Wholesale: Products & Services

Loop Splitting - V40.0

NOTE: The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC" or "Commission") released the Triennial Review Order, 18 FCC Rcd 16978 in 2003, and altered CenturyLink's obligations to provide certain unbundled network elements. As such, these services will no longer be available after the following transition periods, consistent with the terms of the FCC Orders: 1) Loop Splitting - new orders not available after 2004; 2) Line Splitting - new orders not available after 2004; 3) Line Sharing - new orders not available after 2004.

Product Description

Loop Splitting provides the Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) or Data Local Exchange Carrier (DLEC) with the opportunity to offer advanced data service simultaneously with a new or existing Unbundled Local Loop by using the frequency range above the voice band on the copper loop. The advanced data service may be provided by the CLEC or DLEC or another service provider chosen by you. For purposes of this web page, CLEC will refer to the voice provider and DLEC to the advanced data service provider. Only one customer of record determined by the CLEC or DLEC partnership, can be identified to CenturyLink™. The customer of record is the CLEC/DLEC that is billed for the Loop Splitting. The customer of record may designate an authorized agent to perform ordering and/or maintenance and repair functions.

A Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) splitter must be inserted into the Unbundled Local Loop to accommodate establishment of the advanced data service. The POTS splitter separates the voice and data traffic and allows the copper loop to be used for simultaneous DLEC data transmission while you provide the voice service to the end-user. Additional information describing the POTS splitter configurations is available in Collocation - General Information.

The POTS splitter can be located in your collocation space in the CenturyLink Wire Center or in the Common Area Splitter Collocation in the CenturyLink Wire Center that serves the end-user.

Either you or the DLEC must provide the end-user with all equipment required for them to receive separate voice and data services across a copper loop.

Enhanced Extended Loop (EEL) splitting is available and can be requested using the Special Request process.

Other alternatives for providing data service are as follows:

• If CenturyLink provides your voice service, you have the option of using Line Sharing.
• Line Splitting is available with compatible commercial local exchange services products (e.g. CenturyLink™ Local Service Platform (CLSP™)).
• CenturyLink Commercial Broadband Service.

Product Diagram

Availability

Loop Splitting is available where facilities exist throughout CenturyLink QC.

Terms and Conditions

Loop Splitting is provided where existing compatible facilities are available and/or you have authorized construction per the terms and conditions in your Interconnection Agreement. You are responsible for determining whether the physical characteristics of the facility are compatible with your data service. Technical Publication, Interconnection - Shared Loop, 77406 informs you which facilities are compatible with Loop Splitting.

All splitter collocation installations must be completed prior to submitting Loop Splitting requests.

Upon notification of a loss of an end-user account, it is the customer of record's responsibility to notify any other involved parties. The customer of record is the CLEC that is billed for the Loop Splitting. The customer of record may designate an authorized agent to perform ordering and/or maintenance and repair functions. Loss and Completion Reports are available and are based on loss and gain account activity. For more information about the reports, see the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Technical Publications

Technical characteristics, including Network Channel/Network Channel Interface (NC/NCI™) codes are described in Technical Publication, Interconnection - Shared Loop, 77406.

Pricing

Rate Structure

Recurring charges for Loop Splitting are comprised of the following rate elements:

• Operational Support Systems (OSS)
• POTS Splitter Shelf Charge
• Two Interconnection Tie Pairs (2 ITPs), 1 for voice and 1 for combined voice/data, per connection
• Unbundled Local Loop

Non-recurring Loop Splitting are comprised of the following rate elements:

• Engineering Charge
• Installation charge, per circuit
• POTS Splitter Shelf Charge
• Reclassification Charge
• Splitter Tie Cable Connection Charge

Additional rate information is located in Exhibit A of your Interconnection Agreement.

Recurring charges bill on a month-to-month basis; term contracts are not available.

One-month minimum billing, contract termination liability and associated contract charges for the product from which the loop is being converted will apply, and will be assessed to the end-user as described in the Local Exchange Tariff for the applicable state.

Rates

Wholesale rates for this product or service, including tariff references and any applicable discounts, are provided in your current Interconnection, Resale, Commercial, or other governing agreement

Tariffs, Regulations and Policy

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

Optional Features

There are no optional features with Loop Splitting.

Features/Benefits

Features	Benefits
Carries data on the High Frequency Spectrum Unbundled Network Element (HUNE) above the voice band on the copper loop.	Enables CLEC/DLEC to offer data services through partnership with another CLEC/DLEC thus providing you with access to products without capital expenditure.
Provides access to facilities throughout CenturyLink QC.	Allows CLEC/DLEC to order service using existing CLEC Unbundled Local Loops in areas where no facilities are available for new loops.

