Reference Framework for OSS Inter-connection

in a de-regulated Environmentinc. case studies on Number Portability,

Charging and Accounting

Dave Milham

BT

(EURESCOM Project P811 Leader)

Agenda

Overview of P811 D1 OSS Interconnection Framework D2 Number Portability case Study D3 Charging and Accounting Conclusions

P811 Overview OSS Interconnection Framework

Requirements OSS Framework

• Processes, business models, information models

Case Studies Number Portability - Vertical study

• Modelling Numbers and Number porting• Provisioning and Porting Processes• Information Models

Charging and Accounting - Horizontal Study and Vertical study• Linking network and OSS studies

– Internal processes– external processes

• Pricing - out of scope

CustomerCustomer PNO

OSS

PNO

OSSPNO

OSS

PNO

OSSXcoopXuser

PNO

OSS

PNO

OSS

Xsuper

• Deregulation impacts

• More organisations able to offer Telecom Services• Organisations can perform more than one role• Organisation roles no longer static

Drivers: Deregulated Telecom Market

EURESCOM TMN Model (1994) Based upon concept of

• Public Network Operator (PNO)

• Regulated Monopolies

Scope of P811 OSS framework

Requirements The need for enhancement OSS framework

Case Studies Number Portability - Vertical study

• Modelling Numbers and Number porting

• Repair and Provisioning Processes

• Information Models Charging and Accounting - Horizontal Study and Vertical study

• Real time Charging (network level and OSS level)

• Linking network and OSS studies

Deliverable 1

OSS Interconnection Framework

OSS Framework Studies

Goal Generic European Processes/components for OSS Interconnect Follow NMF Common Interconnection Gateway ‘Use cases’ and

Information Model Approach

Capture Regulatory Requirements European National

Adapt/ integrate other work EURESCOM P609 Process Modelling TINA -C Reference Framework and Reference Points Roles and and relationships

OSS Interconnect - What it is

OSSOSS OSSOSS

Operator A Operator B

Network Network

Interconnect Service Interface

OSSInterconnect

•Billing•Pre-order•Ordering•Repair•Capacity• Planning•…

OSS Interconnect - What it is not

OSSOSSOSSOSS OSSOSS

OSSOSSOSSOSS

Operator B Operator A

NOT internal Operator OSS interfaces

What is an OSS interface?

Process& Information

Protocol

Process& Information

Protocol

Transport Protocol

Transport Protocol

API

Telco Industry DomainIndustry Groups TMF, NICC, ITU-T

IT Industry DomainTCP/IP, OSI/CMIP, CORBA IIOP,

IT Industry Domain, DCE, CORBA IDL, TP

Semantics

Mechanics&

Plumbing

Principles of OSS Interconnection

Seamless Service

Interconnect Service orientated

Autonomy

Electronic Interfaces

Simplicity

Technology

Internal Technology Choices

System Integrity Standards Adherence

Regulatory Requirements

Service Parity Interconnect Services. Notification of Change Performance Measurement Electronic Interfaces System Integrity Standards Adherence

Interconnect Service & TMN

NMSM

EM

BM

NMSM

EM

BM

NMSM

EM

BM

NMSM

EM

BM

A

B

A

B

(a) Service Management to Service Management relationship

(b) Network Management to Service Management relationship

OSS Interconnection Framework

OSS Interconnect Processes(Generic)

OSS Interconnect Processes(Generic)

Business Models(Generic and formal)

Business Models(Generic and formal)

Specific Business Models and processese.g Number Portability

Specific Business Models and processese.g Number Portability

Specific information systems development

by Telecom Organisations

Interconnect Process Areas

Regulatory - Industry ProcessesRegulatory - Industry Processes

Interconnect Service Establishment ProcessesInterconnect Service Establishment Processes

