scope:

This document describes the Signalling System Number 7 (SS7) network capabilities for completing calls to end users with portable numbers. The SS7 network capability, known as Call Completion to a Portable Number (CCPN), provides the core functionality. CCPN also includes optional network capabilities for obtaining the routing information outlined in 4.1 and described in Annexes A-C to supplement the CCPN capability. These optional network capabilities are:

- Number Portability (NP) Query - Response

- NP Release to Pivot (NP RTP)

- NP Query on Release (NP QoR)

Service providers considering the use of these optional network capabilities for obtaining the routing information outlined in 4.1, may wish to take into account interconnection arrangements.

The CCPN network capability delivers the following information to each switch in the call path, once routing information has been obtained:

1. the original dialed number

2. the necessary routing information

3. an indication that NP routing information has been obtained

The capabilities of the CCPN build upon the existing SS7 capabilities. Backward compatibility is a necessary requirement. Only the new capabilities required for CCPN are described here.

Number portability affects any service that makes an assumption that a North American Numbering Plan (NANP) number indicates the correct network address. NP supports the use of numbers that do not directly provide an indication of the network address. NP is used with numbers that have traditionally contained network location information (i.e., numbering plan area and central office codes).

To route a call dialed with a non-geographic number (e.g., 800), the dialed number is translated to a geographic number. How to obtain such a translation is beyond the scope of this document. If the resulting translated geographic number is portable, the CCPN network capabilities apply.

Deployment of NP may require other network capabilities and network interfaces related to:

a) database architecture,

b) switch internal call processing,

c) network operations and administration.

These network capabilities and interfaces are outside the scope of CCPN.

Purpose

Number Portability (NP) allows end users of public switched networks to retain their NANP telephone numbers when they change their service provider (service provider portability), location within a specific geographical area (location portability), or network service (service portability). This document describes the first phase of SS7 capabilities for NP. The focus of this phase of NP is on:

a) service provider portability

b) limited location portability¹⁾

Application

CCPN is to support the implementation of NP in the competitive local service environment.

¹⁾ For location portability the geographic area within which a given telephone number is portable is restricted. Establishing the boundaries for location portability is beyond the scope of this document.