Guide to wnp 6th edition - Syniverse Technologies

Guide to WNPA Guide to Preparing forWireless Number PortabilitySixth Edition – May 2004North America – 1.888.724.3579Outside North America – 1.813.637.5944www.syniverse.com© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page i

The information contained in this Guide to Wireless Local NumberPortability is only a brief overview and guideline for wirelesscarriers interested in implementing Wireless Local NumberPortability and should be used for informational purposes only.This Guide should not be used as the basis for the interpretationof and/or compliance with any federal, state or local statute,regulation, rule or order bearing on the subject matter containedherein. Legal and/or regulatory counsel and advice should beobtained regarding any such interpretation and compliance.Syniverse does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy orcompleteness of the information contained herein, and shall haveno liability whatsoever (including, but not limited to) for any direct,indirect, special or consequential damages, loss of anticipatedprofits or other economic loss arising out of, in connection with orrelating to the information contained herein, its use or relianceupon by any party, or from the pursuit or provision of WirelessLocal Number Portability Services.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc.All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page ii

Table of ContentsIntroduction..........................................................................................................................................1Background and History .....................................................................................................................3Why Do We Need Wireless Number Portability? ................................................................... 3Number Portability Benefits .................................................................................................... 3Wireless vs. Local Number Portability.................................................................................... 4Proper Routing of Calls ........................................................................................................... 4What is the N-1 Carrier?.......................................................................................................... 5When Are You The N-1 Carrier?............................................................................................. 5Three Types of Portability ....................................................................................................... 7Intermodal Porting is Service Provider Porting....................................................................... 8The FCC Rules......................................................................................................................... 8Mandate Summary................................................................................................................... 8Status of Number Portability – Porting Volume Predictions................................................... 9How Numbers are Ported..................................................................................................................10Porting a Number Overview .................................................................................................. 10Handset Compatibility ........................................................................................................... 13Bona Fide Requests................................................................................................................ 13Operating Agreements ........................................................................................................... 14Fallout and Port Centers...................................................................................................................15What is Fallout? ..................................................................................................................... 15Validating Port Requests........................................................................................................ 16What are Fallout Centers?...................................................................................................... 18Basic Number Portability Elements and Key Players....................................................................19What is the NPAC?................................................................................................................ 19How is the NPAC Database Maintained?.............................................................................. 19What is the LTI? .................................................................................................................... 19What is a SOA/LSOA? .......................................................................................................... 20LTI vs. LSOA ........................................................................................................................ 21What is an OSS? .................................................................................................................... 21Pre-port Validation................................................................................................................. 21Inter-Carrier Communications/Inter-Carrier Communications Process (ICC/ICP) .............. 22ICC Clearinghouse................................................................................................................. 23SMS/LSMS............................................................................................................................ 24Location Routing Numbers (LRNs)....................................................................................... 25Obtaining LRNs for Your Own Network .............................................................................. 26The Role of Rate Centers in Number Portability ...........................................................................28Delivering Calls in a Ported Environment.......................................................................................31What Happens When A Ported Wireless Number Roams Into Another Network? .............. 31What Happens In The Call Flow? (i.e., How The Call Flow Is Different)............................ 31MIN/MDN Separation Issues ................................................................................................ 34MDN Disconnect and Snap Back .......................................................................................... 35Supporting Roamers..........................................................................................................................36© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page iii

Other Specialized Roaming Scenarios................................................................................... 38Other Issues with Serving Roaming Subscribers with Ported Numbers................................ 39Options for Determining LRNs for Routing ...................................................................................40LEC Default........................................................................................................................... 40Turnkey.................................................................................................................................. 41Service Bureau....................................................................................................................... 41Meeting the Mandate – A Practical Checklist.................................................................................43Form project team.................................................................................................................. 43Learn the mandates ................................................................................................................ 44Decide between proactive and reactive approach.................................................................. 45Predict your porting volume .................................................................................................. 45Establish NPAC relationship ................................................................................................. 46Prepare your network............................................................................................................. 47Develop and Swap Trading Partner Profiles:......................................................................... 47Establish operating agreements.............................................................................................. 47Issue Bona Fide requests........................................................................................................ 48Intercarrier tests ..................................................................................................................... 48Decide on a sales and activation strategy .............................................................................. 49Determine WNP application sourcing (i.e. in-house or outsource and vendor selection)..... 49Integrate back office to WNP applications ............................................................................ 50Develop marketing campaigns............................................................................................... 50Establish plan for managing exceptions and fallout .............................................................. 51Train sales & customer service.............................................................................................. 52Number Pooling .................................................................................................................................54Future of WNP ...................................................................................................................................56Glossary of Terms..............................................................................................................................58Industry Links and Organizations ...................................................................................................64List of the Largest “100” MSAs........................................................................................................65© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page iv

IntroductionA revolution is happening in the wireless industry. Wireless subscribers are now able to keeptheir directory number when switching from one carrier to another. In the wireline world, localnumber portability (LNP) has been a reality since 1998, but for wireless carriers, wirelessnumber portability (WNP) is a whole new world.From the subscribers’ perspective this is a deceptively simple and very welcome changebecause subscribers will be able to change wireless service providers without worrying aboutnotifying friends, family and business contacts that their wireless number is changing. Inaddition, being able to “port” a number from one provider to another eliminates the hassle andexpenses of changing business cards, stationery, invoices and other materials for businesses. Infact, some industry experts predict that this will, in the short run at least, cause the already highwireless churn rate to climb even higher because it removes a barrier to change, which leavessubscribers free to pursue better service or lower rates with a new carrier.From the wireless carrier’s perspective the change is anything but simple. Porting a numberrequires tight industry cooperation and retraining of employees and virtually all of a wirelesscarrier’s systems are affected. In particular, any system that relies on mobile identity numbers(MINs) or mobile directory numbers (MDNs) will be affected. Examples of critical systems andprocesses are:• Billing• Customer Service• Order Activation• Call Delivery• Roamer Registration and Support• 911• Short Messages Service Center• Directory Assistance• Caller ID• Calling Name Presentation• Switches• Maintenance & CSC systems• Home Location Registers (HLRs)• Visiting Location Registers (VLRs)The ability for subscribers to port numbers is a major feature of the Telecommunications Act of1996. The key purpose of number portability is to promote competition for local telephoneservice. Divestiture spurred long distance competition and brought substantial decreases in thecost of long distance service for consumers. But without the ability for subscribers to keep theirnumber, they are reluctant to change local service providers. This reluctance is often cited as areason why competition for local service has not thrived. Removing this barrier to competitionwas Congress’ intent when it mandated LNP.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 1

Further rationale for this mandate is to achieve “inter-modal” competition, or competitionbetween technologies, so that wireless service can become fully competitive with wirelineservice. Basically, the WNP mandate affects every carrier directly or indirectly because of theneed to support roamers from those markets and to route calls to markets where portability isoffered. This guide is designed to give wireless carriers useful background information, a frameof reference, and a working knowledge of terms to assist you in this new environment. Thisguide will help you:• Understand the process of implementing WNP• Learn how the porting process works• Discover how calls are routed to and from ported numbers while roaming• Determine what your company must do to meet the mandate• Learn the technical terms commonly used in WNPSyniverse hopes this guide will be useful as you implement WNP. If, however, you still havequestions about the WNP mandate or how to meet it, then we invite you to call on our experts.Our staff of WNP, LNP and SS7 experts has years of experience in these subjects. They will beglad to explain what WNP means to you and help you find the right solution for your needs.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 2

Background and HistoryWhy Do We Need Wireless Number Portability?In a word: competition. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandates number portability as ameans to promote competition for local telephone service. In the years since the divestiture ofthe AT&T monopoly, long distance competition has brought substantial decreases in the cost oflong distance service for consumers. However, attempts to develop competition for local servicehave been far less successful. Although a number of competitive local exchange carriers(CLECs) entered the arena after divestiture, consumers were reluctant to use these competitiveproviders because doing so would require them to change their (often long held) phonenumbers. With the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress addressed this by directing thedevelopment of a system allowing consumers to keep their numbers as they change providers.This system is known as local number portability (LNP). Previously, number portability wassuccessfully deployed for toll free numbers (800, 888, etc.) allowing a company with a toll freenumber to change the provider of the toll free service yet keep their original 800 number. Thecommission wanted to duplicate this success in local service.Further, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 permits local phone companies to again offerlong distance service; however, the Act requires that viable competition for local service beavailable in their market before they can offer long distance service. This provision is intendedto provide an incentive to incumbent LECs to support portability.With the growing popularity of rate plans that decrease costs per minute, and the introduction of“first minute free” on incoming calls, more people are giving out their wireless phone number toothers. In fact, a small but growing number of consumers now use their wireless phone as a totalreplacement for wireline services. Local number portability should even increase this trendbecause wireline subscribers with long-held and widely published local numbers will be able toport those numbers to their wireless phones, making wireline and wireless truly competitive.In addition, number portability was expected to be a significant aid in fostering competition inwireless with the advent of PCS licenses. Originally, it was feared that PCS carriers would neednumber portability to be able to compete effectively with the relatively well-entrenched duopolyof cellular licensees. However, as we now know, PCS carriers were able to compete effectivelywith cellular and win subscribers from them. While many of these subscribers would have likedto bring their numbers with them, they did not consider changing their wireless number a “dealbreaker” as do many wireline subscribers. Therefore, while the need for number portabilityamong wireless carriers may be less than it is among wireline carriers, the need is real andcontinues to grow.Number Portability BenefitsIn addition to competition and consumer benefits described above there are several benefits toWNP. First, for carriers who are effective at marketing and delivering their services (i.e., takeawayfrom other carriers is greater than the churn-out rate to their competitors), number© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 3

portability may help them increase their market share because it reduces a barrier to churning.In addition, for all wireless carriers, number portability may mean an increase in wirelesspenetration and revenues because some consumers may replace their wireline service withwireless by porting their wireline number to a wireless carrier.Wireless vs. Local Number PortabilityAs mentioned earlier, The FCC requires both wireline and wireless number portability. For thesake of clarity it is handy to refer to wireless number portability as WNP and wirelineportability as LNP. The term number portability is often used when something applies to bothwireless and wireline number portability.The early FCC requirements laid out different deployment time lines for WNP and LNP.Wireline carriers in the largest markets had to begin offering number portability by December31, 1998, whereas wireless carriers originally didn’t have to provide number portability untilJune 30, 1999 – a date that was later extended to March 31, 2000, then November 24, 2002 andfinally November 24, 2003 for the top 100 MSAs and May 24, 2004 for other markets.However, as early as 1998 wireless carriers began to be affected by LNP. The reason for thiswas simple: wireless subscribers sometimes call wireline numbers that are in an area wherenumber porting has occurred. In fact, most wireless subscribers place four or five times morecalls than they receive so there may be a significant number of calls that may be affected bynumber porting, especially in markets where the wireline carrier is already offering portability.Proper Routing of CallsIn the pre-LNP environment, calls route according to the dialed number. In other words, eachwireless telephone number indicates the carrier and switch to which that call must be routed tobe delivered to the called party. But number portability allows a subscriber to move their serviceto a different service provider, who will serve the subscriber with a different switch. If the callis still routed according to the dialed number it will still go to the old service provider (OSP)who no longer has the subscriber in its switch and who has no financial incentive to route thecall.In the U.S., the industry decided that, rather than have the OSP route the call to the new serviceprovider (NSP), the call should be routed directly to the NSP. The rationale for this decisionwas that eventually nearly all numbers would be ported numbers. If the calls were still routed tothe OSP and then re-routed to the NSP eventually nearly all calls would be routed twice, whichwould cause carriers to make investments that were not necessary. By having the call routeddirectly to the NSP call set up times would then be reduced and expenses kept to a minimum. Inaddition, if the number ports twice (from an original carrier to a second carrier and then to athird carrier) the original carrier has to be informed about the second port and it would have toupdate its database to route calls for that number to the third carrier. Again, the original carrierhas no incentive to maintain this database.In order for a call to be routed, telephone-switching networks must know the correct and currentcarrier for the number being dialed.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 4

Therefore, when a call is made the telephone network must decide whether or not the callednumber has been ported or not, and then control the call routing so that the call is delivered tothe correct service provider:• To the “old carrier,” identified by the telephone number, if the subscriber has not ported• To the “new carrier,” if the subscriber has ported.In the U.S., the industry decided to have the call routed to the correct carrier by the second-tolastcarrier to handle the call. This method can be very efficient because of the intelligentnetwork technology that houses all ported number data in a service control point database anddelivers routing information through the SS7 network. This way computing intelligence anddata storage is centralized and cost is minimized and routing is faster.What is the N-1 Carrier?If N represents the number of carriers involved in routing the call to the called party, then the N-1 carrier is the one that does the database query. For example, if a call were routed from a localprovider to a long distance provider and then to a second local provider the long distanceprovider would make a query to the number porting database to determine the right carrier.There are three carriers in this situation so N = 3 and N-1 = 2 so the N-1 carrier is the secondcarrier which is the long distance provider.In the case of a wireless subscriber in his home area calling a number in that same area (callinghis office for example), the wireless carrier is the second-to-last-carrier to handle the call. In thiscase, the subscriber’s home wireless carrier would be responsible for determining if the officenumber is ported and then delivering the call to the right carrier who serves the number. If,however, the wireless caller was calling a number outside the local calling area they arecurrently in, then the long distance carrier would be the N-1 carrier responsible for the call’sfinal routing.If a carrier has multiple switches in its internal network that process the call, then these areignored in determining which carrier makes the call routing decision. For example, if a carrier’sswitch that provides access to the long distance network routes a call to a wireless switch thatserves subscribers, then both switches belong to the Nth carrier.For instance, if a subscriber or a visiting roamer dials a wireline or wireless number that is inthe same area as the serving switch, then in this case the serving carrier would be the N-1 carrierand its network would make the routing decision (see Figure 1: N-1 Carrier Example 1.)When Are You The N-1 Carrier?If a call is placed from your network to an NPA-NXX on another carrier’s switch that you’redirectly interconnected to, then you are the second to last carrier to handle the call. As the N-1carrier, you are responsible for performing a number portability query to determine the calledparty’s current carrier. However, if the call is to an NPA-NXX that you don’t have a directinterconnection with (i.e. you’re interconnected to it via an IXC or through the LEC), thenyou’re not the N-1 carrier and don’t have to determine the correct carrier. You can simply routethe call as usual (known as “default routing”) and the correct carrier will be determined further© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 5

down the line while routing the call. To clarify this further, if two carriers are involved in a call;N=2 and thus the N-1 carrier is the first carrier. If three carriers are interconnected to complete acall N=3 and the second carrier is the N-1 carrier.In the following examples, keep in mind that if a carrier has multiple switches in their internalnetwork that process the call, then these are all considered the same carrier. For example, if aLEC’s Tandem switch routes calls to the LEC’s end office switch, then both switches belong tothe same carrier. Remember, it is the N-1 carrier that performs the query, not the N-1 switch.Example OneFor instance, one of your subscribers or a visiting roamer dials a wireline or wireless numberthat is in the same LATA as your switch and you have a direct interconnection with that carrier.In this case you would be the N-1 carrier and your network will query the LNP database inorder to obtain the location routing number (LRN) of the switch that handles the call (seeFigure 1: N-1 Carrier Example 1).Figure 1: N-1 Carrier Example 1 – Same LATA Directly InterconnectedN-1CarrierOriginatingCalling PartyOriginatingMSCTerminatingCOTerminatingCalled PartyExample TwoGenerally, you’re not the N-1 carrier when a call is to a different LATA because the call will betransported by an IXC (see Figure 2: N-1 Carrier Example Two -- Different LATA). Conversely,you probably are the N-1 carrier on calls to NPA-NXXs belonging to carriers with which youare directly interconnected.Figure 2: N-1 Carrier Example Two -- Different LATAN-1CarrierIXCOriginatingCalling PartyOriginatingMSCTerminatingCOTerminatingCalled PartyLATA 1 LATA 2Example 3If you’re interconnected with a carrier through a third carrier, then you’re not the N-1 carrier. Ifone of your subscribers (or a roamer you’re serving) dials a number in the same LATA you’rein but the NPA-NXX of the dialed number indicates that number is connected to a switch forwhich you don’t have a direct interconnection, then you’re not the N-1 carrier (see Figure 3: N-1 Carrier Example Three -- Intermediate LEC). This will usually be a small ILEC, a CLEC, or a© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 6

more distant LEC outside of your coverage area – but still in the same LATA – that you reachvia the dominant LEC in your area.Figure 3: N-1 Carrier Example Three -- Intermediate LECN-1CarrierOriginatingCalling PartyOriginatingMSCLEC 1COLEC 2COTerminatingCalled Party(or ILEC, CLEC)Example FourThis same logic applies if one of your subscribers calls a wireless user on another wirelessnetwork in your LATA (see Figure 4: N-1 Example Four -- Another Wireless Carrier). Unlessyou have a direct interconnection between your switch and your competitor’s switch you’reprobably interconnected through the LEC’s network, and would not be the N-1 carrier.Figure 4: N-1 Example Four -- Another Wireless CarrierN-1CarrierOriginatingCalling PartyOriginatingMSCLECCOTerminatingMSCTerminatingCalled PartyThree Types of PortabilityThe FCC rules only opens the possibility for a subscriber to change to a service provider thatoffers service in the same geographic area of their current service provider. This is known asservice provider portability where the subscriber changes his service provider within the sameservice area, (i.e., moving from one carrier to another in the same market or changing wirelineproviders at the same physical address). However, the FCC also recognized that there are twoother potential types of number portability:• Location portability (a.k.a. geographic portability) – moving a number from Boston toNew York for example• Service portability – moving an ISDN number to a POTS number for exampleWhile neither of these two types of number portability has progressed beyond the concept stage,it is advisable to be aware of them so you can factor the possibility of meeting futurerequirements in this area into your network strategy. See the section on the Future of WNPbeginning on page 56 for more information.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 7

