Here's a practical cost management guide to the complex world of voice, data and wireless telecommunications for the non-technical business professional. Examining the complex, highly technical telecommunications industry from an insider's point of view, it sifts through all the technical jargon, offers a comprehensive education on the applications, services and procurement of telecom products, and provides a strategy to effectively manage the costs of those products and services. The book enables you to: understand telecom services; audit phone bills; reduce the cost of existing services and eliminate unnecessary ones; and efficiently negotiate new contracts and services. This informative resource explains how providers of telecommunications services interwork and compete, focusing on pricing structures and options. Each section of this volume contains cost management advice, explains the technologies and service offerings of carriers, and illustrates complex concepts with case studies of companies in today's marketplace. Filled with cost management charts and graphics, problems to solve, and featuring an extensive reference section with terms and PIC codes, the book gives you the necessary tools to understand and reduce telecommunication costs.
Introduction -Introduction. Industry Background. The Complete Do-It-Yourself Telcom Audit. Local Service - Local Service Overview. Line Charges. Local Calls. Intralata Calling. Long Dsitance Calls on Local Bills. Managing Your Payphones. CSRs: Auditing Your Customer Service Records.; Long Distance - Long Distance Overview. Long Distance Pricing. Contract Discounts. Dedicated Service.; Data Networking - Data Networking Overview. Dedicated Private Lines. Circuit Switching. Packet Switching. New Data Networking Technologies.; Wireless Service - Wireless Service Overview. Mobile Phone Rate Plans. Airtime. Paging.; Strategic Management - Contract Negotiation. The Request for Proposal Process.; Appendix.