase Order Number/Service Order Number/Point of Bill - Sorts the OC&C's
by the Purchase Order Number supplied by the CLEC then by the SWBT Service Order
Number then by the line, station or circuit number.
n Service Order Number/Point of Bill/Purchase Order - Sorts the OC&C's by the
SWBT Service Order Number then by the line, station or circuit number then by the
Purchase Order supplied by the CLEC.

Long-Distance Summary Reports

Long-Distance Summary Reports Four different reports provide CLECs with summaries and
analyses of the intraLATA long-distance charges on the bill.

Tax Summary Report

Tax Summary Report provides additional state and local tax information for all monthly
charges.

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Billing Inquiry
Currently offered via SWBT's Customer Network Administration application, Billing Inquiry
will be moved to SWBT's Toolbar operations support system.
Billing Inquiry is a gateway to access billing data regarding services purchased from SWBT:
· Summary of charges (current charges, balance due)
· Account status (payment and adjustments)
· Other charges and credits
· Usage charges
· Equipment detail (customer service record)
· Enhanced customer billing reports
For additional information regarding the above billing services, please contact your SWBT
CPAT Manager or SWBT LSC.

Resale Conversion Charge Policy

A conversion charge applies when a CLEC assumes responsibility for an EU account. The
conversion charge applies for both 'As Is' and 'As specified' conversions.
Southwestern Bell's conversion policy is consistent with Local Service Ordering
Requirements (LSOR) ordering requirements.

Transactions Not Qualifying as Resale Conversions

The following transactions do not qualify as conversions, and all appropriate non-recurring
charges apply, less any appropriate CLEC discount:
Regrades from:
· Business to Residence
· Residence to Business
· POTS to CENTREX
· CENTREX to POTS
· Any other change in class of service