CTIA: TSI removes operator excuse for WNP and adds wireless roaming

NEW ORLEANS--As the November deadline for compliance with the FCC's number portability mandates approaches, wireless operators can look towards a suite of services launched this week by TSI Telecommunications Services Inc for help in meeting those requirements.

TSI’s INPort wireless number portability solution suite, like many of its products, is available in a service bureau model that manages inter-carrier communication, communication with the number portability administration center (NPAC) and ongoing trouble resolution.

“Given a choice, most people will port [their number]. Carriers may not have wanted it, but if managed right, number portability can provide a good market opportunity,” said Linda Hermansen, vice president of business development and strategy for TSI.

Intercarrier communication historically has been error prone and number portability is no different. TSI also has launched a fallout management service to address the volume of errors generated with porting requests. The service will include the facilities and personnel to manage ongoing issues.

The suite of applications includes pre-port validation, which validates information before sending a request, inter-carrier service order activation and clearinghouse services, wireline-to-wireless number porting, workflow management, fallout management and an LRN (local routing number) query service that provides access to the NPAC database to verify number ownership.

“When carriers want something to go away, they outsource it. And TSI is all ready to help them,” Hermansen said.

TSI also launched a wireless local area network (WLAN) roaming service for operators, wireless hotspots and aggregators. The service includes an authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) broker service, AAA hosting service, data billing support services, clearing and settlement services, and customer care tools. The company also announced a partnership with InterOP Technologies, a wireless messaging provider, that combines TSI’s interoperability expertise with InterOP’s SMS center. Together, the InterOP-TSI gateway will offer basic messaging, over-the-air functionality, inter-carrier messaging, transactional billing and content.