| Q. What are Service Agreements? |
A. We use that term to describe the contract or understanding between Qwest and its customers. A service agreement usually contains the general terms and conditions that apply to and govern the provision of certain services and products, as well as to the relationship between Qwest and the customer. Service agreements typically describe general matters such as the relationship, limitations of liability, payments, billing, dispute resolution and other items of general or overall concern. Catalogs, price lists, and rate schedules also contain provisions of the contract or understanding between Qwest and its customers. Qwest makes service agreements or notices of terms and conditions available to customers in several ways, including when they order services and products, or on the Qwest website, or at various locations for in person review and inspection. Ordinarily, service agreements apply and govern the services, products and relationship because the customer orders, uses, accepts, and/or pays for the service or product.
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| Q. What are catalogs, price lists and rate schedules? |
A. We use those terms to describe the documents that contain detailed provisions about services and products and the relationship between Qwest and its customers. Ordinarily, these documents apply and govern the service, product and relationship because the customer orders, uses, accepts, and/or pays for the service or product. Qwest posts to its website or makes available in selected locations catalogs, price lists, rate schedules, and like documents that are part of the contract or understanding between Qwest and the customer. Sometimes Qwest also files catalogs and price lists, which are very much like tariffs, with regulatory agencies. Catalogs, price lists, rate schedules, and like documents may contain the same provisions that are found in service agreements, in addition to more specific information about plans, terms and conditions, service and product descriptions, charges, rates and other related information, including details about the Qwest/customer relationship. Typically, Qwest advises customers how to find and review catalogs, price lists, rate schedules and like documents on its website.
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| Q. What are tariffs? |
A. We use that term to describe the regulations, descriptions, terms, conditions, charges, and rates that are filed with government agencies and govern the provision of certain services and products, as well as the relationship between Qwest and the customer. Typically, tariffs filed with the regulatory agency are binding upon the customer and Qwest, and can be viewed on the Qwest Website, at various physical locations, and at the offices of the regulatory agency. Tariffs are not provided to customers when they order affected services and products and rarely are discussed with customers at that time. Ordinarily, tariffs apply and govern the service, product and relationship as a matter of law because they have been filed with the regulatory agency.
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| Q. Which services and products are governed by service agreements, catalogs, price list, rate schedules and like documents, and which ones are governed by tariffs? |
A. Most interstate long distance services and products are governed by service agreements, catalogs, price lists and rate schedules. Some intrastate long distance services and products are governed by tariffs and some are governed by service agreements, catalogs, price lists, rate schedules and like documents. To identify exactly which services and products are governed by tariffs and which are governed by service agreements, catalogs, price lists, rate schedules and like documents, please search the relevant documents posted on this website.
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| Q. How are changes in terms, conditions, charges, rates and other provisions made in service agreements, catalogs, price lists, rate schedules and like documents and in tariffs? |
A. Qwest publishes changes in service agreements, catalogs, price lists, rate schedules and like documents in the publicly available documents on the Qwest website and other locations where they are available. Through bill notices and other media we let customers know about rate increases and other significant changes in advance of their effective date in publications, but we usually make without notice any changes that do not appear to significantly impact customers.
Changes in tariffs are filed with the regulatory agency, and when permitted or authorized by the regulatory agency, the changes become binding. Qwest provides notice of changes in accordance with the regulatory agency rules or directives. Often, no such notice is required.
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| Q. Does Qwest have to secure approval from any governmental agency for the provisions in, or for change to the provisions in, service agreements, catalogs, price lists, rate schedules, or like documents and/or the charges and rates or increases in the charges and rates in those documents? |
A. No.
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| Q. What happens if the status of a product or service changes, so that it is no longer offered under tariff, or the tariffs are withdrawn, or a service or product ceases to be regulated? |
A. When a service or product ceases to be strictly regulated (often called detariffing, deregulation or relaxed regulation) the applicable tariffs are withdrawn and the regulations, descriptions, terms, conditions, charges and rates for the services and products are no longer subject to a tariff. Invariably, that means that the regulations, terms, conditions, charges and rates for those services and products will be moved to a service agreement, catalog, price list, rate schedule or like document that is a contract between Qwest and the customer. Continued use of the service or product constitutes acceptance of and agreement to the provisions of the catalog, price list, service agreement, rate schedule or like document.
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| Q. What if a customer wants to negotiate, change or dispute the provisions in the service agreement, catalog, price list, rate schedule or like document? |
A. Unique contracts may be negotiated for extraordinarily large volumes of service or services requiring special characteristics, but most consumer and small/medium businesses do not have service volumes or needs that justify, for either the customer or Qwest, the time and effort required to negotiate such a contract. The terms, conditions, charges, rates and other provisions of service agreements, catalogs, price lists, rate schedules and like documents are not negotiated. If a customer does not wish to be bound by the provisions offered, the customer may cancel his/her services or products or he/she may select other services, products or providers.
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| Q. Does the service agreement last for a particular length of time? |
A. No. You remain free to change carriers at any time.
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| Q. Where can I get answers to other questions? |
A. Please go to www.qwest.com/customerservice, where you can find out how to contact customer service by phone or via the internet.
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