Interconnect Service Definition and Technical Principles

Interconnect Service

Establishment Maintenance

Processes

Interconnect Service

Establishment Maintenance

Processes

Interconnect Service

OperationProcesses

Interconnect Service

OperationProcesses

Regulatory / Industry Processes

NationalRegulatoryAuthority

NationalRegulatoryAuthority

OperatorOperator OperatorOperator

European Regulation and Directives

National Legislation

Legal Authority

Industry/ Standards Body

Industry/ Standards Body

Technical Mandates

TechnicalSpecifications

Standard Interconnect Agreements

Codes ofPractice

Policy e.g Pricing Principles

PriceList

EU Directives

Operating License

Applying the OSS Framework

Generic IndustryBusinessProcesses

Interconnection Business Model

Specific IndustryBusinessProcesses

Specific Inteconnection Business Model

Specific Information Systems development

OSS Interconnection Framework

Selection of specificBusiness model

ServiceSpecific Parameters

Implementation

Cross references

OSS Interconnection Modelling

Information SystemDevelopment

Object modelUse Case model

Use Case model Analysis model Design model Implementation model

Business Model

Development

BusinessProcessModel(s)

System Function

Business Process

User Function

Priorities for Process AutomationKey A1=Automation Priority 1 M=Manual Processes N/R=Not required

Service - Technical Principles

Interconnect Service

Establishment

Interconnect Service

maintenance

Interconnect Service

Operation

Ma

na

ge

me

nt

Se

rvic

e

Traf

fic R

outin

g

Cap

acity

& T

raff

ic F

orec

astin

g

Net

wor

k Pe

rfom

ance

Net

wor

k te

stin

g

Con

tact

Plan

ning

Dat

aBas

e B

uild

and

Tes

t

Proc

ess

test

ing

Cap

ity P

lann

ing

-New

Poi

nt o

f In

terc

onne

ctio

n

Cap

acity

Pla

nnin

g -

New

sw

itch

Cap

acity

Pla

nnin

g -

New

Inte

rcon

nect

ion

Link

Num

ber

Ran

ge a

dditi

ons/

rout

ing

mod

ifica

tions

Pre-

Ord

erin

g: in

quiri

es

Ord

erin

g

Rep

air

Perf

orm

ance

Billi

ng/A

ccou

ntin

g

Network Service Telephone Conveyance M A2 M M M M A2 M A2 A2 A2 A3?N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Number Translation services M A2 M M M M A2 M A2 A2 A2 A3?N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Access to incumbent Special Services M A2 M M M M A2 M M M M A3?N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

In Span Interconnect M A2 M M M M A2 M M M M A? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Customer Sited Interconnect M A2 M M M M A2 M M M M A? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Administrative Services M A2 M M M M A2 M N/RN/RN/RA? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1Entries in Incumbent's number Information System/Phone book M A2 M M M M A2 M N/RN/RN/RA? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Operator information Addition M A2 M M M M A2 M N/RN/RN/RA? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1Access to Incumbent's Directory Assistance System Database M A2 M M M M A2 M N/RN/RN/RA? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Incumbent Directory Supply M A2 M M M M A2 M N/RN/RN/RA? N/RN/RA2 A3 A1

Customer Services

Number Portability M A2 M M M M A3 M M M M A1 A2 A1 A2 A3 A1

Reciprocal Transfer of Number Blocks M A2 M M M M A2 M M M M A1 A2 A1 A2 A3 A1Reciprocal Number Portability (geographic) M A2 M M M M A2 M M M M A1 A1 A1 A2 A3 A1

Reciprocal Non Geographic NP M A2 M M M M A2 M M M M A1 A1 A1 A2 A3 A1

Priority areasfor Automation of OSS processes:

•Billing(Real time)•Repair•Ordering (for some services) •Interconnect Capacity Planning

Deliverable 2

Number Portability Case Study

European Legislation on Number Portability

EC directive (for 1/1/2000) Number Portability and Carrier Pre-selection 98/61/EU From 2/1/2000,

• European customer will be able to demand that NP is immediately established between operators

• Currently NP is established on a bi-lateral agreement based on company readiness.

• ONP 97/33/EU

Countries with NP deployed UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, France,….

