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TNS Policies

Interactive Video Room Equipment Supported and/or Maintained by TNS

Full Maintenance Coverage - Trouble Reporting/Resolution Procedure

Full Maintenance: Preventive Maintenance

Full Maintenance: CODEC-Only Full Maintenance Coverage

Full Maintenance: Coverage Requirements and Charges

Time and Materials Maintenance Coverage - Trouble Reporting/Resolution Procedure

Time and Materials: Preventative Maintenance

Time and Materials: Coverage Requirements and Charges

Time and Materials: Certification of Videoconferencing Systems

Time and Materials: No Maintenance Coverage

Videoconferencing Equipment Maintenance

Telecommunications and Networking Services (TNS) offers two maintenance options for room-based videoconferencing systems that have been designed and installed or have been certified by TNS. They are a flat-rate annual maintenance coverage and maintenance coverage based on time and materials charges. NOTE: Maintenance fees cover maintenance costs only and do not include life cycle funding. Campuses, Colleges and Departments will need to budget appropriately for replacement of equipment.

Please refer to TNS System Maintenance Policy.

Interactive Video Room Equipment Supported and/or Maintained by TNS

DS = Design Supported Can be used in new designs or upgrades

OS = Operations Supported Operationally supported for currently installed systems; not eligible for use in new designs or upgrades.

EOS = End of Support Equipment will not be supported by TNS after this date.

As TNS evaluates the equipment on the supported equipment list, it may be determined that the equipment should be upgraded or replaced. TNS will notify the customer of any equipment falling into this category and will set a date by which, at the customer's expense, the equipment must be upgraded or replaced to continue TNS' support of the system.

Full Maintenance Coverage

Trouble Reporting/Resolution Procedure:

• The site videoconference room technical contact should call 814-865-4NOC[4662] to report a problem.
• TNS will determine whether the problem is with the communication lines, the terminal adapter, or the videoconferencing devices located at the site.
• The TNS demarc for supported videoconferencing systems under the Full Maintenance option will include the CODEC, components that are the CODEC manufacturer's integrated options, TNS supported components that are directly connected to the CODEC, and TNS supported network components.
• If the communications lines or terminal adapter are the source of the problem, TNS will resolve the problem.
• If the problem is found to be with TNS maintained videoconferencing equipment located at the site, and cannot be resolved remotely or with the assistance of the room technical contact, TNS will dispatch personnel to the site to repair/replace the faulty item(s).
• If the problem cannot be diagnosed remotely by TNS, and cannot be resolved remotely or with the assistance of the room technical contact, TNS dispatched personnel will visit the site to diagnose, repair and/or replace the faulty equipment. (Personnel will arrive on site within 12 hours after receipt of call. Repair completion within 48 hours.)
• If TNS dispatched personnel determine that the problem is a result of a change in the room design or furniture placement, the customer will be charged for all time spent on the problem's diagnosis. The customer will also be charged time plus travel to include flight costs, mileage, tolls, car and hotel if necessary. The distance and level of emergency required will dictate choice of travel.
• The repair or replacement of any circuits, material or equipment damaged as a result of accidental or intentional tampering or misuse will be billed to the department, college or group on a time and materials basis.
• The repair of damages to materials or equipment caused by natural disasters, flooding, or fires will be billed to the department, college or group on a time and materials basis.

Preventive Maintenance:

TNS will perform a yearly preventive maintenance check on the equipment covered by the maintenance agreement and perform any necessary equipment repair or replacement.

CODEC-Only Full Maintenance Coverage:

• The TNS demarc for supported videoconferencing equipment covered by the CODEC-Only Full Maintenance option will be limited to the CODEC and TNS supported network (ISDN and external LAN) and CODEC related components.
• The site videoconference room technical contact should call 814-865-4NOC[4662] to report a problem.
• If the CODEC or TNS supported Network and CODEC related Equipment are the source of the problem, TNS will resolve the problem.
• If the problem cannot be diagnosed remotely by TNS, and cannot be resolved remotely or with the assistance of the room technical contact, TNS dispatched personnel will visit the site to diagnose, repair and/or replace the faulty equipment. (Personnel will arrive on site within 12 hours after receipt of call. Repair completion within 48 hours.)
• If TNS dispatched personnel determine that a problem is in the customer equipment rather than the CODEC or the TNS supported network components, the customer will be charged the TNS site visit fee or the service vendor costs for time spent on the problem's diagnosis. The customer will also be charged service vendor travel expenses to include flight costs, mileage, tolls, car and hotel if necessary. The distance and level of emergency required will dictate choice of travel.

