Integration to backend OSS

Written on 4:17 PM by ooe

The development of automated interfaces between operators is only part of the OSS challenge. Many changes have to be made to the backend (back office) systems of both operators. It is well understood in the IT industry that changing legacy systems is complex, expensive and time-consuming.

The LLU systems development has had to support many new products types. Examples from the UK design include:

• exchange area data that relates exchange servicing areas to postcodes and makes the information available securely on a web server;

• collocation facilities – this requires the linking of BT forecasting and planning processes to LLU operators' plans so as to provide and reserve frame, tie cable and collocation capacity;

• appointment reservations systems for LLU service provisioning and repair including access to exchange buildings;

• provisioning rules for job management systems.

In some cases the customer may wish to transfer (or port) their telephone number. This required some integration of the processes and systems for number portability products with those for LLU products. The allocation of a line to a LLU operator requires the suppression of the automated billing which would otherwise be sent to the retail customer for an ‘in service’ access network path.

Considerable changes have been needed to the repair processes to cover demarcation of responsibilities between operators, co-ordination of testing, and escalation processes with the consequential impacts on the BT maintenance and repair systems. Substantial modification to the process and systems for testing of lines has been necessary.

New management information systems are needed to track statistics for LLU provisioning and repair. These are needed to monitor and track actual service performance and support the provision of information to the regulator. These requirements have resulted in significant new developments and hundreds of changes to existing legacy systems in an unprecedented short interval of time.

Several examples have been given derived mainly from the authors' experience in BT. These services, together with wholesale DSL products, allow competitive operators to use existing metallic access networks belonging to other operators without investing in building their own networks. Implementing LLU involves complex developments of technology, support systems and processes. The work requires agreement between network owners, regulators and representatives from other operators. BT was among the first operators to fully meet the challenge of the EU LLU regulation. The first collocation areas in the BT network were handed over to operators in late 2000, and in January 2001 BT released its first unbundled loop. The next few years will see a massive expansion in the availability of broadband access services and there may be volume demand for LLU products when the telecom sector recovers from the downturn which started during 2000. However, a wide range of broadband access technologies is available including DSL, broadband radio, satellite and cable TV. Only time will tell what role local loop unbundling will play in this expansion. The eventual extent and rate of unbundling depends to a very large extent on the commercial interests and firm orders received from new entrant operators.