Certified Telecom Management Administrator 3-day telecom training course including certification exam, $2395 Last chance to take this instructor-led classroom course - May 26-28, 2010

Overview

This telecom training course presents core telecom essentials that empower administrators with the knowledge they need to excel in their roles. Mastering telecommunications essentials is a necessity for business managers, accounts payable staff, and professional administrators involved in validating invoices for payment, placing orders, and opening trouble tickets with service providers; providing help desk support for users; and interfacing with telecom technicians. The CTMA course is designed to provide telecom administrators with the following:

• Learn key telecom acronyms and terms
• Understand the telecommunications industry
• Learn about voice and data technology
• Integrate invoice processing best practices into current processes
• Identify incorrect invoice charges
• Plan for invoice changes as MACDs occur in the environment

Participants will learn:

• Telecom terminology
• Industry history & evolution
• Voice & data network technology
• Invoice review & payment processing
• Service provider MACD processing

Who Should Attend

The course is ideal for telecom administrators, IT/IS administrators, telecom analysts, and accounts payable staff. If you wish to certify your skills in telecom administration and are responsible for any of the following telecom elements, this course is for you:

• Department administration
• Supporting telecom technicians
• Reviewing invoices
• Processing and coding invoices for payment
• Performing service moves, adds, changes, and disconnects

Agenda

Day 1:

Telecom Terminology & Industry Overview

The first day of the course defines core telecommunications language and shares an overview of the telecom industry, relating customers to service providers. The language used by the telecom industry is unique and can often be overwhelming. Additionally, the telecom industry is a maze of relationships that affect the financial and operational quality of service. Telecom terminology and an industry overview are discussed in a manner that unites the relevance of the language and industry directly to the activities of telecom administrators.

1. Telecom Terminology

• Vendor & Service Provider Terms
• Public Network Infrastructure
• Service Provider Billing

2. Voice Service Terms

• Service & Usage
• Billing

3. Data & Internet Service Terms

• Service & Usage
• Billing

4. Wireless Service Terms

• Service & Usage
• Billing

5. Industry Overview

• The Public Telephone Network
  • AT&T and the Bell System
  • Divestiture
  • Telecom Act of 1996

6. Service Provider & Vendor Relationships

• Procurement
• Installation & Provisioning
• Interoperability & Compatibility

7. Conquering the Industry Maze

• Roles & Responsibilities
• Customer Advocacy Groups

Certification Project Exercise: Create a logic map of telecom terms and industry relationships.

Certification Exam Preparation: Certification exam on Day One topics

Day 2:

Voice & Data Network Technology

Today's telecommunications environments are comprised of a wide variety of technology applications, software applications, network configurations, and specialized service providers. Day two of the Boot Camp is focused on defining voice and data network technologies and relating these technologies to each participant's environment. The approach to the discussion is geared to support non-engineers and to educate telecom administrators about a myriad of common and emerging voice and data network technologies.

1. Voice Technology

• Analog Voice
  • Defined
  • Applications

2. Digital Voice

• Defined
• Applications

3. Transport Facilities

• 2-Wire Twisted Pair
• T-1
• ISDN BRIs & PRIs
• Wireless

4. CENTREX

• Features
• Applications

5. Data Technology

• Analog Data Transmission
  • Defined
  • Applications

6. Digital Data Transmission

• Defined
• Applications

7. Data Network Transport & Technology

• Private Leased Line
• xDSL
• Frame Relay
• ATM
• MPLS
• Wi-Fi

8. Convergence Technology

• Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)
  • Defined
  • Applications

9. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

• Defined
• Applications

Certification Project Exercise: Discuss deployed & proposed technology.

Certification Exam Preparation: Certification exam on Day Two Topics

Day 3:

Invoice Processing & Change Management

Day three combines telecom terminology, industry structure, and technology with invoice processing and invoice payment. Recognition of telecom language and technology enhances and economizes the process of validation of invoices, processing and coding of invoices, and payment of invoices. Invoice and payment processing is also affected by moves, adds, changes, and disconnects. Best practices for invoice processing and payment and integrating MACDs into the accounts payable process are shared and discussed.

1. Invoice Review & Payment Processing

• Reviewing Invoices
  • Invoice Account Comparisons
  • Validating Baseline Measurements
  • Identifying Incorrect Charges

2. Invoice Chargeback Coding

• Monthly Recurring Charges
• Usage
• Taxes, Surcharges & Fees

3. Handling Out-of-Compliance Invoices

• Disputing Charges
• Shortpay Practices
• Charge Accruals

4. Move, Add, Change & Disconnect (MACD) Processing

• Planning for Change
  • Communication Requirements
  • Anticipating Financial Impact

5. Reconciling MACDs Against Invoices

• New Contracts
• New & Changed Services
• Disconnected Services

6. Special Considerations

• Installation & Provisioning Waivers
• Tiered Discount Structures
• Shortfall Liability Impact

Certification Program

Individuals must complete 24 hours (3 days) of training, successfully complete in-training skills-based projects, and pass a certification exam to earn Certified Telecom Management Executive credentials. The projects and exam are completed during the three-day training course.

Software & PC Requirements:

A laptop computer is recommended, but not necessary. An electronic CD-ROM toolkit containing Microsoft Excel and Word templates, as well as Adobe PDF documents is provided to support the principles taught during the course. The toolkit items are helpful when completing the certification project exercises.

