Stratus Computer Inc. and IEX Corp. have developed a joint solution for local number portability that features IEX’s Nexus Service Control Point software running on Stratus’ Continuum fault-tolerant software.
The company’s LNP solution will allow local telephone wireless and wireline customers to retain their existing phone numbers when switching to alternate service providers.
To encourage local service competition, the Federal Communications Commission has mandated that local exchange carriers serving the country’s 100 largest metropolitan areas implement LNP by year-end 1998. Wireless service providers must follow by July 1, 1999.
The LNP solution from IEX and Stratus involves an IEX service control point that provides the necessary functions to add, delete, modify and query data received from local service management systems at the seven soon-to-be-deployed number portability administration centers.
IEX’s Nexus SCP application provides the network element foundation for a comprehensive, tightly integrated, end-to-end LNP solution. The application interoperates with LNP service management software, which performs essential functions such as communicating with the regional NPAC for a carrier’s order and service mediation requirements, and providing the IEX Nexus SCP with LNP information on ported numbers.
IEX Vice President David Laizerovich said the Stratus system’s high performance, continuous availability and wide scalability make the hardware ideal for the Nexus SCP and LNP applications.
“An LNP platform has to support significant volumes of database queries and rapid response time,” Laizerovich added. “The platform has to be extremely reliable, with no unplanned downtime.”
The two companies’ joint SCP-based approach gives customers advantages beyond compliance with the FCC mandate, said Stratus Vice President Jim Williams. “Customers can leverage the SCP investment to build revenue-generating advanced intelligent network applications on the same platform they use for LNP.”
IEX, based in Richardson, Texas, develops products for telecommunications carriers, private networks and call centers.
Marlboro, Mass.-based Stratus Computer is a provider of comprehensive solutions for critical online environments, offering a broad range of continuously available computer platforms, application software and professional services.