Intermodal Porting is Service Provider PortingNote that porting a number from a wireless carrier to a wireline carrier (wireless/wirelineporting) or vice versa is merely another variation of service provider portability. Therefore,when the date for wireless carriers to begin porting numbers arrives, wireless carriers will beable to port wireline numbers in and out – provided the wireline number is in an area where thewireless carrier provides service. For example, a wireless carrier with coverage only inSacramento could not port in a Los Angeles number. Note that the coverage area does notinclude areas covered under roaming agreements even if the area is considered a home areaunder a rate plan. The wireless carrier must have a license to provide service in that area.However on November 10, 2003 the FCC upheld it’s mandate for intermodal porting “wherethe requesting wireless carrier’s “coverage area” overlaps the geographic location in which thecustomer’s wireline number is provisioned, provided that the porting-in carrier maintains thenumber’s original rate center designation following the port”. In a further ruling in January2004, The FCC granted a waiver to small carriers (defined as having less than 2% of thenation’s wireline numbers) until May 24, 2004.The objective for all three types of portability is to increase competition while improvingquality of service. No LNP or WNP implementation is allowed to decrease quality, reliability,or convenience. The expectation is that after portability is implemented, a subscriber will notnotice any additional delays in call set-ups.The FCC RulesThe initial FCC rules (First Order and Report and Further Notice on Proposed Rulemaking FCC96 286 (CC Docket No. 95-116) released on July 2, 1996 required that all wireless carriers beready for querying dialed numbers and delivering calls to ported numbers throughout NorthAmerica by December 31, 1998. In addition, wireless carriers had to be ready to port numbersbetween the other carriers in the same market by June 30, 1999.Almost immediately, the wireless industry began petitioning the FCC for changes to themandate on a number of grounds. Over the next several years, wireless carriers and industryorganizations worked to try to get the FCC to delay or stay the mandate entirely. The FCC diddelay the mandate for wireless carriers several times and made numerous modifications to therules and requirements, but porting went into effect for carriers in the top 100 MSAs onNovember 24, 2003.Significant changes to the porting mandate continue to be announced. For example in June 2003the FCC redefined the top 100 markets for the second time. And in October 2003, the FCC gaveadditional rules to define porting procedures.Mandate SummaryThe FCC orders should be read and interpreted by a legal expert within, or hired by yourorganization. These orders can be found on the FCC web site www.fcc.gov.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 8

However, in a nutshell, the current requirement for WNP is that carriers with a license in one ofthe largest 100 MSAs had to begin to port numbers to other carriers by November 24, 2003.Carriers outside of a top 100 MSA are not immune to porting number requirements. Since theFCC predicted that there might not be a large market demand for alternative carriers in smallermarkets, the FCC relieved these carriers from the expense of WNP to some extent. Outside thelargest 100 MSAs, wireless carriers that receive a request (known as a “Bona Fide Request”)from another carrier to allow end users to port their telephone numbers must be capable ofdoing so within six months after receiving the request or within six months after November 24,2003, whichever is later. Large wireless carriers have attempted to blanket the industry withbona fide requests in February of 2003. Consequently, May 24, 2004 is the date most wirelesscarriers operating outside the top 100 MSA need to start porting. Therefore, even the smallest ofcarriers in the smallest of markets should devise a plan that will allow them to implementchanges to their network to allow the porting numbers within six months.In addition, all carriers must be able to support the completion of calls to and from portednumbers. That means if a subscriber with a ported number roams into your market, or if yourlicense covers territory that is in the same LATA as a top 100 MSA, you’ll need to be able toroute Intra-LATA calls to the correct carrier (inter-LATA calls will be queried by anothercarrier such as the IXC).Status of Number Portability – Porting Volume PredictionsAs already mentioned, number portability is now a reality within the top 100 MSA. In fact,millions of wireline and wireless telephone numbers have already been ported.Carriers should carefully project their expected porting volumes to ensure they have adequatestaffing and systems to handle the volume of ports. This will ensure that investment decisionsare made to optimize costs and service delivery.Most carriers have used models that start with churn to predict porting volume. Many carriersexpect churn rate to increase either dramatically or moderately. From that figure they expectabout 80 percent of subscribers who churn to take their number with them and produce a port.For example, a carrier with 100,000 subscribers and a 30 percent churn rate and no net growthwill see 30,000 subscribers leave and 30,000 subscribers come in for a total of 60,000activations or deactivations. If 80 percent of these results in a port then the carrier will beinvolved in 48,000 ports – 24,000 port ins and 24,000 port outs.Other models look at gross adds and estimate a percent of subscribers that will bring in theirnumber with them. For example, if a carrier adds 10,000 customers a year and 80% bring theirnumber from another carrier then the carrier might expect 8,000 ports in a year.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 9

How Numbers are PortedPorting a number from one carrier to another is a complex process. Currently, in the wirelineworld, porting a number between carriers typically takes about four business days to accomplish– sometimes more. Furthermore, the method by which wireline numbers are ported is notstandardized – each carrier may have their own procedures, forms and methods. These mightinclude faxing local service requests (LSRs) or firm order commitments (FOCs), or using acustom-developed fully automated system or a web-based application.In wireless, the standard created by CTIA and now managed by the Order and Billing Forum(OBF) calls for the porting process to be completed within 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) and definesa single guiding process for accomplishing the port via one of two methods (CORBA IDL orfax). Also, the inter-carrier communications process portion of the port must be completed inthe first 30 minutes of the 2 ½ hour period. Completing a port in a timely fashion is veryimportant because the process of porting a number is one of the first experiences your newsubscriber will have with your company. Therefore, fully understanding and managing theprocess is critical. Even when you port numbers out of your network (i.e., lose a subscriber)you’ll want to handle the process smoothly and professionally so you don’t “burn your bridge”with your former subscriber because they may come back some day. Furthermore, you do notwant to create problems that would cause the subscriber to delay payment of their final bill – orworse yet, never pay it at all. In addition, not all porting attempts will be successful, so keepinga good relationship with the out-going subscriber is critical. Also, creating a successfulrelationship with your competitor will help assure that they quickly and accurately assist theirsubscribers who want to port to you.Porting a Number OverviewThe industry calls the carrier winning the subscriber the recipient carrier or new serviceprovider (NSP) and the carrier losing the subscriber is known as either the donor carrier or theold service provider (OSP). Both terminologies are acceptable.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 10

Figure 5: WNP Architecture OverviewBoth the OSP and NSP carriers will have access to their own wireless network, order entry andpoint of sale terminals. In addition, each will either own and operate their own LSOA or use thelow tech interface, number portability databases and local service management system (LSMS)or obtain these services from a service bureau or another carrier such as the area’s incumbentLEC. The two competing carriers’ WNP architectures will be connected at two points: intercarriercommunications process (ICP) and the number portability administration center(NPAC). But, each carrier will either operate their own LSOA and ICP systems or use a servicebureau for these functions to send porting messages to the NPAC and trading partners (Theseacronyms are fully explained in the next section).At a high level, the porting process begins when a subscriber desires to change service providersand visits the NSP to sign up for service (see Figure 5: WNP Architecture ). At that time, theNSP’s salesperson will ask the subscriber if they want a new number or if they want to keeptheir existing phone number. In the cases where the subscriber decides to keep their number,and the number is eligible for porting, the NSP will need to notify both the OSP and the NPACthat the number will be ported, confirm that it is eligible for porting and schedule the port. (Thenumber is eligible if the new carrier is in the same service area and the market offersportability.) The NPAC then confirms the information, including the date and time of thechangeover, with both the OSP and NSP. Then at the correct time the NPAC updates the© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 11

database to reflect that the new carrier is now servicing that number. (Note that the NPACdatabase holds only the numbers of subscribers that have been ported. It contains noinformation on numbers that have not been ported). From this point on, all calls to that numbershould be routed to the NSP.Looking at the porting process in more detail reveals eleven major steps to porting a numberoutlined in Figure 6: Porting a Number Process Overview.Figure 6: Porting a Number Process Overview1. When the NSP wins the business of one of the OSP’s subscribers it enters portinginformation into its operations support system (OSS), at the point of sale (POS) (i.e., retailstore, affiliate retailer, web, etc.).2. Next, a wireless port request (WPR) is sent from the NSP to the OSP via the inter-carriercommunications process (ICP).3. Next, a wireless port request response (WPRR) is returned from the OSP to the NSP via theICP. The OSP can use the WPRR to delay the port, request further information from theNSP, or confirm the port request’s details. Note that the NSP should not port the number ifit does not receive a wireless port response from the OSP. Also note, that the OSP doesn’t“approve” the port. They have no ability to deny the port if its properly formatted and© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 12

contains the right data. They can merely tell the NSP that something is wrong with therequest.4. The NSP’s OSS provisioning system feeds the porting information to a LSOA system.Ideally the ICC process and LSOA process should be integrated with the POS system sodata does not have to be re-keyed at various stages in the porting process. This will savemoney and increase accuracy.5. The NSP’s LSOA forwards a porting Subscription Create Request to the NPAC, specifyingthe date and time when porting should occur.6. The NPAC sends a notification of the porting request to the OSP’s LSOA. This starts a twohourtimer at the NPAC. The OSP has one hour to respond. Then the NSP has another hourto activate the subscription request.7. The OSP’s LSOA informs its OSS of the porting request, including the date and time todisconnect service. This will also kick off the process for calculating the final bill includingany early termination fee (ETF) for breaking a contract.8. The OSP’s LSOA notifies the NPAC that it has received the porting request and confirmsthe date and time of the change.9. The NPAC notifies the NSP that the OSP has acknowledged the request and confirmed thedate and time and other arrangements. If the OSP does not respond, the NPAC assumes theOSP is agreeing to the porting request.10. The NSP sends a porting activation request to the NPAC.11. The NPAC’s LSOA then sends the information to its SMS which broadcasts it to all of theLSMSs operating in the region so the number and the LRN of the NSP is available the nexttime the number is dialed. The number is now ported.When a call is placed to a ported number, or for that matter any number in a range of portednumbers, a database query must be performed to obtain the correct LRN information for thecall. This process is covered in the section titled Delivering Calls in a Ported Environmentbeginning on page 31.Handset CompatibilityWhen you win a subscriber from a competitor, they will usually, but not always, already have ahandset (they may not have one if they are porting from wireline; their existing wireless handsetwas lost, damaged, stolen; or they are using the porting process as an opportunity to get a newhandset). However, with several different air interfaces (AMPS, CDMA, TDMA, GSM, SMR,iDEN, etc.) and different frequency bands (800MHz, 1900MHz) in use, not all handsets broughtto you by a consumer who want to port a number will be compatible with your network. Don’tpanic. You don’t have to overlay any other kind of networks. The FCC has indicated thatsubscribers may have to purchase new equipment when changing providers. Of course, thatdoesn’t mean you can require them to purchase new equipment if a subscriber’s present handset(mobile station) is compatible with your network.Bona Fide RequestsThe porting implementation process begins when one carrier decides to port with another carrier(either voluntarily or by mandate). The carrier must then issue a “bona fide” request form andsubmit it to the other carrier. The Bona Fide Request Form (BFR) clearly documents the need to© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 13

port and formally requests that the other carrier begin the porting process. The BFR alsospecifies what codes to open. The industry designed a suggested form, but most carriers simplyuse a letter to “BFR” other carriers.Service providers can make a request at any time for wireless numbers to be open for portingoutside the top 100 MSAs; however, the time to accommodate that request does not begin untilup to six months after November 24, 2003, or up to six months after the bona fide request isreceived, whichever is later. The date to accommodate similar requests for wireline codesbegins six months after the date the bona fide request is received by the wireline carrier.Operating AgreementsTwo wireless carriers who will be porting numbers with each other (i.e. be trading partners)could, but are not required to, sign a joint intercarrier agreement (JIA). A JIA, sometimesreferred as an operating agreement or service level agreement, spells out the specific portingoperational rules that the two carriers will follow. It is not, at least for wireless-to-wireless ports,an interconnection agreement requiring carriers to involve regulatory bodies. It is simply abusiness arrangement between the two carriers. In fact, the FCC has indicated that without a JIAbetween two carriers the carriers must engage in porting without restrictions. In other words, nothaving the agreement is not an acceptable reason for not porting. For example, a JIA mightspecify that both carriers will follow the WICIS guideline. A typical agreement will cover:• Acceptance of WICIS guidelines (and any specific exceptions mutually agreed to)• Validation criteria• Hours of operations• Contact infoo Day-to-day (i.e. front line personnel)o Escalation (i.e., porting management)o Executive oversight• Service level commitments and penalties (if any)• Technical informationo Fax numberso IP addresseso Service provider IDs (SPIDs)o Codes and blocks of numberso LRNso CLLI and point codeso Vendor information (if any)• Term and termination• Arbitration proceduresThe industry devised a template to cover the basics of these agreements. Some carriers haveused that template as a starting point for negotiating an agreement. Both carriers shouldnegotiate this agreement with the win-win principle in mind. In other words, not to gain anadvantage over the trading partner, but rather to specify arrangements for the most effective andcost-efficient porting operations for both carriers. Putting an unreasonable one-sided clause intoan agreement may cause an impasse, which might mean porting without any guidelines.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 14

Fallout and Port CentersThe preceding section outlined the normal porting process. However, the process will notalways go smoothly. In many cases, a port request will go from the NSP to the OSP, but theOSP may not be able to respond right away, or may find that there is something about the portrequest that requires manual intervention. Any interruption to the normal porting flow isreferred to as fallout (the normal process is often referred to as a “sunny day” scenario). Forinstance, the old provider may find a different last name on the port request than what is in itsdatabase for the requested number. For example, the OSP may have 813-555-1234 = “Jones” inits subscriber account database, but the port request might specify 813-555-1234 with the lastname of “Smith”. The OSP won’t really know for sure if the NSP is trying to port in asubscriber named “Smith” and typed the phone number incorrectly, or is trying to port in 813-555-1234 but under a different last name (maybe the subscriber was recently married orchanged last name after a divorce). In this case, the OSP may not be sure if the last name or thetelephone number is correct and since it doesn’t want to port out a subscriber that didn’t requesta port, it will request resolution. In other words, the port request will “fallout” of the normalporting process and will require manual intervention.What is Fallout?Fallout can happen in several ways:• The network connection or systems that connect the two carriers may be temporarilyunavailable.• The information submitted to the OSP may not match what the OSP has in its databasesfor the number being ported (e.g. billing address is different, last name is different, etc.)o Subscriber gives different information to the new carrier than what the oldcarrier has on fileo Data entry errors – e.g., typing a zip code incorrectlyo Alternate spellings of last names, street names, etc.• The WPR is not formatted correctly (e.g. a mandatory field is blank, or a numeric fieldcontains alpha characters)• The volume of ports may be temporarily too high to confirm all pending port requestsin the time allowed by the standard.• The complexity of the port request may require additional time to confirm – a portrequest is considered complex if it involves:• A reseller• More than one telephone number• A prepaid number• Wireline carriers• Fax transmission of port requestsNo matter what the cause, the process for resolving the fallout is the same: the port request mustbe handled in a less automated fashion. In many cases the port request will require extensivemanual handling to resolve the fallout. For example, in the case of the last name in the WPR notmatching the last name in the OSP’s records, it could be that the subscriber recently changed© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 15

