Wholesale: Products & Services

Port Within V25.0

Description

Local Number Portability (LNP) is defined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as "the ability of users of telecommunications services to retain, at the same location, existing telecommunication number(s), without impairment of quality, reliability or convenience when switching from one local telecommunications carrier to another". Detailed information is described in Local Number Portability

This PCAT addresses Port Within activity using LNP. To qualify for Port Within, the TNs involved must currently be served by a CenturyLink™ Wire Center.

There are two types of Port Within services:

• Port Within (Service Type Portability) is the ability to retain the same telephone number(s) when changing from one local service to another, such as from Plain Old Telephone Numbers (POTS) to Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). The service address is not changing and is within the same Rate Center.
• Port Within (Location Portability) is the ability to retain the same telephone number(s) when moving from one service location to another. Port Within examples include:
  • Transfer of service within a Rate Center (i.e. To & From (T&F))
  • Moving Telephone Numbers TN(s) from one switch to another, within the same Central Office. This is often done when moving DID TN(s) from one trunk group to another when established on different switches
  • Conversion to Resale/commercial local exchange services & a move request via a single Local Service Request (LSR)
  • Changing from RSID to ZCID with Port Within to a new address outside the existing switch but within the same Rate Center
  • Conversion or Transfer of service (change, new activity or T&F) on existing accounts with previously ported TNs and Port FIDs
    • If any TNs on the CSR involved in the conversion or T&F have Port FIDs floated behind them.
    • Port FIDs include: EXK, ZEXK, NPA NXX, RTNN or INVU, the information contained in the ZEXK and EXK FIDs will differ if the end-user is served out of a border town.
    • Includes Conversion (Change or new activity) requests from Retail to Resale or CenturyLink commercial local exchange services (e.g. CenturyLink™ Local Services Platform (CLPS™)) Resale to commercial local exchange services, commercial local exchange services to Resale and Resale or commercial local exchange services conversions to different products if out/in activity is created on the previously ported TN and results in a change to another existing account or creates a new separate CSR.
    • Not applicable to record orders

The Port Within process is offered on the following products or services:

• Resale - Centrex 21
• Resale - Centrex Plus and Centron
• Resale - Direct Inward Dialing (DID)
• Resale - Local Exchange Services - Business and Residence Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)
• Resale - Private Branch Exchange (PBX) Trunk Service
• Resale - Public Access Lines (PAL) Service
• CenturyLink™ Local Services Platform (CLSP™)

Availability

To determine LNP availability, refer to Network Disclosure 414.

Terms and Conditions

Service Restrictions

The following service restriction applies:

• Telephone numbers may be ported only within their assigned rate center.

Local number portability (LNP) is confined to Service Provider Portability, either within the area serviced by the same central office or between areas serviced by different central offices within the same rate center.

In addition, the porting of certain TN(s) will not be provided on all porting activity when the following circumstances or services exist:

• Across an NPA boundary
• 555, 960 and 976 NXXs
• 500, 700, 800, 866, 877, 888, 900 and 911 services
• Other N11 codes, e.g., 411, 511 etc.
• CenturyLink Public Coin or Semi-Public Coin
• Numbers used for mass calling events
• Numbers associated with Paging Services

Technical Publications

Technical characteristics, including Network Channel /Network Channel Interface (NC/NCI™) codes, are described in Technical Publication, CenturyLink Common Channel Signaling (CCS) Network Interface Specification, 77342.

Pricing

Rate Structure

Recurring and nonrecurring charges does not apply to Port Within, charges are based on products and services requested.

Rates

Rates section does not apply to the Port Within process.

Tariffs, Regulations and Policies

Refer to Terms and Conditions of this PCAT for Regulations and Policies.

Implementation

Prerequisites

If you are a new CLEC and are ready to do business with CenturyLink, view Getting Started as a Facility-Based CLEC or Getting Started as a Reseller. If you are an existing CLEC wishing to amend your Interconnection Agreement or New Customer Questionnaire, additional information is located in the Interconnection Agreement.

Pre-Ordering

General pre-ordering activities are described in the Pre-Ordering Overview.

Requirements for pre-ordering are described in Local Service Ordering Guidelines (LSOG) Pre-Order.

Ordering

General ordering activities are described in the Ordering Overview. Any exceptions to the LSOG product rules are noted in the individual Ordering Process downloads 1 through 12 see below.

