Commercial Resale - Public Access Lines (PAL) Service - V1.0

Product Description

CenturyLink™'s retail telecommunication service, Public Access Line (PAL), is available for resale by Resale Customers to Payphone Service Providers (PSPs). Additional information about resale of CenturyLink's wholesale PSP service can be found in Commercial Resale – General PCAT.

PAL is a 2-wire, loop start business access line that is similar to Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). PAL offers connectivity to the CenturyLink exchange network so the general public will be able to place telephone calls from public locations such as airports, schools, dormitories and correctional institutions.

A PSP who wants to connect their hardware to the exchange network will place the order for the PAL. Once the order connection is complete, access is provided to the network along with any elected screening and blocking. For required and option blocking values, refer to Blocking Procedure.

Types of PAL services are:
• Basic PAL - Provides a connection for your PSP's "smart" or instrument-controlled payphone to the CenturyLink Switched Network. Depending on the state, Basic PAL may be billed using a flat, measured, or message monthly rate. Measured or message rates may include a call allowance for a set number of local sent paid calls which are included in the monthly recurring charge.

  Basic PAL includes all functions associated with the CenturyLink network such as access to operator, sent paid (1+) service, N11 and 800/888 services. Coin collection and/or return of coins are controlled by the PSP's pay telephones.

• "Guestline/ Coinless" Subscriber Service/Interexchange Carrier (IXC) Access Line – Provides a connection for your PSP's "smart" or instrument-implemented, coinless telephone to the CenturyLink Switched Network. Providing restricted access to the network, these lines are programmed to block direct dialed toll service. These services may also be billed using a flat or usage sensitive rate. Often used for courtesy phones or inmate facilities, Guestline/Coinless lines offer your PSP significant control of equipment usage.

Availability

Not all PAL services are offered on a resold basis throughout CenturyLink QC; refer to the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists for availability.

Terms and Conditions

PAL is available:

• On an Intrastate, IntraLATA basis
• For one-party service only
• For use with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) registered and approved instruments only
• With Touchtone
• With Dual Service, where available
• With Optional Toll Calling Plans
• With CenturyLink Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) services
• With Vendor Billing Service (VBS)
• With Vendor Non Sent Paid Commission Plan (VCP)

PAL is not available with:

• Custom Calling services
• Call Management and Custom Local Area Signaling Services (CLASS™) services
• Off Premises Extensions
• CenturyLink Voice Messaging Service (VMS)
• High-Speed Internet

The following terms and conditions apply to PAL in general:

• Changing to or from a PAL service may require a telephone number change
• CenturyLink is not liable for shortages of coins deposited and/or collected from pay telephones
• CenturyLink is not liable for end-user fraud associated with the failure of the PSP's pay phone to perform correctly.

Specifically to Basic PAL only, the following conditions must be met:

• Establish a separate line for each coin/coin-less telephone instrument installed
• When direct dialed calls are interLATA or international in nature, coin rating is not available, The payphone vendor must either provide the rating of the call, to ensure the correct coin is collected, or provide alternative calling via set programming.
• The telephone sets must be capable of rating sent-paid local calls and must not harm the CenturyLink network.

Reseller Customers and their PSPs must ensure:

• Installation, maintenance and operation of the pay telephone
• Coin collection and/or return of coin functions for Basic PAL
• Refund of coins when lost or collected in error
• Rates and charges incurred on the PAL, as toll adjustments will not be allowed on the account unless it is a CenturyLink error
• Payment of maintenance service charges when the problem is isolated to the pay telephone set.

You must provide CenturyLink with accurate end-user location information for state regulated emergency reasons. Information regarding 911/Enhanced 911 (E911) is located in Access to Emergency Services (911/E911).

CenturyLink will accept one white page directory listing for each main telephone number at no charge. Listings for resale PAL are considered to be business listings. Additional information about directory listings is available in White Pages Directory Listings.

Technical Publications

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

Pricing

Rate Structure

PAL is billed on a month-to-month basis and the rate structure is similar to that for business POTS.

Calls to Directory Assistance (DA), N11 and CenturyLink Repair are not subject to measured/message usage charges.

Additional charges may apply for miscellaneous service order request items such as:

• Change from one PAL service to another
• Telephone number change
• Temporary transfer of calls.

CenturyLink retail rates, rate elements, and how they apply for PAL are located in the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.

Rates

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

Tariffs, Regulations and Policies

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

Payphone Specific Digits (PSDs) or "Flex ANI codes"are used in the payphone industry as part of the dial around compensation process (also known as Per Call Compensation). PSDs are transmitted by Flex ANI software and are provided as part of the Resale PAL service.

PSPs often request to test and verify that the PAL service is accurately functioning. The CenturyLink FLEX ANI test number is 877-663-6344.

Optional Features

PAL optional feature availability and pricing may vary according to the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists and Central Office capability.

Foreign Exchange (FX) and Foreign Office (FCO) Service rates are identified in the state specific Private Line Transport Service Tariff.

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.

Requirements for pre-ordering are described in Local Service Ordering Guidelines (LSOG) Pre-Order.

To request a CenturyLink Customer Service Record (CSR), contact the Customer Service Inquiry and Education (CSIE) Center.

Ordering

It is important to understand the Commercial Resale - General PCAT procedures before ordering PAL.

General ordering activities are described in the Ordering Overview.

PAL orders 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

Field entry requirements are described in the LSOG.

For required and option blocking values, refer to Blocking Procedure.

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

When ordering optional features, the appropriate USOC and/or FID must be used on the RS form. Use of USOCs and FIDs are described in the Universal Service Order Codes (USOCs) and Field IDentifiers (FIDs) Overview.

Requests for multiple conversions to PAL can be made on the same local service request, provided the request is based on service currently on the same Customer Service Record (CSR) for the same end-user, at the same location, and for the same due date.

Line USOCs are required on your request and identify the type of service you are requesting and vary by state. Refer to Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists to determine state specific requirements.

Primary Interexchange Carrier (PIC), Local Primary Interexchange Carrier (LPIC), and Telephone Number (TN) entries are required with each primary and additional line USOC. Information regarding PIC and LPIC is available in Long Distance Carrier Selection Overview.

Provisioning and Installation

General provisioning and installation activities are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview

CenturyLink will provide a Standard Network Interface (SNI) or a registration jack at the demarcation point - the authorized access point for connection to the CenturyLink network. The SNI is mounted in a visible and accessible location.

The demarcation point will be placed within 12 inches (or a similarly reasonable distance) of the protector or regulated facility in accordance with CenturyLink policy and FCC docket 88-57. Should you desire CenturyLink to wire from the demarcation point to your PSP's equipment location, you can elect to do so by agreeing to pay time and materials charges. CenturyLink will not connect PSP equipment to the line.

Maintenance and Repair

When placing trouble reports, the account telephone number and/or the appropriate circuit identification must be provided by you.

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

Billing

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.

Billing disputes

General dispute process activities are described in the Billing Information – Dispute Process.

Training

View CenturyLink courses by clicking on Training Catalog.

Contacts

CenturyLink contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.

Last Update: October 11, 2023

Last Reviewed: March 11, 2024