Telecom
Telecom bills are long, and they rarely get a close read. Lines stay active after the people who used them leave. Contracts renew on terms nobody remembers. A telecom review checks what you pay against what you use and what you agreed.
Fairview Audit connects you with a partner firm for this work. Fairview does not perform the review.
What the review looks at
A partner firm starts with your carrier invoices and the contracts behind them. It then asks whether each charge is correct and still needed. Typical areas include:
- Services and circuits that are billed but no longer in use.
- Rates that differ from the contract.
- Taxes and surcharges that look wrong. Federal rules require carriers to describe each charge in plain language, and California, for one, applies a flat surcharge per phone line. [VERIFY: surcharge rules where your lines are]
- Contract terms such as renewal dates, minimums and early exit charges.
- Overlapping services from more than one carrier.
- Inventory: what you have, where it is and who owns it.
Some firms also handle wireless plans and offer help with sourcing a new carrier or planning future needs. Coverage differs by firm. [CONFIRM: a partner firm supplies and approves the telecom services it covers]
For wireless-heavy spend, see the services page for related categories as they go live.
What you provide
Your partner firm will confirm its list. You can expect to gather:
- Carrier contracts, amendments and service orders.
- Recent invoices for each carrier and account.
- Account numbers and billing contacts.
- A list of sites and the services at each.
- Records of services you know you have cancelled or moved.
- Notes on past billing disputes.
- Contact details for your IT and finance staff.
Invoices from several carriers can look very different. Do not try to reformat them. Send what you have.
What happens after you submit a request
You submit a request through the form that fits your business. A partner firm contacts you directly. You talk through the scope, share your invoices and contracts, and receive the firm's findings.
If the findings show errors or unused services, you and the firm agree how to raise them with the carrier. Fees and terms are between you and the partner firm. Some partner firms work on a contingency basis.
Who this suits
Telecom review tends to fit businesses with many locations, many lines or several carriers. It also suits those that:
- Have grown by acquisition and inherited old accounts.
- Moved offices without closing the old services.
- Cannot say who owns each telecom account.
- Have not read a carrier contract since it was signed.
Business size decides which type of firm fits best. Fairview describes that fit during matching, so you do not need to work it out first. Related checks include supplier contract compliance and accounts payable audit.
How Fairview matches you
Fairview has three request paths: larger business, smaller business, and not sure or another need. Each leads to its own form. Your size affects the match, and there is no fixed cut-off. A request goes to the matched partner. If you are not sure, Fairview matches it by hand.
An independent partner firm that specializes in telecom handles this work. Fairview Audit makes the match. We do not perform the review ourselves.Who does the work
Frequently asked questions
Will my services be interrupted?
A review reads invoices and contracts. Any change to live services is a separate decision that you make with your carrier.
Can I keep my current carrier?
That is up to you and the partner firm. Firms of this kind let you keep your existing carriers. Ask the firm what its approach is.
What if I do not know my account numbers?
Tell the firm. Old invoices usually show them.
Does Fairview contact my carrier?
No. Any contact with a carrier is handled by you and your partner firm.
Related pages
Tell us what you need reviewed. We match you by hand with an independent partner firm. You keep your existing vendors.Find out what you are overpaying.