Wholesale: Products & Services

CenturyLink Interconnect OSS Electronic Access - V65.0

History Log

Introduction

Based on the Wholesale Products and Services in your Interconnection Agreement, to support your service delivery functions, CenturyLink™ offers you various tools and electronic methods to access CenturyLink's Operations Support Systems (OSS). Electronic access to ordering and repair systems, as well as billing outputs for Interconnection Products and Services, can be accomplished via Direct Connection and Web Access.

Dial Up Capability

Log on to download data files to your local PC or network server. Requires you purchase and install CONNECT Direct software (WIN 95 version) for output files. Contact your CenturyLink Service Manager to obtain specific requirements.

  • Security
    Requires you order SecurID card(s) from CenturyLink, for each member of your staff who will be accessing our tools or pulling data files taking approximately 10 business days to complete. System(s) security, based on requested systems that will be accessed, is established when the SecurID card is ordered. If CenturyLink determines a member of your staff is sharing their SecurID card, their access will be disconnected. SecurID card(s) are renewed yearly.

Direct Connection

Allows processing large volumes of ordering, repair and data requests and recommended if you will be generating large data volumes or if you have more than 50 staff members who will be accessing our ordering and repair systems.  Requires you to install a full T1, fractional T1 or Frame Relay circuit with software requirements that may include CONNECT Direct (NDM),  or File Transfer Protocol (FTP), or File Transfer Protocol Secure (FTPS) Explicit SSL (Secure Socket Layer) based on the use of the circuit.

  • Security
    Established at a company level, connectivity and security requires detailed project coordination and testing to implement with initial set up taking approximately 6 to 8 weeks to complete. Once security is established, no further renewal is needed. However, a minimum of five business days is required for subsequent connectivity requirement changes, such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Specific requirements may be obtained from your Wholesale Systems Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) Implementation team representative.

Web Access

Provides access to numerous CenturyLink systems to process orders, download data and/or access your billing data files from your PC using a web browser.

  • Security
    CenturyLink Digital Certificates or CenturyLink Protected Internet Delivery (CPID) User IDs and passwords are issued for each of your employees and are required for each personal computer that will be used to up and/or download data or access CenturyLink systems via the web. A minimum of 48 hours is required to process and update security databases with certificates renewed every five years. Refer to the "Requesting Access To CenturyLink's Systems" section of our Operations Support Systems (OSS) Overview web page for ordering Digital Certificates or contact your CenturyLink Service Manager for additional information.

Contact CenturyLink's IT-Wholesale Systems Help Desk at (888) 796-9102 for assistance if you experience problems connecting to CenturyLink once your connectivity and security access has been established. Additional information about CenturyLink's Information Technologies Wholesale Systems Help Desk (IT-WSHD), including hours of operation, can be found in the Wholesale Systems Help Desk Section of our OSS Production Support web page.

Information about the Unplanned Notification Process can be obtained from CenturyLink's OSS Production Support.

Tools for Interconnect

The following is a list of resources, systems and network tools available that support the pre-ordering, ordering, repair and maintenance functions through data files, access to systems for ordering and repair, and billing files:

CLEC PIC / LPIC Verification Process
Submit and receive batch files containing PIC/LPIC information

Customer Electronic Maintenance and Repair (CEMR)-Maintenance Ticketing Gateway (MTG)
Graphical user interface for trouble administration activities such as creating and editing trouble reports, monitoring status and reviewing trouble history on Circuit IDs

Directory Listing Inquiry System (DLIS)
Information on Directory Listing Inquiry System

Electronic Customer Reporting (ECR)
Provides access to CLEC Performance Results Report

FLI – Fiber Data Reports Tool
Information on fiber facilities is contained on Fiber Data Reports User Guide.

Maintenance Ticketing Gateway (MTG)
Electronic gateway used primarily to process mechanically telephone circuit repair activities

Metallic Designed Facility Inventory Tool (MIT)
Information contains installed and spare copper spans between the Central Office and some other location. This other location could be either another Central Office or a customer location.

Electronic Administration and Service Order Exchange (EASE) Virtual Front Office (VFO)

Use a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to electronically submit Access Service Requests (ASRs) to request trunking and facilities between you and CenturyLink for Local Interconnection Services, interstate and intrastate-switching access, and private line transport services offered for the origination and/or termination of inter-exchange traffic. Or, submit those ASRs electronically via real-time XML transactions.

Data Files Available

  • Access and Billable Usage Records (sent to the CLEC)
  • Co-Carrier Usage Return Files (CCUR) (received from the CLEC)
  • Ensemble / CABS Summary Bills
  • Daily Usage File
  • Feature Availability Matrix (FAM) (Also referred to as Service Availability)
  • Fiber Data Reports (Also referred to as Fiber Loop Inventory (FLI))
    Reports fiber loop facilities availability in the Local Network for planning activities.
  • Loss and Completion Reports
  • Raw Loop Data Tool (RLD)
  • Service Address Guide (SAG)

Electronic OSS Access Forms

The matrix below identifies the documents and forms used to establish and/or change connectivity and security to CenturyLink's OSS tools for the access methods summarized in the Introduction Section of this document. Downloadable documents and forms are available in Systems General Information.

Access Method Tool or Data File Forms Need to Submit
Dial Up •  Resale Billing/Ordering Outputs
•  TAXI

•  For access to TAXI contact your CenturyLink Service Manager
Direct Connection •  Resale Billing/Ordering Outputs
•  CABS
•  Interconnect MPB
•   Output/Input
•  SAG/FAM
•  EXACT
•  MTG
Bill Media Form
Web Access •  CenturyLink Protected Internet Delivery User’s Guide (CPID)

The  CPID provides a secure communications mechanism data transfer on internal and external networks includes instructions for File Transport User Interface and trouble shooting.

The  CenturyLink Protected Internet Delivery User's Guide can be found at http://qpid01.centurylink.com The User's Guide provides system and user requirements for applications and data transfer on internal and external networks.

CenturyLink™ B2B Gateway will allow users to access their files in the same manner as CPID and is replacing it.  It offers similar functionality as CPID plus additional features. For the CenturyLink™ B2B Gateway Web Access Guide click here
•   Electronic Administration and Service Order Exchange (EASE) Virtual Front Office (VFO) •To access the Electronic Administration and Service Order Exchange (EASE) Administration Guide click here.
• Request for User Access to EASE.

•  CEMR-MTG
•  ECR
•  FAM-SAGA
•  FLI
•  FORCAST
•  RLD
•  DLIS

•   Request for User Access to CenturyLink's Systems via Digital Certificate or CPID for the system you need.
Internet via SFTP Files currently on CPID will also be available via the CenturyLink™ B2B Gateway via the SSH/SFTP protocol The files can be pulled from the CenturyLink™ B2B Gateway via the SSH/SFTP protocol or it can push the files to your server via SSH/SFTP protocol
Internet via FTP over TLS (FTP/S) Files currently on CPID will also be available to be sent by the CenturyLink™ B2B Gateway via FTP over TLS to your server The files can be pushed from the CenturyLink™ B2B Gateway to your server FTP over TLS

OSS Access Downloadable Forms

MS Excel Downloads:

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 to learn more about this Training.

View additional CenturyLink courses in the Training Catalog.

Last Update: November 29, 2023

Last Reviewed: March 18, 2024