When a circuit fails, the contract shows its teeth. Teams assume an SLA will make them whole, but definitions, exclusions, and stop-clock clauses often flip the script. Before you sign, put the agreement under a bright light. These nine questions close the costly loopholes that turn a long outage into a small credit.
Downtime Cost Mini-Calculator
Quickly estimate the business impact of an outage. Adjust your revenue and staffing assumptions, then drag the outage slider.
Tips: Use blended revenue per hour for the impacted business unit. If staff can partially work, lower “Percent blocked.”
Live results
Revenue loss
$0
Productivity loss
$0
SLA credit (entered)
$0
Total cost of outage
$0
Cost per minute
$0
Business-hours share
0%
Assumptions: This quick model estimates direct revenue impact during business hours and staff productivity loss across the entire outage window. SLA credits vary by contract; enter a simple dollar estimate if known.
Inside the $500K Mistake: 9 Questions Smart Teams Ask Before Accepting a Fiber SLA
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For multi-site and data-center buyers
1️⃣ What counts as an outage and when does the clock start
What to ask
- Is the timer tied to ticket creation or provider verification.
- Which events pause the clock: no site access, waiting on customer action, weather holds.
- Are severe degradation events covered or only total loss of light.
Bottom line effect
- Stop-clock language can turn a six hour failure into a two hour billable event.
2️⃣ Which events are excluded from uptime and credits
What to ask
- Planned maintenance windows and notice rules.
- Force majeure and third-party dig-ups near the building.
- Transit or NNI issues outside last-mile scope.
Bottom line effect
- Common exclusions remove the most likely root causes from the SLA math.
3️⃣ How availability is calculated and over what window
What to ask
- Exact equation for uptime. Example requested in the contract.
- Monthly vs annual window and whether maintenance is excluded.
- Whether downtime counts before a ticket is opened.
Bottom line effect
- 99.9 percent is about 8.8 hours per year. 99.99 percent is about 52 minutes.
4️⃣ Credit schedule, caps, and exclusive remedy traps
What to ask
- Tiered credits by outage duration or performance breach.
- Monthly cap relative to MRC and per-event limits.
- Is a credit the only remedy or can you pursue damages.
Bottom line effect
- Many SLAs cap credits at one month while your loss can be far higher.
Pro tip
Add a chronic breach multiplier so credits increase on repeat incidents in a rolling window.5️⃣ MTTR commitment and real escalation
What to ask
- Hard MTTR target in hours for priority one incidents.
- On-site dispatch rules and spares policy.
- Named escalation ladder with titles and contact method.
Bottom line effect
- A tight MTTR without stop-clock tricks is the difference between a hiccup and a headline.
6️⃣ Performance metrics and where they are measured
What to ask
- Latency, jitter, and packet delivery targets per route or market pair.
- Measurement endpoints: core to core vs to your demarc.
- Sampling method and reporting frequency.
Bottom line effect
- Backbone-only metrics can look perfect while last-mile pain remains.
7️⃣ Diversity defined and proven
What to ask
- Definitions for diverse entrances, handholes, and conduits.
- Route maps and splicing diagrams that confirm separate laterals.
- Remedy if both legs of a protected service fail.
Bottom line effect
- False diversity is common when both legs join the same duct bank near the curb.
8️⃣ Chronic faults and termination rights
What to ask
- Chronic breach definition such as three priority one outages in 90 days.
- Right to early termination without penalty.
- Escalating credit schedule for repeated violations.
Bottom line effect
- Short outages can stack into a bad year with no path to exit.
9️⃣ Delivery commitments and penalties for late install
What to ask
- Firm order commitment date and ready for service definition.
- Credit table for missed milestones.
- Whether install credits are also an exclusive remedy.
Bottom line effect
- Project slippage can delay revenue and stall migrations at real cost.
Pro tip
Tie FOC to your construction schedule, change freezes, and lease start so incentives align.SLA Question Generator
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A strong SLA doesn’t fix outages, it makes them rarer, shorter, and more accountable. Use the checklist above to lock in clear outage definitions, stop-clock limits, real MTTR, measurable performance at your demarc, and documented physical diversity. Run the mini-calculator with your own numbers to quantify the real risk. When the next dig-up or equipment fault hits, you’ll have less downtime, faster restores, and remedies that actually matter to the business.
