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DEVELOPMENT OF THE MNP PROJECT IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Igor A. Bukharev,
Head of Department, FSUE ZNIIS, Moscow, Russia, bukharev@zniis.ru
Keywords: number portability, mobile number portability, MNP, LNP, ITU.
Vadim V. Plakhov,
Maintenance Specialist of NPDB, FSUE ZNIIS, Moscow, Russia, plahov@zniis.ru
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service gives to subscribers of the mobile operators the right to retain their subscriber number (on a grant or reimbursable basis) in the contract on rendering the communication services with another mobile operator.
As world practice shows, the implementation of MNP service is a complex and large-scale task for the telecommunication operators so to create the necessary network infrastructure and the database of ported numbers (central and local databases), configure their own systems, the significant capital and time investments are required. The implementation of these tasks is given a considerable period.
The article discusses the experience of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Central science research telecommunication institute" (hereafter - FSUE ZNIIS) for implementation of MNP service in the Russian Federation and operating of number portability database (NPDB). Also it describes the technical aspects of the MNP implementation, gives a brief overview of international experience of MNP and Local Number Portability (LNP) service implementation, as well as a description of measures aimed at improvement of the processes of porting subscriber numbers, conducted by FSUE ZNIIS in partnership with regulatory bodies in the field of telecommunications and representatives of mobile operators in the framework of the meetings of the Technical Council, which was established at FSUE ZNIIS. In addition, the article provides a brief overview about the results of the implementation of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) pilot project, which focused on the test of MNP solutions and in which specialists of FSUE ZNIIS have developed a new ITU-T Recommendation named as ITU-T Q. 3905. The application of the developed recommendation will reduce financial costs for operators during the implementation phase of MNP service, as well as to reduce the timing of service launch into commercial operation.
Для цитирования:
Бухарев И.А., Плахов В.В. Развитие проекта MNP в Российской Федерации // T-Comm: Телекоммуникации и транспорт. 2017. Том 1 1. №1. С. 52-56.
For citation:
Bukharev I.A., Plakhov V.V. (2017). Development of the MNP project in the Russian Federation. T-Comm, vol. 1 1, no.1, рр. 52-56.
Implementation of MNP service
in the Russian Federation, the MNP was implemented in record time - December 26, 2012. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the Law No. 253-FZ, according to which subscribers from the 1st December 2013 received the right to retain their number when switching from one mobile operator (hereinafter -operator) to another, i.e. for the MNP service implementation in the Russian Federation was given only 1 year [5].
To solve this task the working group (WG) comprised the representatives of the leading operators and regulatory bodies has been formed. During the discussion of the task, WG participants formulated a list of questions relating to site of subscriber number portability, the necessary changes to the principles of call routing, creating of databases, and accordingly to the mechanisms of interaction of information systems (IT systems) of operators.
During the discussion of these issues, the decision of necessary changes in "Rules of rendering of serv ices of mobile communication" was made and, on 15 July 2013 the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation №599 "On amendments in rules of rendering of services of mobile communication", regulating the basic principles of the upcoming MNP service, entered into force |4|.
The FSUE ZNUS assessed the possible solution providers to deploy the NPDB infrastructure. After the comparative analysis, as the alleged supplier of ready solutions, it was suggested to use a package of solutions presented by the company JSC Mediafon (Lithuania), which was successfully implemented NPDB solution in Lithuania, Georgia, Moldova and Azerbaijan.
As a result of the discussion by the regulatory bodies, it was decided to approve the decision proposed by l-'SUE ZNUS, and by the Order of the Government of the Russian Federation on 9 October 2013. No. 1832-R the FSUE ZNIIS was determined as NPDB operator [7].
As a basis of NPDB solution was based on the numbering database of the Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz) and less than 2 months NPDB was hosted on a cloud platform provided by PJSC Rostelecom, which was organized by the connection with operators via secure channels and created the node to synchronize the local copies with the reference database of NPDB operator.
Unfortunately, complete customization and preparation of technical tools for the service launch have not been made in time and the Government of the Russian Federation adopted the decision to approve the "MNP transition period" up to April 7, 2014 within which operators could determine the timing of porting the numbers, but set them no later than April 15, 2014.
