Local Number PortabilityLocal Number PortabilityTraffic Analysis CalculationsTraffic Analysis Calculations

ENGR 475 – TelecommunicationsENGR 475 – TelecommunicationsOctober 19, 2006October 19, 2006Harding UniversityHarding University

Jonathan WhiteJonathan White

Outline - LNPOutline - LNP

Definition of Local Number PortabilityDefinition of Local Number Portability Required by LawRequired by Law

New components in the networkNew components in the network Why have LNPWhy have LNP Wireless and LNPWireless and LNP 911 and LNP911 and LNP

Outline – Traffic AnalysisOutline – Traffic Analysis

What Traffic Engineering is used forWhat Traffic Engineering is used for Busy Hour trafficBusy Hour traffic A.K. Erlang’s DistributionsA.K. Erlang’s Distributions Examples of boardExamples of board

Local Number PortabilityLocal Number Portability

LNP – LNP – Mandated by the Telecommunications Act of Mandated by the Telecommunications Act of

1996.1996. Telcos had until 2002 to completely comply.Telcos had until 2002 to completely comply.

What it is:What it is: Consumers can keep their telephone number Consumers can keep their telephone number

and have any provider that will serve them.and have any provider that will serve them. Consumers can also keep their telephone Consumers can also keep their telephone

number when they move to a new location.number when they move to a new location.

Benefits of LNPBenefits of LNP

More competition drives lower prices and More competition drives lower prices and better service.better service. Telecommunications biggest enemies:Telecommunications biggest enemies:

• ChurnChurn• FraudFraud

Most people want to keep their telephone Most people want to keep their telephone numbers.numbers. Why would this be true?Why would this be true?

The LNP act gives these people the ability The LNP act gives these people the ability to have competition for their dollars.to have competition for their dollars.

Wireless LNPWireless LNP

Because of LNP, you can get a local Because of LNP, you can get a local telephone number any where in the US, telephone number any where in the US, no matter where you live.no matter where you live. For example, I bought my phone in For example, I bought my phone in

Bentonville, Arkansas, but I was able to get a Bentonville, Arkansas, but I was able to get a local Searcy number.local Searcy number.

However, having wireless LNP makes However, having wireless LNP makes billing even more complex.billing even more complex.

Additional Network ObjectsAdditional Network Objects

On the SS7 network, a new database is required On the SS7 network, a new database is required to support LNP so that the call is routed across to support LNP so that the call is routed across the correct network.the correct network. Providers can actually pay to have access to updated Providers can actually pay to have access to updated

LNP databases.LNP databases.• GTE and Cincinnati Bell Information ServicesGTE and Cincinnati Bell Information Services

This adds cost and delay to the system.This adds cost and delay to the system. This database is called the local service This database is called the local service

management system.management system. Local SMS.Local SMS.

911 and LNP911 and LNP

The 911 system used to derive location The 911 system used to derive location information based on your telephone information based on your telephone number.number. No longer directly possible.No longer directly possible.

Your location information is now passed to Your location information is now passed to 911 through database access.911 through database access.

This makes the 911 system less reliable.This makes the 911 system less reliable.

911 and Wireless911 and Wireless

Cell phone towers are no equipped with Cell phone towers are no equipped with GPS units so that they can calculate GPS units so that they can calculate where your call came from.where your call came from. If 3 or more towers are within your signal If 3 or more towers are within your signal

range, they can triangulate your exact range, they can triangulate your exact location.location.

But again, LNP means 1 more database But again, LNP means 1 more database dip.dip. Also, the databases must be maintained.Also, the databases must be maintained.

Who PaysWho Pays

We ultimately pay for local number We ultimately pay for local number portability.portability.

Is it worth it?Is it worth it?

Traffic AnalysisTraffic Analysis

Method for determining the cost Method for determining the cost effectiveness of various sizes and effectiveness of various sizes and configurations of networks.configurations of networks.

Helps us to decide how many telephone Helps us to decide how many telephone trunks we should use to service trunks we should use to service organizations.organizations.

Formulas were used; now, computer Formulas were used; now, computer modeling is almost exclusively used.modeling is almost exclusively used.

Uses of Traffic EngineeringUses of Traffic Engineering

Utilizing the correct number of links at the Utilizing the correct number of links at the best price point.best price point. Cost versus effectivenessCost versus effectiveness

What do you engineer to?What do you engineer to? The busiest hour?The busiest hour? The average amount of traffic?The average amount of traffic? The minimum required that will still retain The minimum required that will still retain

customers?customers? How are our road systems engineered?How are our road systems engineered?

Agner Krarup ErlangAgner Krarup Erlang Danish mathematician and engineer.Danish mathematician and engineer.

1878 – 19291878 – 1929 Worked for the telephone Worked for the telephone

company in Copenhagen from company in Copenhagen from 1908 to 1929.1908 to 1929.

Applied math to calculating Applied math to calculating how many circuits and how many circuits and telephone operators were telephone operators were needed.needed.

His formulas were incredibly His formulas were incredibly good for the time period, and good for the time period, and they were used until very they were used until very recently.recently.

Grade of ServiceGrade of Service

GOS – How many callers will be refused GOS – How many callers will be refused service.service. This could be a busy tone or a redirection to This could be a busy tone or a redirection to

voice mail.voice mail. Telephone companies have designed their Telephone companies have designed their

networks so that the probability that a networks so that the probability that a circuit will be blocked must be between 1 circuit will be blocked must be between 1 and 5 percent.and 5 percent. To get a lower blocking percentage than 1 To get a lower blocking percentage than 1

percent gets exponentially more difficult.percent gets exponentially more difficult.

Traffic AnalysisTraffic Analysis

Erlang’s ideas are used extensively in:Erlang’s ideas are used extensively in: Data networksData networks Voice networksVoice networks Busy hour traffic on interstatesBusy hour traffic on interstates Banking/Supermarket queuing theory.Banking/Supermarket queuing theory. General max/min optimization problemsGeneral max/min optimization problems

Traffic AnalysisTraffic Analysis

The rest is on the boardThe rest is on the board