Consult21 Working Group Updates

Systems & Processes Working Group

A Systems Architecture Event was held on 26 July 2006 with presenters from across the BT Group and also from CPs. It detailed proposed systems changes for BT’s 21st Century Network and those required for BT to fulfill it’s undertakings for the TSR and was well received by the 80 attendees.

Graham Crane, the BT Co-Chair, has been elected as Chairman of the resurrected NICC Business to Business (B2B) Group which will seek to turn CP requirements into standards. NICC is keen to have more volunteers to assist in this work.

The second Issue of Systems Roadmap was released for consultation on 31 July, and was one of the subjects for discussion at the Working Group held on 8 September.

If you would like more information on this working group and its activities please contact tim.short@bt.com

Network Hooks & Common Capabilities Working Group

On 27 July, Antony Millington of Cable & Wireless and Tim Short presented to the NGNuk Executive with the Working Group's recommendations of how NGNuk may take the lead in future work regarding this work area. The proposals for generic Network Intelligence areas to be progressed through NGNuk were accepted, and accordingly, the Working Group is now disbanded.

A replacement forum has been established by BT Wholesale Product Strategy in order to provide customers with Common Capability and product updates, particularly roadmaps to stimulate bi-lateral discussions between BT and CPs in developing new products based on BT’s 21st Century Network, the first of these was held on 22 September.

Read further information on the Network Hooks & Common Capabilities Working Group in the article below.

If you would like more information on this area, please contact tim.short@bt.com

Network Structure Working Group

The group is developing a Network Information Publication that will eventually provide comprehensive information about BT’s 21CN. This publication will provide all the technical information needed to interconnect with BT.

It also investigates and recommends approaches to technical issues at the request of other working groups. For example, at present it is seeking to ensure coherence across the technical information associated with the product contractual documents.

For further information, please contact chris.evans@bt.com

Broadband Working Group

BT’s plans for broadband, which have been shared in the working group, provoked strong reactions from some industry players. Consultation input windows for CPs have now closed on broadband consultation documents covering LLU, Datastream, Wholesale Broadband Connect (wBBC) and IPstream. A further window on wBBC to include commercial principles will open in early October with CP input required by the end of October.”

The next scheduled meeting of the working group is the 9 October.

If you would like more information on this working group, please contact tom.saville@bt.com

Point-to-Point Working Group

There have been five WES product consultations . In addition to this product area, the Working Group has also been discussing sub-2M product roadmaps and the Multi Service Interconnect Link (MSIL), which is an essential component to enabling several 21CN services including the NGN interconnect (PSTN Emulation) and the Wholesale Broadband Connect (wBBC) product (which are discussed under the Interconnect and Portfolio and Broadband working groups repectively).

If you would like more information on this working group, please contact tom.saville@bt.com

Line Access Working Group

The Line Access Working Group is the parent group for progressing the Voice Line Access product, which will allow Call Providers to connect their Call Servers to BT’s MSANs to deliver voice services over 21CN. The consultation on this elicited a low level of response, which is surprising bearing in mind the potential innovation that an CP may be able to derive from it. Although design work is now underway, any observations on the proposed product deliverables are still welcome. A sub group is meeting three times in September and October to progress requirements.

The next scheduled meeting of the working group is the 30 October.

If you would like more information on this working group, please contact tom.saville@bt.com

Interconnect & Portfolio Working Group

Although the VIC product has now been launched, the Interconnect and Portfolio Working Group still has some time critical work to progress relating to the commercial framework for a 21CN replacement of the current PSTN interconnect product, known as ‘PSTN Emulation’. This product has two potential commercial models and industry have so far been unable to agree which one to choose. This will be subject to one final meeting on the 4 October.

The group welcomes Jim Moulder from Global Crossing as the new industry Co-Chair.

For further information, please contact chris.evans@bt.com

Conformance Testing Working Group

The Conformance Testing Working Group (CTWG) is the newest Working Group, and a lot has been achieved in a relatively short time, with the core test consultation closing and the final “Test Plan” now published. This information is available through a new “21CN Core test result database” which also provides visibility to CPs of the latest testing progress. Briefing C21-CT-014 (found on the Consult21 website, under the Conformance Testing briefings section) outlines the Access Procedure and User Manual.

NB. To apply for access to the testing database please visit www.btwholesale.com/consult21 click onto ‘conformance testing link’ and then the ‘21CN testing database’ link.

Work continues on defining the Service Interoperability Plan, publishing the Test Result policy & Review Process, providing details on the CP test facility, Transfer engineering, Testing and Trials, and incorporating voice quality testing into the Test execution framework.

A CPE sub-group has been formed to define the scope of equipment and the tests required to document any potential impacts on end users well in advance of migration.

If you would like more information on this working group, please contact liz.e.walsh@bt.com

Implementation & Migration Working Group

A number of sub-working groups have been put in place under the auspices of the Implementation & Migration Working Group. These sub-groups will "deep dive" into the issues and risks across a number of activities, working at a detailed level and reporting back via the main I&MWG. The activities are:

• Migration Methodology

• Business Continuity

• Emergency & Critical Services

• Migration Command & Control.

Additionally there are a number of different areas of focus within the Transfer Engineering arena:

• Migration End User Customer Experience, looks at migration in a non-technical way and explains activity from the end customers perspective

• The Migration Command & Control will define the content, timing and interface for the information flow during 21CN migration

• Emergency & Critical Services will ensure that processes are in place to monitor calls when critical numbers are dialled or in use during migration.

Pathfinder Experts have been responsible for drawing together a common approach and timetable. Three documents have been issued to CPs to explain the Pathfinder Definition, the Review Process and the Entry & Exit Criteria.

As the timeline moves towards Pathfinder close working relationships are in place and alignment between the I&MWG, the Communications Working Group and the Conformance Testing Working Group.

New I&MWG Co-Chairs are in place, with Dave D'Arcy taking over from Mike Cook on behalf of BT and David Backhouse, ntl:Telewest, replacing Chris Danzelman, C&W, as Industry Co-Chair.

If you would like more information on this work area, please contact liz.e.walsh@bt.com

End User Migration Communications Working Group

This group continues to manage the activities associated with ensuring a timely and consistent messge set is readied and used for end user communications. The group has one main sub group, to manage the third party supplier.

Please see elsewhere in this bulletin for a further commmunications update article.

You can read further information on this Working Group’s activity in the 21CN Migration Communications above.

If you would like more information on this work area, please contact andy.rudman@bt.com