her last name because of a marriage or divorce and hadn’t gotten around to notifying her oldcarrier of the name change. On the other hand it could be because the number was typedincorrectly at the point of sale. To get to the bottom of this it may be necessary for the NSP tocall the OSP to find the exact cause of the fallout, or perhaps even call the subscriber to obtainadditional or correct information.Fallout will usually be triggered when the OSP sends a WPRR requesting either a delay orresolution. This message, once received by the NSP, will require the NSP to do some additionalwork. Once it determines what information is incorrect or missing, the NSP will issue asupplemental port request (SPR). This SPR can cancel the port, set a new due date and time forcompleting the port or correct the information. The OSP may send a resolution required WPRRseveral times. For example, they may determine that the last name on the WPR doesn’t matchthe last name in their system and then once that issue is corrected they may discover that there issome other missing or incorrect data. In short, there may be multiple WPRRs and SPRs betweenthe two carriers. In fact, a WPRR can only identify one error per ported number at a time.The ICC porting messaging process has been compared to a tennis match with both carrierstaking turns with the ball until the port request is confirmed. For example, once the NSP“touches” the port request and sends a WPR or SPR “over the net” to the OSP it can’t doanything until the OSP “returns the volley” with a WPRR. Even if the OSP doesn’t respond itcan’t send another request. It can call the OSP to see what might be holding up the process, butit shouldn’t send another port request. If the NSP does send a second request before theresponse, then the OSP can legitimately ask for resolution because the port request versionnumbers are out of order. (Note that this will change slightly in the next version of the WICISstandard for canceling a port request only)The exception to the tennis analogy is when the OSP sends a delay response, which changes thegame to volleyball where the ball can be touched multiple times before sending it back over thenet. A delay means the OSP can’t respond within the 30 minutes allowed, but the OSP stillowes the NSP a response and the delay message indicates when it will respond. By that time,the OSP is supposed to send a response with either a confirmation, request for resolution oranother delay.Fallout can also be caused when a WPR or WPRR is sent and not acknowledged by the tradingpartner within the expected or required time frame.Validating Port RequestsWhen an OSP receives a port out request it will check the format and content of the request toensure the request is properly formatted. It will also check the request against its accountdatabase to ensure the request is accurate and requests a number that can be ported.Each carrier may select which fields of the port request it will check against its own database. Itis expected that the most useful fields will include telephone number, account number, socialsecurity number or tax ID, and zip code. Most carriers within the wireless industry have agreedto validate on only three number fields: 1) the telephone number, 2) the zip code and 3) eitherthe OSP account number, social security number or tax ID number. Limiting to these three© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 16

fields reduces the incidence of fall-out. Billing address fields and billing name fields are tooprone to subjective data entry and data entry error to be truly useful. For example, all of theseand many other variations might have been entered in the carrier’s billing and account databaseswhen the sale was made:• 123 Main Street,• 123 Main St.• 123 Main St• 123 Main Ste.But none of the above variations would match “123 Maine Street,” which is what the subscriberactually has on file at the old carrier. Also, please note that all of these, when combined with acorrect 9-digit zip code, would probably work for a billing address in terms of getting the bill tothe right address, so the old carrier would probably not know that they have a bad address andhave had it for years. Another concern with inconsistent database fields is that many carriersonly have one field for address. For example: “123 East Main Street” is entered in just one fieldversus having separate fields for address: number: “123;” directional: “East,” and street name:“Main Street.” Some carriers even have just one field for street address, city, state and zip code.Even fields such as zip code and last name can vary significantly if the subscriber has recentlymoved, married or divorced and requested service with its new carrier with information the oldcarrier doesn’t have.Most large carriers will establish an interface between its ICP vendor or system and its billingaccount systems so validation checks happen quickly and automatically. Smaller carriers usingfax or web-based ICP processes will do the validation manually. This will mean that validationwill likely vary based on factors such as who’s doing the check, how many requests they havewaiting to validate, time of the day, day of the week, or even the mood of the person doing thecheck. In other words, at 4:50 p.m. on a Friday a particular port request might be validated toensure that only the telephone number and the account number match, but an hour earlier asimilar port request might be validated against last name, billing address, zip code, SSN andother criteria.It should be recognized that validating against more criteria would probably increase theamount of fallout because there are more chances for data to be wrong, but it will also reducethe likelihood of accidentally porting the wrong subscriber. However it should be realized thatfallout increases costs for both carriers and inconveniences the subscriber. Finally, carriersexpecting to minimize port outs by strictly validating port requests on every possible fieldshould realize that the subscriber has already decided to discontinue your service. Causingfallout over trivial differences between the request and its own data will only raise the cost oflosing the subscriber. This approach may cause the trading partner to reciprocate, therebyincreasing the cost of porting in a subscriber. This is often called the mutually assureddestruction (MAD) model of port validation.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 17

What are Fallout Centers?Most carriers will set up specialized call centers to handle fallout resolution. These call centersare sometimes called fallout centers, port centers or resolution centers. A fallout center willneed access to the LNP and billing systems and must be able to make and receive calls from thetrading partners, its vendors, the NPAC, subscribers and other pertinent parties.A fallout center will usually consist of a number of people divided into groups each of whichwill be responsible for resolving a certain kind of porting fallout. For instance, one group mighthandle all wireline ports in and another group handle ports out to wireless carriers.Or they might handle simple vs. complex ports in different groups, have a group designated forsubscriber contact, a group for a particular trading partner or any other set up that makes sense.This approach allows different levels of training and specialization which decreases trainingcosts and improves fallout resolution times and costs.One of the critical tools a port center will rely on is a tool to get information from the portingsystems and into the various queues assigned to a particular group. This system should alsoallow these fallout incidents to be sorted, grouped, tracked and provide tools for resolving them.In short, this tool should allow work to flow into the port center and help it flow out in acorrected fashion. For this reason, these systems are typically called workflow systems.A few minutes on the Internet or a few calls to consultants, current vendors or industry groupsshould help a carrier find a vendor that can help them determine potential port center andworkflow management solutions.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 18

Basic Number Portability Elements and Key PlayersThere are many elements and players in the number portability system each with their ownpurpose and role (see Figure 5: WNP Architecture on page 11). A little background informationon each of these will help you better understand number porting processes.What is the NPAC?The number portability administration center (NPAC) is a Service Management System (SMS)responsible for running and maintaining a database of all subscribers who have ported theirnumbers. This database provides any service provider trying to route a call with informationabout the subscriber’s new service provider. The NPAC is administered by NeuStar Inc., whichis headquartered in Washington D.C. NeuStar was formerly a division of Lockheed MartinInformation Management Systems, but was spun off in late 1999 so that Lockheed Martin couldpursue activities that would otherwise have caused them to lose their status as a neutraladministrator. Lockheed Martin won the contract as an NPAC administrator in April 1996 forfour regions, and then won the other three U.S. regions and Canada when the other selectedNPAC administrator declared that it could not meet the local number portability deadlines.NeuStar also serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA). TheNorth American Numbering Council (NANC), which is charged with managing numberresources in North America, selects the NPAC, manages its contract, and oversees itsoperations. NeuStar is also the number pooling administrator.How is the NPAC Database Maintained?When a subscriber requests service with a new provider (i.e., ports), the new provider informsthe NPAC of the change by providing the directory number and the LRN of the switch that willserve the subscriber. This ensures that future calls to the subscriber will be routed correctly tothe new provider’s switch. There are two basic ways for a carrier to communicate these ports tothe NPAC. They can either use the NPAC’s so called low-tech interface (LTI) or their ownLSOA systems.What is the LTI?The low-tech interface (LTI) is a system a carrier can use to send ported number requests to theNPAC SOA to update the SMS database. In some cases for very low volume carriers cansimply call into the NPAC to initiate ports. The LTI also has a Web gateway option for portingnumbers. The LTI system, is owned, developed and operated by NeuStar to provide carriers analternative to buying and managing a full-blown LSOA solution (see next section). Originally,the LTI was to be a temporary measure a carrier would employ until their LSOA wasimplemented. However, over time NeuStar has added many more features to the LTI, and manysmaller, rural wireline carriers have found that the LTI adequately meets their needs.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 19

What is a SOA/LSOA?The service order activation (SOA) system is the interface for submitting porting numbers to theNPAC SMS. The NPAC manages its SOA. A carrier communicates with the NPAC’s SOA viaits own system called a local service order activation system (LSOA). If a carrier chooses to usean LSOA instead of the LTI, they have several additional options including:• Building an LSOA in-house• Using a service bureau’s LSOA• Acquiring a license for a commercial (turnkey) LSOAOption 1: In-House LSOAThe in-house option is by far the most challenging, complex and potentially risky. This optionshould be used only if you’re sure you have the technical and financial resources to completesoftware development on time. A further challenge is that the NPAC requires thorough testingof any new SOA, so at this stage of the game it is very unlikely that you will have time tocomplete development and testing and launch the system before portability goes into effect. Ofcourse you can always launch with a service bureau or LTI and implement your own systemlater, but this just adds to the overall cost of number portability.Option 2: LSOA Service BureauThe advantage in using a service bureau – sometimes called an application service provider(ASP) – is that you minimize the capital and human investment necessary to begin portingnumbers. In addition, because a service bureau can distribute its operating costs over manysubscribers, it may be less expensive on a per-transaction basis than operating the system inhouse.Service bureaus have their own LSOA, which they host, operate and maintain. Theyusually charge an implementation fee and then charge for each transaction – usually on a slidingscale so the more transactions you perform the less you pay for each transaction.Option 3: Commercial Turn-key LSOA systemsThe third option is to acquire and operate your own LSOA. You do this by buying software anda license to operate it from a vendor. This is often called the turnkey approach because you getthe entire system ready to operate and just have to “turn the key” to start it up. The advantage ofacquiring and operating your own LSOA is that you can manage the solution to your ownneeds. If your vendor allows you to obtain the source code of the system and if you have theexpertise to manage this process you could even customize it. The other option is to have thevendor who created the software add custom features to fit your exact needs. You should expectto pay for all of the customizations you ask for and for maintenance upgrades. You will alsohave to pay for the hardware to host the system, facilities to house the system, and for people tomaintain and monitor the system. You will also pay annual maintenance fees and possibly payextra for major enhancements when standards change. When your license expires you’ll need tomake another major investment.Many vendors can either provide the software license for an in-house solution or operate aservice bureau. You should be able to find these vendors quickly with just a few minutes on theInternet or on the phone.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 20

LTI vs. LSOAA carrier’s choice fundamentally comes down to either using the NPAC’s LTI or a LSOA tofeed porting numbers directly to the NPAC’s SOA, which then populates the NPAC’s SMS.The LTI can run numbers in batches or individually for that matter, but it requires separate andadditional manual steps by carrier personnel. This of course adds to the cost of winning asubscriber. For many rural carriers, where porting volumes will be low (if porting will beimplemented at all), the LTI may be adequate to meet a carrier’s needs – at least until an LSOAcan be implemented. However, in general terms, automating these processes with a fullyfunctional LSOA will reduce cost per transaction compared to handling them manually.Therefore, a carrier will need to carefully examine the costs of automating and other factorsbefore making a decision. For example, building and running a LSOA system in-house may bethe lowest cost option for high volumes in the long run; however, the capital dollars required tocreate and support this option might be better spent on other projects such as expandingcoverage areas or switch infrastructure.What is an OSS?An operations support system (OSS) manages many aspects of the provisioning process. It is acollection of the central databases or processes that enables a carrier to add subscribers, set upbilling, set up directory information, assign a phone number and MIN, etc. There are manycompetitive OSS systems and vendors, each with their own unique flavor. In addition, manycarriers have created their own OSS systems to fit their exact needs. Your OSS system willeither generate information needed to complete the porting in the form of a WPR or interfacewith another system that performs that function. It may do this with a direct connection to yourLSOA or you may choose to set up a porting center that will re-key information before sendingmessages to other carriers or the NPAC. For larger service providers with large volumeoperations, a direct automated interface is probably the best solution because it will have thelowest cost per transaction and because it reduces the possibility of errors and reduces staffingcosts. However, a carrier may choose to run the system in a manual mode at first, and thenautomate when transaction volumes increase.Pre-port ValidationWhen you win a subscriber who wants to port a number, the first thing you will need to do is toconfirm that the number is in fact portable. For example, if it’s a business account the user maynot be authorized to make account changes. Or, the number might be in a market where youdon’t provide service, or might be in an NPA-NXX that is not yet open for porting.In addition, you need to ensure that the port request is sent to the correct network serviceprovider – not the reseller. For example, simply looking up the number in a LERG routing guideto determine the OSP by the NPA-NXX won’t work if the number has already been ported or isa type-one number. Likewise, simply asking the subscriber may not work for various reasons:• The subscriber might be purposely misleading you to prevent you from discovering thatthey have a huge bill with their old carrier.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 21

• The subscriber might have service that they don’t pay for and use a hand-me-downhandset. For example, if a Dad gave his teenaged daughter an old handset and pays thebill, the teenager might not know the actual carrier.• The subscriber might think that because they have a Nokia phone, then Nokia providestheir service.• The subscriber might have service through a reseller and not know the network carrier touse.Most large carriers have built systems internally into the OSS system that does this work. Othersolutions can be obtained from vendors that can be interfaced into the POS system or used as aseparate system in a Web-based GUI.Inter-Carrier Communications/Inter-Carrier Communications Process (ICC/ICP)Once you determine the right network service provider (OSP) you will need to send themmessages to inform them you’re going to port their number into your system. This message isknown as a wireless port request (WPR) is a standardized message sent to the old serviceprovider as either an electronic message or a fax. The OSP will respond with a wireless portrequest response (WPRR). Each carrier will need a system for sending these requests andresponses to its trading partners. These systems should be capable of being interfaced to theOSS and POS systems in a carrier’s environment. They should also be capable of sending themessage electronically or via a fax if the other carrier can’t support an automated interface.The ICC process is unique to wireless and was created in response to watching the wirelineindustry struggle with this issue. In the wireline world, there’s no tightly defined universalindustry standard for how carriers communicate during a port. Instead, each carrier sets its ownprocedures on how to port out a number. There are different versions of the local serviceordering guidelines (LSOG) forms and procedures that a carrier may have to use to port anumber from one carrier as opposed to another. Some carriers fax LSRs or FOCs to oneanother. Others (in low volume situations) manually call one another to complete a port.Consequently, the process in wireline can take days to complete a simple port. By the way,wireless carriers have to struggle with this same difficulty in porting in wireline numbers.In a wireless-to-wireless port, this inter-carrier communications process is supposed to take nomore than 30 minutes to complete. There is a standard that identifies the format and medium tobe used available from the OBF’s Wireless Intercarrier Communications Interface Specification(WICIS) document. The latest version of this copyrighted document is version 2.01 available onthe OBF Web site.As previously mentioned, the NSP and OSP take turns sending messages to each other until theOSP confirms the port. After the initial port request is sent, the OSP will simply acknowledgethat it received the port request. The receipt of the acknowledgment lets the NSP know that itcan start the ICC timer. The OSP will now have 30 minutes to evaluate the port request, verifythe data and send a response. It has three possible options to choose from when it responds:• Confirm the port request is correct and can take place at the requested time© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 22

• Delay the port request to give it more time to respond• Request resolution (i.e. more or corrected information)The latter two options have several possible reasons and must be accompanied by specificreason codes and remarks to let the new service provider know what must be done. However,in most cases, the OSP will respond with the confirmation needed to complete the port.The OSP can’t deny or delay porting because of a past due bill. However, the possible OSP mayrespond with other information that could be a barrier to porting. For instance, the OSP may saythat the number’s billing address and account name doesn’t match what the NSP has sent it inthe WPR, and that there may be a mistake. However, in most cases, the OSP will respond withthe information you need to complete the port.As with LSOAs you have several options for handling the ICC process including:• Building your own automated system• Using a service bureau• Acquiring a turnkey software licensesOf course each of these options has a distinct list of pros and cons similar to the ones discussedin the section on LSOAs. For example, you can trade the ease of implementing a service bureauagainst the possibility of customizing a turnkey system. And, as always, your carrier’s capital,technical, human and financial resources should be a key factor in your decisions. Anotherfactor to consider might be your coverage area. If your company’s licensed coverage footprint isin several of the NPAC regions a service bureau may be more effective because you’ll have tohold a license with the NPAC in each region (adding to administrative costs) and a connectionto each virtual NPAC database (adding to operational costs) and have to store numbers from allthese regions which also decreases system performance unless hardware is upgraded to handleadditional lookups. A service bureau, however, will already be connected to all of these regionsand scaled to serve their many subscribers across the country.And as with the LSOA, an Internet search should produce a list of several vendors that providethese solutions.ICC ClearinghouseOnce you have determined how you will create and respond to ICC messages you need toprovide physical connections to your trading partners to exchange the ICC messages. You havetwo options:• Installing and operating your own messaging network to all your trading partners• Using an ICC clearinghouseIf there were only two wireless carriers in the industry installing, monitoring and maintainingthe needed links would be fairly easy. It is also a distraction from a carrier’s primary purpose.However, as the number of trading partners increases, it begins to make sense for carriers toselect a clearinghouse. This way instead of a carrier connecting to five or 150 other carriers toexchange porting messages each carrier has to connect to a single point (the clearinghouse),© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 23

then all messages are sent to that point and are routed by the clearinghouse to the correct carrier.Even if you’re only porting with a few other carriers (as may be the case in a rural market), ifthat carrier is porting with multiple carriers, it will want to use a clearinghouse and will want tokeep things simple for itself by having you use a clearinghouse as well. While you’re under noobligation to make things easier for your competitor, it still makes sense because theclearinghouse will have expertise and experience to make the implementation process smootherfor you. Also, they can probably bring economies of scale to bear that will make using aclearinghouse less costly than doing it on your own.SP1YouSP7SP1YouSP7SP2SP6SP2TSI’s Syniverse’s INPortINPort IC ICCClearinghouseSP6SP3SP5SP3SP5SP4SP4MultiplenetworkconnectionsOne networkconnectionPlus:• Reporting• Administrative• Auditing• Integratio• AutomationA few minutes on the Internet or a few calls will enable you to find an ICC clearinghousevendor.SMS/LSMSThe Number Portability database is not a single nationwide database. Rather there are sevenvirtual SMS databases in the U.S. (see Figure 7: US NPAC Regions on page 25) and one SMSfor Canada. These databases receive their data from the NPAC’s SOA, which of course receivesupdates from many carriers’ LSOAs. Having eight regional databases increases efficiency andmakes sense because subscribers can only port from one part of the region to another part of thesame region. In fact, until geographic portability is implemented – if it ever is – numbers canonly port locally (i.e., within the same wireline rate center or wireless MSA/RSA).© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 24

