Administration

E-MetroTel – Subscription Services

This document describes two different aspects of E-MetroTel Subscription Services:

  1. E-MetroTel Software Subscription Service
  2. E-MetroTel Hardware Warranty Service

Software Subscription Service

As with any other business product, keeping a unified communication platform up-to-date with not only the latest software but with access to ongoing product support is critically important to maintaining overall business continuity. E-MetroTel products use a combination of E-MetroTel’s proprietary software, firmware and hardware, as well as open source software to deliver a value-added set of unified communication capabilities to our customers. E-MetroTel’s Software Subscription Services is designed to offer our customers peace of mind that their unified communications infrastructure is staying current to mitigate risk and will have access to support when it is critical.

With active E-MetroTel Software Subscription Services, customers have access to the latest software and firmware updates to protect against ever evolving security threats to any of the software and firmware components used in our products, minimizing the potential risk to their business operations and data. E-MetroTel will work remotely with customers that are under an active Software Subscription Services commitment to resolve issues related to our equipment and software, ensuring timely return to your normal operation. Customers under an active Software Subscription Services commitment are also able to receive feature enhancements and even new features on a continuous basis provided those enhancements and features do not require separate licensing. Active Software Subscription Services customers are able to update their systems with these capabilities on either an on-demand or scheduled basis. Furthermore, subscribing customers are entitled to receive major software releases if they are supported for their particular operating environment, which can then provide access to additional new functionality. Active Software Subscription Services are also required in order to be able to add additional licenses or to be eligible for any of the conditions of the License Transfer Policy noted in the License Transfer section of the E-MetroTel Product Licensing policy.

Software Subscription Services also provide access to updates to any open source software that is integrated into the overall E-MetroTel product offerings. E-MetroTel tests and verifies the proper operation of new updates to the open source software to limit the possible impact on our overall product operation ensuring that the latest security updates, feature fixes, and product enhancements delivered by the open source community are available, where appropriate, to our customers. If, as part of the integration and testing of those open source updates, E-MetroTel finds issues with their operation or the ability to properly integrate with our own proprietary software or other open source packages used in our product, E-MetroTel will resolve the issues with the open source software prior to delivering to the customer, and subsequently deliver any resulting fixes in the that software to the open source community.

Software Subscription Service Levels

Software Subscription Services are available with different response parameter Service Level Agreements (SLA) and include Standard, Premium, Premium Plus offerings.

Service Level NameCoverage Period – DaysCoverage Period – HoursResponse Time
StandardMonday – Friday8 am to 5 pm (Central Time)24 Hours
PremiumMonday – Friday7 am to 7 pm (Central Time)4 Hours
Premium PlusMonday – SundayAll Day2 Hours

Notes:

  • One year of Standard Support is included with every system purchase. An upgrade to Premium or Premium Plus Subscription Services can optionally be added at time of system purchase.
  • All subscription levels include all software upgrades throughout the term of the active Software Subscription Support Service contract
  • All subscription levels include secure remote access to the System for support, updates and troubleshooting throughout the term of the active Software Subscription Support Service contract.
  • Response Time is defined as the time between when a ticket was opened on the E-MetroTel Ticketing System and when E-MetroTel acknowledges the receipt of that ticket to the party that opened the ticket.

Software Subscription Coverage and Renewal

Software Subscription Services applies to all E-MetroTel software, regardless of how the software is provided to the customer. When the software is delivered on an E-MetroTel appliance or the software is purchased for use on a customer-provided platform, Standard Support is included in every system purchase as noted below. An upgrade to Premium or Premium Plus Subscription Services can optionally be added at time of system purchase. Additionally:

  • The first year of Software Subscription service coverage expires one year from the date of System Activation via the Serial Number Management Tool.
  • All subscription levels contracts are renewable on a yearly basis for an additional year
  • Subscription level can be increased at any time by purchasing a new one year renewal
  • Subscription level can only be decreased at the end of a year.
  • For Virtual Machine based systems, which operate under a Software as a Service (Saas) model, annual renewal of Software Subscription Services is mandatory to maintain system operation. A valid payment method for each customer must be on file with E-MetroTel’s secure Partner Portal prior to the renewal date for the renewal to be processed on time without service interruption.

Note that the Standard level of Subscription Services is automatically priced into the Monthly Rental rates of customers subscribing to E-MetroTel telephony plans. This coverage is automatically renewed for as long as the Monthly Rental plan is being used.

Typically, properly trained E-MetroTel Resellers will only require E-MetroTel’s Standard level of Software Subscription service. Some customers of those Resellers, such as customers with high volume call centers or customers with their own emergency response component, are more likely to request or require Premium Plus service. Any Direct customers of E-MetroTel are required to subscribe to Premium Plus service.

Pricing for the various Service Levels is outside the scope of this document.

Note that a customer can decide to cancel their annual software subscription at any time; doing so will result in the customer no longer having the software support privileges identified above AND the unused portion of their Subscription Services payment will be refundable, less the cancellation fee.

Software Subscription Service – Requirements

Customer Network Requirements

In order to be able to provide support, it is expected that E-MetroTel’s support team will be able to remotely access the customer system, device, or software to investigate the behavior of the our product(s) in the customer’s network. E-MetroTel’s Remote Access feature is able to provide the required level of access to the customer equipment without any need to open ports on the customer firewall. Any customers requiring support must ensure that Remote Access is enabled on their UCX system while seeking support service.

