NATIONAL RATING AND BILLING TEAM CONFERENCE CALL

 

7/30/97

 

ATTENDEES:

Karen Albers Ameritec

Elaine Elliott Bell Atlantic

Jim Alfieri Bellcore

Dave Whitney BellSouth

Betty Cockrell Billing Concepts

Mike Fohl Cincinnati Bell

Steve Shepard GTE

Patrick Brazil LCTX

Arnette Schultz Lucent

Jane Dempsey MCI

Suzanne Brooks MCI

Anousheh Raissyan MCImetro

Debi Ferguson Pacific Bell

Martha Mikesell Pacific Bell

Karen Mitchmeyer SBC

Raj Udeshi Siemens

Karen Meentemeyer SW Bell

Phil Presworsky TCG

Jill Blakeley Time Warner

Katie Ogurek Time Warner

MJ Anderson US West/Western Region

 

CALL OBJECTIVES:

 

1. Complete Prioritization of Call Codes to vendors

2. Poll of regional steering committees’ approval

3. Number Pooling relative to NXX code exhaust relief

proposal.

4. LRN Impact Of Host/Remote Architecture

5. CNA trunk options issues

 

Following are minutes in chronological order.

 

Initial review and update of representatives list. The administration of this list and its use as a distribution tool was discussed. It was suggested that the best way to insure timely distribution of technical documentation would be to post this information to the ported.com WEB page. Debi Ferguson will address this issue with Barry Bishop.

 

In addition, everyone that is not receiving minutes and/or meeting notices via their Email address should send their address to Marie Dunn (m4mdunn@msg.pacbell.com).

 

Call Code Prioritization:

 

The group finished their review of all public AMA Call Codes and Dave Whitney has updated the matrix. The matrix is attached for your review and approval at the next conference call.

 

Number Pooling

 

Since several on the team had other commitments, the number pooling discussion was moved up on the agenda. The T&O committee did not, as of this time, endorse number pooling as the solution to NXX exhaust. The only other proposed solution that has been offered for exhaust relief is a recommendation to consolidate rate centers. Tom and Marie have not received any proposals other than the number pooling method under LRN.

 

Generally all agree that number pooling under LRN will work as long as requirements are established and all parties adhere to the rules. The greatest issue associated with this method is in determining the "area of sharing." The group generally agreed that the current best method of defining the area of sharing should be "the smallest area of rating."

 

Team members should review the available documentation and determine the potential impact in their respective company. Each representative should be prepared to discuss the impacts at our next conference call. See the three number pooling documents are attached to these minutes.

 

All agreed that the success of number pooling depends on the cooperation of all involved.

 

Poll of regional steering committees’ approval

 

Efforts to gain approval are continuing, and members indicated that the proposal is meeting with general acceptance. As information, the members present offered the following feedback relative to the acceptance of the National Billing Forum:

 

BellSouth (South East) Under consideration

MCI Under consideration

PAC Bell Favorable

SBC Favorable

SW Favorable

Midwest Under consideration

NYNEX (North East) Under consideration

Bell Atlantic (E. coast) Under consideration

 

LRN Impact Of Host/Remote Architecture:

 

No one has forwarded host/remote information as yet. The team is working on getting this information, but the specifics are not easily obtained. We would like them to be forwarded to Marie by August 6, so we can discuss at the next meeting. The information requested is:

 

(1) How many host/remote relationships exist;

(2) How many remotes have their own NPANXX;

(3) How many HOSTS serve multiple Rate Centers.

 

CNA trunk options issues:

 

The current issue related to the use of the CNA (connecting network access) option for obtaining AMA recording is related to the population of the originating number field. The vendors have implemented this capability with different results. There are also differing schools of thought as to what should be recorded in the originating line field of the AMA recording.

 

Some companies feel that the CNA record (Call Code 720) should record the received ANI as the originating NPA and Number.

 

Some companies prefer that the Switch record the billing telephone number that was assigned to the CNA trunk group.

 

There are legitimate applications for both methods. The group generally agreed that the best resolution to this issue would be to provide a translations setable option that would allow selection of the desired recording method.

 

The operation of the CNA option would be to normally record the billing telephone number that was assigned to the trunk group.

 

A translation Setable software option could be set to provide population of the originating line information with the received ANI. Thus allowing the individual companies to decide which number to use.

 

A third possible translations Setable option to allow recording of the ANI as the originating number information when received. If ANI were not received, the billing telephone number that was assigned to the trunk group would be recorded in the originating number field.

 

The group should review this issue and be prepared to finalize a recommendation at the next meeting.

 

David Whitney is providing with these minutes a conference bridge for the next meeting on 8/13/97 at 11:00 EDT. The mml is 205-969-4213 PIN #7165.

 

 

END OF MINUTES

 

Attachments include: Call Code Matrix

3 Documents on Number Pooling

Latest Delta Document