Commercial Resale - Market Expansion Line ® (MEL) - V1.0

Product Description

CenturyLink™'s retail telecommunication service, Market Expansion Line® (MEL) is available for resale by Resale Customers to their end-users. Additional information about resale of CenturyLink's retail services is available in Commercial Resale – General PCAT.

MEL is also known as Remote Call Forwarding (RCF). RCF provides the end-user a local telephone number without having a physical location. The local telephone number works out of a Central Office (C.O.).

Types of MEL service include:

• Local MEL (LMEL) calls are forwarded from the central office (CO) to another number within the same local calling area. Calls can be forwarded to any type of line, and the measured or message charges are assessed for each call answered at the terminating location.
• Long Distance MEL calls are forwarded to an intraLATA, interLATA, or Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS) e.g. 800, 855, 866, 877, 888 service line number. Any long distance charges that apply will be assessed for each call answered at the terminating location. Long distance charges are not assessed if calls are forwarded to toll-free numbers.

The MEL (Remote Call Forward) Number has one access (talk path) which allows only one call in progress at a time. Additional talk paths can be ordered to allow additional calls to be forwarded provided the distant location is equipped to receive them.

CenturyLink provides notification when local calling areas are changed due to Extended Area Service (EAS) expansions. As a result of these expansions, you should take the opportunity to determine if your current MEL option meets your needs.

Availability

MEL service is available where facilities exist throughout CenturyLink QC. In Utah, a Local MEL is not available when the call forwarding number is to a different exchange in the same local calling area.

For more information refer to the state Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.

Terms and Conditions

Customers with MEL are susceptible to toll fraud so security actions must be taken. It is your responsibility to validate the end-user's billing and credit information.

Additional terms and conditions, rates, and charges can be found for each state in the Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.

Technical Publications

Technical characteristics are contained in the applicable Tariff and may have references to certain Technical Publications.

Pricing

Rate Structure

MEL service is offered on a month-to-month basis. Non-recurring charges may apply when the service is added and or changed.

Rates

CenturyLink retail rates are available in the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.

Tariffs, Regulations and Policies

For terms and conditions applicable to CenturyLink retail products available for resale, view the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.

Implementation

Product Prerequisites

If you are a new Resale Customer and are ready to do business with CenturyLink, view Getting Started as a Commercial Reseller.

Pre-Ordering

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

Ordering

It is important to understand Commercial Resale-General procedures before ordering MEL.

General ordering activities are described in the Ordering Overview.

Service requests should be placed using EASE-LSR Extensible Markup Language (XML) or EASE-LSR Graphical User Interface (GUI).

MEL service requests are submitted using the following Local Service Ordering Guidelines (LSOG) forms:

• Local Service Request (LSR)
• End User (EU)
• Resale Service (RS)
• Directory Listing (DL), if applicable

MEL is ordered similarly to Resale POTS with the following unique ordering requirements:

• On the LSR form, the third character of the Type of Service (TOS) field must include an "M" for measured service (not applicable for XML users).

  New MEL accounts do not require technician appointments. In order to satisfy edits in EASE-LSR for new MEL service, populate the following fields on the LSR form as indicated:

  • DDD – the requested due date
  • APPTIME – HHMM
  • APTCON - MEL
• On the EU form, populate the Location and Access section with the applicable address information.
  • For a new account, if there is a physical end-user address, use this address to populate these fields; if not, use the CO address that can be obtained from your CenturyLink Service Manager or Interconnect Service Center.
  • For an existing account that is converting to MEL, use the physical address. The existing address will be changed to the C.O. address when the service order is written.
• On the Directory Listing form:
  • If a physical address is to be listed in the Directory, provide this information on the Listings Form.
  • If a CO address is used, the address should be omitted from the directory listing.

If you want the main listing to be Non-Published this will be provided free of charge for the main listing only.

To achieve this you must :

The RS Form must contain the appropriate line Universal Service Order Code(s) (USOCs). The following table contains the USOCs available for MEL service.

Product Business	USOCs	Residential USOCs
Resale LMEL	RCFVH – AZ, ID-S, MT, NM, UT*, WY RCFVF – CO, IA, MN, NE, ND, SD RD5 – ID-N, OR, WA	RCFRH – AZ, ID-S, MT, NM, UT*, WY RCFRF – CO, IA, MN, NE, ND, SD RD6 – ID-N, OR, WA
Resale Long Distance MEL	RCFVT – AZ, CO, ID-S, MT, NM, UT, WY RCFVE (Interlata) – IA, ID-N, MN, NE, ND, OR, SD, WA RCFVS (Intralata) – IA, ID-N, MN, NE, ND, OR, SD, WA	RCFRT – AZ, CO, ID-S, MT, NM, UT, WY RCFRE (Interstate) – IA, MN, NE, ND, SD RCFRS (Intrastate) - IA, MN, NE, ND, SD NA in ID-N, OR, WA
Resale WATS MEL	RCFWT – AZ, CO, ID-S, MT, NM, UT, WY RCFVS (Intrastate Termination) - IA, MN, NE, ND, SD RCFWS (Intrastate Termination) – ID-N, OR, WA RCFVE (Interstate Termination) - IA, MN, NE, ND, SD RCFWE (Interstate Termination) – ID-N, OR, WA	NA
Resale International MEL (includes Canada)	RCFVN – IA, ID-N, MN, NE, ND, OR, SD, WA	RCFRN – IA, MN, NE, ND, SD
MEL additional path (If you want to be able to answer two or more calls from the MEL number)	RCA – All states	RCA – All states

* UT: Local Remote Call Forwarding is not available when the call forwarding number is to a different exchange in the same local calling area.