Applications

Loop Splitting enables a DLEC to create a business arrangement with a CLEC to provide data and voice service on an existing Unbundled Local Loop. Loop Splitting enables you to provide data and voice service to end-users that do not have spare facilities at their location or who do not desire to purchase an additional line.

Implementation

Product Prerequisites

If you are a new CLEC and are ready to do business with CenturyLink, view Getting Started as a Facility-Based CLEC. If you are an existing CLEC wishing to amend your Interconnection Agreement or New Product Questionnaire, additional information is located in the Interconnection Agreement.

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.

CenturyLink strongly recommends use of Pre-Ordering functionality to assist in achieving increased service request flow through and accuracy that will result in reduced service request rejects.

The loop qualification queries should be used prior to submitting a service request. Use of these queries can greatly reduce service request rejects by ensuring the types of facilities requested are available prior to placing a service request. The queries will enable you to verify the type of facility and the physical characteristics of the facility. Based on the physical characteristics you can determine if the facility needs to be conditioned, i.e., the removal of load coils or bridged tap, which will assist you in identifying the appropriate ordering intervals, described in the Service Interval Guide (SIG).

Some of these queries are available in EASE-LSR and others are web based. Loop qualification queries are available for you to access the physical characteristics of the CenturyLink loop facility and are based on data obtained from CenturyLink's underlying plant records. This is the same underlying data that CenturyLink utilizes for its retail product offerings.

The following applies to the loop qualification queries:

• The queries are for informational purposes only and do not restrict or imply that your service will or will not work on a given facility. This determination is your responsibility.
• Some of the queries offered include CenturyLink's evaluation of the recorded and calculated loop characteristic information.
• As mentioned, the physical characteristics provided are based on CenturyLink's plant facility database. If you encounter any inaccuracies in the information, please contact your CenturyLink Service Manager.

EASE-LSR qualification queries are:

• Loop Qualification Query
• Raw Loop Data (RLD) query

Wed based qualification queries is:

• Wire Center RLD

The Wire Center RLD query provides wire center specific information. This query provides the physical characteristics of the facilities for an entire wire center. The wire center raw loop data is presented as a comma delimited file and needs to be downloaded into a database or spreadsheet to analyze the individual facilities. Contact your CenturyLink Service Manager to request an ID, which will be required to obtain the digital certificate required to access this query. You will need to provide the names and telephone numbers of your employees that will be accessing the query. After your CenturyLink Service Manager has notified you that the necessary access permissions have been established, and provided you with your ID you may then initiate the digital certification process.

Information about the EASE-LSR based loop qualification queries is available in the EASE-LSR User's Guide. The EASE-LSR Loop Qualification and Raw Loop Data-CLEC Job Aid is a document designed to provide valuable information and instructions on how to use the EASE-LSR based loop qualification queries and interpret the information provided.

Performing a Central Office Splitter Search and Qualifying the Loop

Prior to ordering Loop Splitting, you will need to identify the end-user's Serving Wire Center (SWC) for the purpose of determining whether you have a POTS splitter in the SWC. Additionally, it is recommended that you qualify the end-user's loop.

Because Loop Splitting is provided on an Unbundled Local Loop and is a non-switched service, CenturyLink does not track this customer record by telephone number. You will not be able to qualify the loop or perform a Wire Center splitter search by telephone number. Instead, CenturyLink tracks this record by Common Language Serial Number Circuit (CLS). For that reason, you will need to determine the SWC and qualify the loop using the end-user's service address as follows:

• To determine the SWC, use the Address Validation function in EASE-LSR GUI.
• To qualify the loop, use the Loop Qualification function in EASE-LSR.

The Pre-Order Process Section of the EASE-LSR User's Guide specifically details information applicable to address validation and loop qualifications functions.

If you do not have access to EASE-LSR, you will need to take the following steps to determine the SWC and qualify the loop:

1. Obtain a copy of the end-user's CSR by contacting the Customer Service Center.
2. Locate the LSO (Local Service Office) Field Identifier (FID) on the end-user's Unbundled Local Loop CSR. The LSO is six-digit numeric code identification for the physical switch and can be cross-referenced to a Wire Center by using the InterCONNection (ICONN) Database. You can then determine whether you have a splitter at that location.
3. If you do not have access to EASE-LSR, you can contact your CenturyLink Service Manager for assistance.