Figure 7: US NPAC RegionsNortheastWesternWestCoastMidwestMid-AtlanticSouthwestSoutheastWhen a carrier needs to get routing information (an LRN) for a dialed number, the SMS is notactually queried directly. The SMS system is not designed to handle millions of queries in realtime. Instead, ported numbers are broadcast by the NPAC SMS to each carrier’s local servicemanagement system (LSMS) in the region. Each carrier’s LSMS then places the ported numberinto its networks number portability databases (NPDB), which are usually run on either an STPor an SCP in the carriers’ own network and are queried in real time when to route calls. Thuseach carrier will have an LSMS and NPDB in its infrastructure. Basically, a LSMS is a carrier’sown local copy of the regional NPAC database. If a carrier operates in three NPAC regions itsLSMS will need access to all three of those regions.The other option is to get these services from a service bureau. The choice for a carrier dependson its network strategy and economics. The LSMS and NPDB platforms are expensive andcomplex to operate. Some carriers will want to manage these network elements themselves,others will prefer to outsource this non-core function so they can focus on winning subscribers.Outsourcing the service replaces the capital cost of acquiring a system and operating expense ofoperating the system, with a small fee for each transaction.Location Routing Numbers (LRNs)LRNs are at the heart of the call delivery process. LRNs uniquely identify a specific switch inthe North American wireline and wireless networks. LRNs are used to route calls to portednumbers. If your company is the carrier that is routing a call to the last carrier that operates aswitch in the call route then you’re the N-1 carrier and your network will have to take action todetermine the final call routing. For example, when a call is made to a ported number whereboth the calling and called numbers are in the same LATA and are on networks that are directlyinterconnected, the originating switch will compare the called numbers’ NPA-NXX to its tables.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 25

If the called number’s NPA-NXX is marked as open for porting in the LERG (i.e., at least onenumber of the NPA-NXX’s 10,000 number line range has been ported), then the originatingcarrier’s network will have to query its LNP database to see if the dialed number itself has beenported.If the called number has not been ported, its NPDB will have no record for the called numberand will notify the switch of this fact via a return message. The carrier can then route the call asthey would normally route the call (i.e., according to the dialed number’s NPA-NXX).If the dialed number has been ported then the NPDB will respond with the LRN of the newhome switch serving the called number. Once the LRN is obtained, the call is routed by theLRN instead of by the dialed number. The SS7 call set up message carries the actual dialednumber– stored as a Generic Address Parameter (GAP). In the wireless world, once that callreaches the called numbers’ switch, the switch will determine the called party by taking thedigits from the GAP and will use normal procedures to ring the wireless subscriber’s handset.This means it will check its HLR to find the handset in its network or where it is roaming. If it isroaming, the call will be routed to that serving switch just like it was a normal call usingMSIDs, TLDNs, etc.A carrier has three choices for determining whether a dialed number is ported or not, and if it isported, obtaining the LRN by which you will route the calls to the right carrier. These choicesare:• Third Party – Signing an agreement with another carrier (usually the LEC) and sendingyour queries to that carrier to perform the query for you (for a fee). In most cases, the“other carrier” will be the incumbent LEC in an area in which case you simply route thecall to the LEC in the normal manner (i.e., default routing).• Service Bureau – outsourcing the management of NP queries to a service bureau or ASPthat serves many carriers and paying a small fee for each LRN query.• Turnkey – acquire or build a LSMS and LNP database and query each call to your ownnetwork elements as well as determine the called party when you receive calls.More information about these three choices is provided in the section Options for DeterminingLRNs for Routing beginning on page 40.Once a call is queried to determine the LRN, a flag will be set in the SS7 messages indicatingthe call has been queried. This lets any intermediate switches know the call is already queriedand no additional queries are necessary and it should just route the call according to the LRN ifported or DN if not ported. However, if the call goes through a switch that is not SS7 capable oruses MF signaling, then these parameters will be lost and the call will have to be re-queried tocontinue routing correctly.Obtaining LRNs for Your Own NetworkIn terms of assigning LRNs to your own switch, you will self assign LRNs by using unusednumbers from an NPA-NXX assigned to your coverage area. During the porting process, youwill provide the NPAC with your LRN so they can populate this information in the NPDBalongside the number of the subscriber you just obtained.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 26

The LNP systems assume that LRNs are not ported numbers and default route to that carrierwhen used. For example, pooled numbers should not be used as LRNs. Number pooling allowscarriers to receive phone numbers that were originally owned by another carrier, but were underutilized and thus returned by that carrier. These pooled numbers will have the NPA-NXX of theoriginal code holder (i.e., carrier) and should not be used as LRNs.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 27

The Role of Rate Centers in Number PortabilityThere are several geographic differences between wireline and wireless. Among these is the factthat the states’ utility commissions regulate wireline carriers, whereas the chief regulator ofwireless services is the FCC. In addition, wireline carriers are restricted by LATA boundaries,and wireline franchises or service coverage areas generally follow municipal boundaries. On theother hand, wireless coverage areas often extend across LATAs, municipal and state boundaries.The net result of this is that when wireless/wireline porting begins wireless carriers will have tocarefully consider several geographic factors including wireline rate centers.Wireline rate centers were developed as a way of measuring distance in order to rate calls fromone switch to another. Rather than individually measuring the distance each call travels, theindustry measures the distance between the central offices at the originating and terminatingends of the call. Rate centers are set by state regulators and are tied into LEC tariff structures.Usually, a wireline rate center coincides with the coverage area of a single LEC switch.A set of NPA-NXX numbers, even a set of wireless numbers, is associated with a wireline ratecenter. For example, all numbers in NPA-NXX 972-461 are in rate center “A”, whereas allnumbers in 972-643 are in rate center “B”. Of course a rate center can have more than 10,000numbers assigned to it, so rate center “A” can also include numbers in the NPA-NXXs of 972-349 and 972-677. For LECs, each rate center generally (but not always) has one switch and viceversa. Furthermore, a subscriber’s physical address (where they are connected to the net), notthe billing address, determines what rate center they are in and therefore, what phone numberthey can have. For example, if you’re physically located in rate center “A” you’re connected tothat particular switch and can have a dialable number with either 972-461, 972-349, or 972-677as your NPA-NXX. You cannot have a number from NPA-NXX 972-643. You can usuallymove within rate center “A” and keep your number, but if you move to rate center “B” youmust get a new number – even if the move is across the street (see Figure 8: Rate CenterExamples, page 29).Wireless carriers usually have a smaller number of switches in a given area. For example, oneMSC might serve an area encompassing both rate center “A” and “B”. On average, according toCTIA there are eight wireline switches for every wireless switch. A wireless carrier’s NPA-NXX codes are always associated with a specific wireline rate center. For example, a wirelesscarrier might have 972-273 associated with wireline rate center “A” and 972-727 associatedwith wireline rate center “B”, both being served out of the same MSC and in the same MSA orlocal calling area. Associating wireless NPA-NXX with a wireline rate center is done to makethe rating of wireline-to-wireless calls possible. However, wireless carriers don’t have to followany guidelines for assigning these numbers to their subscribers. For example, a person with abilling address in wireline rate center “B” may be assigned a 972-273 number associated withwireline rate center “A” or vice versa.Some wireless carriers have used the billing address as a proxy in determining which NPA-NXX a subscriber can get, whereas other wireless carriers have assigned numbers arbitrarily oraccording to some other criteria or in response to a subscriber’s request. With most of today’s© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 28

most popular wireless rate plans which wireline rate center is used just doesn’t matter. Forexample, when the subscriber is paying $69.00 a month for unlimited nationwide callingincluding long distance, it just doesn’t matter, from a pure wireless perspective, what rate centerthey have. However for land-to-wireless calls it may matter. Take for example, a wirelesssubscriber with a number associated with in rate center “C”. Because of the distance betweenrate centers “C” and “B” it may be an Intra-LATA toll call, whereas a call to rate center “A” is alocal call.Figure 8: Rate Center ExamplesIn the fictional area above there are four wireline rate centers labeled A through D and twowireless service areas labeled Metropolis and Mayberry.• In the Metropolis MSA there are three main rate centers and two wireless carriers:• In rate center “A” the LEC has three NPA-NXX blocks and ABC Wireless and XYZCellular have a single NPA-NXX block each• In rate center “B”, the LEC has a single NPA-NXX block and ABC Wireless alsohas a single block but XYZ Cellular doesn’t have any numbers assigned to that ratecenter• In rate center “C” the LEC and ABC Wireless have a single block of numbers each• In the Mayberry RSA which encompasses rate center “D”, the LEC has a single blockand Home Town Wireless also has a block of numbersExample 1: A subscriber with ABC Wireless with TN 972-273-XXXX associated with ratecenter “A” wants to port to XYZ Cellular. Because XYZ Cellular provides service in the sameMSA as ABC Wireless, the port is permitted.Example 2: One of the LEC’s wireline subscribers with TN 972-461-XXXX in rate center “A”wants to port to ABC Wireless. Since that wireless provider offers coverage in an area thatoverlaps the rate center “A” the port is possible.Example 3: A subscriber with ABC Wireless with TN 972-273-XXXX assigned to rate center“A” wants to port to Home Town Wireless, which does not offer service in Metropolis whichcontains rate center “A”. Therefore, the port is not permitted.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 29

Example 4: A subscriber with ABC wireless with TN 972-274 in rate center “C” wants to portto XYZ Cellular who does not have facilities or interconnection to rate center “C”. However,since both wireless carriers offer service in Metropolis MSA the port is permitted.Example 5: A subscriber with ABC Wireless with TN 972-273-XXXX associated with ratecenter “A” wants to port to wireline. The billing address for this phone number is thesubscriber’s office address which is in rate center “A”, but the physical address for that numberwould be located at the subscriber’s home located in rate center “B”. Therefore porting is notpermissible. The FCC has asked for carrier comments on this issue because it raises a disparityamong carriers.Example 6: A subscriber with wireline number 972-643-XXXX in rate center “B” wants tomove to an address in rate center “A”, but since the subscriber is changing rate center, he is notpermitted to take his number. However, he could port to ABC Wireless or XYZ Cellular (whichdoesn’t even have numbering resources in rate center “B”) to keep the existing number and haveit billed to his home address, which is now in rate center “A”. Unlike wireline, in wirelessthere’s no hardwired connection to the network that determines the rate center and the billingaddress is not a factor. Note that any calls from a wireline number in rate center “C” would stillbe intra-LATA toll calls for the wireline subscriber (just as they were when the number was awireline number in rate center “B”). However, as a wireless subscriber, depending on the rateplan, he might be able to make local calls to rate center “C”.Because porting a number is not supposed to increase costs for making calls, you may need toalter your call rating methodologies or interconnection agreements. You should initiateconversations with the wireline carriers in your coverage area to work out mutually beneficialagreements as to how calls will be rated and billed. This is an important step for wirelesscarriers, particularly because the popularity of the so-called big bucket or flat rate plans isincreasing. These plans essentially make your revenue a flat rate per subscriber, while yourcosts increase with the amount of calls made by each of your subscribers. In other words, yoursubscriber will be paying the same amount of money to you each month, but if they’re makingcalls to other rate centers and your interconnection agreements with the terminating carriersaren’t well suited to your needs you could find your margins squeezed even more. Therefore,your marketing and pricing analysts should be closely involved with any discussions with theLEC.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 30

Delivering Calls in a Ported EnvironmentOnce an activation request for a particular telephone number (TN) is received by the NPAC andthen sent from the NPAC through the LSMS and into all of the various LSMSs and onto eachcarriers’ NPDB, the porting process is complete. Now that the number is updated in all of theNPDBs nothing else needs to happen until the ported number receives or makes a call or roamsto another market. Remember, the NPAC SMS databases hold only the numbers of subscribersthat have ported and are shared by both the wireline and wireless carriers.What Happens When A Ported Wireless Number Roams Into Another Network?A wireless handset broadcasts its MSID (MIN or IMSI) to the nearest cell phone towers when itaccesses the network (for registration, call origination or call termination). That MSID identifiesits home carrier and market. And because the wireless network uses the MSID (MIN or IMSI)in the registration process, and since MSIDs don’t port with the directory number, no extrememodifications are necessary to correctly register mobiles, validate roamers, and autonomouslydeliver calls. In other words, the current registration process, for the most part, will not beaffected by WNP. Note that in Figure 9: Mobile Registration Process, the identity of the mobileis shown as “MSID.” A wireless phone can contain either a MIN or an IMSI (discussed in theMIN/MDN Separation Issues section beginning on page 34), both of which are genericallyknown as the MSID (Mobile Station Identification).Figure 9: Mobile Registration ProcessServing MSCServing NetworkSTPHome STPHome HLRRegisterw/MSIDRegistrationNotification(MSID)RegistrationNotification(MSID)RegistrationNotification(MSID)Store MSID & reg infoReturn MDN and profileRetain MSID, MDN &profile in VLRRegistrationNotificationResponse(MDN, sub profile)What Happens In The Call Flow? (i.e., How The Call Flow Is Different)Before porting began, telephone calls were routed between switches using the dialed number’sNPA-NXX, which uniquely identified a single switch (although that carrier and even that switchcould have many NPA-NXXs). NPA-NXX-based routing is known as normal or default routing.In a ported environment the directory number can now move from carrier to carrier as asubscriber ports it. Therefore the NPA-NXX of the dialed number is no longer a reliable© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 31

indicator of which switch to route the call. In other words, you can no longer use the NPA-NXXto reliably route calls. Therefore a new method to route calls is required.To route calls in a ported environment a unique identifier called a Location Routing Number(LRN) is assigned to each switch. The LRN is one of the most important concepts in numberportability. The LRN identifies the specific switch that serves the ported number and where thecall should be routed. The basic generic call flow is shown below in Figure 10: Mobile-to-Mobile Call Flow Process.Figure 10: Mobile-to-Mobile Call Flow Process1. A subscriber or visiting roamer will originate a call.If it is an InterLATA call (i.e., long distance) the switch will simply forward the call tothe IXC that is providing service to the subscriber and the IXC will route the call. Ifhowever, the call is IntraLATA, and the carrier is the N-1 carrier, then the switchserving the subscriber will examine the NPA-NXX of the dialed number to see if it isopen for porting. It does this by checking a table on the switch. The data for this tablecomes from the industry local exchange routing guide (LERG) (see Table 3: SampleMDN/LRN Table).2. If the switch determines that the call is to an NPA-NXX line range open for porting itwill launch a query to the NPDB its network uses to determine if the specific dialednumber has ported. In ANSI-41, the switch launches a NPREQ query. In GSM systemsthe switch uses a similar query known as a (Start:SK CHECK). Both of these use theMDN as the argument in the query and return the LRN. If, however, the originating© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 32

switch determines that the call is to an NPA-NXX that is not open for porting, it simplyroutes the call, as it normally would, based on the dialed number. For example, in thiscase, if the call were to 927-677-XXXX (an NPA-NXX not open for porting), it woulddefault route the call to the switch serving 927-677.3. The NPDB uses the MDN to determine the correct response to the query. If the specificdialed number has not ported, the MDN will not be populated in the NPDB and it willreturn the MDN. For example, if the call was to 927-456-1291, which is in an NPA-NXX open for porting, but not ported, the NPDB would not find the MDN in its file andwould return the MDN in its response to the switch. However, if the dialed number hasported then the NPDB will respond with the LRN of the switch that is providing serviceto the called party. For example, in a call to ported number 927-456-1234 the NPDBwill respond with LRN 927-493-1681.4. The serving switch of the calling party will use the LRN in ISUP messages to set up androute the call to the correct home MSC.5. When the call reaches the correct home MSC of the ported called party, it rings thecalled party and establishes the connection.6. If the subscriber happens to be roaming (as determined by the HLR of the home switch),the serving system for that subscriber will provide a TLDN (Temporary Local DirectoryNumber), which will have been passed to the home MSC by the serving MSC during theregistration process. The call will be routed to the serving carrier using the MSID (MINor IMSI) of that subscriber based on the TLDN provided by the serving MSC/VLR.7. Using the TLDN, the home MSC will use an ISUP initial address message (IAM) to setup the call to the serving MSC.8. The originating and serving MSCs then establish a voice path and connect the callers.A caveat if you are the serving carrier providing the TLDN, the LNP systems assume thatTLDNs are not ported numbers. If you have received telephone numbers from a pool ofnumbers from the pooling administrator then take care not to use these numbers for TLDNs.Currently, MSCs assume TLDNs are not ported and default route calls to TLDNs. If they arefrom a pooled range the calls will route to the old carrier rather than you.Table 3: Sample MDN/LRN TableMDN LRN Served by Switch:927-456-1234 927-493-1681 A927-456-6400 927-493-1681 A927-456-9346 927-493-1681 A927-691-1491 927-493-1681 A927-456-2452 927-493-1682 B927-241-6131 927-493-1682 B© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 33

