Fault Handling

1. Introduction

This document provides details of our fault reporting arrangements.

2. Service Overview

Reception, investigation, identification and resolution of all service faults are centralized by the NT Customer Service team.

NT Customer Service team provides a technical point of contact to resellers, partners and customers for fault reporting. The team answers all calls to 01623 687750 from 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday. At all other times, our out of hour’s team will answer any calls to this number (subject to customer having out of hours service/products). A PIN number will be required to log faults out of hours. Please note that Mobile & ADSL faults are only taken during office hours.

3. Fault Reporting

All faults should be reported preferably by telephone via the NT Customer Service team on 01623 687750. The team will ask a series of questions to confirm the caller is one of the nominated company representatives as part of our data protection process. The customer service technicians are comprehensively skilled and have considerable experience in telephony systems and services. Reporting by telephone allows the technicians to perform an initial analysis and therefore capture all necessary information at the first point of contact. This information is entered directly into our system and assigned a support case reference number which will be used for all subsequent enquiries for the duration of the problem.

4. Fault Localisation

4.1 Preliminary checks

Problem symptoms relating to all faults should be captured and must be recent. Example calls should not be older than 48 hours except where this is impossible. The details required before reporting to NT are listed in Section 5 ‘Fault Logging Requirements’.

4.2 Telephone Line Fault Localisation.

Analogue lines

• Where possible swap the equipment in the telephone line and attempt to dial out.
• If there are extensions, ensure that all line box terminations are experiencing the same problem.
• Try to make and receive a call and make note of what happens (i.e. no dial tone) If an intermittent fault; how regularly does it occur?
• Where a Telephone System is present, can you make internal calls?

ISDN2/30

• Reboot the Customer Premises Equipment (Telephone System). If you are unsure as to your equipment’s suitability for this then please first check with your system maintainer. This course of action resolves around 50% of faults reported to us.
• Where a Telephone System is present, can you make internal calls?
• Take note of what happens on incoming and outgoing calls.
• If fault is intermittent how often does it occur?
• Are DDI’s affected also? If so all/some?

Broadband Line Fault Localisation

• Firstly, try rebooting the router. Power down and leave off for several minutes; power back on; check for connectivity.
• If still no connectivity, plug an analogue handset into the line box; removing all micro‐filters; check for dial tone. If none then follow analogue line fault localisation.
• If dial tone is present swap micro-filter if possible.
• Take note of which lights on router are on/off.
• If possible, check the username and password in router.

VOIP Fault Localisation.

• Reboot access router. Power down and leave off for several minutes; power back on; check for connectivity.
• If using IPDC, reboot CPE. Check lights on routers; make a note of which are on/off.
• If using ADSL as access method check for dial tone at socket.
• If using the Horizon product, check if all handsets are experiencing issue.
• Check lights on routers; make a note of which are on/off.
• Take note of what happens on incoming and outgoing calls.
• If fault is intermittent how often does it occur?
• Are DDI’s affected also? If so all/some?

5. Fault Logging Requirements

All current service faults should be preferably reported by telephone direct to the NT Customer Service team. Verbal communication will allow the team to discuss the fault in detail and provide initial diagnostics without delay.

The following information should be provided to the Customer Service team when logging a fault.

Line Fault Requirements

1. End-User & Service details:

a. End-User’s Name

b.
(i) PSTN & ISDN2 -CLI of the faulty line (complete, including the STD code)

(ii) ISDN30 – Circuit Reference number & type of Switch.

c. Full postal address of End‐User’s premises

d. Contact name and telephone number (for BT & possible access purposes)

e. End-User Site Non-Access periods.

f. Required Call Divert telephone number. (Not International or premium rate)

2. Completed Preliminary Checks:

a. Has the equipment been checked & is okay?

b. Has the power supply been checked & is okay?

c. Has (5.1) Fault Localisation Partner Process been completed?

3. Faults Details:

a. Nature of fault

b. Symptom of fault

c. Intermittent/Frequency or permanent?

d. When did the fault start?

ADSL Fault Requirements

1. Customer:

a. Name:

b. Full Postal Address

c. Contact Number:

d. Access hours to premise

2. What is the Problem?

a. Nature of fault

b. Symptom of fault

3. Frequent / Intermittent?

4. Has reboot been completed?

5. Has Line been tested?

6. Telephone number ADSL is provisioned on.

VOIP Fault Requirements

1. Customer:

a. Name:

b. Full Postal Address

c. Contact Number:

2. What is the Problem?

a. Nature of fault

b. Symptom of fault

3. Frequent / Intermittent?

4. IP Address: End Point:

5. A Number: B Number :

6. Time(s) of failure?

7. When did problem start?

8. Identify your Router Make and Model?

9. Which ISP are you using?

Appendix

Escalation contacts for data services (broadband & leased line), lines and mobile phones. 

Escalation contacts for telephone system faults, changes and installations

On logging a fault the Customer Service Team will confirm the service level of the product you are on. On expiry of this SLA all faults will be automatically escalate as appropriate and guidance given to the end user.