Ordering

General ordering activities are described in the Ordering Overview.

Synchronization Testing is an option associated with your collocation space and Loop Splitting service requests. In order to receive notice of a failed Synchronization Test for Loop Splitting, you will be required to contact your service manager to sign up for Failed Synchronization Test PTA notification.    For more information  refer to Collocation - Synchronization Testing Overview.

When Synchronization Testing is performed, the CLEC will be notified that there is a problem in their equipment if the test fails. The service request will be placed in a jeopardy status. For more information on Jeopardy Status refer to Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Loop Splitting orders are submitted using the LSOG forms:

• Local Service Request (LSR)
• End User (EU)
• Loop Service (LS)

Field entry requirements are described in the LSOG.

The EASE-LSR User's Guide specifically details the information applicable to ordering functions.

Valid NC/NCI codes are required on all Loop Splitting requests. NC/NCI codes are located in Technical Publication, Interconnection - Shared Loop, 77406.

Loop Splitting requests are submitted using Circuit Identification numbers. Information describing Circuit Identification number format is available in Unbundled Local Loop General Information.

A Design Layout Report (DLR) request is described in the EASE-LSR XML Network Disclosure Document or the EASE-LSR User's Guide.

The Basic Installation option is available for Loop Splitting. For an existing end-user, the Basic Installation option is the 'lift and lay' procedure. In this scenario the CenturyLink technician 'lifts' the loop from its current termination and 'lays' it on a new termination connecting to the CLEC. Test results are not provided to the CLEC. Detailed information about this option is located in your Interconnection Agreement.

Service interval guidelines are found in the SIG .

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

If no facilities are available, the service request will be rejected for a No Facilities reason. Reject notification information is described in the Ordering Overview.

Use of Universal Service Order Codes (USOCs) and Field Identifiers (FIDs) is described in the USOCs and FIDs Overview. Use of the USOC/FID Finder will assist you in identifying USOC and FID requirements.

The limitations when ordering multiple lines for Loop Splitting on a single service request are as follows:

• CenturyLink will accept multiple Loop Splitting requests on a single order if the Circuit Identification numbers are associated with the same end-user address. When you submit a service request requesting Loop Splitting for multiple Unbundled Local Loops from the same address, the quantity on the LQTY field on the LS of the service request must be equal to the number of Unbundled Local Loops to which Loop Splitting is being added.
  
• You are required to submit a separate service request for each Loop Splitting request when the Circuit Identification numbers terminate at a different end-user address.

In the Remarks Section of the LSR, provide the ZCID of the party who owns the splitter.

An Alternate Point of Termination (APOT) form is provided to the DLEC as part of the collocation hand-off process.

The splitter meet points for the Shared Loop are identified on the APOT form. Information contained on the APOT form is required on all Loop Splitting requests. The following table provides an example of Common Area Splitter Collocation format used to identify the splitter location.

Character Field Location	Field Entry *
Characters 1 through 3	vda
Characters 4 through 10	Floor and Aisle
Characters 11 through 12	Bay
Characters 13 through 14	Shelf
Characters 15 through 18	Unit

* vda.0010121.02.01-001 is an example of the Common Area Splitter Collocation format.

The following table provides an example of format used to identify the splitter location when the splitter is located inside your collocation.

Character Field Location	Field Entry *
Characters 1 through 3	vda
Characters 4 through 8	Cable Pair
Characters 9 through 11	Voice Pair

* vda.ALT06.201 is an example of Inside the Collocation Area format.

Loop Splitting, UBL Split and/or UBL Split with NP

In EASE-LSR you may see the UBL Split or UBL Split with NP options for requesting new Loop Splitting and UBL Split arrangements at the same time. If you are requesting new Loop Splitting and UBL services at the same time, you must select the UBL Split or UBL Split with NP option in EASE-LSR. Loop Splitting requests on an existing UBL services may be requested utilizing the Loop Splitting option in EASE-LSR.

Projects
If you relate 25 or more Purchase Order Numbers (PONs) and associate orders to a Project Identification Code in the PROJECT field on the LSR, the request will be handled as a project by the Center responsible for handling your account. The installation guidelines for the project are negotiated on an Individual Case Basis (ICB) based on the request. The main point of contact for your project will be your CenturyLink Service Manager.

Provisioning and Installation

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

Provisioning information and design requirements are available in Technical Publication Interconnection – Shared Loop, 77406.

Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) intervals are available in the SIG.