Technical aspects and results of MNP implementation
On the territory of the Russian Federation, the MNP service is provided only in one region. This is due to the fact that the inter-regional porting may occur situations in which subscriber with the ported number will have to use a network of longdistance or interregional calling to route a call to the number in his own region, i.e. the billing of such a call will be carried out in accordance with the tariffs of long distance carrier.
In addition, analysis of providing the possibility of number portability across the country showed that it would impact on the quality-time indicators of telecommunications services, ensuring
the functioning of SORM, but also would help to expand opportunities for subscriber fraud.
As the technical implementation in the Russian Federation, MNP service uses a combined routing method named as "All Call Query/Onward Routing (ACQ, OR)", a detailed description of which is given in [3]. This embodiment assumes the presence of Central NPDB and its local replicas on the operator's side.
For all time of operation NPDB by FSUE ZNIIS, the serious emergencies do not arise, NPDB is functioning normally, processing the requests incoming from mobile operator1 side. As of July 2016, FSUE ZNIIS, as the NPDB operator, registered over
5.6 million applications for the porting of subscriber numbers, and the number of successfully ported numbers amounted to over
3.7 million.
This difference between the number of registered applications and the number of ported numbers is due to the fact that there is a time interval between the date of accepting the application i'or number porting and the date of actual porting; errors in the personal data provided by subscriber to operator-recipient in the contract of the service provision, as well as due to the presence of debt of the subscriber to the operator-don or and for other reasons, also the other part of the application is in the process of carrying out of the necessary procedures for the process of porting subscriber numbers.
In addition to the number porting process, the operators and other organizations connected to NPDB, have the opportunity to implement unloading of NPDB via SFTP files {Secure File Transfer Protocol) with the information about ported numbers and numbering resources allocated to operators.
Access to NPDB can be performed by using the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) interface, which is the main M2M interface for automated switching between NPDB and operators, or through the Web-interface (manual switching). Operators should support the 1 lyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) including security certificates, and support the SOAP Protocol version 1.1 to get the access via SOAP interface to NPDB resources.
World experience of MNP implementation
Considering world experience of MNP implementation, it is worth noting two main scenarios.
In the first scenario, the implementation of MNP serv ice is made on the basis of already existing infrastructure of LNP serv ice, while MNP may have both a standalone solution and be integrated part of the already created infrastructure of LNP service.
The second scenario assumes the launch of MNP from scratch, i.e. without relying on the existing infrastructure. This scenario also include the implementation of Full Number Portability services (FNP), which combines the MNP and LNP.
Historically, the first scenario was used by the countries-pioneers of the number portability implementation in the late 90-ies of the 20th century. These countries include, for example, the United States, in which the LNP service was implemented in 1997, and the MNP in 2003, and I long Kong, in which the LNP and MNP services were launched in 1995 and in 1999 respectively.
The second scenario has been used in more countries. For example, the FNP serv ice in New Zealand was introduced in 2007 in India - in 2011, in EU countries - starting from 200!.
in the post-Soviet space and CIS region, the implementation of MNP was carried out also in the second scenario. The first country whose implement the MNP service in the CIS region was the Republic of Belarus (service implemented in 2012). In Kazakhstan the service was introduced in 2016, in Georgia in 2011, in Latvia in 2007 and in Lithuania in 2004.
Improvement of the number porting process
For the year of operating N PDB and MNP service in the Russian Federation, operators and NPDB operator came to the conclusion that the existing regulatory legal act (RLAJ do not meet the needs of the market, in certain eases, significantly complicating the process of porting subscriber numbers.
To bring the existing RLA in the proper form, in accordance with existing realities, established a Technical Council, which was defined by the current consultative and methodological body at FSUE ZN11S, on the functioning of the NPDB and interaction with users that are connected to NPDB. Technical Council is the successor of the WG, which discussed similar issues at the stage of MNP implementation. The participants of the Technical Council are the representatives of the regulatory bodies, namely representatives of the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, Federal Communications Agency (Rossvyaz), as well as representatives of FSUE ZN1IS and operators.
