Product Catalog (PCAT)
TRRO/OFO - Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) - V7.0
Product Description
This TRRO/OFO - Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) product is designed for customers who have signed the TRRO compliant agreement/amendment. TRRO/OFO - Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is a deployed, unlit strand or pair of fiber optic strands that connects two points within CenturyLink™'s network within the same LATA and state. UDF is a single, existing transmission path that terminates on a CenturyLink Fiber Distribution Panel (FDP) or equivalent, between two CenturyLink Wire Centers or at an MTE (Multi Tennant Environment) for UDF Subloop access to inside wiring.
Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is offered in the following configurations:
- Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) Interoffice Facility (UDF-IOF) provides a deployed route between two CenturyLink Wire Centers.
- MTE Subloop Dark Fiber allows access to inside wiring of multi unit dwellings.
Product Diagram
Unbundled Dark Fiber Interoffice Facility (UDF-IOF)
Availability
Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is available throughout Legacy Qwest's 14-state local service territory between CenturyLink Wire Centers where impairment exists, when spare fibers are available in the same state and in the same Local Access and Transport Area (LATA). 'Spare' means fibers beyond those that would be normally held for maintenance (5% of fibers in a sheath) and approved jobs. For more information on where required by law, see CenturyLink Non-Impaired Wired Center Lists for Loops and Dedicated Transport
Terms and Conditions
Your Interconnection Agreement must specifically address the types of UDF (and the applicable rates and charges) you require in order to request UDF. If your Interconnection Agreement does not include the type of UDF you are requesting, you will need to amend your Interconnection Agreement. For additional information on amending your Interconnection Agreement, refer to the Product Prerequisites section of this web page.
CenturyLink will provide unbundled access to UDF IOF when either end of a requested route is a Tier 3 Wire Center.
In addition to the TRRO Tier classifications of transport and pursuant to the Omaha Forbearance Order (OFO), CenturyLink is no longer required to, and will not provide UDF IOF in nine Wire Centers located in Omaha, Nebraska. The Omaha Forbearance Wirecenters are described at CenturyLink Non-Impaired Wired Center Lists for Loops and Dedicated Transport. CenturyLink shall provide unbundled dark fiber transport if a Wire Center on either end of a requested route is a Tier 3 Wire Center that is not a Forbearance Wire Center.
Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) is provided where facilities exist and/or where you have CLEC Requested UNE Construction (CRUNEC) per the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement.
Unbundled Dark Fiber (UDF) access is provided at accessible terminals such as FDPs and MTEs. You may request placement of an FDP at any building in the CenturyLink network in order to access unterminated UDF.
You must have an established collocation or other technically feasible (and mutually agreeable) means of network demarcation at both terminating points of the UDF-IOF.
A network demarcation point must be established in order to accommodate UDF optical terminations through an existing collocation. A request for UDF will not be provisioned until the collocation build is completed. If collocation and/or other network demarcation arrangements have not yet been completed, you must obtain a preliminary Alternate Point of Termination (APOT) and Carrier Facility Assignment (CFA) for your network demarcation points in each CenturyLink Wire Center where the UDF terminates. You must obtain the final APOT prior to ordering UDF service. If the final APOT is different from the preliminary APOT, the UDF provisioning interval may be affected. Additional APOT information is located in Collocation - General Information. If your collocation is being augmented for fiber terminations, you must provide your CenturyLink Service Manager with the service order number and due date of the augmentation.
CLEC to CLEC UDF-IOF connections with UDF are permissible with the mutual exchange of traffic as outlined in your Interconnection Agreement.
CenturyLink does not have an obligation to unbundle UDF unless otherwise stated in your Interconnection Agreement.
CenturyLink will provide access to deployed UDF facilities that include all local exchange UDF that CenturyLink owns directly or has a right to access under agreements with other parties, affiliated or not, based on the terms and conditions of the agreement between CenturyLink and the other party. Refer to your Interconnection Agreement. All terms, conditions, and policies for interconnection with other companies may apply for a request to terminate UDF in wire centers located outside Legacy Qwest's 14-state local service territory.
Technical Publications
Technical characteristics, including Network Channel/Network Channel Interface (NC/NCI™) codes are described in Technical Publication, TRRO - Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77416.Pricing
Rate Structure
Recurring charges bill on a month-to-month basis; term contracts are not available.
