New Telecom & Multi-media numbering plan.

Author: Abraham Paul.                                                                                          21 Feb 2009

Running the intricate Telecom business in a challenging market is entirely a different ball game compared to setting up and running Technology systems and Network. Segregation of these into two separate entities and then co-exist and inter-work without boundaries will do good to the industry.  

The underlying idea is that the Network Operators do only set up and operate common systems and networks and provide all technology related needs to various Telecom Service Providers who are licensed to sell these services to end users across the nation. 

The proposed numbering plan has the Service Provider identity instead of the geographical area code or the network operator code. The end users will belong to the Service Provider and not to the Network Operator in whose network the subscriber happens to be at that point of time.  

Customer belong to a Service Provider, need to have freedom to choose and use any network and any carrier for inter-network for availing service. 

Optimal Routing is envisaged to optimize direct routing of calls to the destination network. 

Proposed is a Service Provider based International Multi-media communication Numbering plan. 

Format of the proposed International Multi-media Subscriber Number (Sn):-

Sn = + Cc Sp Ts Cn (15 digits and according E164/E165)   

Scope of numbering plan: 100 million end user numbers per Service Provider, for each service type.

Components of the numbering plan.

+               Inter-National Access code: (translated to local needs of the country of origin.) 

Cc             Country Code                        ( 91 means India)                                    

Sp             Service Provider identity         20 to 99 

Ts             Type of Service                       1 to 9  

                      (1 = Voice, 2 = FAX, 3 = Data, 4 = Video, 5 to 9 = reserved for other services)

Cn             Customer Number                PQ MCDU ( 6 to 8 digits.) 

Example:  International number: (Voice Call) Sn =  + Cc Sp Ts Cn   =  + 91 21 1 87654321

For National access (Voice call)  Sn =  Sp Ts Cn  =  21 1  87654321

In due course, a distinctive International Service provider code can combine the Country code. Example: Sn = + Sp Ts Cn, where Sp can be a 4 to 6 digits International service provider code.  

Carrier Selection:    End user will need the capability to choose preferred carrier for  service.  

A distinct code  Pc proposed for Preferred Carrier Selection.  

This code will not be part of the numbering scheme.

Pc, a two digit or three digit predefined code made available to the caller to inform the system to route call according to his choice.  Pc is keyed in by the calling party during the call set up when asked for it by the switching system during the progress of call, using interactive intelligent networking. The system translate the code to the a routing code to route the call accordingly.   

Feasibility if of Proposed  numbering plan in GSM scenario:

The proposed numbering plan can be implemented straightaway in the GSM Networks. The call originated from anywhere and reach the GSM Gateway will  communicate with the Service Provider’s Home Location Register (HLR) which provide the Visited Location register (VLR) address for routing the call by optimal routing to the network/terminating exchange where the customer is roaming at that time. This numbering plan can take care of 100 mio. subscribers for each service type under one Service Provider.  

The Call Data records related to the call and usage of various network and systems are transmitted to the common billing system for accounting and appropriation of revenue share.

Implementation of the proposed numbering plan in Fixed line networks.

To realize implementation of the proposed numbering plan in wired networks, it is necessary to introduce Roaming feature and facilities in Fixed network also.

Roaming  feature is required in Fixed Networks.   

With the need of high bit rate transactions, the discrimination between Wired and Wireless networks will  have to vanish to a great extent. This is because the higher the bit rate, the cell area become smaller and smaller. Therefore, the wireless portion in the network will become less and less making the network outlay more or similar in case of WCDMA and Fixed Network where the wirelss portion will be limited to a small end link. 

The above fact change the entire outlook of discriminating wired and wireless services. Wireless services provide full mobility mobility at the cost of limitation in data speed.  Wired networks provide limited mobility, with higher bit rate handling with many more features and better quality.

Therefore, it would be possible to have a uniform plan for both wireless and Wired networks by introducing Roaming feature in fixed network also. The fixed network operators can provide roaming feature in the fixed networks by using Network switching systems with VLR in it which can look into common HLR where the subscriber data reside, to get information about the customer and his current location.

The end user terminals: Discrimination between Fixed line phones and Mobile phones also will vanish as fixed phones also would need SIM and related features needed for logging into the network as in the case of GSM phones.     

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Author: Abraham Paul,  MD FCOMNET   (Ex-VP Technical Sales Siemens SPCNL, India)