CTMA Post Training Toolkit:

In addition to the knowledge gained throughout the course, you’ll also walk away with a toolkit to reference best practices and support your telecom initiatives as you implement them in your own environment.

1. Bell System Evolution

This diagram details the evolution of the Bell System from the 22 pre-Divestiture AT&T Bell companies through the mergers and acquisitions that have led to today's 4 major LECs.

2. Digital & Optical Carrier System Comparisons

This resource compares DSx carrier systems to DS0s, T-1s and E-1s. SONET optical carrier system designators are also related to DSx carrier systems.

3. Frame Relay & Dedicated Data Circuit Network Diagram

This diagram illustrates a frame relay network connection and a dedicated point-to-point data connection through the public data network.

4. Hosted VoIP Network Diagram

This diagram illustrates connections in a hosted VoIP environment. Logical connections between IP-PBXs and softphones as they communicate with traditional TDM PBXs in the hosted network are provided. Hosted network configurations combine Internet connectivity with PSTN accessibility to unify VoIP and traditional PSTN transport.

5. Invoice Validation Checklist

This tool identifies the most common billing errors prone to be found on telecom invoices. The form template format enables electronic or manual use of this checklist for each invoice processed prior to payment approval. Identifying invoice errors before they are paid, protects the telecom budget and saves valuable time seeking credits for overpaid invoices.

6. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) Diagram

This diagram illustrates switched and dedicated voice connections through the public switched telephone network.

7. Current RBOC Environment

This map identifies current incumbent carrier footprints for the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) — SBC, Qwest, BellSouth and Verizon.

8. Service Provider Executive Complaints

Telecom service providers have internal customer problem resolution departments outside of standard customer care. These departments, often called Executive Complaints, provide customer advocacy and are the final stop within a service provider before billing, technical or general customer service complaints are escalated to industry regulators.

9. State Regulatory Information

Each state and the District of Columbia have an agency that regulates telecommunications service providers and services. The Internet links contained in the documents attached to this article are directed to those state-specific agencies. While the content of each state's agency varies, these links may offer information about state telecommunications tariffs, on-line fraud reporting tools, lists of authorized service providers, and state contact information for telecommunications related inquiries.

10. Telecom Terms Dictionary

This dictionary contains definitions for over 100 essential telecom terms and reference links to three online dictionary resources.

11. USOC Codes

Uniform Service Order Codes (USOCs) are alphanumeric designators that define the technical and billing configurations for local exchange carrier services. These codes are the primary language for LEC customer service records (CSRs). CSRs are typically standalone documents obtained from LECs; however, many LECs are now publishing USOCs on customer invoices. While this publication arrangement does not replace traditional CSRs, the invoice published USOCs can aid customers in determining service configuration.

12. IP-VPN VoIP Network Diagram

This network diagram illustrates VoIP connections through an IP-VPN. Gateway and IP-PBX equipment are illustrated in this example. IP-VPN networks utilize dedicated access connections to IP-based data networks, which may include Internet backbone, private IP or a combination of the two.

13. LATA Maps

A Local Access Transport Area (LATA) is a geographical area within the United States that defines the voice and data traffic carriage area for a local exchange carrier (LEC). In the first 15 years or so following Divestiture, intraLATA voice and data traffic was carried by a LEC and interLATA traffic was carried by interexchange carrier (IXC). Today, LATAs do not define what type of carrier carries the traffic as much as they define a rate base for the cost of carriage within or outside LATA boundaries. This shift has occurred as traditional IXCs entered the CLEC market and traditional LECs entered the long distance, or interexchange carrier, market.

IntraLATA traffic is traffic within a LATA boundary. InterLATA traffic is traffic between two or more LATAs and is commonly called in-state or intra-state traffic. Each LATA traffic type has its own rate schedules, which are regulated by each state's regulatory agency.

14. Project Tracker Tool

Telecom environments are full of projects. Installing phone lines in an existing office, changing long distance carriers, and adding voice and data services to a new remote office are examples of telecom projects that you may encounter. Tracking the progress of each project is crucial to ensure on-time completion. This Project Tracker Tool offers project activity tracking and completion time tracking for multiple projects or tasks. Fields for task owners, task descriptions, due dates, completion dates, and overall project durations are included in the tool.

Registration Fees

The per student registration fee for this seminar is $2,395 and includes seminar materials, projects, certification fees for all required tests to complete the certification, and refreshments. (Retesting fees may apply.)

Class begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 5:00 PM.  Please arrive at 8:15 AM.

To register, click on the "Book Now" button or please call (708) 246-0320

Seminar Schedule

May 26-28, '10

Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Center ()

, dates & locations.

Payment is due prior to the conference.  If payment is not received, a credit card hold will be required for participation.  This card will only be processed if payment has not been received within two weeks following the conference.

Cancellation Policy.  Registrants may cancel up to fourteen days in advance of the seminar start date for a full refund, less administrative fees of $500.  Or, you may transfer your registration to another member of your company at no additional charge.  Registrants canceling within fourteen days of the seminar will receive training credit, less administrative fees of $500 toward any other Resource Center seminar.

 In the unlikely event that a seminar must be cancelled, you will be notified at least one week prior to the seminar date. Seminar provider is not responsible for losses due to cancellation including losses on advanced purchase airfares.

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