A simplified view of this call delivery and routing architecture and process is also shown below:Figure 11: Basic Call Routing ChartMIN/MDN Separation IssuesBefore porting and pooling, carriers were assigned blocks of 10,000 numbers in an NPA-NXX.In turn, wireless subscribers receive their wireless phone number, known as the mobiledirectory number (MDN) from this block. In the GSM system, the MSID (IMSI) and thedialable number (MSISDN) were never assumed to be the same number and so there is noMIN/MDN “separation issue.” However, in the ANSI-41 environment, for simplicity’s sake, thesame number was assigned as the MSID (MIN in ANSI-41 systems), which is the number themobile switch uses to page a handset in a mobile system. So in ANSI-41 systems, the MINcurrently appears to be the dialable number by which you can always identify the serving carrierby the NPA-NXX of phone number. With the advent of NP, subscribers may port out to otherproviders and therefore that original block of 10,000 dialable numbers could contain numbersserved by many carriers. Examining the NPA-NXX of an MDN will no longer reliably identifythe carrier.Because the MSID (MIN) was always used by the network to page the mobile, in the portedenvironment the MSID (MIN) will continue to identify the home carrier of a number, but theMDN in ANSI-41 will identify the subscriber and will serve as the dialable number. Or to put itanother way, the MDN and the MSID (MIN) will no longer be the same number. When asubscriber ports from one carrier to another they will take their MDN with them and the MSID(MIN) will stay with the OSP. The NSP will assign a new MSID (MIN) to the subscriber andmust program it into the handset (or give them a new handset programmed with the subscriber’sexisting phone number).© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 34

Should the end user port again to a third carrier, the MDN will still go with them, but the thirdcarrier will assign one of its MSIDs (MINs) to the subscriber. If the subscriber ports back to hisor her original carrier then the original donor carrier can reassign the original MSID (MIN) ormore likely a different MSID (MIN) from its supply. Since MSIDs (MINs) are a finite resourceat a given point in time, there will probably be a need to recycle the MSIDs (MINs) so theoriginal carrier will probably have reused the original MSID (MIN).Although altering your ANSI-41 network to support the MSID/MDN separation can be bothexpensive and complicated, the alternative could be much worse. If the MSID were madeportable, then each and every call and registration message would require either 10-digit globaltitle translation (which not all switches can handle) or would require a query. Both of these havedrawbacks in terms of costs, performance and reliability.Note that GSM standards always assigned different numbers for dialing and identification. AMSISDN is the dialable number and an IMSI identifies the carrier, thus there are no separationissues in GSM systems.MDN Disconnect and Snap BackIn some cases, a subscriber will port a number more than once – each time keeping the MDNbut getting a new MSID (MIN) – but then discontinue service with the current carrier withoutporting the MDN. Perhaps because they are moving to a new area of the country or they decidedthey no longer need wireless service. In any event, when a subscriber with a ported numbercancels service and doesn’t port the MDN to another carrier in the same service area, the currentcarrier sends a disconnect message to the NPAC. The NPAC then removes the MDN from theSMS. The NPAC SOA then broadcasts a disconnect message to all LSMSs in the region. TheNPAC SOA also sends a snap back message to the original code holder so that the originalcarrier knows the number has come back to them. This is designed to keep the original NPA-NXX assignments relatively clean so there are fewer complications for number pooling. Thecarrier disconnecting the number, however, may hold the number in inventory for a limited timebefore letting the number snap back to the original code holder. This is to allow time for thenumber to age so when it is finally reassigned it doesn’t receive a lot of calls looking for the olduser of the number. The carrier disconnecting the number cannot reassign it to anothersubscriber. In the time between the disconnect and the snap back callers to the number will getthe familiar “this number is no longer in service message” played by the disconnecting carrier.A disconnect/snap back should not be confused with a win back scenario where the subscriberwho ported from a provider ports back to the original provider. In a win back scenario theoriginal carrier’s subscription request to the NPAC will instruct the NPAC that it’s a port-tooriginal.The NPAC will then remove the number from the SMS so that calls can be defaultrouted to the subscriber.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 35

Supporting RoamersAll carriers in all markets – from New York City (the largest MSA market) to Converse,Wyoming (the smallest RSA market in the mainland U.S.) and U.S. possessions and territories –must support roamers with ported numbers. Therefore, carriers of all sizes and in all marketsmight need to make modifications to ensure roaming remains unaffected. However, a carriershould be aware of the difference between supporting basic roaming (i.e., ensuring voice works)and supporting enhanced features in a roaming environment. For example, to support basicroaming for voice calls, you may not need to make any changes to your network orinfrastructure. But this simple solution may not satisfy your roaming partner who has manysubscribers with advanced features and who wants those features to work ubiquitously andseamlessly throughout North America. Therefore, you should also carefully compare the costsof upgrading your network and switch infrastructure against the cost of losing roaming businessor a roaming partner. You need to make the best economic decision for your company.To better examine the complexities of supporting roamers, let us first consider just supportingbasic voice calls. Enhanced services like SMS and 911 will be considered later (See OtherSpecialized Roaming Scenarios beginning on page 38). At the most basic level, there are twopossibilities where supporting roamers are concerned:1. The roamer is originating calls2. The roamer is receiving callsOn top of this, for any given roamer, you will either be:1. The roamer’s home carrier2. The roamer’s serving carrierA matrix of these options reveals four possible basic scenarios:Roaming Subscriber isOriginating CallsRoaming Subscriber isReceiving CallsYou are the Home Carrier1. The roamer (your subscriber)is originating calls in anothermarket and you are the homecarrier.3. The roamer (your subscriber)is receiving calls in anothermarket and you are the homecarrier.You are the Serving Carrier2. The roamer is (anothercarrier’s subscriber)originating calls in yourmarket and you are theserving carrier.4. The roamer (another carrier’ssubscriber) is receiving callsin your market and you arethe serving carrier.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 36

1. The Roamer is Originating Calls and You are the Home CarrierWhen one of your ported subscribers roams to another area outside of their home service areaand originates a call, you will handle your end of the call as you normally would. In fact, itdoesn’t matter if your subscriber is ported or not. The only difference is that you will bereceiving billing records that contain both the MSID (MIN or IMSI) and the MDN (or MSISDNif you’re a GSM carrier). However, you should be on the lookout for records that contain only aMDN. This could indicate that the serving carrier is attempting to bill the call by the MDN (stillassuming it’s the same as the MIN), so if one of your MDNs was ported to another carrier youcould still be getting the roaming calls for that subscriber billed to you. If this is the case, youshould consider rejecting those records.2. The Roamer is Originating Calls and You are the Serving CarrierWhen the roamer is originating calls and you’re the serving carrier, the call flow is similar towhen one of your subscribers is originating calls. It doesn’t matter if the roamer is ported or not.If the call is from your network and you’re the N-1 carrier, you’ll do the query and route the callaccording to the results. Otherwise, you’ll route the call as you normally would (i.e., to the IXCfor calls outside your LATA; or to the LEC for calls that require IntraLATA transport to anothercarrier such as a CLEC, a more distant LEC, or to another wireless carrier in your LATA). Infact, the only difference is that the billing needs to go back to the roamer’s home carrier, whichcan no longer be reliably determined by the MDN. Instead, you’ll need to bill calls by the MSID(MIN or IMSI). If you billed by the MDN, the OSP would get billed for roaming servicesprovided to a subscriber they no longer have and would almost certainly reject those charges.Because the CIBER record now contains the MSID as one of its key fields, the billing ofroamers’ calls will be the same for all roamers whether they’re ported or not. The TAP billingformat for GSM carriers also includes a field for both the MSID (IMSI) and the MDN(MSISDN). You need to ensure that your switch is outputting call detail records (CDRs) withboth MDN and MSID information to your billing system or vendor and that they process thedata correctly. Failure to do so will almost surely result in rejected records, added expenses,roaming agreement hassles, and ultimately lost revenue.3. The Roamer is Receiving Calls and You are the Home CarrierWhen you’re the home carrier of a ported number that roams outside its home service area, youwill simply forward the call placed to the number to the current serving switch using temporarylocal directory numbers (TLDNs). This process is the same in a ported environment as it is in anon-ported environment. In other words, you will forward calls to one of your portedsubscribers who is roaming the same way you would for any of your “original” subscribers.4. The Roamer is Receiving Calls and You are the Serving CarrierWhen a roamer in your service area is receiving calls you will be the serving carrier. Again, itdoesn’t matter if the roamer is ported or not. Upon entering your market, your switch’s VLRwill register the roamer in the normal way using the MSID (MIN or IMSI) and assign a TLDN.Then, when your switch’s VLR receives a call routing message for that subscriber containingthe MSID (MIN or IMSI), it will simply page that TLDN. The translation from the dialablenumber to the MSID (MIN or IMSI) will have already been done by the roaming subscriber’shome switch. Just make sure that the TLDNs are assigned from numbers for which you are theoriginal code holder and not from numbers you received from the pooling administrator. It isassumed that TLDNs are not ported, and therefore routing based on TLDNs is default routed.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 37

Which means if you use a pooled number for a TLDN the call would be delivered to the originalcode holder’s switch, not the serving MSC.Other Specialized Roaming ScenariosAs mentioned earlier, several situations will require separate handling beyond what is done in abasic voice call. Chief among these are calls to 911, SMS messages and roamer port calls.Emergency Services (i.e., 911 Calls)In the case of 911 calls, the FCC requires that wireless carriers be able to automatically send thecalling party’s directory number (i.e., their “call back number”) to the public safety answeringpoint (PSAP). This provides the emergency service provider (such as fire, police, ambulance,etc.) a way to call the subscriber back if the call is dropped or disconnected. The number sent tothe PSAP should be the MDN, not the MSID (MIN or IMSI) whether it is a home subscriber ora roaming subscriber. Therefore, your VLR will need to contain the MDN of roamingsubscribers so that if they call 911, the correct call back number can be provisioned. If theserving switch sent the MSID to the 911-dispatch center as the call back number and thesubscriber had ported, the wrong party could be called back, wasting the dispatcher’s time.What is worse, it wouldn’t be possible to call back the subscriber who really needs help.Therefore, all wireless carriers, regardless of the size of the MSA/RSA you serve, should ensuretheir VLR is capable of storing both MDN and MSID numbers and passing the MDN to theright PSAP.Short Message ServicesNumber portability also poses problems for SMS. Currently, SMS messages are routed based onthe MSID (MIN or IMSI). However, the subscriber enters the recipient’s MDN when sending amessage and since in ANSI-41 the MIN and MDN are currently the same (prior to portability),the SMS system can simply use the MDN as the MIN and route the message correctly. Themessaging subscriber doesn’t have to know the messaged party’s MIN. However, when portingbegins, the subscriber will still want to use the MDN to send a message (because they won’tknow the MSID), so SMS messages will need to be routed based on the MDN not the MIN.Otherwise, the message would be sent to the OSP’s SMS message center (MC). Therefore, SMSservice and specifically your short message service center or MC needs to support SMSmessages that are addressed to the MDN instead of the MIN. New standards (TIA/EIA/IS-841)define the changes required to support SMS after portability. The CTIA’s “Report on WirelessNumber Portability” contains a very thorough discussion on WLNP impacts on SMS delivery.Roamer Port CallsAs with short message service, roamer port calls operation is based on the MIN rather than theMDN. This makes sense because a roamer port call is directly connected to the switch and thecaller is then permitted to page the called party’s wireless device directly. This requires use ofthe MIN and assumes the MIN and MDN are identical. Since the use of roamer port calling hasdiminished greatly, the standards committees did not modify IS-41 to correct this issue;therefore this service will no longer work after portability. To ensure you don’t inconvenienceor strand these subscribers, you should identify and educate any subscribers who still useroamer port access prior to implementing WLNP. You will need to inform them that this servicecan no longer be supported and that they should use autonomous roaming instead.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 38

Other Issues with Serving Roaming Subscribers with Ported NumbersIn addition to 911 and SMS, if your MSC/VLR is not capable of storing both an MDN andMSID for each subscriber you will have other issues such as:Automatic Number Identification (ANI) – If your MSC/VLR cannot send the MDN, which isused by these systems to bill calls, you may find that you’re billing the wrong end user for longdistance calls. Another possibility is that the long distance carrier will refuse to carry the call.Calling Number Identification Presentation (CNIP) – Calling number services are based on theMDN. If you send the MSID, you could be sending the wrong number to the called party. Thiswould certainly cause subscriber dissatisfaction, creating problems between you and yourroaming partners, or other wireline and wireless carriers because their subscribers are payingthem for this service and want it to work correctly. They won’t like having to take the heatbecause your system is giving them bad data. The same would be true of calling namepresentation except that you would be doing a calling name query on the MSID instead of theMDN and obtain the wrong person’s name or get another non-valid response. Potentially, thiscould violate the other person’s privacy.CLASS Services based on MDNs –Customized local access special services (CLASS) based onMDNs such as automatic call return, number blocking, special rings, etc. will be impacted.Again, this could potentially violate privacy or cause problems with your roaming partners,wireline carriers or other wireless carriers to which you are interconnected.Customer Service Systems – Customer service systems typically use the MDN as the key fieldin obtaining CDRs, which can then be analyzed by the computer or your customer servicerepresentatives (CSRs) to determine a way to resolve what ever is bothering your customer.Typically, the CSR or your call center control system will either have the MDN from an ANIsystem or will ask for the subscribers phone number immediately upon taking the call. Mostsubscribers will know their MDN, but hardly any will know their MSID (MIN or IMSI). So, ifyour system cannot key off of the MDN you will not be able to track and respond to theseissues.Billing – You will need to track both the MDN and MSID for billing purposes. Otherwise, youwill not get paid for all the roaming services you provide to your roaming partners’ subscribers.The reason for this is simple: if you bill by the MDN, then you will be sending roaming recordsto the OSP, who will not have the slightest interest in paying for roaming calls made by asubscriber who ported out and is no longer paying them.To clarify this, your switch should record CDRs with both the MDN and MSID of both thecalled and calling parties. The CDRs for originating calls should also contain a record of theLRN and if the LRN is not obtained, then the fact of the failure should be recorded. The CDRsfor terminating calls should record whether or not the call was queried or not as indicated by theforward call indicator (FCI) by the N-1 carrier. This could potentially enable you to bill backthe N-1 carrier for calls it should have queried, but didn’t.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 39

Options for Determining LRNs for RoutingYou have three choices for determining LRNs used to route calls to ported numbers:• Third Party Carrier – letting the calls pass without obtaining the LRN to another carrier,(which is usually the incumbent LEC in an area) and have them do the look up for you.• Turnkey – acquire or build a LSMS and LNP database and query each call to your ownnetwork elements.• Service Bureau – outsourcing the management of NP queries to a service bureau thatserves many carriers and charge per query.LEC DefaultWhile it is very economical in the short-run, default routing to the LEC (letting the calls pass tothe LEC without obtaining the LRN) quickly becomes expensive when volumes increase.Without an agreement with the LEC, the LEC could charge you for performing database querieson your behalf or even simply block calls that haven’t been properly queried. If the LEC doesperform the query on your behalf, the call will go through, but this may not be very economical.To minimize this, you may want to negotiate a lower rate for defaulting to the LEC as part of anoverall interconnection agreement.The chief advantage of the LEC default is the short-term economic cost savings compared torunning your own LNP infrastructure or outsourcing. A major drawback of this approach is thatif, for some reason, the LEC’s infrastructure fails, there is no fall back to determine routed calls.While the prospect of the LEC’s LNP infrastructure failing is minimal it does remove a layer ofsecurity inherent in the other two options. Aside from this, as volumes increase the LEC defaultwill become increasingly costly. Still, for a small carrier with little or no porting numbers intheir LATA, this may be a practical option.Further, because most of your wireline calls are most likely local calls to wireline subscribers inthe same MSA (e.g., – calling home, calling the office, calling friends, etc.), a large number ofyour calls will require queries if you are in an area with ported numbers. This means yourinvoice from the LEC could be significant.For details on this option, you should ask the incumbent LEC in your area. You may also wantto ask CLECs or other wireless carriers who may be willing and able to do these queries for you– for a charge.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 40