For Loop Splitting, the Migration activities will not exceed forty five (45) minutes. For more information on migrations and conversion, see the Migrations and Conversions Procedural PCAT.

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

Loss and Completion Reports are based on loss and gain account activity. Completion notification, including Loss and Completion Reports, is described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Loop Splitting is provided where existing facilities are available. If no facilities can be found, and there is No Planned Engineering Job, the service request will be rejected for a No Facilities reason and the order cancelled. Contact your CenturyLink Sales Executive if you wish to authorize construction per the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement. Information regarding reject codes is available in the Ordering Overview. Refer to Section 9.19 of your Interconnection Agreement, which addresses options available to you when facilities are not available or refer to your Interconnection Agreement.

CenturyLink will install and maintain the splitter if it is installed using Common Area Splitter Collocation. You have the options either to purchase POTS splitters then provide them to CenturyLink, or to have CenturyLink purchase them on your behalf, subject to full reimbursement of costs incurred. All splitter collocation installations must be completed before Loop Splitting requests can be processed.

New Loop Splitting, UBL Split and/or UBL Split with NP options for Loop Splitting may be provisioned on a 2-Wire Non-Loaded Unbundled Local Loop. Loop Splitting (request on a UBL service) may also be requested on an existing 2-Wire Non-Loaded or ADSL Compatible Loop. When requesting Loop Splitting on an existing ADSL Compatible Loop CenturyLink will convert the loop to a non-loaded loop type. This is performed by changing the NC/NCI code combinations.

Directory Listings are not part on the Loop Splitting product offering.

Maintenance and Repair

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

CenturyLink will work with the customer of record to resolve trouble impacting voice services provided through Loop Splitting, as well as for the physical line between the demarcation point at the end-user premises and the demarcation point in the CenturyLink SWC. You and/or the DLEC are responsible for repairing data services provided using Loop Splitting. Each service provider is responsible for maintaining their own equipment; the party in control of the POTS splitter is responsible for its maintenance.

CenturyLink will perform Synchronization Testing on Loop Splitting repair reports upon CLEC request in the CO;s where CenturyLink Commercial Broadband Service service is provided.

When the CLEC issues a repair report, the CLEC will need to provide CenturyLink with the appropriate protocol, for additional information see Customer Electronic Maintenance & Repair (CEMR-MTG) On-line Help to test (i.e., DMT-T1.413, DMT-G.LITE, DMT-G.DMT, or CAP), as well as the setting for Rate Limiting and Auto Sync (On or Off). Refer to the CEMR-MTG On-line Help Section 10.7.8 for information regarding requesting a synchronization test.

In CO's where CenturyLink Commercial Broadband Service is not provided, CenturyLink will test for electrical continuity involving Loop Splitting in response to trouble initiated by you. If the trouble ticket is not in CenturyLink's network, a Trouble Isolation Charge will be assessed. If the testing equipment has been installed at the SWC, CenturyLink will perform an electrical continuity test on the data side of the splitter upon your request. You may also request that CenturyLink perform additional testing. If the testing uncovers a problem in the portion of the network that CenturyLink is responsible for, you will not be charged for the testing. However, if the additional testing uncovers a problem in the portion of the network you are responsible for, an Additional Testing Charge will be assessed. Rates are specified in your Interconnection Agreement.

Billing

Recurring and nonrecurring charges for Loop Splitting, OSS, Basic Installation, ITPs, Trouble Isolation, and Additional Testing are billed in Ensemble.

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.

Nonrecurring charges for Splitter Shelves, Splitter TIE Cable Connections, Engineering, and Reclassification are billed Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART) System. Detailed information regarding the BART Bill, Inquiry and Disputes is described in the Billing Information - Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART)."

Recurring charges for Splitter Shelves and Splitter TIE Cable Connections will be billed in Carrier Access Billing System (CABS). Detailed information regarding the CABS Bill, Inquiry and is described in the Carrier Access Billing System (CABS).

Training

View CenturyLink courses in the Training Catalog.

Contacts

CenturyLink contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who installs and maintains the POTS splitter in the Common Area of the CenturyLink Central Office?
CenturyLink will install and maintain the POTS splitter if it is installed using Common Area Splitter Collocation. You have the option to purchase POTS splitters and provide them to CenturyLink, or have CenturyLink purchase them on your behalf, subject to full reimbursement for cost incurred.

2. Where can we access our Loop Splitting loops?
You can access your loops at the point where the combined voice and data circuit is connected to the POTS splitter.

Last Update: October 25, 2023

Last Reviewed: March 1, 2024

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