Number Portability

ETSI Number Portability Task Force Networking solutions Approx. 9 variants of network solutions

Types of Numbers Geographic Non Geographic

Types of Number Portability Service Provider Service Portability

Impact Of Number Portability

Service Management

System

Network

OperatorServices

MaintenanceServices

BillingSystems

NetworkManager

new order-handlingmechanism

Billing changes

OA/999/Directory changes

Network prefixesNetwork routing

new Fault & Repair processes

OSSElectronic

Manual

Key Number Portability Processes

Ordering Porting Provisioning Porting Notifications NP Number Administration

Processes can be Bilateral and /or Between Operators and Trusted Third Parties

Customer Interaction Models

Recipient

Other Operators

Customer

Donor

Recipient Donor

Other OperatorsOther Operators

Customer

“One stop shop”

MODELMODEL

MODELMODEL

“Do it yourself”

Operator Interaction Models

CENTRALISEDMODELCENTRALISEDMODEL

BILATERALBILATERALAGREEMENTAGREEMENT

Operator

mgt. i/f

Operator

TrustedThird Party

mgt.i/f

mgt.i/f

Operator Operator

mgt.i/f

Operator Operator

Bilateral Ordering & Porting

•ORDERING•PORTING•NUMBER ADMINISTRATION

OP1 OP2

OP3•ORDERING•PORTING PROVISIONING (a)•NUMBER ADMINISTRATION

(Subsequent Porting)

•ORDERING•PORTING PROVISIONING (b)•NUMBER ADMINISTRATION

Bilateral Ordering & Centralised PNRDB

•ORDERING•PORTING PROVISIONING•NUMBER ADMINISTRATION

OP1 OP2

NL Model

PNRDB PORTINGNOTIFICATION(Broadcast)

Centralised Porting

•ORDERING•NUMBER ADMINISTRATION

OP1 OP2

Possible Swedish and Danish ModelUS Model minus Number Range and Pooling info

NPAC

PORTINGPROVISIONING

PORTINGPROVISIONING

PORTING NOTIFICATION(Broadcast)

Centralised Porting and Number Admin

ORDERING (b)OP1 OP2

Possible long term European solution

NUMBERPORTING

NUMBERADMINISTRATION

ORDERING (a)

•NUMBER ADMIN•PORTING PROVISIONING

•NUMBER ADMIN•PORTING PROVISIONING

PORTING NOTIFICATION(Broadcast)

Roles

Retailer

Service Owner/Customer

Porting Provisioning

Number Admin Reservation

Service Owner Number

Porting Notification

Number Administration

Number Porting

Retailer Service

Service Provider

Network Operator

Network Operators

Number Administration

Porting Provisioning(Activation)

Porting Administration

NA Serving Administration

Porting Provisioning

Porting Notification

Changing Semantics of Directory Numbers

Directory NumberDirectory Number

Customer Number

Bloc k

Customer Number

Bloc k

Service OwnerService Owner

Service ProviderService Provider

Network Operator Network Operator

Retai lerRetai ler

1+

1+

Organisat ionOrganisat ion NationalRegulatory Authority

NationalRegulatory Authority

Holds account with

Holdsaccount with

Number Range

Number Range

Define s

Number RangeHolder

Number RangeHolder

Assigns

Adminis ters

C onst ra int:

R ange Holde r must be NO

C NB

neede d for PABXs,

et c.

Deployment of Roles - Bilateral modelNumber

Administration

Number RangesOP1-XXX, OP1-YXX

OP1-ZXXExported numbers

Number Porting

Number RangesOP1-XXX, OP1-YXX

OP1-ZXXExported numbers

OtherOperators

Retailer

Porting Provisioning(Activation)

Number Administration

Number RangesOP2-MXX, OP2-NXX

OP2-PXXImported numbers

NumberPorting

Number RangesOP2-MXX, OP2-NXX

OP2-PXXImported numbersPorting Notification

SP Ordering

Donor Op (OP1) Recipient Op (OP2)

NADB

NADB

NPDB NP

DB

NWDB

NWDB

Summary of D2 results Business interaction model based on roles Cover Geographic and Non Geographic Numbers Model of Numbers, Number Ranges and Regulators Demise of Number ranges Model ‘Number’

Allocation processes State model Access users, processes and access/security rules