TurnkeyThis option is the most costly in the short-term, but perhaps the most cost efficient in the longterm when dealing with extremely large volumes. The basic idea behind the turnkey option isdoing it yourself. In order for this to work, you will need two fundamental resources: expertiseand an extremely large capital budget. You will need to acquire or develop SCPs (LRNdatabases), STPs, MSCs and other LNP dedicated network elements such as a local servicemanagement system (LSMS) – all of these in geographically dispersed mated pairs connectedby diversely routed SS7 links. Once set up, you will need to maintain your networkinfrastructure. This will require 24x7 monitoring and frequent upgrades. You should alsoarrange a contract with the local incumbent LEC for default processing in the event yourinfrastructure should fail or you need to bring it down for maintenance. In addition, yourdatabase will need to be continually updated with the latest lists of ported numbers, so you musthave a connection to the NPAC databases in the region or regions where you operate.The chief advantage of developing or acquiring a turnkey system is that you have completecontrol of your network elements. For some large carriers with a presence in many marketswhere number portability will be offered, this could prove to be an economical alternative.Other reasons for this approach include philosophical, political or strategic ploys that favorrunning your own infrastructure.The chief drawback with this approach is the capital and expertise required to successfullyimplement this strategy. Because of this, it is considered a higher risk alternative to either LECdefault or service bureau.Service BureauA service bureau is a hybrid approach between third-party carrier and turnkey systems. With aservice bureau approach you’re relieved of the hassles of creating and managing a networkinfrastructure. You’re also provided with a second layer of safety because in the very unlikelyevent the service bureau’s network fails, you can still default query your calls to the LEC.Furthermore, because the service bureau performs its services for many carriers, the costs forcreating and managing the infrastructure is spread over all these carriers, resulting in a cost thatmight be lower than default routing charges or buying a turnkey system (except perhaps, atextremely high volumes).In this approach the service bureau will operate the LRN NPDB, LSMS, and probably the STP.However, if you already have an STP in your network, the service bureau will just provide theLSMS and NPDB services. In addition, the service bureau may be able to provide the LRN datafeed to your STP, providing a service to help carriers who are not quite large enough to operatetheir own LSMS infrastructure, but who have already invested in SS7 infrastructure.Another advantage of using a service bureau is that it can enable you to delay a purchasedecision by several years. Since SCPs, MSCs and STPs are basically computers and therefore© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 41

subject to “Moore’s Law 1 ”, delaying the decision to buy will enable the technology to becomeboth cheaper and more powerful. This delay will also enable you to get a better idea of your trueporting volume and needs, which will help prevent you from buying a system too large or toosmall for your needs and expected growth.1 Moore’s Law was named after Gordon Moore the co-founder of INTEL. Moore’s Law states that computer processing power(the number of transistors on an integrated circuit) will double every 18 months. This is why a modern $1000 PC can outcomputea 1970’s computer costing millions of dollars.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 42

Meeting the Mandate – A Practical ChecklistTo meet the mandate there are many actions a wireless carrier must take, most are mentionedelsewhere in this guide, but here is a list of some of the key steps a wireless carrier mustperform:• Form project team• Learn the mandates• Decide between proactive and reactive approach• Issue Bona Fide requests• Establish NPAC relationship• Predict your porting volume• Prepare your network• Develop your trading partner profile and exchange profiles with trading partners• Establish operating agreements• Issue Bona Fide requests• Intercarrier tests• Decide on a sales and activation strategy• Determine LNP application sourcing (i.e. in-house or outsource and vendorselection)• Integrate back office to LNP applications• Develop marketing campaigns• Establish plan for managing exceptions and fallout• Train sales & customer service• Develop resellers’ porting strategyThis section of the guide presents an overview of each of these key steps.Form project teamBecause of the scope, complexity and importance of WNP one of the first steps a wirelesscarrier must do is to form a project team comprised of all key areas of operations includingsales, IT, network, customer service, training, project management, marketing, numbermanagement, finance, legal and other areas. For the sake of operating efficiently as a team, thereshould be an overall project manager and an executive sponsor. Many rural carriers are hiringconsultants or contractors who have helped some of the carriers operating in the top 100 MSAsto manage this project.Ideally, the executive sponsor should be your carrier’s top executive (CEO/president) so that theentire organization knows that this project has priority and executive attention. This will alsoserve to ensure that the team has adequate funding to achieve its goals of meeting the mandatein the most efficient manner and doing so in a way that powers the carrier’s growth. A keysponsor can also clear the way for many, if not all, of the team members to focus on WNP astheir sole or primary job function.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 43

It will also be beneficial to ensure that there is a core team and an extended team. This will helpensure that all areas of the organization are represented, but keep the team to a workable size. Itmight also be noted that the team may want to include outside vendors or consultants asassociate members.Finally, the team must have a clear and concise goal or goals and a specific charter of what itcan or can’t do and a discrete budget it can call upon (outside of normal departmental oroperational budgets) to accomplish things quickly. Many carriers have tried to accomplishmeeting the WNP mandate within existing budgets (i.e. as a business as usual project), butothers seem to have had more success when a team of individuals with their own budget tackledthe project.Learn the mandatesOnce a team is formed, the team must quickly begin to learn its mandate and plan its strategy.The first step here is to obtain and read the official FCC mandates. The official documents areavailable on the FCC web site or from your carrier’s legal/regulatory representative. You shouldread the mandate and possibly have a regulatory consultant highlight the specific sections thatmight affect your company.Another way to get educated is to participate in industry operations groups for numberportability and standards bodies meetings where industry policy and standards are set. This willgive you a good working background of what will actually take place vs. what the FCCmandated. In addition, industry meetings provide opportunities to network with your peers andvendors who participate so that you can learn how other carriers are meeting the mandate.What’s more, participating in or attending these meetings will help you decipher what themandate means because you’ll understand the intent of the standard instead of just the literalinterpretation of the standard. Thus you’ll be better prepared to deal with loose standards thatleave some things open to interpretation. Information on the times and location of thesemeetings is available on the NPAC web site at www.NPAC.com. Even if you do not have thetime or resources to attend or dial into these meetings, you can receive the minutes, notificationsand correspondence by registering with these industry groups. You may register by e-mailingthe Co-Chairs listed on NPAC web site. These groups include:• LNPA WG addresses both wireline and wireless number portability issues includingintermodal porting (wireline-wireless porting). LNPA WG reports into NANC• WNPO addresses specifically wireless number portability. WNPO reports into LNPAWG.• WTSC focuses on intercarrier testing plans and activities reporting into WNPO• FORT focuses on fall-out reduction reporting into WNPO.You can also join your vendors’ Users’ Group. For example, Syniverse has a Users’ GroupTechnical Working Group (TWG) comprised of its WNP customers. This TWG holds regularconference calls and other meetings to share information and gather feedback on Syniverse© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 44

policy. Again, this will provide insight into how porting actually works and yet anotheropportunity for networking with your peers.Decide between proactive and reactive approachThe next major step on the road to WNP compliance is deciding on your company’s strategicapproach to WNP. Most carriers fall into one of two categories: Proactive and reactive.The proactive carrier typically views WNP as an opportunity to manage the business tominimize negative impact. The proactive carrier will generally seek the solution that allowsthem to win more customers and try to optimize cost and returns. It will also embrace themandate and work WNP into all of its business processes.The reactive carrier typically views WNP as simply a mandate that must be met with aminimum effort and cost. A reactive carrier will generally seek the solution that costs least andis more worried about how to minimize customer loss than gain subscribers.Predict your porting volumeIn order to make other decisions, such as selecting a vendor and estimating on-going operationalbudgets a carrier must form an expectation of the number of ports it will conduct. Calculatingthe number is very difficult because there are a large number of variables and the effect of thesemultiple variables on port volumes is cumulative. For example, if churn rate is 2 – 3 percent permonth times the porting ratio of 50% to 80% the number of expected ports will vary widely. Toillustrate this, three sets of assumptions for a carrier of fifty thousand subscribers are presentedbelow. This table illustrates how layering assumptions can make a huge difference in theexpected porting volume:Low Est. Medium Est. High Est.Subscribers 50,000 50,000 50,000Monthly Churn Rate x 2.0% x 2.5% x 3.0%Churn Out 1,000 1,250 1,500Churn In + 1,000 + 1,250 + 1,500Total Churn 2,000 2,500 3,000Annualized x 12 x 12 x 1224, 000 30,000 36,000Port Ratio x 50% x 80% x 80%Annual Ports 12,000 15,000 18,000Ports/Day (360 days) 33 40 50The above table represents one model and three sets of assumptions. However, there are asmany predictions of porting volume, as there are industry pundits, analysts, vendors and© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 45

carriers. However, most models start with churn or gross adds and then apply factors andvariables to derive port volumes. For example, many carriers use the following model to predicttheir port volume:# of current subscribers x churn rate x port ratio = # of port outs# of gross adds x port ratio = # of port insTotal ports = ports in + ports outAnother model takes the churn rate times port ratio times two which assumes that a carriers portins will equal port outs.The port ratio is the ratio of churn to ports. For example, if you lose 100 customers and 80 ofthem port their number the port ratio is 80%. The industry consensus is that 80% of customerswill port their number when they churn. After all, it saves time and effort of the subscribertelling friends and family, schools, etc. of how to contact them. Or to put it another way, almostall of your activations will be a port in and almost all of your churn will be a port out. However,there may be other factors at play in the port ratio. For example, if a carrier charges a large feeto port a number in, many subscribers might choose not to port their numbers and the port ratiowill be lower.No matter how you arrive at your predicted volume, the goal is the same – to determine whatvolume you should plan for. This number indicates whether porting will be a mountain or amolehill and how much effort you should put into the planning and ultimately plays a role insizing porting solutions. Unfortunately, predicting port volume is ultimately an educated guessbecause each carrier’s experience will vary. Even with the experience of the carriers in the top100 MSA may not be a reliable predictor because subscribers may behave differently in NewYork, LA and Chicago then they do in Wyoming or rural parts of Alabama.Establish NPAC relationshipOnce a general approach is determined it’s time to begin the actual implementation. One stepthat might take longer than some other steps and therefore be a prerequisite (i.e. on the criticalpath of implementation) to other actions is establishing a relationship with the NPAC. There areseveral steps involved with setting up with the NPAC:• Sign a non-disclosure agreement and business contract within each of the NPAC regionsyou operate• Set up a SPID (service provider ID) by which you will be known. Carriers with bothwireline and wireless operations will need a SPID for each side of their business becausedifferent timers can apply depending on whether the SPID is wireless or wireline.• Inform the NPAC if you plan to use the LTI or who your ICC and SOA vendor(s) willbe. Send the NPAC a ‘letter of authorization’ if you are making changes between theLTI or a service bureaus that you are currently using.• Identify and set up your line ranges (NPA-NXXs).• Assign LRNs to your switches and set them up with the NPAC• Set yourself up with ‘short timers’ if you expect to port nights and weekends, or ‘longtimers’ if you will port only during normal business hours.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 46

• For each testing scenario set up filters to receive messages from the NPACThe NPAC web site provides instructions for new service providers getting set up. You mayalso contact the NPAC at 1-888-NPAC HELP. If you are contracting with a service bureau theywill take care of most of this for you.Prepare your networkSwitched Network:Another step that must be taken early in the process is to ensure that your switch and networkelements are WNP compliant. Check with your switch vendor to see if there is a particularswitch load that is required to meet the mandate. At a minimum your switch must be capable oflaunching a query and supporting MDN/MIN separation so that records are recorded correctlyand can be sent to the right carrier.In addition to checking the software load of the switch you should also look at adjunctprocessors such as HLRs and VLRs. You will also need to register your NPA-NXX(s) that areopen for porting with both the LERG and the NPAC so that calls will be routed correctly andbilled appropriately. You will also have to determine what LRN will be provisioned into whichNPA-NXX.Back Office Network:If you do not plan to use the public Internet for the LTI or access to your service bureaus WebGUI, but plan to use a solution integrated into your OSS or a dedicated circuit connection to aservice bureau then you will have to establish connectivity through firewalls. Experience hasshown that it may take several months to establish connectivity through firewalls, so it isimportant to get as early a start as is possible on this process. You will also need to set up IORfiles for communicating between your OSS and service bureau if you are communicationthrough a CORBA interface.Develop and Swap Trading Partner Profiles:There is some key information that you will require on any trading partner or competitor thatyou are likely to port numbers with. This information should be provided as soon as possible sothat you and your trading partner can configure respective systems to port with each other.Some trading partners or service bureaus will have a form to complete with all the neededprofile information. This information will tell you your trading partner’s hours of operationwith related hours timers they are set up with at the NPAC, contact information includingescalation contacts, fax numbers, their mode of operations such as use of a the LTI or clearinghouse and how you connect with them.Establish operating agreementsWhile a Joint Interconnection or Service Level Agreement with your trading partners is notrequired for porting; however, having one in place will facilitate better processes and adherence© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 47

to business rules between you and your trading partners. Operating agreements, also known asJoint Interconnection Agreements (JIAs) will spell out how you’ll interact with a particularcarrier in porting transactions. Negotiating the agreements could take months so you’ll want tobegin the process as soon as you know what you want out of each of your trading partners.You’ll also want time to manage the process so you wind up with a fairly consistent slate ofagreements. This will make managing those relationships easier. A fair and balanced JIA willguide both carriers into making the right decisions elsewhere in the process. For example, if youand a trading partner agree to age disconnects for 90 days prior to the effective date at theNPAC (in case the subscriber comes back to you) you’ll need to modify your numbermanagement systems and policies to be consistent with this agreement. Or, if you agree to havea hotline between you and another carrier’s port center for fallout resolution you’ll need time toorder and install the required trunk lines.Issue Bona Fide requestsSince it takes a while for the LERG to publish an update of new NPA-NXX that are open forporting and because a wireless carrier has up to six months after the receipt of a bona fiderequest to meet the mandate you’ll want to quickly decide what carriers have which NPA-NXXin your coverage area that you’ll want to port with. Once that is accomplished you should thensend a bona fide request form or letter to that carrier. This will kick off the process for portingfor that carrier so the sooner you begin this step, the better off you’ll be. And by all means, ifyou get a bona fide request letter from another provider make sure their NPA-NXX(s) are openso that you can port numbers from their NPA-NXX(s)Intercarrier testsIntercarrier tests can take anywhere from a few days to as long as a year. Generally, however, ifyou are automating your ICC processes, you’ll need a month or two for intercarrier testing. Thattime should be proceeded by several months (if not more) of connectivity testing between yourbilling systems and ICP system. If you are using a Web based GUI entry process for portingnumbers, this systems process is not as unique as an automated OSS integrated system and hasalready been tested by many other carriers using the same process. It is still a good idea to testto insure that nothing was missed in your implementation and that ports will pass through toeach of your trading partners, and to test your manual processes.Fortunately, now that most major carriers have ported numbers with a variety of tradingpartners they’re content to give additional carriers a reduced number of test cases to run unlessthe carrier is using an unproven or minor ICC CH in which case the number of test cases islikely to be larger and the costs higher. In addition, they now have a much better idea of whichaspects of interconnectivity cause problems and can now focused testing on those areas.From your perspective, you’ll want to test with at least one wireless automated trading partner(and probably one from each major ICC/SOA vendor) and at least one manual and/or fax TP aswell. You’ll also want to test with a wireline carrier.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 48