Note that support is provided based on the expectation that the customer maintains an adequately provisioned and properly configured voice and data network infrastructure with compatible interfaces and services for the E-MetroTel system(s) to properly operate within. When support is provided to resolve or attempt to resolve issues that are clearly due to inadequately or improperly provisioned customer network infrastructure, E-MetroTel may deem the support as a billable service.

Software Update Delivery Requirements

Software updates to the UCX product are delivered on a regular basis via an Internet connection, therefore access to the internet is required to allow the software to download. Provisions for systems that cannot be connected to the internet for updates to be updated manually are possible only if they are covered by a Premium Plus support subscription.

Expired Software Subscription Services

E-MetroTel Hardware/Appliance systems that are not covered by an active Software Subscription Service will continue to operate with any licensed applications. However, no new application or extension licenses may be added, software updates for new, enhanced, or fixed functionality or for security updates will not be available, and E-MetroTel technical support will not be provided. In order to add additional licenses of any kind (extensions and/or new features) the system must be under an active Software Subscription Support Services agreement. Virtual Machine instances, which operate under a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, require an annual renewal of the Software Subscription Support Services agreement in order to continue operating in any fashion. Software Subscription Services are only considered active if the request for support is initiated by opening a trouble ticket prior to the expiration date of the purchased Assurance Service (Standard, Premium or Premium Plus). Should the customer require any of these services provided under the Subscription Services umbrella, Subscription Services can be re-enabled by purchasing any subscription services that are in arrears along with a new one year (minimum) Subscription Services contract.

Upon receipt of a Software Subscription service request, E-MetroTel confirms in our system registry that the equipment has an active Subscription Services contract in place and the corresponding service level. E-MetroTel will immediately advise the requesting party if the Assurance Service request is NOT covered by an active Software Subscription Service contract. The Subscription Support Service will proceed once the Reseller and/or End User takes the necessary steps to update their Software Support service level as noted above.

Hardware Warranty Service

Purchase Options

All E-MetroTel hardware-based systems include a standard 1-year hardware warranty. Hardware Warranty Services provide “best effort” response time, plus like-for-like replacement of the E-MetroTel solution hardware if confirmed defective by E-MetroTel within the contracted warranty period.

With the exception of E-MetroTel telephones, an option to purchase a full 3-year hardware warranty service can be made within 30 days of system activation. Hardware Warranty Services can also be extended to a second year of coverage after the first year by purchasing an extended warranty within the first year of active Hardware Warranty service. If the second year of extended coverage is purchased, then the Hardware Warranty can be extended for a third and final year if purchased prior to the expiration of the second year. Note that any child hardware (such as DSM16s, FXS16, PRI cards, etc.) that has not been registered with their parent device or platform when was originally purchased and installed will not be covered under any warranty.

Timing of the Hardware Warranty coverage options is depicted below:

HardwareWarrantyTimeline.png

The Extended warranty coverage and associated purchase options applies to all E-MetroTel hardware products purchased from E-MetroTel with the exception of telephone sets.

Expired Hardware Warranty

Upon receipt of a hardware warranty service request, E-MetroTel confirms in the manufacturer registry that the equipment has an active Hardware Warranty contract in place. E-MetroTel will immediately advise the requesting party if the request is NOT covered by an active Hardware Warranty contract. There is no option to purchase the full 3-year Hardware Warranty services after 30 days from the system activation.  Likewise, there is no option to purchase additional Hardware Warranty coverage after the expiration of any previous Hardware Warranty coverage period.

Hardware Warranty Limitations

The Hardware Warranty does not apply (a) to consumable parts such as batteries that are designed to diminish over time unless failure has occurred due to a defect in materials or workmanship; (b) to damage caused by use with another product; (c) to damage caused by accident, abuse, misuse, liquid contact, fire, lightening, hurricane, tornado, earthquake or other external cause; (d) to damage caused by operating the E-MetroTel products outside E-MetroTel’s published guidelines; (e) to damage caused by service (including upgrades and expansion) performed by individuals not certified by E-MetroTel or anyone who is not an authorized E-MetroTel representative; (f) to an E-MetroTel product that has been modified to alter functionality or capability without the written permission of E-MetroTel (g) to defects caused by normal wear and tear or otherwise due to the normal aging of the E-MetroTel product, or (h) if any serial number has been removed or defaced from the E-MetroTel product. This Hardware Warranty does not apply regardless of whether any of items (a) through (h) are caused by an internal or external individual.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULL EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, E-METROTEL EXCLUDES FOR ITSELF AND ITS SUPPLIERS ANY LIABILITY, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), FOR INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, OR FOR LOSS OF REVENUE OR PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF INFORMATION OR DATA, OR OTHER FINANCIAL LOSS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE, INSTALLATION, MAINTENANCE, USE, PERFORMANCE, FAILURE, OR INTERRUPTION OF ITS PRODUCTS, EVEN IF E-METROTEL OR ITS AUTHORIZED RESELLER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND LIMITS ITS LIABILITY TO REPAIR, REPLACEMENT, OR REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE PAID, AT E-METROTEL’S OPTION. THIS DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED IF ANY REMEDY PROVIDED HEREIN SHALL FAIL OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

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