The Technical Council developed the text of "Requirements to organizational and technical interoperability of mobile radio communication while ensuring the porting of subscriber numbers" (POTB), which, given the new changes of interaction between operators introduced by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation "Rules of rendering of telephone communication services" (POUTS), define the procedure and the ways to address emerging contradictions (lime intervals, status codes, forms and methods of verifications) [6, 8J.
Accordingly, to implement the RLA on the network it was necessary to make a number of changes to the NPDB software and IT systems of operators. To determine the number, complexity and priority of the proposed changes the updated versions of the business process were developed and approved by the participants of the Technical Council, defining the logic of the number porting of certain categories of subscribers. These business processes are following:
the porting of the individual numbers; the porting of legal entities numbers; the porting of numbers by government orders; return of numbering range; repayment of debt; cancellation of porting; search and/or change the time of the porting; cancelling an incorrectly ported numbers.
Based on these business processes, the change requests to NPDB software has been generated, and sent to the software developer to obtain the functional and technical analyzing.
Alter receiving the results of the analyzing compiled a schedule for implementation of software changes, which identified the stages of implementation of these changes, lists of priority changes and the necessaiy organizational and technical measures that need to be performed on the side of the IT systems of operators, and on the side of NPDB.
These changes have been divided into separate functional groups, according to the developed business processes:
■ changes affecting to the timings of the business processes;
■ changes affecting to the mechanisms of verifying the possibility of classifying the number or group of numbers and verification of subscriber data on the side of operators and NPDB operator;
■ changes in processes of determining the availability of technical frames and associated side validation on the NPDB side;
■ changes related to the order of porting of different categories of subscribers;
■ changes concerning the process of accessing, processing to upload data to an SFTP server ofNPDB, as weli as issues of data encryption;
• other changes to functionality.
Just designed business processes was drafted and developed about 40 changes that was required in the existing implementation ofNPDB software. The Government of the Russian Federation was set a deadline by which all changes concerning of new POUTS, should be introduced into the productive circuit of NPDB, namely 15 January 2015 [6].
Therefore, the development of this pool changes began long before the final approval of the schedule of implementation of changes of NPDB software. Simultaneously with the development of a new release ofNPDB software, the business processes were used to develop the specifications that were needed for changes in IT systems of operators.
Accordingly, after preparation of appropriate specifications and the subsequent setting up for IT systems of operators in accordance with this documentation began the testing phase of the updated version ofNPDB software.
Ail changes, step by step, was placed on the test circuit of NPDB, for testing with the involvement of operators, as well as for testing without the involvement of operators, i.e. for internal testing of FSUE ZNIIS required to verify the major elements and systems ofNPDB.
At the same time logically and functionally the testing with involving the operators can be divided into internal operator testing, inter-operator testing and to the testing of individual functionality of the subscriber side ofNPDB.
Internal testing involves testing within the network of one operator, using only their IT systems and test circuit ofNPDB. When conducting this type of testing, the operator may submit a request for registration additional accounts, for example, for his branch. It is necessary to simulate inter-operator testing on the side of one operator.
Inter-operator testing allows to operator to verify interaction between the operators, i.e. an audit of its information systems on the ability to process messages received from the IT systems of other operators, as w ell as to verify correctness of the functioning of mechanisms for the porting of subscriber numbers, the process tool return numbering rage, debt repayment and other processes which are necessary for the implementation of the porting of the subscriber number.
Testing of individual functionality of NPDB is carried out with the participation of the FSUE ZNIIS as operator ofNPDB and the operators that share the service information and checking, for example, the values of the time intervals between sending and receiving the request information.
It is worth noting that lest activities were conducted using the interface on which configured the !T system of operators, i.e. if the operator's IT system is configured to exchange messages with application the SOAP interface, and testing is performed using this interface. Therefore, the ultimate goal is for operators working with the application of various solutions (we are talking about SOAP and Web interfaces), is different: for operators that exchange messages using a Web interface, this testing is necessary to become familiar with the new procedures for the exchange of signaling messages corresponding to the changes in RLA and business processes; in other case for the operators who working on a SOAP interface this test enables the possibility to configure, verify, and if it's necessary to eliminate the faults in their IT systems.
Internal testing of NPDB operator was aimed at checking functional elements, time intervals of NPDB's response to requests from operators and on the other, narrowly focused questions concerning the functioning of the NPDB.
