Telephonic communications – Special services – Service trigger
Utility Patent
1997-08-06
2001-01-02
Smith, Creighton (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Special services
Service trigger
C379S201060, C379S230000
Utility Patent
active
06169793
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications, and more specifically to the management of call processing information. In a specific aspect, the invention provides systems and methods which facilitate the ability to port a telephone number from one local carrier to another carrier.
Until recently, most regions in the United States have been serviced by a single local telephone service provider. For example, in the Inter-Mountain Region, local telephone service was only provided by U S West Communications. In an effort to provide competition in the local service provider market, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. As part of this act, all companies are provided with the opportunity to compete in the local telephone service market.
To many individuals and businesses, a telephone number is an important asset. Indeed, studies have shown that a significant number of people and businesses would be hesitant or unwilling to change their local service provider if they were not allowed to keep their same telephone number. To address this problem, the FCC promulgated regulations under the Telecommunications Act to allow customers to port their same telephone number to a new carrier, referred to as Local Number Portability (“LNP”). Under the regulations, each carrier must provide supporting LNP systems which allow customers to order a change in carriers (order mediation) and to service the order to change the carrier (service mediation) within a specific time frame.
As part of the Telecommunications Act, a Number Portability Administration Center (“NPAC”) has been chartered and includes a Service Management System (“SMS”) which performs the mediation between two carriers when a number is to be ported. More specifically, when a number is to be ported the SMS receives a request from the carrier that is requesting to have the number ported to them. This carrier is referred to as the “new carrier.” The carrier that was in possession of the number to be ported is referred to as the “old carrier.” It is the responsibility of the NPAC to ensure that both carriers have specified the correct information for the port to occur. If all the information is in order, the new carrier will be notified by the SMS and will then be responsible for activating the ported number.
Under the FCC regulations, each carrier must therefore have the capability to initiate, modify, and provide concurrence for local service orders for consumers and businesses who wish to change local service providers and keep their current phone number. Carriers must coordinate these LNP orders (or subscriptions) with the NPAC. Once LNP subscriptions are approved by the NPAC, the capability must exist for these subscription changes/updates to be distributed to the appropriate network elements so that proper service can be provisioned.
Hence, the present invention provides systems and methods for managing call processing information, and in particular for facilitating local number portability when requested by an individual or business. In one particular aspect, the invention is particularly adapted to be integrated into a telecommunication systems fashioned around a Telecommunications Management Network (“TMN”) framework. The invention is also provided to enhance the ability to monitor and audit call processing information to ensure that ports will occur smoothly and without error. The invention is further directed to providing small service providers with a better opportunity to compete in the local service market. Other advantages and features of the invention will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides systems and methods which enhance the ability of a telecommunications system to manage call processing information. Although useful in most telecommunications systems, the invention will find its greatest use when providing local number portability services. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to only local number portability.
In an exemplary embodiment, a method is set forth to provide local number portability to a telecommunications system. According to the method, subscription data is transmitted to an administration center from an entry system. Subscription data is also transmitted from the administration center to a service system. The subscription data at the entry system is then directly compared with the subscription data at the service system. In this way, the subscription data in the entry system and the service system may be audited without the assistance of, or the need to, communicate with the administration center.
After performing the comparison, the method will preferably produce a report of the comparison so that any errors may be detected. In one aspect, an error condition is indicated if the entry subscription data differs from the service system subscription data.
In some cases, it will be desirable to compare the entry system subscription data or the service system subscription data with the subscription data found in the administration center. Hence, according to the method comparisons may be made directly between the entry system and service system and comparisons may also be made between the entry system or service system and the administration center.
In a further aspect of the method, at least one network element is provisioned based on the subscription data stored in the service system. For example, the network element may be provisioned to activate, disconnect or update a subscription request from the administration center. Audits may also be performed on the subscription data transmitted to the network element by comparing the subscription data at the service system with the subscription data at the network element. Preferably, the compared subscription data will include GTT data, LRN data, service provider data, telephone numbers, and the like. In still another aspect of the method, periodic evaluations are made to see if a subscription request from the administration center has been provisioned. In still another aspect, the method provides for periodically evaluating the history of the subscription.
The invention further provides a telecommunications system which is used in connection with administration center having an administration data base for storing and updating subscription data. The telecommunications system comprises an entry system having an entry data base for storing subscription information. The entry system is configured so that it may be placed into communication with the administration center. A service system is also provided and is adapted to be placed in communication with the administration center. The service system includes a service database for storing subscription information from the administration center. The entry system and the service system are in direct communication with each other to allow for direct comparisons between corresponding subscription information in the entry database and in the service database. In this way, audits may be made directly between the entry service database and the service system database, without communicating with the administration center.
In one particularly preferable aspect, subscription information includes information relating to a request to port a local telephone number from one carrier to another carrier. In another aspect of the system, the entry system is provided with an open interface to allow external access to the entry database. For instance, the open interface may comprise a graphical user interface which may be used with a Web browser. Similarly, the service system may be provided with an open, interface to allow external access to the service database. In still yet another aspect, the system further includes a plurality of network elements which are provisioned by a network element management system which interfaces the network elements to the service system.
The invention still further provides an exemplary local number portability system which is arranged in a telecommunications
Godwin Bret A.
Melonis Michael G.
Mendes David W.
Taylor David P.
Evolving Systems, Inc.
Smith Creighton
Townsend and Townsend / and Crew LLP
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