When you conduct a test you’ll work hand-in-hand with the trading partner and your respectivevendors to see if a port request makes it through to the other side and the response comes back.To facilitate this you’ll need test numbers of your trading partner that you can port in and they’llneed test numbers of yours that you can port in. When possible, you’ll probably want to use atest platform independent from your production systems so that real numbers aren’tcontaminated and the numbers do not reach the NPAC production systems. You might even usea special test SPID provided by the NPAC that directs ports to their test systems.Later stages of testing should be end-to-end tests involving point of sales through falloutresolution.The goal of the testing is to ensure that any issues are uncovered and addressed before actualporting with customers begins. You’ll also want to use the testing process to determine if youhave any internal issues to solve or internal procedures to devise or revise.Decide on a sales and activation strategyMost carriers want a consistent set of handsets to support, therefore most have decided tostrongly encourage any customer porting in to get a new handset that is compatible with thenetwork and contains the custom features that many large carriers are marketing. However, acarrier could choose otherwise. But this decision goes beyond handset options to include howand when a handset is activated. Some carriers have decided to give a new temporary number toa customer while the port is conducted and then when the port is complete do an over-the-airactivation to reprogram the handset to use the new MDN. Others have decided to let the newsubscriber walk out with both their new handset and their old one. The old handset will be ableto make and receive calls during the porting process. The new handset will only be able to makeor originate calls until the port is complete. At that point, the roles change so that the newhandset can receive calls and the old handset could only make calls (until the old carrier cuts itoff).Finally, you’ll need to decide if the handset on a port in to you will be activated immediately oronly after the port completes. Conversely you’ll have to decide when to deactivate on a portout. The safest bet is to deactivate when the port completes at the NPAC. This way, thesubscriber is not without service. If you deactivate immediately and the port is delayed then thecustomer may be without service for a while. This could, potentially, open you to litigation andliability if the customer suffers an emergency during the time between when you cut them offand when their new subscriber activates them.To accomplish this effectively and to help ensure that all factors are taken into account you maywant to invest time in creating detailed process maps that show when and how and on whatsystem various actions will be made.Determine WNP application sourcing (i.e. in-house or outsource and vendor selection)Making a sourcing decision for various components of WNP is another critical path decision.Choosing your vendor(s) (if any) may determine your options in other areas. In some cases it© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 49

will limit your options and in other cases it will expand your options and choices. In generalyou can choose to outsource any or all of the services required or source it internally. Carriershave been successful with both approaches, but in general, most carriers have found that astrategy that leverages industry experts pays greater dividends. Outsourcing may also yield costbenefits because it will allow you to share the vendor’s operational costs with other carriers.Integrate back office to WNP applicationsIf you’re using an automated port process when ever possible, you’ll need to think through yourback office applications such as number management, billing, point of sales order entry systemsand more. Ideally, all of these should be integrated into WNP systems so that when a sales repenters the subscriber’s order it flows seamlessly through from one system into another.Obviously, this task requires careful planning and coordination among various vendors andinternal teams. Each system may require modifications or configuration changes and in somecases, a system may need to be replaced with a new solution that supports WLNP and deliversother advantages. For example, if you’ve been using a particular billing system for many yearsthe vendor may no longer be supporting that system and it will need to be replaced with a morecapable system. Or, the change in sales and activation processes might drive a need for a newsystem. For example, today carriers typically perform a credit check on new customers toensure the customer is going to be able to pay their bill and determine deposit amounts if any. Ina portable environment you may need to check other data sources to ensure the number isportable and that the customer isn’t porting away to avoid paying a massive bill at anothercarrier.Develop marketing campaignsDepending on your overall porting approach you’ll want to make it known that you can nowport in numbers from another carrier. Many of the major carriers have been using portability asa major feature of their customer marketing campaigns. In general, they’ve touted the freedomto move your number away from a carrier you don’t like to one you do like (hopefully theirs).Other ads have stressed the convenience and benefits of portability to raise awareness thatporting is an option. The idea is to educate consumers who haven’t switched because they didn’twant a new number that they now have that option. From a pricing perspective you could tieports in to other special promotions where you waive fees or provide value added services toentice customers to port their numbers to you.A good marketing campaign will result in a payoff for all the other investments and work youhave made. Without a good marketing campaign you may be positioning yourself to lose morecustomers than you gain.Another approach to consider is a defensive marketing campaign. Savvy carriers may attempt tolock in customers with loyalty campaigns and new handsets in exchange for a new contract witha one or two-year term. This might be accomplished in numerous ways such as outboundcalling campaigns, offers of new handsets, proactive price discounts, etc. You can also (withproper notice to your customers – check with your legal department or counsel) increase earlytermination fees or add in port out fees to current or new contracts to provide consumers withincentives to stay with your service or at least disincline them to move to another provider.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 50

Your marketing approach may also want to include post-mortems with former subscribers.Knowing why they ported out will allow you to focus efforts on fixing problems (perceived orreal) that are causing you to lose subscribers. For example, if pricing is the reason whycustomers are leaving you for another carrier you may want to proactively reduce prices orintroduce a new pricing model. Also note that the reason for losing customers to one carriermay be different than the reason you’re losing customers to another. For example, one carriermay have a superior (i.e., lower price) while another of your competitors may have a betternetwork. Targeting the right offer at a former subscriber might be an effective win-backtechnique if you chose to try to win back high-value or even all subscribers lost.Also, don’t neglect to promote (where and when appropriate) the fact that you can move awireline number to wireless. Collectively, these kinds of ports represent the wireless industry’sbest opportunity for growth because wireless-to-wireless ports are a zero-sum game (onewireless carrier’s win is another wireless carrier’s loss). The types of lines that are expected totransfer to wireless include home business lines, second lines for teenagers and other lines thatare not primarily used for Internet access or fax. But as wireless data access becomes morecapable and wide spread you may be able to convince many Internet users to port those lines towireless as well. And don’t discount that many consumers may move their primary residentialline to wireless because they want the mobility that wireless offers. Others may be seeking toconsolidate telecommunications with one vendor for a better overall cost so you may want tofactor that market segment into your marketing plans.A type of wireline customer that may deserve special treatment is the wireline small businessuser – particularly companies that have a number of mobile employees such as plumbers,insurance adjustors, realtors, etc. These businesses may want to drop their current PBX and giveevery employee a wireless handset. Their business logic is why pay for two telecommunicationssystems, and have people check two voice mail systems, when the majority of employees areonly in the office a few hours a week.Establish plan for managing exceptions and falloutUnfortunately, despite the best planning, things will go wrong. Ports will fallout and requiremanual intervention. A carrier must plan for this as well because a port that falls out will have aprofound effect on your business, market perception, and economics. A rule of thumb is that aport that falls out might cost anywhere from 2 to 10 times as much to complete as a port thatdoesn’t fallout. In other words, if it costs you $5 to complete a port without any errorscorrecting those errors might cost about $50. In addition, a port that drags on through the falloutprocess without any resolution may cause you to lose the customer you just spent hundreds ofdollars on wooing, winning and provisioning.A fallout approach must be identified that allows fallout to be identified, investigated andresolved quickly and efficiently. Many carriers have staffed special fallout management centers(either in-house or outsource or a mixture of both) to address fallout. Again, an important firststep is to estimate volume. Prior to porting fallout estimates ranged widely from virtually zeropercent to virtually 100 percent. The reality has tended to land (naturally) somewhere in themiddle. While fallout rates are expected to decrease over time as carriers become used to the© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 51

process, and build in safety checks to ensure that ports are entered accurately, right now thefallout rate can best be categorized as quite high.A key fact to keep in mind is that the onus is on the NSP to resolve fallout. The NSP is the onewho is going to benefit from completing the port. It’s the carrier who will have a new customerand increase in revenue. It’s also the carrier that will want to resolve the port quickly to keep itsnew customer happy. While the OSP will want to help this process so that it gets cooperationfrom the trading partner when the roles are reversed. The exception to this is when the OSPgenerates a delay. This should also be considered fallout unless the systems are going toautomatically generate a response when they come back on line or finish validating the port.When the OSP generates a delay it has the responsibility for sending a subsequent response tothe NSP once it validates the port.Resolving fallout may require calls to the trading partner and/or subscriber. It may also require amodification to port requests (supplemental port requests) and/or a modification to internalsystems of record such as billing systems. Take the example of an incorrect zip code. If the portfell out because the old carrier had a different zip code than what was in the port request itmight be from several reasons: 1) the subscriber recently moved and never told the old carrierabout the move so the old carrier still has the old address and zip code, or 2) there was a dataentry error. For example, the rep typed 33569 instead of 33659. In the first case, you have thecustomers correct and current address in your billing system so you just need to change it in thesupplemental port request so the old carrier will confirm the port. In the later case you will needto make the change in billing system which will need to flow the port back through the ICCprocess or change it in the billing system and manually change it in the ICC process if there isnot a tight integration between the two systems.In short, the best way to resolve fallout is to prevent it in the first place. Putting processes inplace that identify fallout causes and manage those systems or procedures to minimize falloutwould pay a handsome dividend. For example, if you pre-validate port requests to ensure the zipcode matches the street address according to U.S.P.S. databases you might catch data entryerrors in zip codes that would cause fallout. You could also do some pre-port validation checksof the carrier SPIDs so ensure that the port request is sent to the current provider and not theNPA-NXX code holder who may have already ported that number out to another provider ayear or more ago.Automating the processes and interfacing systems will prevent many opportunities for dataentry error when data is copied from one system to another. This will also reduce your longterminternal operating costs!Finally, encouraging and perhaps rewarding data entry clerks or point of sales employees toaccurately enter data might be an effective way to prevent fallout.Train sales & customer serviceBecause WNP changes so many aspects of your business you will want to ensure that all ofyour employees are aware of the impacts of WNP. In particular you’ll need to train sales andcustomer service employees about the new processes and procedures required by porting.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 52

However, you’ll also want to extend training – even if it’s only a general overview of portingprocesses – to all employees including network, finance, marketing, management, and ITemployees to name just a few.Your training might emphasize a porting overview, the specific new processes and proceduresthat must be followed, and perhaps just as importantly stressing the importance of customerservice and excellence in operations. The number one reason consumers have given as a reasonto port is the customer experience from network reliability, quality and coverage area tocustomer service experience for technical support, sales and billing departments. Finally, besure to include information on the financial impacts of portability on your carrier’s business. Ifpossible, a statement or video from the CEO/President or other top-level executive that explainshow the business will benefit from WLNP (or suffer if done wrong).One important area to cover is how to set customer expectations on the porting experience.You’ll want to provide information to the consumer so they can determine the best time to port.Doing a port immediately before an important call or meeting or immediately before leaving onvacation may not be the best decision a consumer can make (unless they’re planning onvacationing without a cell phone anyway). You might want to prepare and provide aconsumer’s guide to porting that explains the benefits, process, and expected timeline of portingand carefully discloses the risks to the consumer (e.g., 911 impacts during the porting process,the risk of being without service for a short while, etc.).Service Bureaus can provide you with many different types of training through differenttraining tools. These might include self-training programs, Web training or having a trainercome in person and train your staff.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 53

Number PoolingNumber Pooling has been described as a “close cousin” of porting. Indeed, wireless carriers firstsupported many of the WNP network elements and concepts (such as LRNs, SPIDs, numberdips, etc.) when they implemented number pooling. Number pooling is a process to conservethe diminishing resource of available phone numbers for wireline and wireless subscribers.Already, several wireless carriers have had trouble obtaining new blocks of MDNs and youcan’t add subscribers if you don’t have MDNs to assign to new subscribers. In spite ofeverything, the goal of every wireless carrier remains adding new subscribers and greaterprofitability.Traditionally, carriers received a block of numbers to assign to their subscribers. These blockscontained enough numbers for 10,000 subscribers, as each switch received an area and officecode (NPA-NXX) allowing them to assign NPA-NXX-0000 to NPA-NXX-9999 to theirsubscribers.The pool of available NPA-NXXs is quickly diminishing due to demand from cell phonenumbers, fax numbers, second lines, growing population and other causes. Although severalconservation measures (new area codes, area code splits, area code overlays, etc.) were put inplace the shortage remains. For example, when the North American Numbering Plan was firstput in place, all area codes had either a 1 or 0 as the second digit. (e.g., 212, 808, 404). Thismade it easier for switches to determine if a call was local or long distance, but ruled out many3-digit combinations as valid area codes (e.g., 242, 689, etc.). This restriction was lifted,creating many more new and valid area codes, but the shortage of NPA-NXXs remained.Part of the problem comes from the fact that a switch may serve far less than 10,000 people.The FCC estimates that most number ranges are only 15 percent utilized. This is an inefficientuse of the valuable numbering resource.To address number exhaust, the FCC ruled that carriers holding under utilized number rangesmust turn the excess numbers back to a number pooling administrator for possible reassignmentto other carriers in the area. Carriers were to return any 1000 block of numbers with less than 10percent of the numbers in the range in use. For example, if a carrier had assigned 10 numbersout of a block of numbers 813-273-6XXX, they would have to give the entire block of 1000numbers to the pooling administrator. In a case like this the block is considered “contaminated”because some of the numbers, but not more than 10 percent are in use. Either because carrierjust started assigning numbers from it or was giving out vanity numbers ending, for example in1000, 1234, 1111, or similarly easy to remember numbers. To assure proper routing, carriersdonating a contaminated block need to intra-carrier service provider port (ISP) the 10 numbersback to themselves (they are the donor and the receiving carrier). The entire number blockwould be considered a “ported range” therefore any calls to that NPA-NXX-X would require anumber portability query to determine the correct carrier.If a carrier requires more numbers, they could ask for additional numbers from the pool inblocks of 1,000. So if 202-456-1XXX is underutilized, the block holder of 202-456-1XXXwould be required to return the block to the pool and ISP port the contaminated numbers toitself. Another carrier in the area who needed numbers would be given 202-456-1XXX from the© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 54

pool of returned ranges. This saves numbering resources because the other carrier would havereceived a 10,000 block of numbers even though they needed less than a thousand numbers.Another major impact of 1,000 block number pooling is on the administrative side where theFCC requires detailed reports on number utilization.Number Pool took effect November 24, 2002. Pooling, because of its similarity to porting, usespart of the LNP system to properly route calls. Number ranges that are returned to the poolingadministrator and then reassigned to another carrier are marked in the LNP database as “ported”to the new carrier. The entire range is then designated a “ported range.” As such, when a carrierrecognizes that a subscriber is dialing a number in this range, (and it is the N-1 carrier) itlaunches a number portability request to the LNP database. If the number being dialed is in theoriginal range, then default routing is performed. Otherwise, the carrier will receive the LRN ofthe new carrier to properly route the call.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 55

Future of WNPAmong the next steps in number portability will be the introduction of the other two basic typesof portability: location (geographic) portability and service portability.It is also important to distinguish between roaming and location portability. Location portabilityis the ability to take a phone number from one area into another area. Think of it as permanentroaming. If a person relocates from New York to Boston, they could simply take their existing10-digit phone number with them. Roaming simply means a subscriber can temporarily take awireless phone to Boston and use it there.Note that with nationwide wireless rate plans that include free long distance, a consumer cansimulate this today, but the home service area would not change and all traffic and roamingmessages will be back-hauled to New York and back – at the expense of his home carrier! In atraditional plan, this would have caused a huge wireless bill for the end user from the roamingcharges and long distance charges caused. However, with some of the big bucket nationwideroaming plans that include “free” (from the consumer’s view) long distance, this is no longer anissue for the end user. From the carrier’s perspective however, this is not an attractive orprofitable option because the carrier still must pay the IXC for minutes of long distance. For thisreason, carriers that offer these types of plans typically require that if a person moves from onemarket to another, they obtain a new MDN in that market.The FCC has not yet set dates or deadlines. However, if and when location portability goes intoeffect it would have an impact on both networks and consumers. Even more, the affect is justnot on the consumer who ported his or her number but also on other consumers who might callthe number. Consumers have learned to expect a certain cost to calling a number in their localarea code, getting billed long distance for a call that “seems” to be a local number will causeconfusion and billing issues – unless long distance is “bundled” into a rate plan.ScenarioNY number calls the subscriberBoston number calls the subscriberSubscriber calls Boston numberSubscriber calls NY numberSubscriber calls other numberRoamingNew York subscriber roams toBostonIt’s a local call for the NY number;wireless subscriber pays longdistance and roaming chargesaccording to rate planIt’s a long distance call for theBoston number (calling party paysLD)Sub pays LD and roaming chargesper rate planSub pays LD and roaming chargesper rate planSub pays LD and roaming chargesper rate planLocation PortabilityNew York subscriber moves toBoston and ports number to BostonIt’s a long distance call for the NYnumber.It’s a local call for the BostonnumberIt’s a local call for the wireless subSubscriber pays LD charges per rateplanSubscriber pays LD charges per rateplan© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 56

With location portability, there is a possibility that the New York City number could beanywhere in the country and the cost for calling there could be significantly more than the callerexpects. Therefore, there would need to be a coordinated public education campaign and/or atechnical solution to warn a consumer that the number they are calling is long distance and therewill be a charge for the call. Alternatively, new regulatory and marketing policies might enableflat rate service that removes the distance component of billing.Service portability is the ability to transfer a type of enhanced service to another carrier whilekeeping the same dialable number. Service provider portability provides portability for voiceservice only. For example, if a subscriber has a POTS number and wants to move to ISDNservice with another carrier this would be accomplished via Service Portability.A common misconception is that service portability refers to moving service from wireline towireless or vice versa. The reality is that wireline-to-wireless porting began simultaneously withwireless-to-wireless porting in November 2003. In other words it is included in service providerportability. So far, no dates or timetables have been set for service portability. The good news isthat the infrastructure designed to handle service provider portability is expected to handleservice portability.It is important that numbers that are received from a pool not be used for TLDNs or LRNs asthe current LNP systems assume TLDNs and LRNs to be non-portable and does not attempt toquery the NP database for portability.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 57