Port Within service requests are submitted using the following Local Service Ordering Guidelines (LSOG) forms, as applicable:

• Local Service Request (LSR)
• End User (EU)
• Directory Listings (DL), if applicable
• Centrex Resale Services (CRS), if applicable
• Resale Services (RS), if applicable
• Port Services (PS), if applicable
• DID Resale (DRS) if applicable

Field entry requirements are described in the LSOG.

Service requests should be placed using EASE LSR.

The Port Within service request must include the following:

LSR

• Desired Due Date (DDD) - Standard intervals for installations are based on product specific guidelines. However, due to the port activity, will require a minimum of no less than three business days
• Desired Frame Due Time (DFDT) -Based on scheduled access obtained from Appointment Scheduler
  • DFDT applies as follows:
    • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM access = Blank DFDT
    • 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM access = 8:00 AM DFDT
    • 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM access = 12:00 PM DFDT

    If the product requested does not require appointment access, DFDT may be anytime between 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM MTN (e.g. DID telephone numbers).

• Remarks - "LNP Port Within to Resale, Resale CTX, commercial local exchange services, DSS or PAL" as appropriate
• Manual IND Field = Y (Yes) - (Port Within requests are handled manually)

RS, CRS, PS and DRS

• List the TN(s) or the ranges of TN(s) to Port Within

RS, CRS and PS

• Number Portability Indicator (NPI) CenturyLink has implemented the use of the NPI field. Where current product and systems allow the use of the NPI code, you must populate an appropriate entry in this field.
  • Port Within = Z

To ensure a successful Port Within, all facilities and/or trunks must be installed and tested prior to the Port Within due date. If facilities and/or trunks are not existing, they must be requested on a separate service request .

Subsequent Service Requests

A subsequent service request is required when requesting Design Services (e.g. Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and Off Premise Extensions (OPX).

Pre-Completion Call Process

CenturyLink offers a Port Within pre-completion call process per your service request. This process provides advanced notice to you when the CenturyLink Technician is dispatched on the order.

Requests must include the following additional entries:

• Customer Contact Name (CCON)
• Can Be Reached Number (CBR)
  • Must be either a local or toll free telephone number
  • The telephone number must be a staffed telephone number or have a call message capability to allow for this information to be transferred efficiently limiting the effort to one attempt

LSR entries include:

• Manual IND = Y
• Remark entry, "Pre-Completion Call CCON Name & CBR"

CenturyLink will place the call notification upon dispatch to the premise.

Port Within Ordering Activities Examples

The following examples describe different types of Port WithIn requesting activities:

Process #1: End-user has existing CenturyLink Retail/Resale POTS Account, end-user moving to new location, conversion to a new Resale provider, move existing TN(s), different Central Office (CO), same Rate Center, new facilities (includes conversion from RSID to ZCID or ZCID to RSID)

Process #2: Existing Centrex Plus/Centron Centrex Plus Accounts, T&F DD Same Day, New Facilities at T Location

Process #3: Existing Resale POTS/CTX 21, POTS/CTX 21 Account, No Service Provider Change, Two Current Locations, Original Location with Account History to be disconnected and TN(s) moved to Newest Account Location where new TN(s) exist that will be Disconnected

Process #4: Existing Resale POTS/CTX 21, POTS/CTX 21 Account, T&F Dual Service Requested, Number Change at T Location Upon Completion of F Order. (Note: Actual physical Dual Service is not an option when requesting a Port Within)

Process #5: Existing Resale POTS/CTX 21, Resale Account, T&F DD Same Day, New Facilities at T Location

Process #6: Centrex Plus/Centron Centrex Plus Accounts, T&F DD Same Day, New Facilities at T Location, Changing to a different Product/Class of Service:

Process #7: End-user has Existing CenturyLink Retail/Resale/POTS Acct, Conversion to a different Resale Provider (POTS, CTX 21 Service) end-user Moving to New Location already served by the new Resale Provider, Move existing TN(s) with TN change at T Location, Different C.O., Same Rate Center, Reuse Facilities. (Includes conversion from RSID to ZCID or ZCID to RSID)

Process #8: End-user has Existing CenturyLink Retail/Resale/POTS Acct, Conversion to a new Resale Provider (POTS, CTX 21 Service) end-user Moving to New Location already served by the new Resale Provider, Move existing TN(s), add as additional lines, Different C.O., Same Rate Center, new Facilities. (Inclu des conversion from RSID to ZCID or ZCID to RSID)

Process #9: Existing Resale POTS/CTX 21, Account (Includes DID TN(s)), T&F DD Same Day, Service moving from one switch to another within the same Central office, End-User address remains the same

The CenturyLink DSS must be established prior to porting in the DID TN(s). On new requests, CenturyLink will order the trunks with a DID test number belonging to CenturyLink. This will enable CenturyLink to test the trunks before the end-users TN(s) are ported within. The DSS DS1and trunk orders must follow established service order intervals. In addition, the order porting within the DID TN(s) must be due at least one business day after the trunk order. The Resale/commercial local exchange services Provider determines the DD for the Port Within Request. DSS orders are processed through EASE. For resale DSS orders please contact Customer Service.

