CPNI - Protect Your Rights

"Per a posting by Steve Perkins on LinkedIn.

Why are Telecom Carriers seeking to impose limits on what their customers can share with third party consultants?

I understand that there is now language being inserted into contracts requiring customers to get permission to share the customer's CPNI and invoice information with 3rd party companies like consultants, auditors, TEM providers, etc. Have you seen this in any contracts you have seen? Does anyone care to conjecture? I have seen this in AT&T wireless, AT&T and Verizon... The codiscile is nearly verbatim language. which is raising eyebrows in and of itself. I am looking for thoughts on why this is happening. "

The FCC has recently passed new CPNI laws. The laws are strict and designed to prevent sharing personal information about a company. All carriers must provide CPNI protection language in their contracts or post it in a public location. Our CPNI language is posted on our website under the legal page and states as follows:

Protecting CPNI: Your Rights and Options

Basic privacy protection:
MASS values your business and respects our customers' right to privacy. Under state and federal law, you have a right, and MASS has a duty, to protect the confidentiality of your Customer Proprietary Network Information ("CPNI"). CPNI is information about the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location, usage, and billing of your MASS service. MASS will not use or disclose your CPNI except as permitted or required by federal statute (47 U.S.C. § 222) and applicable FCC regulations (47 CFR §§ 64.2001 - 64.2009). We will use your CPNI only to provide MASS services to you or to suggest other MASS communications-related services tailored to your needs. These protections apply automatically, and you do not need to take any action in order to benefit from them.

Further options:
As a MASS customer, you have the right to impose additional restrictions on MASS’ use of your CPNI by "opting out." If you opt out, MASS cannot use your CPNI to market additional services to you. Opting out will not affect the provision of any MASS service to which you already subscribe, but it may prevent you from receiving certain information about additional services from MASS. If we do not hear from you within 30 days after you first sign up for MASS service, we will assume you do not wish to opt out. However, you can choose to opt out at any time. Your decision whether or not to opt-out will remain in effect until you change it. In order to opt out, please notify MASS in writing at 65 Broadway, Suite 1803, New York, NY 10006 Attn: Customer Service, and provide the following information: (1) Customer name, (2) Service billing address, (3) telephone number including area code, and (4) service account number. Removing consent will not affect your current Service.

From a carrier-drafted NDA for customers who are considering purchasing services from the carrier but who lack a pre-existing contractual relationship:

Company [the potential customer] agrees to use Confidential Information [disclosed by the carrier] solely in connection with the project. Company will restrict the disclosure and use of Confidential Information to its employees, agents, subcontractors and entities controlled by or controlling it who: a) have a substantive need to know such Confidential Information in connection with the project; (b) have been advised of the confidential and proprietary nature of such Confidential Information; and (c) have agreed with Company in writing to protect such Confidential Information from unauthorized disclosure. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Company must first obtain [Carrier’s] written permission prior to disclosing any of Carrier’s Confidential Information to any third-party telecommunications manager or consultant

The Viability of VoIP: Changing Customer Perceptions is an Opportunity for Agents

I’m new to the world of blogging and networking sites. That’s not to say that I’ve been living in a cave (at least not for an extended period of time) I just haven’t chosen to partake in the fun. Frankly it was inconceivable to me that I could find the time but I’ve decided this week that I need to make the time to get involved.

I’ve made an observation as I’ve been working my way through the 24 million “tech blogs” listed on Google. What I’ve found is that even now that VoIP is no longer “cutting edge” technology, it’s viability, reliability and other attributes that end in “ity” are still in question.

Part of the reason, I believe, is that even today with all 24 million blogs offering their expertise, few people are able to make the distinction between the different technologies, products and service that collectively make up what is VoIP. “Why?” may make for a whole other topic of conversation but suffice it to say there are failures by marketing departments, sales people, product development teams, engineers and even end-users.

The point I want to make is that there is a tremendous opportunity in the marketplace for agents and consultants to capitalize on this disconnect between fact and perception by becoming a trusted resource to educate your customers. In fact, I believe it incumbent upon us to educate our customers on all of the aspects of VoIP and the potential impact on their businesses.