Recurring charges are comprised of the following rate elements:
- UDF-IOF Termination (fixed rate element)
- UDF-IOF Fiber Transport (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
- UDF-IOF Fiber Cross Connect (a minimum of two per fiber strand or fiber pair)
- UDF MTE Sub-Loop Termination (fixed rate element )
- UDF MTE Sub-Loop Fiber (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
- UDF MTE Sub-Loop Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
Nonrecurring charges are comprised of the following rate elements:
- Initial Records Inquiry (IRI)
- Engineering Verification (EV)
- FV/QP
- Order charge (initial and each additional UDF per pair/strand/route/order)
- Splicing
This rate element is for work performed at the first manhole or splicing location associated with a UDF MTE Subloop order.
- UDF-IOF Fiber Cross Connect (a minimum of two per fiber strand or fiber pair)
- UDF MTE Sub-Loop Fiber Cross Connect (per fiber strand or fiber pair)
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 List. Directory Listings are not part of the UDF product offering.
An IRI is required prior to requesting provisioning of UDF. The IRI process is described in the Pre-Ordering section of this web page.
During collocation builds, UDF may be reserved for 30, 60, or 90 calendar days. The reservation may be extended for the same length of time of the original request, if there is a delay in the completion of the collocation build. In addition, CenturyLink will allow UDF reservations, if the affected collocation needs to be augmented for the initial fiber terminations. At the time that the UDF IRI is submitted and reservations are requested due to a collocation augment, you must provide CenturyLink with the augmentation order number and due date. UDF reservations will also be accepted for a six-month period if your Collocation Application has not been filed. To continue the UDF reservation, CenturyLink must receive a Collocation Application no later than the last business day of the six-month period. In all cases, to extend UDF reservations, the CLEC must contact CenturyLink with information that authorizes the extension or the UDF will be reclaimed following the reservation expiration date. If you do not contact CenturyLink, CenturyLink will discontinue the reservation and stop the billing on the first calendar day following the reservation requested interval (i.e., 31st, 61st, 91st calendar days).
UDF-IOF reservation recurring charges include fiber transport, cross connects and terminations. The recurring charges will be assessed at the start of the reservation; the nonrecurring charges will be assessed after installation.
CenturyLink will provide you with access to deployed UDF facilities. You will be responsible for obtaining and connecting electronic equipment to both ends of the UDF, and you will be able to use the regenerating equipment that already exists in the facility. UDF technical parameters and related design requirements are described in Technical Publication, TRRO -Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77416.
During the IRI process, CenturyLink will contact you by phone or email of the availability of either offering. When UDF is disconnected, the UDF must be returned to CenturyLink in the same condition it was originally provided to you.
You are required to notify and ensure that all of your end-users are disconnected from the UDF prior to your requested disconnect due date.
Optional Features
No optional features are available with UDF.
Features/Benefits
| Features | Benefits |
| Provides unlimited bandwidth capabilities to you. | You can provide multiple bandwidth signals to your end-users. |
Applications
See Features/Benefits.
Implementation
Product Prerequisites
If you are a new wholesale customer and are interested in doing business with CenturyLink wholesale, please visit the Prospective Customer Inquiry Form.
If you are an existing customer and need some assistance, contact your CenturyLink Sales or Service Manager. To identify your CenturyLink Account or Sales contact, visit the CenturyLink Wholesale Team Tool (CWTT).
Pre-Ordering
Prior to ordering UDF, the following pre-ordering functions may apply according to the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement:
- Establish collocation or other technically feasible means network demarcation.
- Determine if your UDF request is an IRI-simple or IRI-complex inquiry, refer to the definitions below.
- Check the Fiber Data Reports Tool to determine if spare UDF is available.
- Complete and submit an Initial Request Inquiry (IRI) Form
- Request reservation of spare UDF, if desired.
UDF requests that are IRI-simple include:
- IOF between two CenturyLink Wire Centers.
UDF requests that are IRI-complex include:
- A UDF MTE Suploop connection.
To investigate the availability of spare UDF, you may access the Fiber Data Reports Tool. In order to access the Fiber Data Reports Tool, you must download a digital certificate from OSS Overview. Once you have a digital certificate, you will be able to access the Fiber Data Reports and the Fiber Data Reports User Guide.
The Fiber Data Reports Tool is not a guarantee of availability of spare UDF. CenturyLink will verify if UDF is available when you submit an IRI.
