Sample bill

Sample bill
Figure 1 is a sample bill for a fictional dedicated private line between two customer locations in Seattle, Washington, and Dallas, Texas. Data networking bills give little detail. Because the charges are fixed each month, the carriers must figure that the customers do not want much detail.

Figure 1(a), the first page of the bill, shows the customer has monthly charges of $2,557.55. Under the heading “Balance Brought Forward,” we see that last month’s charge was the same amount. A bill auditor notices these details because it confirms that this is a fixed monthly cost. The bill does not fluctuate because there is no charge for voice or data messages transmitted. This section of the bill also reveals that the customer still has not paid last month’s bill. Bill auditors take note of this because carriers are less amicable with their deadbeat customers.


Figure 1(a): Sample data circuit bill: page 1.

Figure 1(b), the bill’s second page, reveals that it is T-1 service. The bill does not indicate whether or not this is an access T-1, an Internet T-1, or a point-to-point T-1. A seasoned bill auditor knows the monthly pricing for access and Internet T-1s is about $500 to $1,000, so this must be a point-to-point T-1.



Figure 1(b): Sample data circuit bill: page 2.

The heading “Discount Plan Savings” indicates that the customer has signed a term contract and is getting a discount. An auditor would double-check the discount amount and find the customer receives a discount of 38.5%. The half-percent is suspicious; carriers usually give their discounts in whole numbers. It is possible that the customer is only receiving a partial discount.

To completely audit this bill, more information is needed. It is especially important to verify the addresses of the two ends of the circuit. Our hunch is that this is Acme Manufacturing’s point-to-point T-1 connecting the Dallas and Seattle offices. For more detail on this circuit, we should match this circuit to the company network diagram and we should contact Telephone Company B.