If the problem is with SwitchWorks facilities, no. If the problem is not with SwitchWorks facilities, yes. Generally, problems that are on the network side the demarcation point (See What is the demarcation point? below) are not chargeable and problems that are on the customer side are.
$99.95 plus tax, payable in advance. If the problem is determined to be with SwitchWorks facilities, the service fee will be credited to your account and can be applied against future invoices.
The demarcation point (or demarc) is the point at which your provider’s wiring ends and your wiring begins. In newer homes, the demarc is an outside, weather resistant box with a phone company logo. In older homes the demarc is a wiring block inside the premises.
Your service is provided by SwitchWorks, however, the physical wire that connects your premises to the network is leased from Bell. If symptoms indicate the problem is with the facilities leased from Bell, then Bell must be involved to troubleshoot problems.
It can take three to four months from the time you report a problem until Bell is able to identify the call as billable or not. This is not in SwitchWorks’ control. It is the time it takes Bell to deal with the support call, close the ticket, communicate the ticket information from Bell’s Support department to Bell’s Billing department, and the timing of the information transfer with Bell’s billing cycles. Credits for service fees will not be issued until Bell has provided SwitchWorks with notification that your service call was not billable.
