OBF Issues MECAB Draft Version
8
The
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions' (ATIS) Odering
and Billing Forum (OBF) recently released the eighth version draft
of its Multiple Exchange Carrier Access Billing (MECAB) document.
The MECAB document contains the recommended guidelines for the billing
of access and interconnection services provided to a customer by
two or more providers, or by one provider in two or more states
within a single LATA. In other words, it addresses the concept of
meet-point billing (MPB) and revenue sharing.
Access
and interconnection services are priced on a usage sensitive and
flat rate basis. In the MECAB, the OBF reminds the industry that
both customers and providers of such services benefit when bills
are accurate and auditable. Any MPB arrangements between providers
that operate in the same territory are based upon negotiations where
the relevant intrastate tariffs and other regulations permit. When
all involved providers agree to a MPB arrangement, the OBF indicates
these guidelines should be used to help ensure that accuracy and
ability to audit.
On
January 1, 2001, the process outlined in MECAB Issue 7, which allows
companies to utilize their own recordings for access and interconnection
billing, became effective. According to the new MECAB draft, beginning
August 31, 2002, the use of EMI Category 11-50-01 through 04 and
11-50-21 through 24 meet-point summary usage records, for billing
of access and interconnection services, will be discontinued.
The
MECAB guidelines specifically address the following MPB issues:
· Common service identifiers
· Calculation of transport mileage
· Identification of the providers involved
· Provider-to-provider transfer of adjustment information
and usage data
· MPB conversion and notification procedures.
The
document identifies common data elements critical for the provision
of verifiable and auditable bills in multiple provider situations
and provides procedures for making common data elements and other
data available to all providers, depending on the billing option
selected.
The
Carrier Access Billing System Billing Output Specifications (CABS
BOSã) documentation contains the industry standards for CABS
access paper bills, bill data tapes and customer service records.
The Small Exchange Carrier Access Billing (SECAB) Guidelines contain
similar standards for paper and mechanized bills and inventory and
rating information for the providers whose access bills do not conform
to the CABS BOS.
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