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Product Catalog (PCAT)

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) Service - V15.0

History Log

Product Description

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) service consists of a high capacity channel provisioned for transmission speeds of 44.736 Megabits per second (Mbps) isochronous serial data. DS3 is offered at an electrical interface for single DS3 applications.

This service is used for customers who need to transport large amounts of information between locations and who have the flexibility to configure communications services to meet specific needs to economically optimize networks, such as aggregation of lower speed services, e.g., Digital Signal Level 1 (DS1) (1.544Mbps), onto a high speed digital backbone.

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) facility can be channelized to provide 28 DS1 circuits with the multiplexing ability to enable a platform for voice, video, or data services. This advanced; digital communications solution is designed and deployed to support applications where high bandwidth and fiber-optic reliability are necessary. For extremely mission-critical business functions, DS3 is available with Self-Healing Alternate Route Protection (SHARP) options.

Optical and electrical interfaces for DS3 capacity services (Capacity 2 - Capacity 36) have been grandparented in the CenturyLink Operating Companies Tariff F.C.C. No. 11. Capacity services have been replaced with Synchronous Service Transport (SST) which is a SONET backbone available in bandwidths of OC3, OC12, OC24, OC48 and OC192.

Availability

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) is available where facilities exist throughout CenturyLink QC.

If facilities are not available, service will be provided on an Individual Case Basis (ICB) with 90 to 120-day provisioning time frame after, an individual assessment based on the regional funding process, which your Account Team / Sales Executives and Service Managers will facilitate.

Terms and Conditions

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) is provided in compliance with provisions stated per CenturyLink Operating Companies Tariff F.C.C. No. 11, Sections 7 & 17 and/or the relevant State Access Tariffs. For more information contact your Account Team/Sales Executive.

Services that extend to designated high voltage (HV) environments are required to have high voltage protection (HVP). HVP devices may be provided by you, the end user, or may be requested from CenturyLink. General High Voltage Protection activities are described in High Voltage Protection.

Washington CLEC Customers - Alternate Form of Regulation (AFOR)

Effective December 2007, Qwest made available the terms of the existing Washington CenturyLink Performance Assurance Plan (PAP) to Unbundled Network Elements (UNE) substitutes under the terms of the Washington Alternative Form of Regulation. CLECs may purchase DS3 special access/private line services in Washington wire centers as substitutes for DS3 UNE loop, UNE transport (UDIT) or Enhanced Extended Link (EEL) for inclusion in their WA PAP results, consistent with the terms of the Commercial Agreement for the PAP and providing CenturyLink with the required information identifying the DS3 special access/private line service as a UNE substitute. You will be asked to complete the Eligible Substitute List Spreadsheet and return it to your CenturyLink Service Manager or send an email indicating there are no embedded base circuits to be included under the agreement. Additional information is described in the Washington CLEC Customers - Alternative Form of Regulation (AFOR) download.

Technical Publications

Technical characteristics, including Network Channel /Network Channel Interface (NC/NCI™) codes, are described in:

Pricing

Recurring charges are comprised of the following rate elements:

  • Central Office Connecting Channel
  • Channel Termination
  • Optional Features and Functions
  • Transport Channel

Nonrecurring charges are comprised of the following rate elements:

  • Central Office Connecting Channel
  • Channel Termination
  • Optional Features
  • Transport Channel (when installed with out channel termination)

Rates

Rates are available in CenturyLink Operating Companies Tariff F.C.C. No. 11, sections 7 & 17 and/or in the state specific Tariffs/Catalogs/Price List.

Tariffs, Regulations and Policies

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

Optional Features

Optional Features and Functions may be added to DS3 Service to improve its quality or its utility to meet specific communication requirements. Available DS3 Optional Features and Functions include:

  • Central Office Multiplexing: The equipment is located in the Central Office that derives 28 channels from the DS3 service.
  • COMMAND A LINK™ is available in selected Central Offices and allows a customer to control the reconfiguration of Private Line and switched services on a near real-time basis by means of the special provisioning of these services through a digital cross-connect device.
  • Self-Healing Alternate Route Protection/Self-Healing Interoffice Protection (SHARP/SHARP Plus*) is provisioned solely on fiber optics and provides a separate facility path for the protection between the Serving Wire Center (SWC) and the customer premises. It protects the customer against failure of primary fiber route and the electronics in the local loop. The SHARP Plus feature extends the same alternate route protection into the interoffice portion of the circuit.
  • Customers who wish to decline CenturyLink-provided racks, cabinets, or backup power and utilize their own must complete the Customer Provided Backup Power, Rack, and Cabinet Acknowledgement form.

