PSTN & Broadband Line Audit in Lincolnshire

1. Purpose

The purpose of this engagement is to undertake a comprehensive audit of all PSTN and broadband lines across Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) to:

• Validate whether each line is still required
• Identify ownership and accountability
• Confirm supplier/provider details
• Produce a clear, evidenced recommendation for retention or cessation

The audit will support cost reduction, service optimisation, and governance compliance.

2. Asset Identification

Compile a complete inventory of:

• PSTN lines
• Broadband circuits (including DSL, FTTC, FTTP, leased lines)

Reconcile data from:

• Existing supplier invoices
• Internal records/CMDB (where available)
• Local site validation where required

3. Data Capture (Per Line)

For each identified line, the contractor must capture:

• Line reference/circuit ID
• Physical location/site
• Business use (if identifiable)
• Associated service/system (if known)
• Service owner (named individual or role)
• Site contact/suite contact
• Supplier/provider
• Contract status (if known)
• Cost (where available)

4. Validation of Requirement

For each line:

• Engage with service owners/site contacts to confirm:
• Whether the line is still required
• Whether the service can be rationalised, migrated, or ceased
• Document:
• Confirmed required lines
• Lines with no identifiable owner
• Lines confirmed as redundant

5. Outputs & Deliverables

The contractor shall produce the following:

• Master Audit Register: A structured dataset (Excel or agreed format) containing:
• Full list of all lines identified
• All captured attributes (as outlined above)
• Status classification: Keep, Cease, Under Review/Unknown
• Audit Findings Report: A written report including:
• Summary of total lines identified
• Breakdown by status (Keep/Cease/Unconfirmed)
• Key risks and issues (e.g. orphaned lines, duplicate services)
• Opportunities for cost savings
• Recommendations for rationalisation
• Cessation Schedule: Prioritised list of lines recommended for cease grouped by:
• Supplier
• Site
• Service impact risk

6. Audit Trail & Evidence Requirements

The contractor must maintain a robust and auditable evidence base, including:

• Record of all communications with service owners
• Decision logs for each line (retain vs cease)
• Supporting evidence for decisions (email confirmations, system checks, etc.)
• Version-controlled audit dataset

This aligns to LCC expectations for audit transparency, traceability, and governance, including:

• Full audit logs
• Evidence chain for decisions
• Clear ownership and change tracking

7. Methodology PSTN & Broadband Line Audit

The contractor shall adopt a structured audit approach, including:

• Data discovery and reconciliation
• Stakeholder engagement
• Validation and challenge of existing records
• Evidence-based decision making
• Iterative refinement of the audit dataset

Audit activities must be clearly documented and repeatable, with defined roles, deliverables, and evidence requirements.

8. Duration and Timeline

Total duration: 3 months

Indicative phases:

• Phase 1: Discovery & data collection
• Phase 2: Validation & stakeholder engagement
• Phase 3: Final classification, reporting, and recommendations

9. Additional Requirement? Soft Cease Activity

Where sufficient time remains within the engagement:

• The contractor shall:
• Initiate soft cease requests with suppliers for lines confirmed as redundant
• Track status of cease requests
• Report progress and any constraints (e.g. contract lock-in, dependencies)
• All cease actions must:
• Be approved by LCC prior to submission
• Maintain a full audit trail of approvals and communications

10. Governance & Reporting

Weekly progress updates to LCC lead

Regular reporting including:

• Progress against total lines
• Issues requiring escalation
• Emerging savings opportunities
• Final presentation of findings and recommendations

11. Roles and Responsibilities

Contractor PSTN & Broadband Line Audit:

• Deliver all audit activities
• Maintain audit records and evidence
• Engage stakeholders
• Produce all outputs and reports

LCC PSTN & Broadband Line Audit:

• Provide access to available data sources
• Facilitate introductions to service owners/site contacts
• Approve cease recommendations

12. Success Criteria PSTN & Broadband Line Audit

The engagement will be deemed successful where:

• A complete and validated inventory of lines exists
• Each line has:
• A confirmed status (keep/cease/unknown)
• Identified ownership (where possible)
• A clear list of lines to be ceased is agreed
• A full audit trail is maintained
• Opportunities for cost savings are clearly evidenced