1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for moving telecommunications customers onto a network. Particularly, the present invention is directed to a fully automated method for moving telecommunications customers from one network to a different network.
The following acronyms, which are well understood in the art, have the meaning set forth below:
2. Description of Related Art
The present invention is directed to a high volume, high efficiency method for moving telecommunications customers from an ILEC to a CLEC. The processes known in the art for moving customers from an ILEC to a CLEC have several disadvantages. The disadvantages of the prior processes are substantial in that they directly affect the quality and availability of customer telephony service. The prior processes are inherently inefficient, causing long delays in cut over processes and high error rates.
In the current telecommunications environment, companies compete for customers to be served through their telecommunications lines. FIG. 3 depicts a typical telecommunications network. Typically, service to a customer""s premises 3 (such as a home or office or other premises capable of receiving telecommunications service) is carried via a telecommunications line 4 owned by an ILEC. At some point along the telecommunications line 4 there is a demarcation point 2. One or more telecommunications lines connect to a switch at a central office 1 from the demarcation point 2. In general, every telecommunications customer is allocated to a particular central office based on the digits of the customer""s phone number.
A CLEC that wishes to serve a customer will usually lease the portion of the telecommunications line 4 from the ILEC in order to bring service to the customer""s premises 3. The lease request is referred to as a UNE-L order. Both the ILEC and the CLEC may own telecommunications lines 5 and 6, respectively, from the switch 1 to the demarcation point 2. To transfer service to the CLEC, the ILEC will need to stop service on the ILEC""s line 5 and switch 1 and activate service on the CLEC""s line 6 and switch 7. This process comprises several steps to ensure that services are transferred correctly.
According to prior methods, for a CLEC to put a customer on their own switching facilities, the CLEC must obtain the ILEC CSR, order a local loop from the ILEC, assign logical and physical network inventory, perform feature provisioning (that is, provision the customer line features on the switch or network database), notify the NPAC for LNP, update E911 databases, and update the LIDB, with each of these steps performed manually. This results in an arduous, error-prone process. Those CLECs must employ many order entry clerks to first request an ILEC CSR for each customer order and interpret the data returned from the ILEC. The order entry clerk must then reenter the customer information into its own systems in order for the CLEC to generate its own bill. The information from the ILEC CSR is also needed in order to determine what features are to be provisioned onto the CLEC""s own switch.
In addition, according to the prior method CLECs then must send each individual customer order from their order entry clerks to their network personnel to individually and manually provision features onto the CLEC""s switch. The CLECs must then have their network personnel return the order back to their order entry clerks, including the office equipment port and cable pair assignments. This information is needed in order for the CLEC to properly generate unbundled network element loop (UNE-L) orders to the ILEC. CLECs must then manually issue on a per customer basis UNE-L orders, LNP confirmation and activation orders, E911 update orders and LIDB orders. It is an object of the present invention to provide embodiments that overcome these deficiencies by identifying a batch of customers for migration, automatically assigning the physical and logical network inventory, automatically provisioning one or more features for the customer, and batching all targeted UNE-L, LNP orders, E911 update orders and LIDB orders, all without having any order entry clerks individually type and coordinate every order.
The purpose and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in and apparent from the description that follows, as well as will be learned by practice of the invention. Additional advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the methods and systems particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as from the appended drawings.
The invention relates to a high efficiency method for moving telecommunications customers from one network to another. The process for moving customers includes several steps. An error during any one of the steps will cause a failure of the customer to be moved. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by implementing a highly automated, high volume method that greatly reduces the number of errors.
The present invention also includes a high volume coordinated cut-over method that can be implemented by a computer system. In one embodiment, a computer system manages the process by implementing certain steps automatically upon receipt of a confirmation of successful implementation of a previous step. The computer system may include several computers at each of the locations where the steps are performed, connected over a network to a single server that contains a program for managing the process. The computers can communicate to the server computer when a step has been completed and subsequent steps may begin. Processes for communicating between computers over a network is well understood in the art, and will not be discussed in detail here. This computer-implemented method increases the number of customers that can be moved at once, while reducing chances for errors.
A feature of an embodiment of the present invention is a step for screening customers to be moved onto a network. Another feature of an embodiment of the present invention is the automated assignment of physical and logical network inventory. Another feature of an embodiment of the present invention is a step for provisioning a high volume of switch and/or network-database features and services at a central location. Another feature of an embodiment of the present invention is a step for generating a UNE-L order to an ILEC for a bundle of lines for favorably screened customers. Another feature of an embodiment of the present invention is a high volume wiring of telecommunication lines at a centralized local serving office. The advantages of these and other features of the embodiments of present invention is that quality and efficiency of the process is greatly improved while costs are reduced.
In brief, an embodiment of the invention includes a method for performing a cut over of a plurality of telecommunications customers from an ILEC to a CLEC, the CLEC having a plurality of telecommunication lines, the method comprising: screening the customers; performing loop tests on the telecommunications lines; assigning physical and logical network inventory; provisioning one or more features for the customer; pre-wiring the telecommunications lines to a switch at a central office; generating a UNE-L order to the ILEC; receiving confirmation of an LNP request by the ILEC; activating the telecommunication lines; and generating an activate order to a NPAC. In other embodiments, the invention further comprises performing a second metallic loop test to confirm success of the process. In other embodiments, the invention further comprises generating a line information database update. In other embodiments, the invention further comprises generating an E911 record update.
Other embodiments of the invention include a computer-implemented system for performing a cut over of a plurality of telecommunications customers from an ILEC to a CLEC, the CLEC having a plurality of telecommunication lines, said system comprising at least one computer readable medium having program instructions for performing the steps of: screening the customers; receiving confirmation and results of loop tests on the telecommunications lines; assigning physical and logical network inventory; generating an order to provision one or more features; generating a UNE-L order to the ILEC; receiving confirmation of an LNP request by the ILEC; receiving confirmation that the telecommunication lines have been activated at the CLEC; and generating an activate order to a NPAC.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention claimed.
The accompanying drawing, which is incorporated in and constitutes part of this specification, is included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the method and system of the invention. Together with the description, the drawing serves to explain the principles of the invention.