There are numerous moving components in a business that are easy to overspend and not even realize. One place that witnesses considerable expenses levied by a telecom service provider company. Business telecommunication service providers have made their pricing charts complex and the billing charges are so complicated that it is impossible to figure out the exact billing and charges.
Once you take a look at your current carrier and the hidden costs of each sneaking period there is a possibility that you are ready to switch carriers. In that case, you will receive a firm order commitment. If you are wondering what is firm order commitment in the telecom sector then let us understand in detail.
What is FOC
Before you proceed let us figure out what is firm order commitment in the first place. This is a confirmation that is provided by your current carrier that they will post telephone numbers to another service provider on an exact date. The number that will be ported and the day it will be issued should both be listed in the FOC.
The firm order commitment is a response to the service order that your new telecommunication provider should make. The winning carrier will dish out the details of the phone number and the desired porting date to the losing carrier. If the previous provider is able to comply with the request, they will issue the FOC order to confirm the transfer of the phone number.
An overview of telecom terminology
There may be a few terms in the telecom industry that may be confusing. Once you have an idea about the terms you will have better insights into how to switch carriers
- Losing carrier- The losing carrier is the telecommunications company that you are leaving. They are switching carriers and losing your business as a result.
- Winning carrier- Your new telecom company is regarded as the victorious carrier. Once you give them your phone number and the appropriate details, they should start the porting procedure.
- Port- A number is permanently switched to a new provider when it is ported.
- Service order- the service order is issued by the winning carrier and delivered to the losing carrier. It requires that a telephone number be ported on a specific date.
- Local exchange carrier- This refers to the company that provides telecom services in a specific local area. By law, they are required to provide number portability and when necessary, provide technical help.
The reasons for you to require an FOC order
A telecom service provider company will require an FOC anytime if they want to port the phone number from the current supplier to a new one. The timing will be affected by whether you are transferring to a wireline, wireless line or IP. If you are porting only one line, then the FOC requires that the process can be accomplished in a single day. When you are switching from a wireline to a wireless service, it may take a few days.
It is important that you do not cancel your current telecommunication service provider till the point you set a new one. The winning carrier will start the porting process by issuing a service order.
The common reasons for switching carriers
Sometimes we get complacent and do not realise that our current telecom service provider company is not the best option. Although there are numerous reasons why your firm may benefit more from switching carriers.
- Saving money- the main reason why businesses switch carriers is to save money. Carriers can overcharge their clients in a variety of ways, including through fees, surcharges, and taxes.
- Issues with customer service- when issues emerge with your telecom bill, the company should be doing everything at their end to get it right. Sadly, many vendors will try to get away with the mistakes. If the telecom service provider company does not own up to the clauses in the contract, then you may switch over to a different provider.
- Switching to VOIP- With the development of modern technology, organisations are increasingly using the voice-over-internet protocol for their telecom demands.. Not only is VOIP scalable and mobile but it saves your business money too.
- Consolidating services- another way of saving money on telecom services is combining all accounts to one invoice and a single vendor. By consolidating to a single provider, you simplify the accounting and save time along with money.
To conclude there are numerous reasons for switching your telecommunication service provider. The reasons may be to save money, avail better customer care, consolidate invoicing or switch to VOIP. Business owners who are tense about losing their number can relax being aware that Firm order commitment requires an easy transfer between telecom companies.
Once you have decided to switch carriers, the winning carrier will send a service order to the losing carrier, and they will be provided with a firm order commitment. This means that the number will be ported on a specific date.