Model Number Porting Processes NPAC a Physical instantiation of

• Number porting administration / agency• Number reservation agent role

Deliverable 3

Charging and Accounting Case Study

Scope of Deliverable 3

Charging mechanisms in a multi-network operator and service-provider environment

Too much disparities between European countries on regulatory issues or too general (only Cost representative)

Competitiveness requires more flexibility and automation in processes

Externalisation of sensible information, which is traditionally for internal use

BAC domain is essential and underlying all activities

It needs a feed-back on internal processes

Scope of Deliverable 3 Billing processes are studied for two areas

Network Elements• Data Generation• Parameters and Protocols for Charging information

transport related to calls• services related to Charging information (AoC,

prepayment, …) Operation Support Systems (OSS)

• Scheduled process (Revenue Accounting)

• Unscheduled events (Audit, sampling, ...)

In both domain, there is a Real-time notion

Scope of Deliverable 3 Charging Process mechanisms

for collection of charging data• Distributed model

• Centralised model to transfer data between network operators and/or service

providers.• Depending of bilateral agreements authorised by the regulators

(this relationship has only to be faced on bilateral way)

• An externalisation of sensible Data (security, accuracy)

• Automation for the balancing mechanism used for Accounting

it has to be tackled as a whole within the Charging centre (combining

complementary views for customers and end-users)

Centralised model example

BA

charging centre

Local switch point

Transit switch point

PSTN/ISDN terminal

Service provider

Q3-in-terface

mediation device

terface

mediation device

Q3-in-

A possible variation, where a NO collects data from another NO via a mediation device (e.g. Billing subcontracting).

Centralised model example

A possible variation, where a NO collects data from another NO via the signalling protocol

Local switch point

Transit switch point orInternational gateway

PSTN/ISDN terminal

Service provider

BA

charging centre

Data link for transfer of usage metering dataQ3-in-terface

Mediation device

Centralised model example

BA

charging centre

Q3-in-terface

Local switch point

Transit switch point

PSTN/ISDN terminal

Service provider

Q3-in-terface

mediation device

Interconnection will modify this internal scheme

Deliverable 3 Main Results

An overview of the results from main standardisation groups and international project groups in this domain.

It identifies areas where there are still open issues.

The problems addressed are relevant for all players in the telecommunication market

Deliverable 3 Contents

Billing & Accounting Scenarios, data formats On-line (during calls) exchange mechanisms

Proprietary and specific implementation in protocols new requirements in signalling protocols (APM in ISUP and

INAP) Real-time requirements

Off-line exchange mechanisms Batch processes for accounting automation Real-time requirements for unscheduled events

Deliverable 3 Part 1

Clarification of definitions used in BAC, Synthesis of data formats and identification of

differences between standards and forums, Overview of existing work and identification of

open issues, Analysis of relations between functions at

network level and functions required at OSS level.

Deliverable 3 Part 2 use cases for modelling interacting OSSs

NP Use cases User Profile Use Cases – Billing profile

use cases for a Tariff server in an IN environment (included UML model)

VHE case study configurations IN call treatment model Generic Accounting Model – PRISM Model Location number – Danish example

Deliverable 3 Contents Mobility aspects

Impacts on Recommendations focus on location NP introduction to mobility with an IN service (VHE)

Centralised Tariff Server Concept only for real-time aspects at network level externalisation of switch function (easy administration of dynamic

tariff data) distribution of dynamic tariff data (domain of interconnection)

Communication gateways and security aspects Billing Profile for OSS interconnection (also usable for real-time

topics)

Project conclusions

OSS interconnection need to take full life-cycle process viewpoint essential to clearly define Interconnection Services not all processes need to be automated Identified priorities for automation Use cases and OMT suitable basis for modelling

Number Portability

Common set of roles Several organisational deployment options Processes are mostly related to roles not

actors more or less invariant across organisational deployments independent of networking solutions ( 9 identified in ETSI

NP Task Force)

Project Conclusions

Charging and Accounting New business models Increasing complexity and diversity of relationships No longer simply Networking an CC7 Issues Need to model processes

• Internal and external processes

• Complementary TMN Security of information a major and increasing concern Development different across Europe (regulatory

dependant) Next step to focus on specific subsets of this study