You may access the following reports to check the availability of spare UDF:
- A-Z Location Fiber Inventory
- Building Electronics Inventory
- Fiber Products Spare Count
Your CenturyLink Service Manager can arrange a meeting for you to meet with a CenturyLink Engineer to access relevant plat, maps, engineering records and other CenturyLink records as described in your Interconnection Agreement. Information regarding the Outside Plant Record Viewing Guidelines is located in Access to Poles, Ducts and Rights of Way (ROW).
You must submit an Initial Request Inquiry (IRI) Form to verify that spare UDF exists for the route requested, unless otherwise stated in your Interconnection Agreement. Information describing form content is in the Initial Request Inquiry (IRI) Form Instructions.
If you wish to reserve UDF using the IRI, you will be asked to specify the time period of the UDF reservation. If you wish to reserve UDF during a collocation augmentation for initial fiber terminations, you must provide CenturyLink with the augmentation order number and due date on the order. You may choose to reserve UDF at a later date by using the UDF Reservation Request form as described below.
Once the IRI is complete, submit the form to the Wholesale Service Support Team (WSST). If spare UDF is available, you will receive the Unbundled Dark Fiber IRI/Reservation Confirmation form containing:
- Up to five routes
- Intermediate wire centers, if applicable, for each route
- An estimate of recurring and nonrecurring charges for each route
- A confirmation of the length of the UDF reservations
- The Reservation Effective Billing
- UDF in single strand or by the pair
The routes available will be displayed from shortest to longest, and if you requested a reservation of UDF on the IRI form, the route reserved will be the first route listed on the response. If more than five routes are available, your CenturyLink Service Manager will contact you by phone or email that the additional routes exist and negotiate how the information will be made available.
To view an example of a completed Unbundled Dark Fiber IRI/Reservation Confirmation form, click here. You will receive this form in response to submitting an IRI.
If the UDF request is an IRI-complex, you are required to complete the FV/QP form for CenturyLink to verify the locations access to MTE Subloop and the fieldwork required for acsess. CenturyLink will verify the spare UDF and observe the facility or manhole for access methods to the MTE. You may complete the FV/QP form and return the request to WSST. Refer to the Field Verification / Quote Preparation (FV/QP) form Instructions to obtain information on how to complete the FV/QP form.
The FV/QP process is 20 business days. The FV/QP process initiates the quote and due date for access to the existing structure or splicing locations. As a part of the FV/QP process, EV will identify additional engineering records with MTE access locations and availability. The EV starts the FV/QP timeframe of 20 business days. If access to MTE is not available over the requested route, CenturyLink will terminate the request, and you will be billed for the EV portion of the FV/QP. If access to the MTE via UDF Subloop is available and you want to move forward with the process, the timeline for the FV/QP will remain on schedule for the remainder of the 20 business days and you will be billed for the FV/QP. The cost of the EV is deducted from the total charge of the FV/QP.
If you did not reserve spare UDF using the IRI, you may choose to complete the UDF Reservation Request. Information describing form content is in the UDF Reservation Request instructions. Submit the completed UDF Reservation Request to WSST.
Ordering
UDF products are ordered using the Access Service Ordering Guidelines (ASOG) forms with unique NC/NCI codes identified in Technical Publication, TRRO - Unbundled Dark Fiber, 77416. Form and field entry requirements are described in the ASOG. The Order and Billing Forum (OBF) nationally agree upon the ASOG forms.
The standard ASOG forms used for ordering UDF products are:
| ASOG forms | UDF-IOF | E-UDF | UDF MTE Subloop | UDF Loop, UDF Subloop |
| Access Service Request (ASR) | X | X | X | X |
| Additional Circuit Information (ACI) | X | X | X | X |
| Transport form | X | X | X | X |
| Service Address Location Information (SALI) form | X | X | X |
Although additional forms and fields are required, the following field entries identify the order as a UDF product.
| Form Name | Field Name | Definition | Valid Entry |
| ASR | REQTYP | Request Type. | S |
| SPEC | Service and Product Enhancement Code will be populated with the type of UDF being ordered. | If ordering: UDF-IOF = UDFTSP UDF MTE Sub-Loop = UDFSLP |
|
| REMARKS | If you have UDF reservation include the Reservation CLO(s). | ||
| Include the name and contact information of the person, who accessed the Fiber Data Reports Tool, along with the date the Fiber Data Reports Tool was checked. | |||
| If the desired route contains intermediate wire centers, include the CLLI codes found on the Unbundled Dark Fiber IRI/Reservation Confirmation form. | CLLI code(s) identifying the intermediate wire centers | ||
| CLLI Code(s) identify the test wire center for CenturyLink Technicians to provide light detector | CLLI Code(s) identify the test wire center for CenturyLink Technicians to provide light detector | ||
| If IRI performed | Must have a BAN for IRI | ||
| IMPCON | Implementation Contact Identifies the person responsible for UDF continuity testing. |
First and last name of continuity testing contact, this field allows 15 alphanumeric characters. | |
| TEL NO (IMPCON) | Telephone number for the UDF continuity testing contact | This field allows 17 numeric characters (including 3 preprinted hyphens) |
Service interval guidelines are located in the Service Interval Guide (SIG).
