Pease read and understand the processes outlined  so you can begin using these protocols today. They are designed to help you work safe, practice social distancing, and continue to provide essential services to our customers. Your Local Manager has received additional detailed information on these processes, so reach out to her/him with any questions.

You can also email NSG Field Support or find detailed instructions in FOne by searching COVID 19 Guide.

Together, we continue to face a truly unprecedented situation. The global COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all of our families, our business, our communities, and our way of life.

We continue to closely follow the recommendations of the CDC to provide you with current updates.

There are numerous scenarios where the technician can complete a ticket without entering a customer’s home and you would handle those as you normally do…being sure to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, when competed. When your work requires you to enter the premises, we want to be sure you work as safe as possible as you continue to keep our customers in-service with dial-tone and internet. We have received numerous examples of Field Technicians successfully helping the customer restore or establish service by setting up their modems and STBs without the need to enter the premise.

Please review the UPDATE carefully and if you have any questions, reach out to your Local Manager.

If a COVID-19 Alert is NOT noted on the Ticket: During your TER call, ask the customer “Before we get started and to protect both you and myself, can you please tell me if anyone in the home (or business) has the COVID-19 symptoms, been diagnosed, is ill or is quarantined? If the answer is NO, advise them that you will maintain a 6 foot or more distance from all household members while you are performing work on their premises. When you complete the work, as recommended by the CDC, the best protection is to use your water and soap to wash your hands for 20 seconds.

In the event that a COVIID-19 Protocol IS shown on the ticket, or the Customer does not Want you to Enter their home or, you have reason to believe there is an Imminent COVID-19 threat: We have established a temporary processes that you can utilize during installations and repairs to be able to provide customer service, work safer, and provide a method that we can track these ‘unfinished’ customers so we can return and permanently complete the ticket after the crisis has subsided.

Repair Process:

Test and verify working services to demarcation point, either outside of premise or an inside demark where you do not have direct contact with the customer, such as a garage or terminal room.

• If the customer accepts a temporary wiring or device placement, use the Post Job Checklist during the completion flow in MTP to report the temporary facilities. This will ensure we track the temporary wiring and contact the customer to follow up with permanent wiring when the premise is safe/clear.
• If inside access is needed, premise is unsafe, or customer refuses to assist with restoring services, notify the customer to call back when the home is clear/safe to enter.  Complete the job with following clearing codes:

o    Fault:  76_CUSTOMER

o    Cause: 76_CUSTOMER

o    Plant Item:

• 0998_COVID19_PROTOCOL-CUST-RPT (To be used if customer does not want technician to enter premise)
• 0997_COVID19_PROTOCOL-TECH-RPT (To be used if technician finds a premise impacted by Covid-19)

o    Action: 14 CANT CLEAR_COVID19_PROTOCOL

• Use clear and descriptive closeout remarks to aid follow up conversation when customer calls back

Warm Install Process:

For Copper DSL, Vantage and Voice

• Confirm Dial Tone and/or Sync at the demarcation point/NID
• If customer hasexisting wiring/jack in place; Provide the customer the RG kit to connect to existing jack
• If customer has no inside wiring/jackthat can be used; Create temporary patch cord to be used from demark to RG (with enough slack for RG placement indoors) and transfer RG/temporary wire to customer (through door or window) to place inside premise.
• Connect wirelessly to the RG from outside the premise and Verify sync

o    Walk customer through Walled Garden and Confirm customer has full access to the broadband service (surf)

• Note that bonded services will sync on a single pair if inside wiring/jack is only wired for single pair services (may be an option if customer does not want temp wiring)

o    Remember, this will result in the customer receiving 50% of the speed they ordered: You NEED to notify the customer of this and that it will be remedied when we return to complete the job.

• Use the Post Job Checklist during the completion flow in MTP to report the temporary facilities. This will ensure we track the temporary wiring and contact the customer to follow up with permanent wiring when the premise is safe/clear.