BY SHARATH.R

MNP

1. SERVICE OPERATOR PORTABILITY 2. LOCATION PORTABILITY 3. SERVICE PORTABILITY

SERVICE OPERATOR PORTABILITY retain the same geographic number when changing from one operator or service provider to another. Currently being used in INDIA

Customer to retain the same geographic number when moving from one location to another Location portability would allow customers to take their number when they move to a geographic location outside of the original rate center LOCATION PORTABILITY

SERVICE PORTABILITY Retain the same geographic number when changing from one service to another From basic telephony to ISDN(Integrated Service Digital Network)

NUMBER POOLING NUMBER PORTABILITY DATABASE ROUTING MECHANISM

NUMBER POOLING Due to shortages of numbering resources FCC had approved a National Number Pooling plan for network resource optimization The concept of pooling is based on the fact that whole blocks of telephone numbers, held by some service providers, are not assigned or in service. Pooling allows these currently unassigned blocks of numbers to be reassigned to other service providers in need of numbers, as they request and show need. As that supply depletes, service providers will request additional numbering resources from the industry inventory maintained by the Pooling Administrator

NUMBER PORTABILITY DATABASE The number portability database (NPDB) keeps track of the ported numbers and their respective service providers The NPDB can be either centralized or distributed In the centralized model, there exists a single reference database In the distributed model there exist multiple databases, each containing subsets of the total data, e.g. only the numbers assigned to particular service provider

The Originating Network receives a Msg/call from the caller and send a query to a centrally administered Number Portability Database (NPDB) The NPDB returns the routing number associated with the dialed directory number. The Originating Network uses the routing number to route the call to the new serving network.

The Originating Network receives a call from the caller and routes the call to the donor network The donor network detects that the dialed directory number has been ported out of the donor switch and checks with an internal network-specific NPDB The internal NPDB returns the routing number associated with the dialed directory number The donor network uses the routing number to route the call to the new serving network.

Receive call to the donor network. The donor network detects that the number has been ported out of the donor switch and checks with an internal network-specific NPDB NPDB returns the routing number The donor network releases the call by providing the routing number The Originating Network uses the routing number to route the call to the new serving network

A call from the caller and routes the call to the donor network. The donor network releases the call and indicates that the dialed directory number has been ported out of that switch The Originating Network sends a query to its copy of the centrally administered NPDB The Originating Network uses the routing number to route the call to the new serving network

CHALLENGES Customer’s value added services will be lost What for fixed lines? Local number portability includes some thing as Standard Transfer, Like- for-Like Transfer. These are really challenging to setup and bill accordingly.

BENEFITS OF MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY MNP gives best benefit to the customer, as they do not have to change their number, eliminating a great headache of communicating the new number to all his/her important contacts MNP will keep all the mobile network providers on an alert Network provider will really treat the customer as a king. You will get lightning response and great customer service from your existing mobile network providers

ADVANTAGES DIS ADVANTAGES Can retain existing mobile number. Just for a small fee of 19/- You can switch from GSM to CDMA and vice versa Change in location having same number cannot switch again for the next 90 days. Change in hand set when change in platform

FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION switch from one geographic location to other i.e. having one number across the country. Example if your number is registered in Karnataka you can switch to a service provider in Gujarat Not loosing balance on prepaid cards. Changing from CDMA-to-GSM or vice-versa,without change in handset If the customer has extra services, like caller tune, GPRS, voice mail and others alike, then these services will not be lost

CONCLUSION Number portability removes important barrier to increased competition in the telecommunications sector. As such, it brings challenges and opportunities for old and new telecommunications providers To be successful in the competitive telecommunications environment, carriers have to carefully analyze their network and administrative infrastructures, select the best number portability solution for their needs and exploit the benefits of increased customer choice that NP provides

References Aoki, R. and J. Small (1999), The economics of number portability: Switching costs and two-part tariffs, working paper, University of Auckland. Detecon Number Portability Web based references FCC, Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pub. LA.No , 110 Stat. 56 (1996). Network Working Group Wikipedia, Mobile Number Portability