The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio hosted the latest Ohio
Local Number Portability Workshop on May 5, 1997
NOTE: This summary contains important information regarding disputes over selectable switches and upcoming deadlines.
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The meeting was presided over by Chair, Terry Appenzeller and
Staff member Scott Potter.
UPDATES on FCC, NANC & PUCO
FCC:
The FCC's Second Report and Order confirms the Ohio (and Ameritech
Region's) switch selection methodology. We will proceed with
the implementation of LNP on a by requested switch basis within
the seven affected MSAs.
Mr. Appenzeller informed us that the FCC is still targeting an
early June date for the release of its order on LNP cost recovery
issues.
NANC:
The NANC LNPA Working Group has submitted its recommendation document
to the NANC. The document recommends seven NPAC regions (similar
to the seven RBOC regions). Lockheed-Martin or Perot Systems
have been chosen as the NPAC in each region. The Ameritech region
was a model for much of what is represented in the final recommendations.
PUCO:
Mr. Potter informed the workshop that the PUCO staff had developed
a corrected Switch List which was submitted to all NECs in March.
5 new entrants had submitted switch requests by the extended
deadline of April 25.
LNP IMPLEMENTATION IN OHIO
Staff returned the switch lists to the affected ILECs that were
present. Staff will make available an aggregate list of all selected
switches to any party of interest upon request to Mr. Potter.
215 of 327 possible switches were selected throughout the seven
MSAs
Mr. Potter told the workshop that the overwhelming majority of the requested switches were considered by Staff to be reasonable requests. Of the few switches in question, Staff contacted the requesting NECs individually and came to agreements as to what switch requests were not reasonable and would therefore be deleted from the master request list. In determining whether a switch request was reasonable staff considered the following:
DISPUTED SWITCH LISTS AND STAFF PROPOSAL GOING FORWARD
Mr. Potter informed the workshop that there were several NECs
that submitted lists of switches which they believed should have
been on the switch list but were not. Even after considerable
Staff analysis and efforts to educate the NECs on what counties
were in the MSAs several disputes remain. Mr. Potter listed the
counties that are in the seven MSAs and discussed the U.S. Census
Bureau document that Staff requested from the FCC to verify the
MSAs. In light of the FCC requirement that ILECs know what switches
have been requested for LNP conversion, at least, nine months
in advance of the MSA deadline staff proposed and the workshop
agreed to the following process for dealing with disputed switches.
Any NEC who has already submitted a Switch Request (as of 4/25/97)
that believes specific switches were incorrectly omitted from
the Master Pick List may seek resolution of the disputed switch(es)
by:
The deadlines for submitting disputed switches in each MSA is as follows:
REQUESTING A SWITCH IF YOU DID NOT SUBMIT A PICK LIST BY
4/25/97
Within the seven Top 100 MSAs in Ohio, carrier may request a switch
conversion to LNP through a BFR process anytime after the deadline
for the MSA expires. No BFRs for additional switch conversions
(beyond those on the submitted Pick Lists and any dispute additions)
need to be entertained by the ILEC until after the MSA deadline
has passed.
Outside of the seven Top 100 MSAs, a carrier may request a switch
conversion to LNP through the BFR process anytime after 12/31/98.
OPERATION COMMITTEE UPDATE
Barry Bishop updated us on the status of the regional operations
committee. He provided the workshop attendants with a very helpful
LNP primer. The primer was a handout that is intended to give
ILECs beginning the process of LNP to basic road map of where
and how to proceed.
Barry also suggested that now that Ohio has a basic implementation
plan, it was time to begin to have meetings regarding the actual
nuts and bolts of rolling out LNP. To that end, it was agreed
that future LNP meetings would be geared toward working out the
network/operations details of implementing LNP. We scheduled
the first implementation meeting for June 16 at the Commission
offices. This will be an all day meeting for the actual network/operations
people of each company to begin work. Mr. Potter suggested that
he might ask the Commission to stress attendance by all affected
ILECs and all NECs.
LLC UPDATE
Roger Marshall updated the workshop on the status of the LLC and
the written agreement. Still only six companies have joined the
LLC (Ameritech, AT&T, TCG, MCI, Sprint, and LDDS/Worldcom).
The original agreement written only for Illinois has now been
modified to represent a regional LLC. The LLC will be the organization
responsible for detailing how Lockheed-Martin (this regions NPAC)
will operate in the region. Only members of the LLC will have
any official word or control in the managing the NPAC. The agreement
is complete such that the LLC is now seeking the avenues it must
travel to get approval (if such is necessary) from the individual
state commissions.
Mr. Potter informed the workshop that the Commission is concerned
with the poor regional participation by the Ohio specific companies.
He suggested that the Commission would likely review the LLC
agreement informally and perhaps send out a letter to all carriers
informing them once again that this is the LLC agreement that
would directly affect them and how they deal with LNP and perhaps
offering a final opportunity to comment or participate in the
workshop.
Mr. Potter suggested that it was likely that soon the Commission
would have a formal process to approve of the LNP implementation
that was designed in the workshop (as order by 95-845-TP-COI).
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 8, 1997 Regional LLC meeting in Chicago, AT&T Building, W. Monroe
May 13, 1997 Regional Operations Committee Meeting in Chicago, Holiday Inn, 350 Orleans
May 22, 1997 ICC LNP/Number Conservation Meeting at the ICC Offices in Chicago
June 16, 1997 Ohio LNP Workshop (Details of Implementation) at the PUCO Offices
June 18, 1997 NANC, LNP meeting in Washington, D.C.
July 15, 1997 Deadline for NEC switch disputes in Cleveland and Cincinnati MSAs