Neustar

Fundamentals of Number Portability

May 2011

Andrey Krylov
Key Account Manager – Russian Federation and CIS
Gary Richenaker
Sr. Director – Strategic Technical Initiatives

1 © Neustar Inc. / Proprietary and Confidential

Outline
• Market and Regulatory Drivers
• Key Requirements for Number Portability
• Role and Involvement of Regulators
• Number Portability Network Options
Drivers for Number Portability
Deregulation and introduction of competition globally
» Enhance Competition among Operators
» Create downward pressure on prices
» Introduction of new bundles of services
» Make it easier for newer entrants to gain market share

Consumers are moving towards a single number

» Enhances the concept of personal mobility like personal terminal
Mobile markets are driving the competition
» Mobile penetration rates are higher than fixed in most countries
» Mobile players are introducing new services faster
» Customers are replacing fixed phones with mobile phones
Types of Number Portability
Service Provider/ Operator Portability
» The ability to retain the telephone number when switching from one
Service Provider / Network Operator to another within a defined
geographic area
− Fixed Number Portability (FNP): Geographic PSTN numbers
− Mobile Number Portability (MNP): Mobile telephone numbers
− Intelligent Number Portability (INP): Non-geographic IN numbers

Service Portability
» The ability to retain the telephone number when switching from one
telecom service to another (Fixed->Mobile)
Location (or Geographic) Portability
» The ability to retain the telephone number when moving from one
physical location to another
» Refers to porting of a geographic number from one location to
another
Key Requirements for Number Portability
ETSI/3GPP Standards relevant to Number Portability
» ETSI TS 122 066 V4.0.0 (2001-03)
− Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+) (GSM); Universal
Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Support of Mobile Number
Portability (MNP); Service description; Stage 1
ETSI TS 123 066 V4.0.0 (2001-03)
− TS Digital cellular telecommunications system (Phase 2+) (GSM);
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Support of Mobile
Number Portability (MNP); Technical Realisation; Stage 2
» 3GPP TS 23.140 V6.16.0 (2009-03)
− Technical Specification 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical
Specification Group Core Network and Terminals; Multimedia Messaging
Service (MMS); Functional description; Stage 2(Release 6)

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Key Requirements for Number Portability
Routing Number Standards / Recommendations
» ITU-T Recommendation Q.769.1 (1999)
− Signalling system No. 7 – ISDN user part enhancements for the support of
Number Portability.
» ITU-T Recommendation Q.850 (1998)
− Usage of cause and location in the digital subscriber signalling system
No. 7 ISDN user part.
» ITU-T Q-series Recommendations - Supplement 5
− Number Portability – Capability Set 2 Requirements for service provider
portability (Query on release and dropback) March 1999

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 NP Constituencies and Their Roles
Government/Regulators
• Laws; requirements; high-level implementation schedules
• Policies & regulations need to be clear, practical & enforceable

Operators and Service Providers

• Network and System upgrades; porting process; SOA/LSMS
• Operator and Service Provider readiness is essential

NP Clearinghouse
• Neutral, trusted party to facilitate and coordinate amongst competing operators
• Master routing database; porting management; porting data download; dispute
resolution, audit and reporting
• Experienced & proven CSMS provider is critical

Consumers
• End-users and main beneficiaries of MNP services
• Consumer awareness and public education is needed

Collaboration amongst all Constituencies = Success of MNP Deployment

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Regulator Concerns
General Views:
» Removal of Competitive Barriers
» Conserving and optimizing numbering resources
» Consumer benefits

Key Concerns include:

» Ensure deployment of number portability
−Provide impetus to create an Industry Consortium or working
group to agree to business rules
» Ensure compliance with regulation
−Ports Completed within timeframe associated with regulation
−Reporting on compliance – (e.g., are service providers meeting
their obligations?)
Number Portability Technical Solutions
Direct Routing
» All Call Query
− Originating network determines the right destination for a number
− Originating network directly routes the call to Terminating network
All Call Query
972-444-1234 SCP
NP DB
Originating Operator 2 LNP Database Recipient Operator
3 NRN + 972-444-1234

Switch 4 Switch

972-444-1234 1 5

Pros Cons
• No involvement of Donor network • Requires Centralized DB
• Efficient call routing, uses Centralized DB • High initial Set-up costs
• Enables seamless use of services e.g. SMS, MMS, ENUM, Data/IP
• Donor network does not incur costs in call routing
• Less operational costs
• Long-term solution
Number Portability Technical Solutions
Indirect or Inter-dependent Routing (Donor network involved
in call routing)
» Onward Routing
− Originating network routes the call to Donor network
− Donor network determines the right Terminating network
− Donor network routes the call to the Terminating network
» Query on Release
− Originating network routes the call to Donor network
− Donor network determines the number is ported and returns this indication
− Originating network determines the right destination for the number by querying the
DB
− Originating network routes the call to the Terminating network
» Call Drop-back
− Originating network routes the call to Donor network
− Donor network determines the number is ported and the right Terminating network
− Donor network returns this indication of Terminating network to Originating network
and releases the call
− Originating network routes the call to the Terminating network
Onward Routing
Network Spec DB

Originating Operator SCP Recipient Operator

DB
NP Database

Switch 972-444-1234 NRN + 972-444-1234 Switch

3 4
2 5 6
1

Switch

Donor Operator
972-444-1234
Pros Cons
• Simple implementation, no Centralized DB needed • Inefficient call routing (originating to donor n/w
• Donor network can setup its own databases and donor to recipient n/w call setup needed)
• Lower setup costs • High operational costs
• Short-term solution • Donor network incurs call routing costs
Query on Release
Central DB

SCP
972-444-1234 5 DB

Originating Operator NP Database Recipient Operator

6 NRN + 972-444-1234

Switch 7 Switch
NRN + 972-444-1234
8
1 2 4 Rel Message – Ported

972-444-1234
Call completes
3 if number not
Switch ported

Donor Operator
972-444-1234

Pros Cons
• Uses Centralized DB • Requires Centralized DB
• Medium operational costs • High initial Set-up costs
• Long-term solution • Donor network incurs call routing costs
• Inefficient call routing (originating to donor n/w
call setup needed)
 Call Drop Back (Return to Pivot)

Originating Operator Recipient Operator

RN + 972-444-1234

6
Switch Switch

5 RN + 972-444-1234
1 7
2
972-444-1234 4
SCP
DB
Switch 3
NP Database
Donor Operator
972-444-1234
Network Spec DB

Pros Cons
• Simple implementation, no Centralized DB • Inefficient call routing (originating to donor n/w call
needed setup needed)
• Donor network can setup its own databases • High operational costs
• Lower setup costs • Donor network incurs call routing costs
• Short-term solution
 May 19, 2011

High Level Comparison

DB Donor Voice Circuits

involved
OR Local Yes 2

Dropback Local Yes 1+1 on setup

QOR Central. Yes 1+1 on setup
ACQ Central. No 1

• Centralized DB= DB with ported numbers of several operators

• Local DB = DB with ported-out numbers for the operator

• ACQ: most efficient for switching resources used

• OR: least efficient (and Donor operator has to carry out calls of ported-out subs)

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 MNP Call Flow – Non Call Related -SMS
Recipient Network

Originating Network
HLR

4
NP Database 3
HLR Visited Network

2
5
NP Database

1 SMS 6 VMC
GMSC

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Questions and Answers.

Andrey Krylov Gary Richenaker

+ 7 916 8735 221 + 1 571 294 1760
Andrey.krylov@neustar.biz gary.richenaker@neustar.biz

21 © Neustar Inc. / Proprietary and Confidential