Many agents and consultants have been offering their customers and prospects a “free comprehensive telecommunications audit” or “free bill review” as a lead in to get the appointment for years and years. And while still effective to a degree (even if completely overused) I think that, to the point of the Telecommunications World Revolution theme here, it may be time for a paradigm shift.

Why not try offering your customers a “comprehensive VoIP needs assessment” or “VoIP migration strategy” instead. This is an opportunity for you to differentiate from the scores of “bill review” cold-calls your customers and prospects get every week.

Provide your customers an assessment in the following areas:

· Network Connectivity - methods of access and terminating equipment
· On-Net Calling – handling calls from one office to another
· Off-Net Calling – handling calls terminating to the PSTN
· Phone System – CPE solutions vs. Hosted PBX and hybrid solutions
· LAN Assessment – ability of LAN to handle VoIP traffic
· Conferencing – internal vs. external platforms / Webinars
· Unified Messaging – productivity enhancing features
· Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery – mitigate threat of downtime
· Vertical Specific Products – automatic and manual ringdowns, hosted call center platforms, etc


Fundamentally your not doing much different from what you do today, you are just re-packaging your services. Be sure to clear up the popular misconceptions about VoIP…

· Enterprise VoIP vs. Consumer VoIP pricing:
o Consumer – all you can eat
o Enterprise – little cost differential, sometimes bundled minutes
· Public Internet vs. MPLS platforms:
o Public Internet no QoS, voice quality suffers
o MPLS based has QoS, toll quality voice (if QoS is throughout the entire network)
· E911, it works: customer and carrier responsibilities
· Security: does the carrier have a session border controller?

Having a VoIP strategy is important for customers. The technology will create bandwidth efficiencies, Cap-ex and/or Op-ex savings, disaster recovery options, productivity enhancements and more. By educating them you will increase the value of their relationship with you and solidify the relationship.

-sc

Who has VoIP for their company? Is it reliable?

Who has VoIP? I do! I do. The days of quality are finally among us. As a service provider, I am certain to sound biased but I really do believe in VoIP as a whole. Let’s just say, VoIP is as reliable as your provider. As long as you have a solid connection, the quality is so close to TDM (the CD to your MP3) that you can’t tell the difference anymore. Some carriers offer neat and innovative products that will give you a T1 style handoff through a conversion router called an IAD. It’s really neat to say the least. Now, here is where I talk badly about my VoIP…. All VoIP is not created equally. Carriers that host calling card platforms and (dare I say it?) residential providers don’t provide good quality. If your focus is around residential VoIP, I would have to say reliability and quality are just not there yet. If desire VoIP for business over a dedicated circuit, there is nothing more cost efficient and scalable quite like VoIP. Not to mention dynamic and redundant…

The Many Benefits of Resellers...

In the age of sub-par customer support, new companies will emerge with the promises to alleviate the pains.  The major bonus of the reseller allow for a more customer centric model.  Front-end companies leave the back office to the major players.  With the focus on the support aspect, these resold models allow for greater competition in the industry and perhaps, new products and ideas that will bring Telecom to the next level.

Some of the many benefits to customers for choosing the reseller networks are as follows: 

A lack of choice - Reseller Solution - because they resellers not bound to just one carrier and one network they search for the most competitive pricing and products to fit the needs of the customer.

An in-ability to offer one stop shopping - Reseller Solution - as a non-facility based operation, resellers can focus on offering additional applications like web design, security solutions and risk management services for their clients in a cost efficient and integrated fashion.

Struggling to offer competitive pricing - Reseller Solution - because resellers do not have the high overhead operational costs and unnecessary back office support it allows resellers to be a true competitors in the industry.

Poor Customer Service - Reseller Solution - a true customer centric service model due to front-end ideals.  The goal is to give each customer and parnter the immediate attention that they deserve since there are no back office worries. 

Lack of response time to a customer’s problems - Reseller Solution - Since the employees of resellers are all one team anyone would be able to provide the customer’s with exceptional response to service requests and troubles. 

Slow install dates and turn around times - Reseller Solution - Most resellers have streamlined their installation processes.  This aids in eliminating unnecessary delays due to large company internal procedures that only hold up orders. 