Glossary of TermsActivation Request:A message from a carrier to the NPAC instructing it to complete a port previously sentin a subscription request.CTIA: Cellular Telephone and Internet Association (formerly Cellular TelephoneIndustry Association)A lobbying group for wireless carriers.Default Routing:Letting a call be routed according to the first six digits of the directory number (NPANXX) without regard to whether or not the call is to a ported line range. Also known asnormal routing or routing from the donor network to the recipient network after the callhas already been routed from another carrier to the donor carrier without being queriedbeforehand.Dip or Database Dip:The process of checking a number portability database to see if a particular number hasbeen ported and if so, obtaining the LRN.Directory Number:A unique E.164 dialable number pointing to a particular subscriber’s handset. It’s a 10-digit number for NANP (excluding country codes) or for international numbers, up to15-digits including the country codes.Donor Carrier:The carrier that gives up a subscriber (i.e., ports out a number) to another carrier calledthe Recipient carrier. Usually called the Old or Original Service Provider (OSP).Fallout:A port request that is not confirmed without delay or manual resolution.Fallout Center:See Port Center.FCC: Federal Communications CommissionRegulating body in the executive branch of the United States government that overseesthe licensing of wireless carriers and interstate telecommunications.HLR: Home Location RegisterA database that contains information about the subscriber and their preferences and theircurrent location.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 58

ICC: Inter-Carrier CommunicationsInitiated by a recipient carrier, this is the process of notifying an old service provider(OSP) that a (former) subscriber is requesting to port a number.ICP: Intercarrier Communications ProcessSee ICC.IMSI: International Mobile Station identityA unique E.212 15 digit non-dialable number associated with a specific carrier’snetwork, country code and handset. IMSI is used in GSM systems in place of MINs.ISP Port: Intra-carrier Service Provider PortA port to the same carrier used to assign an LRN to a number issued in a contaminatedblock so that the call routes to the correct subscriber.JIA:Joint Interconnection AgreementAn agreement between two carriers that spells out how they will work together to portnumbers between each other. It usually indicates methods, procedures and service levels.LATA: Local Access Transport AreaAn area where calls can be transported between two subscribers by the local exchangecarrier (LEC) or between any other two carriers who have interconnected their networks.LEC: Local Exchange CarrierThe incumbent carrier that operates the public switched network in a given area.Wireless carriers are usually interconnected to all of the major LECs in their servicearea.LNP: Local Number PortabilityNumber portability for wireline carriers.LRN: Location Routing NumberA number that uniquely identifies the carrier to whom a MDN or landline telephonenumber belongs.LSMS: Local Service Management SystemThis element receives the NPAC’s number porting updates and passes them to thecarrier’s designated SCP/number portability database. The LSMS is owned and operatedby either the wireless carrier or by a service bureau on behalf of the carrier.LSOA: Local Service Order AdministrationA system for submitting number porting requests to the NPAC’s SOA and from thereinto the region’s SMS database.LTI: Low Tech InterfaceA system created and managed by the NPAC for submitting numbers to the NPAC’sSOA and from there into the region’s SMS database.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 59

MDN: Mobile Directory NumberThe 10-digit E.164 NANP dialable number of a wireless phone that is dialed to place acall to that subscriber. This is the number that is ported.MIN: Mobile Identity NumberAn unpublished number programmed into the handset (mobile station) by the serviceprovider, it is used to uniquely identify each subscriber and the carrier serving thesubscriber. When a number is ported, the subscriber’s new carrier assigns a new MIN;the original carrier may recycle the old MIN. The MIN matched the dialable numberbefore porting, but it now does not necessarily equal the MDN.MS:Mobile StationThe handset through which a wireless user accesses the wireless network. MS wasformerly known as CSS (Cellular Subscriber Station).MSA: Metropolitan Service AreaThe basic license area for a cellular carrier covering a large city. See RSA.MC:Message CenterNetwork element that receives and delivers SMS messages to and from a subscriber.MSC: Mobile Switching CenterA telephony switch used by wireless carriers to connect and administer its mobilecallers with external networks, such as the public switched telephone network. TheMSCs are established regionally so that one MSC will connect to many cell towers andprovide the mobile telephone service to callers over a large area, such as a largemetropolitan area or part of a state.MSCID: Mobile Switching Center IdentifierA unique five-digit system ID (SID) number and a three-digit switch number (SWNO)that identifies each switch in the North American cellular network for the purpose ofbilling roaming charges.MSID: Mobile Station IdentifierEither a 15-digit GSM IMSI (E.212 formatted) or a 10-digit MIN in ANSI systems.MSISDN: Mobile Station ISDNThe mobile directory number in GSM networks. In North America it’s 11-digits(country code of “1” followed by a 10-digit NANP number).NANPA: North American Numbering Plan AdministratorNeuStar is the administrator for the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) and assuch, manages the assigning of area codes and exchanges to carriers.NP:Number PortabilityThe ability of a telephone subscriber in the U.S. to retain a local phone number whenswitching to a different service provider.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 60

NPDB: Number Portability DatabaseEach carrier’s database used to query calls to obtain a LRN for ported numbers. NPDBsusually reside on SCPs or STPs.NPA NXX:Area code and exchange in the North American Numbering Plan. It is the first six digitsof a dialable North American phone number.NPAC: Number Portability Administration Center (currently NeuStar)A neutral database administrator who runs the national number portability SMSdatabases.NNSP: New Network Service ProviderThe recipient carrier. The carrier winning the subscriber who is porting his or hernumber via a Port-In.NSP: New Service ProviderThe carrier winning the subscriber who is porting his or her number via a Port-In. Thiscould be either a network service provider or a reseller.Number Pooling:Processes that permit the sharing of numbers among all carriers in order to extend thelife of the North American Numbering Plan 10-digit telephone numbers (i.e., increasenumbering efficiency to avoid a costly switch to 12- or 15-digit telephone numberingschemes).ONSP: Old Network Service ProviderThe donor carrier losing a subscriber via a Port-Out. Also referred to as the OriginalNetwork Service Provider.OSP: Old Service ProviderThe donor carrier losing a subscriber via a Port-Out. This could be a network serviceprovider or a reseller.OSS: Operational Support SystemA complex of databases and systems used by a carrier to turn up service, initiate billing,provision, and feed directory assistance databases, etc.POS: Point of SaleA system for taking a subscriber order, usually in a retail system.Port Center/Fallout Center:Systems and people used for resolving fallout.PCS: Personal Communication ServicesDigital wireless services licensed in the U.S. at 1.8 GHz.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 61

Recipient Carrier:The carrier that wins a subscriber (i.e., ports in a number) from another carrier known asthe Donor carrier. Also known as the New Service Provider (NSP).SOA: Service Order ActivationSystem for porting a number through the NPAC.SCP: Signaling Control PointAn SS7 compatible database used to control call flow.SMS: Service Management SystemThe actual database of ported numbers operated and maintained by the NPAC. There areseven NPAC SMS databases in the U.S. and one in Canada. The NPAC SMS receives,stores and broadcasts number porting updates to all LSMS in its area.SMS: Short Message ServiceText based messaging system.SPR: Supplemental Port RequestA follow up port request with corrected or updated information sent from the recipientcarrier to the donor carrier after a request for resolution in the WPRR. The SPR cancancel the original WPR, reset the desired date and time of the port or reply withadditional/corrected information. There can be multiple SPRs needed to complete a port.An SPR can’t be sent until a WPRR is received.SS7:Signaling System SevenOut of band signaling protocol or signaling network that aids in call set up, teardown,registration of wireless subscribers and delivery of other essential information to enableadvanced intelligent network services.SSP: Signaling Switching PointAn SS7 compatible switch.STP: Signal Transfer PointA specialized SS7 signaling switch used to route out-of-band signaling messages fromthe originating switch to the terminating switch often via intermediate STPs, or based oninformation obtained from SCPs.Subscription Request:A message from a carrier to the NPAC telling it to get ready to port a number. Anactivation request is needed before the number actually ports.Trading Partner:Another wireless carrier with which a carrier might sign a JIA and exchange numbersvia porting usually via a mechanized (automatic) interface.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 62

VLR: Visitor Location RegisterA database in the serving carrier’s network that contains information about the callerswho are currently visiting or roaming in that market.WICIS: Wireless Intercarrier Communication Interface SpecificationStandard maintained by ATIS OBF that governs the wireless porting process andmessages.WLNP: Wireless Local Number PortabilityNumber portability for wireless carriers.WPR: Wireless Port RequestMessage sent from recipient (NSP) to donor (OSP) carrier with information about theport.WPRR: Wireless Port Request ResponseMessages sent from the donor carrier to the recipient carrier with a response to the initialrequest. The response can confirm the request, ask for a delay or ask for resolution (i.e.additional information to clear up an issue). If a delay is requested, the OSP will need tosend a subsequent response to the new carrier before the delay expires.© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 63

Industry Links and OrganizationsThe following organizations are listed here for your information. Syniverse does notendorse or recommend any of these organizations. While all efforts have been made toensure this list is accurate and complete, we do not warrant this information in any way.Standards BodiesTIA: Telecommunications Industry Association www.tiaonline.orgATIS: Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions www.atis.orgOBF: Order and Billing Forum www.atis.org/atis/clc/obf/obfhom.htmGovernment AgenciesFCC: Federal Communications Commission www.fcc.gov and in particular the wirelessbureau www.fcc.gov/wtb/Wireless AssociationsCTIA: Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Associationwww.wow-com.comRCA: Rural Cellular Association www.rca-usa.orgNumbering Administration OrganizationsNANC – North American Networks www.nanc.orgOther sites of interest:Ported.com – Ported Communications www.ported.com© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 64

List of the Largest “100” MSAsNote that these are the largest 100 MSAs as of the FCC’s most recent ruling. The original list oftop 100 markets included in the First Report and Order was based on 1990 census data. InDecember 2001, the FCC updated the list to include 2000 census data and include the conceptof consolidated CMSAs. This change had the effect of moving several smaller markets into alarger market. In June of 2003, the FCC re-clarified this issue to eliminate CMSAs but ruledthat markets that were in the original list based on 1990 census data or the latest lists wererequired to implement WLNP. Because some cities gained and other cities lost populationrelative to each other, some cities that were formerly in the top 100 fell out of the top 100 MSAbut still portable MSA while others grew enough to move into the top 100 MSA and becameportable MSA. Consequently there are now 102 portable MSAs.1 Los Angeles—Long Beach, CA ...................................................................9,519,3382 New York, NY..............................................................................................9,314,2353 Chicago, IL PMSA........................................................................................8,272,7684 Philadelphia, PA—NJ...................................................................................5,100,9315 Washington, DC—MD—VA—WV.............................................................4,923,1536 Detroit, MI ....................................................................................................4,441,5517 Houston, TX..................................................................................................4,177,6468 Atlanta, GA...................................................................................................4,112,1989 Dallas, TX.....................................................................................................3,519,17610 Boston, MA—NH.........................................................................................3,406,82911 Riverside—San Bernardino, CA...................................................................3,254,82112 Phoenix—Mesa, AZ .....................................................................................3,251,87613 Minneapolis—St. Paul, MN—WI.................................................................2,968,80614 Orange County, CA ......................................................................................2,846,28915 San Diego, CA ..............................................................................................2,813,83316 Nassau—Suffolk, NY ...................................................................................2,753,91317 St. Louis, MO—IL........................................................................................2,603,60718 Baltimore, MD ..............................................................................................2,552,99419 Seattle—Bellevue—Everett, WA .................................................................2,414,61620 Tampa—St. Petersburg—Clearwater, FL.....................................................2,395,99721 Oakland, CA .................................................................................................2,392,55722 Pittsburgh, PA...............................................................................................2,358,69523 Miami, FL .....................................................................................................2,253,36224 Cleveland—Lorain—Elyria, OH ..................................................................2,250,87125 Denver, CO ...................................................................................................2,109,28226 Newark, NJ ...................................................................................................2,032,98927 San Juan—Bayamon, PR**..........................................................................1,967,62728 Portland—Vancouver, OR—WA .................................................................1,918,00929 Kansas City, MO—KS..................................................................................1,776,06230 San Francisco, CA ........................................................................................1,731,18331 Fort Worth—Arlington, TX..........................................................................1,702,62532 San Jose, CA .................................................................................................1,682,58533 Cincinnati, OH—KY—IN ............................................................................1,646,395© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 65

34 Orlando, FL...................................................................................................1,644,56135 Sacramento, CA ............................................................................................1,628,19736 Fort Lauderdale, FL ......................................................................................1,623,01837 Indianapolis, IN.............................................................................................1,607,48638 San Antonio, TX ...........................................................................................1,592,38339 Norfolk—Virginia Beach—Newport News, VA—NC ................................1,569,54140 Las Vegas, NV—AZ.....................................................................................1,563,28241 Columbus, OH ..............................................................................................1,540,15742 Milwaukee—Waukesha, WI.........................................................................1,500,74143 Charlotte—Gastonia—Rock Hill, NC—SC .................................................1,499,29344 Bergen—Passaic, NJ.....................................................................................1,373,16745 New Orleans, LA ..........................................................................................1,337,72646 Salt Lake City—Ogden, UT .........................................................................1,333,91447 Greensboro—Winston-Salem—High Point, NC..........................................1,251,50948 Austin—San Marcos, TX..............................................................................1,249,76349 Nashville, TN................................................................................................1,231,31150 Providence—Fall River—Warwick, RI—MA .............................................1,188,61351 Raleigh—Durham—Chapel Hill, NC...........................................................1,187,94152 Hartford, CT..................................................................................................1,183,11053 Buffalo—Niagara Falls, NY .........................................................................1,170,11154 Middlesex—Somerset—Hunterdon, NJ .......................................................1,169,64155 Memphis, TN—AR—MS.............................................................................1,135,61456 West Palm Beach—Boca Raton, FL.............................................................1,131,18457 Monmouth—Ocean, NJ ................................................................................1,126,21758 Jacksonville, FL ............................................................................................1,100,49159 Rochester, NY...............................................................................................1,098,20160 Grand Rapids—Muskegon—Holland, MI....................................................1,088,51461 Oklahoma City, OK ......................................................................................1,083,34662 Louisville, KY—IN ......................................................................................1,025,59863 Richmond—Petersburg, VA............................................................................996,51264 Greenville—Spartanburg—Anderson, SC.......................................................962,44165 Dayton—Springfield, OH................................................................................950,55866 Fresno, CA .......................................................................................................922,51667 Birmingham, AL..............................................................................................921,10668 Honolulu, HI ....................................................................................................876,15669 Albany—Schenectady—Troy, NY..................................................................875,58370 Tucson, AZ ......................................................................................................843,74671 Tulsa, OK.........................................................................................................803,23572 Ventura, CA .....................................................................................................753,19773 Syracuse, NY ...................................................................................................732,11774 Omaha, NE—IA ..............................................................................................716,99875 Albuquerque, NM ............................................................................................712,73876 Tacoma, WA....................................................................................................700,82077 Akron, OH........................................................................................................694,96078 Knoxville, TN ..................................................................................................687,24979 El Paso, TX ......................................................................................................679,62280 Bakersfield, CA................................................................................................661,645© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 66

81 Allentown—Bethlehem—Easton, PA .............................................................637,95882 Gary, IN ...........................................................................................................631,36283 Harrisburg—Lebanon—Carlisle, PA...............................................................629,40184 Scranton—Wilkes-Barre—Hazleton, PA ........................................................624,77685 Toledo, OH ......................................................................................................618,20386 Jersey City, NJ .................................................................................................608,97587 Baton Rouge, LA .............................................................................................602,89488 Youngstown—Warren, OH .............................................................................594,74689 Springfield, MA ...............................................................................................591,93290 Sarasota—Bradenton, FL.................................................................................589,95991 Wilmington—Newark, DE—MD....................................................................586,21692 Little Rock—North Little Rock, AR ...............................................................583,84593 Ann Arbor, MI .................................................................................................578,73694 McAllen—Edinburg—Mission, TX** ............................................................569,46395 Stockton—Lodi, CA ........................................................................................563,59896 Charleston—North Charleston, SC..................................................................549,03397 Wichita, KS......................................................................................................545,22098 New Haven—Meriden, CT..............................................................................542,14999 Mobile, AL.......................................................................................................540,258100 Columbia, SC...................................................................................................536,691101 Ft. Wayne, IN*102 Valejo, CA**In top 100 MSAs on original list based on 1990 census, but fell out of the top 100 in 2000census, but still subject to mandate per third report and order.** Not in original list of top 100 MSAs, but listed in top 100 MSAs in 2000 census and nowsubject to mandate© 2004 Syniverse Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved under U.S. and international copyright laws. Page 67