Process #10: End-user has existing CenturyLink Retail/Resale/UNE-P DSS service, end-user moving to new Location, Conversion to New Resale/commercial local exchange services Provider, move existing DID TN(s), Different CO, Same Rate Center, New facilities

Process #11: Existing Resale DSS Account, no Provider changes, end-user wants existing DID TN(s) moved to New Location, Different C.O, Same Rate Center, New facilities

Process #12: Existing Resale DSS Account, no Provider changes, two current Locations, Original Location to be disconnected and TN(s) moved to Different Location, TN(s) may be added as additional TN(s), or to replace existing TN(s), Different CO, Same Rate Center:

Provisioning and Installation

General provisioning and installation activities are described in the Provisioning and Installation Overview.

Maintenance and Repair

General maintenance and repair activities are described in the Maintenance and Repair Overview.

Billing

Billing section does not apply to Port Within Services.

Training

Local CenturyLink 101: "Doing Business With CenturyLink"

• This introductory web-based training course is designed to teach the Local CLEC and Local Reseller how to do business with CenturyLink. It will provide a general overview of products and services, CenturyLink billing and support systems, processes for submitting service requests, reports, and web resource access information. Click here to learn more about this Training.

Contacts

CenturyLink contact information is located in Wholesale Customer Contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the purpose of the DFDT?
DFDT is needed to submit the subscription to the NPAC for automated port completion as well as the automated necessary switch programming work.

2. Is there ever a situation where a CLEC would have to request a Port Within?
Yes, there are situations in which the CLEC must request a Port Within. A "Port Within" occurs when a TN is currently working in a CenturyLink Wire Center, provisioned through traditional installation or through a previous port process and is then moved within the CenturyLink network to a different Wire Center, within the same Rate Center. The pre-order address validation function in EASE can be used to validate the customer's address and WC (Wire Center) The CLEC should then validate the NPA NXX of the TN through their own access to the LERG to determine the WC and Rate Center. If the WC native to the customer's address is different than the WC native to the NPA NXX, and both WC's are in the same Rate Center, then a port within should be requested.

3. If a number has previously ported within the rate center and is moving again within the same rate center do I have to request a Port Within?
Yes, a port within would have to be request because the number had ported within the same rate center.

4. How do I recognize from viewing the CSR whether or not a TN has been previously ported.
Port FIDs, EXK NPA XXX, RTNN or INVU will be present on the CSR floated behind the TN. The Port Within process is needed on Conversion (Change or new activity) requests from Retail to Resale or commercial local exchange services, Resale to commercial local exchange services, commercial local exchange services to Resale and Resale or commercial local exchange services conversions to different products if out/in activity is created on the previously ported TN and results in a change to another existing account or creates a new separate CSR. Record orders are excluded from this process.

5. If a customer is moving within the same Rate Center and CO (Central Office), are there cases when they cannot take the number with them, because they are now served from a different switch within the same CO?
If the same WC serves the customer's current address and new address, a port within does not need to be requested. When multiple switches reside in the same WC, CenturyLink will provision service and maintain the TN without the use of location portability. Should location portability be needed, due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a held order situation, you would be notified through the existing jeopardy notification process.

6. How does switch capacity effect porting within a CenturyLink switch?
If a switch has reached capacity, CenturyLink's process is to review the network for possible solutions. The provisioning process would port into whatever switch was available to serve the address, with no effect on the end-user's TN. Should an out of capacity situation occur in which there was no relief, the order would go held and you would be notified through the jeopardy notification process.

7. When Porting In/Within DID numbers, can I request a change to the trunks, account number and/or STN on the same LSR and due the same day?  
No. A change to the trunks, account number and/or STN would be considered a Design Service, which must be requested on a subsequent service request with standard intervals applying.  See Subsequent Service Request section above.

Last Update: September 5, 2023

Last Reviewed: March 29, 2024

CenturyLink™ Local Services Platform (CLSP™) is a of CenturyLink™