Frequently Asked Questions
| Q. What is WLNP? |
| A. In general, Local Number Portability, also called Service Provider Portability, is the ability of users of telecommunications services to retain, at the same location, existing telecommunications numbers without impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when switching from one telecommunications carrier to another. Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP) is the ability of wireless telephone customers to retain their existing wireless telephone numbers when switching from one service provider to another. |
| Q. Who is affected? |
| A. All CMRS providers are affected by WLNP. It is the responsibility of the CMRS provider to understand and comply with FCC mandate 95-116. |
| Q. How can I get a copy of the FCC order mandating on WLNP? |
| A. The FCC order that mandates the November 24, 2003 date for WLNP can be found on the FCC's website at: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-02-215A1.doc . |
| Q. Where can end users (wireless subscribers) get information on WLNP? |
| A. Wireless subscribers should contact their wireless service provider. |
| Q. What are BellSouth Interconnection Services' responsibilities in WLNP? |
| A. BellSouth Interconnection Services will accommodate requests to port numbers to and from BST's network and will route calls to numbers ported to and from wireless carrier networks. BellSouth Interconnection Services will port to wireless carriers per industry defined porting processes currently used for wireline to wireline porting. Porting wireless to wireline will use wireline porting processes and flows based on national agreement at the Local Number Portability Administration Working Group. |
| Q. What porting scenarios does BellSouth Interconnection Services support? |
A. BellSouth Interconnection Services will support the following wireless porting scenarios:
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| Q. How does number portability work? |
A. When a telephone number is dialed, the originating switch, Switch A, queries the routing database, an exact image of the National Portability Administration Center (NPAC) database. If the query detects a Subscription Version, it will send a reply message back to switch A with a Location Routing Number (LRN). The LRN identifies the switch where the telephone number in question is now working, Switch B. Switch A uses the LRN to route the call, moving the dialed number to the generic Address Parameter Field and replacing it with the LRN in the SS7 routing message. When the call reaches its destination, switch B uses the Generic Address Parameter field to terminate the call. To determine if a number has been ported, the Wireless Service Provider can query an image of the NPAC routing database for information on a particular number. If the query results in a Location Routing Number, the number has been ported. |
| Q. What is the Type 1 porting interval? |
| A. Porting wireless Type 1 numbers is a complex service and must be project managed. When porting 1-50 (Type 1) numbers, the due date interval will be 7 business days. If porting over 50 numbers, then the due date interval must be negotiated with a BellSouth Project Manager, prior to submitting an LSR. The Targeting LSR Processing Interval must also apply in addition to the due date interval. |
| Q. How can a carrier access Type 1 Line Loss reports? |
A. Contact your BellSouth Wireless Account team to establish a password and access to a web-based line loss report. |
| Q. Are Customer Service Records look-ups required prior to submitting an LSR package to BellSouth? |
| A. Yes. You must first complete and return a Letter of Authorization (LOA). The LOA is required to protect confidentiality of customer information when a carrier performs a pre-order look-up to complete the LSR. The Letters of Authorization should be sent to darlene.haynes@bellsouth.com. Click here to view a copy of the LOA. |
| Q. What charges or fees are involved in Wireless Local Number Portability? |
A. BellSouth shall bill an electronic service order charge (SOMEC) at the rate of $3.50 for each LSR submitted by means of an electronic interface (e.g. EDI, LENS, TAG). BellSouth shall bill a manual service order charge (SOMAN) at the rate of $19.99 for each LSR submitted by means other than the electronic Interfaces (e.g. mail, fax, courier, etc.). An individual LSR will be identified for billing purposes by its Purchase Order Number (“PON”). BellSouth will bill the electronic (SOMEC) or manual (SOMAN) service order charge, for an LSR, regardless of whether that LSR is later supplemented, clarified or cancelled. |
| Q. Can I port numbers used for 1 way/2 way paging? |
A. Numbers used for paging or information services are exempt from LNP and are not subject to porting. |
| Q. Which BellSouth Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) are "open" to porting? |
A. All BellSouth switches, in all markets, are WLNP capable. |
| Q. What happens to directory listings when a wireline number is ported to a wireless number? |
A. Please contact BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Company (BAPCO) at 678-406-2414. |
| Q. What is the difference between Local Number Portability and Number Pooling? |
| A. Local Number Portability, also called Service Provider Portability, is the ability of users of telecommunications services to retain, at the same location, existing telecommunications numbers without impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when switching from one telecommunications carrier to another. Number Pooling is a process by which the 10,000 numbers in a central office code (NXX) are separated into ten sequential blocks of 1,000 numbers each (thousands-blocks), and allocated separately to service providers within a rate center. |
| Q. What is the difference between Local Number Portability and Location Portability? |
| A. Local Number Portability, sometimes called Service Provider Portability, is the ability of users of telecommunications services to retain, at the same location, existing telecommunications numbers without impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when switching from one telecommunications carrier to another. The term Location Portability means the ability of users of telecommunications services to retain existing telecommunications numbers without impairment of quality, reliability, or convenience when moving from one physical location to another. Location Portability has not been mandated at this time. |
| Q. What should CMRS providers be telling their end users about WLNP? |
| A. Each CMRS provider is responsible for communicating with their customers. BellSouth Interconnection Services cannot advise a CMRS provider's end user on WLNP. |
| Q. How does WLNP affect optional Land-to-Mobile dialing plans? |
| A. All Land-to-Mobile enabled NPA/NXXs were converted to standard dialing plans prior to the implementation of WLNP. It is the responsibility of the CMRS provider to inform end users that porting a Land-to-Mobile enabled number may result in the loss of reverse-toll billing capabilities. |
| Q. What information will CMRS providers need to submit to port wireline numbers from BellSouth and how should this information be submitted? |
A. CMRS providers must submit a Local Service Request (LSR) package to the Local Customer Service Center (LCSC). An example of the LSR package required for porting requests can be accessed on this site. Also, the glossary of data elements can be located in Appendix A of the Ordering Section of the Local Ordering Handbook. Porting requests will use the standard OBF LSR form version 6. The LSR may be faxed in or entered electronically (via LENS, TAG, or EDI-XML). |
| Q. Where should the LSR be sent? |
| A. CMRS providers should fax (manual) orders to the Birmingham Local Carrier Service Center at 1-877-711-0378. |
| Q. What are the wireline to wireless porting intervals? |
| A. Non-complex wireline to wireless ports will adhere to national guidelines for wireline porting. For a simple port: Upon acceptance of the porting request, the wireline provider has 1 day to provide a Firm Order Confirmation (FOC) to the new wireless service provider. The due date will be no fewer than 3 days from issuance of FOC to the wireless service provider. Complex ports will not adhere to this timeline. |
| Q. What numbers are not portable? |
| A. The following is a partial list of numbers that may not be ported: 800 numbers, choke numbers used for high volumes (for example, numbers used for radio station contest call-ins), disconnected numbers, Location Routing Numbers (LRNs), Screening Telephone Numbers (STN's), Guide Account telephone numbers. |
| Q. How will BellSouth port the lines that have bundled services, such as DSL? |
| A. Porting from BellSouth wireline to wireless service eliminates the DSL service. To resume DSL service, the end user must re-establish DSL on a new wireline. |
| Q. Where can I find more information on WLNP? |
A. The following is a partial list of web sites that contain information on Wireless Local Number Portability: |