The MEL can be arranged to handle more than one call simultaneously by establishing additional talk path(s). The additional talk path functions as an incoming call group which allows multiple calls to the MEL number to be completed simultaneously.

If customer wants to be able to answer two or more calls from the MEL at the same time they must:

• Have additional pathway(s) on the MEL number.
• Be able to answer multiple calls at the CFN with a feature like Call Waiting, Hunting, Call Forward Busy.

IF YOU HAVE	AND	THEN	EXAMPLE
One MEL, No additional path (RCA) Call Waiting at CFN	First MEL call is in progress	Second MEL call will get a busy	RCFVH/GSZ 1
One MEL, One additional path (RCA), Call Waiting at CFN	First MEL call is in progress	Second MEL call can be answered	RCFVH/GSZ 2 RCA/GSZ 2

The total number of calls that can be in progress at the same time is identified by the FID /GSZ (Group Size). If additional call paths are required, the USOC RCA will be added to the request followed by the FID /GSZ and the total number of call paths. The Group Size is calculated by adding the MEL line plus the additional call paths.

The RCA (Remote Call Additional) adds the capability of forwarding additional calls from the same MEL line. Each RCA added to the MEL Line will forward one additional call to the forwarding end. There are limitations to how many additional paths are allowed by Central Office Switch Type. The table below shows the RCA limitations.

Central Office Type	RCA Limitation
5ESS/RSM	99 paths
DMS10	15 paths
DMS-100	511 paths

NOTE: The Remote Call Forwarding/Market Expansion Line has only one Access Path (or Talk Path). This allows only one in-progress call at a time. Additional Paths can be ordered to allow additional calls to be forwarded, provided the terminating location is equipped to receive them. (End users lines should be equal to or greater than the number of talk paths.). If callers to the MEL are getting busy signals, this is an indication that there are an insufficient number of talk paths to accommodate the number of concurrent calls. Call Waiting and Call Forward Busy arrangements have physical limitations depending on switch type and should not be relied on to handle calls being received. The total GSZ should not exceed the number of calls that can be answered at the end-user's premises. For example, a MEL with a GSZ=6 should have six lines in a hunt group, or five lines in a hunt group with the last line forwarding to voice mail.

Use of USOCs and Field Identifiers (FIDs) are described in the USOCs & FIDs Overview. Use of the USOC/FID Finder will assist you in identifying USOC and FID requirements.

Other field entry requirements are described in the LSOG.

If requesting a directory listing, the listed address can not be the CO address. The listed address must be the address where calls are answered or the address may be omitted from the directory.

Additional information on ordering directory listings is available in the White Pages Directory Listings PCAT.

Feature Detail (FID and Data Requirements)

The Activity type of Conversion as Specified (ACT = V – Conversion as specified/DL) should be used for the following changes:

• An existing Resale or Retail MEL not owned by you that is changing to another non-MEL Resale or commercial local exchange services product, (e.g. CenturyLink Local Service Platform TM (CLSPTM)).
• An existing Retail or Resale product not owned by you that is changing to Resale MEL
• Your existing Resale MEL is changing to a commercial local exchange services product
• Your existing commercial local exchange services product is changing to Resale MEL

If you are the owner of the account, refer to the following examples when changing to a different type of service.

Changing from Resale POTS or Centrex service to Resale MEL

This feature is ordered by including:

• REQTYP = E-Resale (POTS, PAL, PBX, ISDN and High-Speed Internet)
• ACT = C – Change an Existing Account
• TOS third character must be M (Measured Rate), not applicable for XML users
• AN on the LSR form must be the current Resale POTS or Centrex account number
• TN on Resale form is the number that is changing to MEL
• Feature Activity Type C and Existing USOC
• Feature Activity Type T and appropriate MEL USOC from table above
• Feature Activity Type N and USOC RCA (repeat for each additional call path desired)

Example of entries:

• C 1FB
• T RCFVH
• N RCA (repeat for each additional call path desired)

Changing from Resale MEL service to Resale POTS

This feature is ordered by including:
• REQTYP = E-Resale (POTS, PAL, PBX, ISDN and High-Speed Internet)
• ACT = C – Change an Existing Account
• TOS = End State POTS values
• Feature Activity Type C and MEL USOC
• Feature Activity Type T and appropriate USOC
• Feature Activity Type D and USOC RCA
• REMARKS will contain the physical address with the Manual Indicator set to "Y – Remarks must be processed manually".

Example of entries:

• C RCFVH
• T 1FB
• D RCA

Changing from Resale MEL service to Resale Centrex Plus

This feature is ordered by including:
• REQTYP = P – Centrex
• ACT = C – Change an Existing Account
• TOS = End State Centrex values
• End User Form First Location is address information for the Common Block
• End User Form Second Location is address information for the end user
• Feature Activity Type C and MEL USOCs
• Feature Activity Type T and appropriate USOCs
• Feature Activity Type D and RCA USOC

Example of entries:
• RCF
• T RKY/LCC xxx
• D RCA

Provisioning and Installation

A jeopardy occurs on a LSR request if a condition exists that threatens timely completion. Jeopardy notification information is described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Maintenance and Repair

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

Billing

On a monthly basis, CenturyLink will provide you with billing information that will provide summary account information as well as end-user account information.

Ensemble is the new billing system for customers. For questions about the bill, please follow the instructions on the reverse side of each billing statement.

The Ensemble bill is described in Billing Information – Ensemble.

Training

View CenturyLink courses by clicking on Training Catalog.

Contacts

CenturyLink contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.

Last Update: October 27, 2023

Last Reviewed: March 13, 2024