Testing of all changes carried out in stages. A few hours before the change is made on a test circuit of NPDB, was carried out informing by the NPDB operator of all test takers on the timing and duration of the process of implementing new changes, and the nature of these changes. Informing is carried out through newsletters with the help of specialized Internet-resource - mnp-zniis.ru.
Also if we make any changes to NPDB its necessary to carry out the migration process from the old version to the new version on the side of the IT systems of operators. To reduce costs, operators were offered the option of migration, in which all requests to porting a subscriber number, registered before the entry into force of the new RLA were to be practiced by the old values and the old timings to the logic of interaction of IT systems of operators and NPDB, and ail new applications had to be registered and processed in accordance with the new RLA and the new values of the timings.
The disadvantage of this decision was the fact that at the time of the transition period, i.e. the period when the system works as an application under the old and the new RLAs, was the need to implement and support on the side of the IT systems of operators of the various timings and logic of the portability process. The operator themselves arc controlled, what are the timings is handled by a particular application in their IT systems.
After the implementation of all test events, all participants of MNP interconnection made the comments that arose during the works, in the intermediate release and its subsequent installation in the production environment, then the software release was considered implemented. After the introduction this release, operators and NPDB operator is provided a stabilization period, during which maintained the possibility of reversibility of change (fully or partially).
All of the steps of change implementation of NPDB's soliware applies to all indicated, during the meeting of the Technical Council, micro releases change implementation in NPDB.
In addition to activities to improve the MNP services in the Russian Federation and debugging existing procedures and mechanisms of cooperation, FSUE ZNUS in 2015, has worked closely with international organizations on issues of number portability.
Thus, in the framework of the conformity and interoperability programme (C&I) of ITU, together with the Study Group 1 i "Protocols and lest specifications" (SGI!), FSUE ZNIIS initiated a pilot project 011 testing MNP solution on compliance with the re-
quirements defined in Recommendation ITU-T 0 Supplement 4 "Number portability - Capability set 1 requirements for service provider portability (All call query and Onward routing)" [1-3].
In the framework of this pilot project was developed the methodology of testing and established requirements for Die comprehensive testing of equipment and solutions used to ensure MNP for routing methods ACQ and OR.
The final version of the methodology developed by FSUE ZNIIS, was presented at the SGI I meeting in December 2015. and approved as new ITU-T Recommendation Q. 3905 "Conformance test plan for Number Portability requirements defined by ITU-T 0. Suppl.4".
Based 011 the approved Recommendation, FSUE ZNUS initiated the testing of the equipment and algorithms of interaction covered by reference of ITU-T Recommendation Q Supplement 4, after which the FSUE ZNIIS results were positive - more than 90% of the tests passed.
Conclusion
During the time elapsed since the introduction of MNP service in the Russian Federation, the number of subscribers who used the service grows, thus keeping the positive dynamics in the number of monthly-portable numbers.
The participants of the Technical Council plans to continue to improve the existing process of number portability to reduce the time of number portability in the short term.
FSUE ZNIIS plans to complete a pilot project on testing MNP "Conformance testing pilot project on "Mobile network portability (ITU-T Q. Suppl.4)"" and to continue work on updating the specifications of NPDB's software. FSUE ZNIIS expressed their interest in continuing cooperation with ITU in the framework of C&I Programme on the development of new recommendations and test specifications. ITU-T in the Held of portability of numbers, as in the development of the pilot project on testing MNP, as in other works aimed at standardizing and testing services to the LNP.
FSUE ZNIIS is also interested in updating our documentation and other activities of the ITU.
References
!. ITU-T (2014). ITU-T Recommendation E.!64 - Supplement 2 (06/2014). Number portability.
2. ITU-T (1988). ITU-T Recommendation Q.SuppI.3 (OS/1988). Number portability Scope and capability set 1 architecture.
3. ITU-T (1998), ITU-T Recommendation Q.Suppl.4 (05/1998), Number portability Capability set I requirements for service provider portability (All call query and Onward routing).
4. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation from July 15, 2013 of No. 599 "On amendments in rules of tendering of services of mobile communication"
5. Federal Law from December 25, 2012 of No. 253-FZ "On amendments to the Federal law "On communications".
6. Order of the Government of the Russian Federaiion from December 9, 2014 of No. 1342 "About the procedure for rendering of telephone services"
7. Order of the Government of the Russian Federation from October 9, 2013 of No. 1832-R
8. Order of ihe Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation from January 19, 2016. № 3 "On approval of Requirements to organizaiional anil technical interoperability of mobile radio communication while ensuring ilie porting of subscriber number".
T-Comm Vol.11. #1-2017
СВЯЗЬ
РАЗВИТИЕ ПРОЕКТА MNP В РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ
Бухарев Игорь Александрович, начальник ССиТЭ БДПН, ФГУП ЦНИИС, Москва, Россия, bukharev@zniis.ru Плахов Вадим Вадимович, специалист по эксплуатации БДПН, ФГУП ЦНИИС, Москва, Россия, plahov@zniis.ru
Аннотация
Услуга переносимости мобильных номеров (Mobile Number Portability, MNP) предоставляет абоненту оператора сети подвижной радиотелефонной связи право сохранить свой абонентский номер (на безвозмездной или возмездной основе) при заключении договора на оказание услуг связи с другим оператором подвижной радиотелефонной связи. Внедрение услуги MNP, как показывает мировая практика, является сложной и крупномасштабной задачей для операторов связи, так как для создания необходимой сетевой инфраструктуры, инфраструктуры баз данных перенесенных номеров (центральной базы и локальных баз данных операторов связи), настройки ИТ-систем операторов связи требуются значительные капитальные и временные вложения, а на реализацию поставленных задач отводится значительный срок. Рассматривается опыт Федерального государственного унитарного предприятия "Центральный научно-исследовательский институт связи" (ФГУП ЦНИИС) по внедрению услуги MNP в Российской Федерации и эксплуатации базы данных перенесенных абонентских номеров (БДПН), приводится описание технической реализации услуги MNP, краткий обзор мирового опыта по внедрению услуги MNP и услуги переносимости номеров на сетях фиксированной связи (Local Number Portability), а также описание мероприятий, направленных на усовершенствование процессов переноса абонентских номеров, проводимых ФГУП ЦНИИС совместно с регулирующими органами в области связи и представителями операторов подвижной радиотелефонной связи в рамках заседаний Технического Совета, созданного при ФГУП ЦНИИС. Приводится краткий обзор результатов реализации пилотного проекта Международного союза электросвязи (МСЭ) по тестированию услуги MNP, в рамках которого специалистами ФГУП ЦНИИС была разработана новая Рекомендация МСЭ-Т Q.3905, описывающая методологию тестирования требований, касающихся межоператорского взаимодействия при оказании услуги MNP, и определенных соответствующими Рекомендациями МСЭ-Т. Необходимость в разработке такого рода документов не раз отмечалась представителями операторов связи, операторов БДПН и представителями МСЭ.
Ключевые слова: переносимость номеров, переносимость мобильных номеров, MNP, LNP. Литература
1. ITU-T (2014), ITU-T Recommendation E.164 - Supplement 2 (06/2014), Number portability.
2. ITU-T (1988), ITU-T Recommendation Q.Suppl.3 (05/1988), Number portability - Scope and capability set 1 architecture.
3. ITU-T (1998), ITU-T Recommendation Q.Suppl.4 (05/1998), Number portability - Capability set 1 requirements for service provider portability (All call query and Onward routing).
4. Постановление Правительства РФ от 15 июля 2013 г. № 599 "О внесении изменений в Правила оказания услуг подвижной связи".
5. Постановление Правительства РФ от 9 декабря 2014 № 1342 "О порядке оказания услуг телефонной связи".
6. Распоряжение Правительства РФ от 9 октября 2013 г. № 1832-р.
7. Приказ Министерства связи и массовых коммуникаций Российской Федерации от 19 января 2016 г. № 3 "Об утверждении Требований к порядку организационно-технического взаимодействия операторов подвижной радиотелефонной связи при обеспечении перенесения абонентского номера".
8. Федеральный закон от 25 декабря 2012г. № 253-ФЗ "О внесении изменений в федеральный закон "О связи".
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