The Design Layout Record (DLR) allows you to obtain design layout records leased by your company. The DLR request is described in the IMA XML Network Disclosure Document or the IMA User's Guide.
Provisioning and Installation
General provisioning and installation activities are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.
CenturyLink will contact you by phone or email to arrange joint continuity testing within the provisioning interval identified in the SIG. CenturyLink and your continuity testing contact identified on the ASR form in the IMPCON field, must coordinate the date and time of the continuity testing. As part of our respective duties regarding the continuity test, CenturyLink will furnish a light detector at one termination point of the UDF, and you will furnish the light generating equipment at the other termination point of the UDF as described below:
- UDF-IOF: CenturyLink and your contact will mutually agree on the wire center where CenturyLink must provide a light detector and the wire center where your contact must provide the light generating equipment. In some states, you may specify the wire center where CenturyLink will provide the light detector according to the terms and conditions of your Interconnection Agreement.
- UDF MTE Sub-Loop: CenturyLink will joint test at an agreed upon time scheduled with your contact and CenturyLink.
Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) and other UDF service intervals are located in the SIG.
A jeopardy occurs on an order if a condition exists that threatens timely completion. Detailed information regarding jeopardy codes are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.
Maintenance and Repair
CenturyLink cannot monitor UDF. Such monitoring is normally completed using electronic equipment connected to the fiber provided by you. However, in the case of a major cable failure affecting the entire cable, CenturyLink would normally detect problems on our fibers, taking appropriate action to restore fiber-based services.
You are responsible for trouble isolation before reporting trouble to CenturyLink. Joint testing between you and CenturyLink may occasionally be necessary to isolate trouble. Both parties will perform cooperative testing and trouble isolation to identify where trouble points exist. You are responsible for repairing your cross connections; CenturyLink cross connections will be repaired by CenturyLink.
If it is determined that the UDF does not meet the minimum fiber parameters of Technical Publication, TRRO - Unbundled Dark Fiber, and the trouble is in the CenturyLink UDF facility, CenturyLink will attempt at no additional cost to repair the UDF as it relates to CenturyLink cross connects and jumpers. If CenturyLink cannot repair the UDF to meet these minimum parameters, CenturyLink will replace the UDF at no additional cost, if suitable UDF pair(s) are available.
General maintenance and repair activities are described in the Maintenance and Repair Overview.
Billing
The IRI, EV and FV/QP will be billed to you as soon as these services are requested and payment is due upon receipt of the bill. The IRI, EV and FV/QP are billed through the Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART). BART billing is described in Billing - Billing and Receivable Tracking (BART). For UDF requests involving the FV/QP process, 50% of the quote provided during the FV/QP process must be received prior to intiating the work. The remaining 50% must be remitted prior to sending a service request. All recurring and nonrecurring charges associated with the installation are billed through the Integrated Access Billing System (IABS™). IABS billing is described in Billing Information Integrated Access Billing System (IABS™).
Training
Local CenturyLink 101 "Doing Business With CenturyLink"
- This introductory web-based training course is designed to teach the Local CLEC and Local Reseller how to do business with CenturyLink. It will provide a general overview of products and services, CenturyLink billing and support systems, processes for submitting service requests, reports, and web resource access information. Click here for Course detail and registration information.
Unbundled Network Element - Switching (UBS)
- This is a self-directed, web-based training course that provides you with an overview of the Unbundled Network Element - Switching product and its features. Click here to learn more about this course and register.
Unbundled Loop Elements (ULE)
- This is a self-directed, web-based training course that provides you with an overview of the Unbundled Loop Elements (ULE) product and its features. Click here to learn more about this course and to register.
View additional CenturyLink courses in the Course Catalog.
Contacts
CenturyLink contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
This section is being compiled based on your feedback
Last Update: August 8, 2011
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