Not offering a true network diversity and disaster recovery plan - Reseller Solution - because they are not bound to only one carrier and one facility resellers can create and design disaster recovery that is actually redundant, reliable and on one bill.

Confusing billing practices - Reseller Solution -  Invoice design and layout is not only easier to read but completely understandable. 

Let the Telecom Revolution begin!

Service, service, service. It's all about service

When was the last time you called your service provider?  How did the monotone intern treat you?  Did you even understand a word they said?  Did you feel like the person you were talking to cared at all? What ever happened to, "the customer is always right?"

It's amazing that we have put up with the fact that there is no such thing as good customer service these days.  I don't know about you but I find it hard to accept a world where your account is literally just a number and your dollar can easily be replaced by another.  I, like most people finally got to a point where enough was enough.  In the past, you would just accept the fact that no one really cares and no one is going to help you.   At last, change is coming.  Keep your eyes open for the new breed of Telecom Service Providers (TSP's) whom are going to actually live up to their promises.  SLA's will mean something.  MTTR (mean time to repair) will actually be a real number and not just a marketing tool.  Perhaps, someone will make a database that is devoted to being a consumer tool that rates various service providers on specific key milestones (hint hint).  The website that spun off of that would be an extremely useful marketing tool but would provide a valuable and reliable service that would help to promote change.  

A change is coming.  Service will get better!  In the next few years, we are going to start seeing competition and advertising for organizations that care.  One of these companies is a TSP that goes above and beyond the call of customer service and support.  MASS Communications is the change that is needed.  I started the vision for this company, when I realized that the single most important aspect in the Telecom industry is customer service. Simply just being there for your customer is what it's all about.  Offer great products and employ passionate people that want to make a change and you have the ultimate receipt for success.

Change is here.  Let the Telecom Revolution begin!

1996, The Way it Should Have Worked...

First and foremost, I would like to thank the FCC for their key decisions in the divestiture and break up of the Ma Bell monopolies.  Without that key decision, I (and many others) would not be where they are today.  12 years later, we can now comment on the mistakes that were made.  The FCC had great ideas and all the best intentions but it was not a well thought out plan.  The simple fact that any single person could have purchased a switch (as long as they had the money to do so) and call themselves a CLEC was not as well planned as one could have expected.  When "Bob's Lawyers, Telecom Bar and Grill" opened it's doors, the world of communications as we knew it, was officially over.  Eventually, Bob went out of business, thus taking not only his customers out of service but ended up ruining the great name that the Telecom industry was trying to build.  

Fast forward.... [2008] 

Finally, we see the errors for what they were... Unguided misjudgments.  The new Telecom world is among us.  The way I see it, Ma Bell will go back to Ma Bell.  All of the successful  CLEC's that happened to find the correct niche to outlast the thousands of others will be acquired (that's right, acquired) by the Ma Bell or equivalents.  There have been some very (I emphasize very) successful CLEC's which deserve our praise for what they have done.  Now it is there turn to go back to their roots and become Ma Bell once again.  

Now what??? After Mother reels her children back from their adolescent nature,  the future is in the wholesale vertical.  The big companies are too big.  They cannot commit to excellence in customer service like the smaller resellers can.  The big company can handle what it does best, big facilities.  They need to maintain the networks for the little guys to sell.  Let's face it, all services and facilities are the same.  We all use the RBOC platform.  The only differences are in the customer service and SLA promises of the little guys to their end users.  The small guys can make a promise to their end-user and potentially 'keep it.'  This is great for Ma Ma because she now will no longer need to worry about collections since if the small guy doesn't pay, Ma will shut them down no questions asked.  There is no better way to get your money quite like shutting down the operation.  Another reason for Ma to love the little guy is the little guy is one big customer.  No more dealing directly with thousands of end users that don't know their telephone from their cup holder.  One would hope the little guy has a team of savvy guru's that will help aid in the troubleshooting that would be necessary to uphold a true SLA promise.  

The future looks amazing.  Promises of better service because the big companies can once again focus on what they do best, maintain facilities and a network.  The resellers can do what they do best, offer excellent service and support while providing solutions for the best network.

Let the Telecom World Revolution begin!