* NOTE: SHARP Plus is no longer available for new service requests. The grandparenting action will affect you in the following ways:

  • No new requests for Sharp PLUS will be accepted.
  • Existing 12, 24 36 and 60-month customers can, and would be expected to, remain on the plan for the duration of their contract life or until they convert to a new plan.
  • Renewals or extensions to existing agreements are no longer available.

For additional information about the grandparenting of SHARP Plus contact your CenturyLink Service Manager.

Features/Benefits

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) service is used for customers who need to transport large amounts of information between locations and who have the flexibility to configure communications services to meet specific needs to economically optimize networks, such as aggregation of lower speed services, e.g., DS1 (1.544Mbps), onto a high speed digital backbone.

Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) facility can be channelized to provide 28 DS1 circuits with the multiplexing ability to enable a platform for voice video and data services. This advanced, digital communications solution is designed and deployed to support mission-critical business functions and applications such as:

Features Benefits
Cost savings.
  • Generated by aggregating DS1 services
    		•
    High reliability.
  • High standards of accuracy and system
  • availability 99.99 percent.
    		•
    Cost effective service plans.
  • Graduated discounts through flexible pricing plans based on length of the contract term (1, 2, 3, 5 years).
    		•
    Responsiveness
  • Service and repair guarantees are offered on DS3 service, for details see Tariffs/Catalogs/Price Lists.
    		•
    Aggregation of service.
  • Single solution for integrating voice, video and data applications.
    		•

    Applications

    See features and benefits section

    Implementation

    Product Prerequisites

    If you are an Interexchange Carrier (IXC), Internet & Data (ISP) or Wireless Service Provider (WSP) and have questions regarding your contract with CenturyLink, contact your Account Team / Sales Executives and Service Managers for more information.

    Pre-Ordering

    Pre-Ordering section does not apply to DS3.

    Ordering

    Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3) service requests are submitted using the following Access Service Ordering Guidelines (ASOG) forms:

    • Access Service Request
    • Administrative
    • Transport Request
    • Service Address Location Information Form

    For UNE/UDIT to a Private Line Transport

    When converting a UNE or UDIT "As Is" to CenturyLink Private Line Transport (PLT) or Special Access (SA) Tariff Services, one (1) ASR is required.

    The valid ASR entries are:

    ASR Field Valid Entries
    ACT C
    PROJECT UNETOPLT
    ECCKT UNE circuit ID (A new DS3/Circuit ID will be provided on FOC)
    RMK Transition from UNE to DS3. Records change only. No physical work. Reuse facilities. (Include UNE Billing Number if available)
    UNE Must be Blank

    Field entry requirements are described in the Access Service Request (ASR) Forms.

    Contact your Account Team / Sales Executives and Service Managers for more information.

    Provisioning and Installation

    FOC intervals are found in the Service Interval Guide (SIG) for Access Services.

    Contact your Account Team / Sales Executives and Service Managers for more information.

    Maintenance and Repair

    The DS3 Service maintenance and repair problems are reported to the CenturyLink Customer Service Center 1-800-954-1211. If your end-users experience problems with their local circuits or services, provisioned with CenturyLink provided products and services, their first point of contact is you, their local service provider. You or your end-user must isolate the trouble and verify it is not the customer-owned equipment or cable before calling.

    Billing

    Carrier Access Billing System (CABS) billing is described in Billing Information - Carrier Access Billing System (CABS).

    Training

    Digital Signal Level 3 (DS3)

    View additional CenturyLink courses by clicking on Course Catalog.

    Contacts

    CenturyLink contact information is located through your Account Team/Sales Executive.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. Can DS3 connect to other CenturyLink services?
    Yes. For example, DS3s are often used as "tail circuits" to SHNS rings.

    2. DS3 is efficient transport for aggregating DS1s. Can it transport other types of services?
    Yes. Some customers want to transport a combination of DS1 private Lines, Frame Relay Services, and ISDN PRI from their location to their serving wire center. DS3 can save the customer money by efficiently transporting the traffic.

    3. Can CenturyLink place an M1/3 MUX (like an ADC EZD3s) at the premise instead of a FLMxxx?
    As part of the DS3 Private Line product, M1/3 MUXs can only be at COs. Engineering can only put M1/3s at a premise as:

    • Infrastructure--based on a provisioning decision if the customer pays for the connected DS1s.
    • Purchased or leased from CenturyLink unregulated services (with or without purchasing the DS1s).

    4. Can DS3s be provisioned on coax cable?
    Except for very specific circumstances within a wire center, CenturyLink's DS3s are only provisioned using fiber-optics, which provides for much greater reliability and scalability.

    Last Update: January 30, 2017

    NC/NCI™ is a trademark of Telecordia Technologies Inc.

    COMMAND A LINK™ is a service mark of CenturyLink™.