Coverage Requirements

• A signed Telecommunications Service Requisition (TSR) must be submitted to TNS requesting the Full Maintenance coverage option. There will be a 30-day waiting period before maintenance coverage takes effect. The waiting period will begin at the time TNS' service vendor receives the Purchase Order for maintenance coverage from TNS. Upon receipt of the Purchase Order, the vendor will send an acknowledgment to TNS showing the coverage starting time and date.
• The equipment must meet TNS' specifications before it will be accepted under the Full Maintenance agreement. TNS will inspect videoconferencing equipment included in the Full Maintenance agreement at the Time and Materials rate for Videoconferencing Systems plus expenses and conduct a test call with the site. The charge to upgrade the system to meet TNS' specifications will also be billed to the site at the Time and Materials rate for Videoconferencing Systems plus expenses and required parts. See Certification of Videoconferencing Systems.
• The videoconference room must be configured according to the TNS design for optimum videoconference system performance and operation. The TNS videoconference room design includes room furniture layout, microphone location, camera and equipment location. Changes in the room furniture layout, microphone location, and camera and equipment location from the TNS design, may affect the performance of the system causing degradation of video and or audio quality resulting in user dissatisfaction at the near end and the far end(s). The videoconference technical contacts are responsible to keep the room in optimum operating condition. Problems reported to TNS that are a result of a room setup other than the TNS design, are not covered by FULL maintenance. The customer will be charged TNS Time and Materials rate or the service vendor rate plus material costs for all troubles directly related to the change from the TNS design. TNS reserves the right to require the customer to resolve any problems that are directly related to the change from TNS design.
• Permanent changes made to a TNS maintained videoconferencing system must be designed, installed, and maintained by TNS or under the direct supervision of TNS in order for the system to be covered by TNS maintenance. If permanent changes are made to the system equipment, system wiring or configuration without direct involvement by TNS, the system will no longer be qualified for Full Maintenance coverage. To resume Full Maintenance coverage, the customer must either return the system to the TNS designed configuration or have the system re-certified by TNS (see Certification of Video Conferencing Systems). The customer will be charged vendor time or the TNS Time and Materials rate plus material costs for any troubles directly related to changes made by the customer.

Time and Materials Maintenance Coverage

Trouble Reporting/Resolution Procedure

• The site videoconferencing technical contact should call 814-865-4NOC [4662] to report a problem.
• TNS will determine whether the problem is with the communication lines, the terminal adapter, or the videoconferencing devices located at the site.
• The TNS demarc for supported videoconferencing systems covered by the Time and Materials Maintenance option will include the CODEC, components that are the CODEC manufacturer's integrated options, TNS supported components that are directly connected to the CODEC, and TNS supported network components.
• If the communications lines or terminal adapter are the source of the problem, TNS will resolve the problem at no charge to the site.
• If the problem is found to be with the videoconferencing equipment located at the site, TNS will continue to work toward the resolution of the problem. This may include a visit to the site. All related work will be completed on a time and material basis by either TNS staff or a TNS vendor. If a trip to the site is required, the customer will be charged the TNS Time and Materials rate or the service vendor rate for time plus service vendor travel expenses to include flight costs, mileage, tolls, car and hotel if necessary. The distance and level of emergency required will dictate choice of travel.
• The repair or replacement of any circuits, material or equipment damaged as a result of accidental or intentional tampering or misuse will be billed to the department, college or group on a time and materials basis.
• The repair of damages to materials or equipment caused by natural disasters, flooding, or fires will be billed to the department, college or group on a time and materials basis.

Preventive Maintenance:

TNS will perform a yearly preventive maintenance check on the site's videoconferencing equipment if requested with a TSR submitted to the TNS Business Office. The budget provided on the TSR will be charged the TNS Time and Materials rate or service vendor costs for time spent on the maintenance check and the diagnosis and resolution of any problems found as well as replacement parts/equipment. Service vendor travel costs, meals and lodging, if necessary, will also be charged to the budget.

• The TNS demarc for supported videoconferencing equipment covered by the CODEC-Only Time and Materials Maintenance option will be limited to the CODEC and TNS supported network components (see Time and Materials Maintenance Coverage Trouble Reporting/Resolution Procedure).

Coverage Requirements and Charges:

• A signed TSR must be submitted to TNS requesting Time and Materials Maintenance coverage.
• The equipment must meet TNS' specifications before the equipment will be accepted under the Time and Materials Maintenance agreement. TNS will inspect the videoconferencing equipment and conduct a test call with the site. There will be a charge to certify the system (see Certification of Videoconferencing Systems).
• The videoconference room must be configured according to the TNS design for optimum videoconference system performance and operation. The TNS videoconference room design includes room furniture layout, microphone location, camera and equipment location. Changes in the room furniture layout, microphone location, and camera and equipment location from the TNS design, may affect the performance of the system causing degradation of video and or audio quality resulting in user dissatisfaction at the near end and the far end(s). The videoconference technical contacts are responsible to keep the room in optimum operating condition. The customer will be charged TNS Time and Materials rate or the service vendor rate plus materials costs for all troubles directly related to the change from TNS design. TNS reserves the right to require the customer to resolve any problems that are directly related to the change from TNS design.
• Permanent changes made to a TNS maintained videoconferencing system must be designed, installed, and maintained by TNS or under the direct supervision of TNS in order for the system to be covered by TNS maintenance. If permanent changes are made to the system equipment, system wiring or configuration or the equipment is moved to a new location without direct involvement by TNS, the system must be certified by TNS or will no longer be qualified for TNS Time and Materials coverage. (See Certification of Video Conferencing Systems).
• If the customer chooses to move the Videoconferencing System to a new location, the system must be reconnected to a Videoconferencing LAN, and certified by TNS. The equipment should be configured, reconnected and positioned according to TNS Videoconferencing Room and System Specifications. This will greatly reduce the time required to certify the system. Certifications cannot be performed during or immediately preceding a videoconferencing session.

Certification of Videoconferencing Systems

Videoconferencing systems not designed or installed by TNS can be made eligible for TNS Maintenance options by first completing a Videoconferencing Design Service request form requesting that TNS certify the system. After the system is certified, the equipment will qualify for TNS maintenance coverage.

To request the certification of a videoconference system, a properly completed and signed Telecommunications Service Requisition should be submitted to TNS. A TNS Service Manager will initiate a TNS Work Order for a certification design. Certification charges will be billed to the site.

No Maintenance Coverage

TNS will only provide assistance or support for videoconferencing equipment and systems that are covered by either the Full Maintenance option or the Time and Materials Maintenance option. Expansion, maintenance, or repair of any equipment or system that is not covered by one of these options is the responsibility of the videoconferencing site.

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