RFC - 3482

Number Portability in the Global Switched Telephone Network (GSTN): An Overview

Original:	ftp://ftp.isi.edu/in-notes/rfc3482.txt
Authors:	M. Foster [NeuStar, Inc.], T. McGarry [NeuStar, Inc.], J. Yu [NeuStar, Inc.]
Date:	February 2003
Category:	Informational

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Referred by:	3 RFC
Refers to:	4 RFC

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Status

This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2003). All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

This document provides an overview of E.164 telephone number portability (NP) in the Global Switched Telephone Network (GSTN). NP is a regulatory imperative seeking to liberalize local telephony service competition, by enabling end-users to retain telephone numbers while changing service providers. NP changes the fundamental nature of a dialed E.164 number from a hierarchical physical routing address to a virtual address, thereby requiring the transparent translation of the later to the former. In addition, there are various regulatory constraints that establish relevant parameters for NP implementation, most of which are not network technology specific. Consequently, the implementation of NP behavior consistent with applicable regulatory constraints, as well as the need for interoperation with the existing GSTN NP implementations, are relevant topics for numerous areas of IP telephony works-in-progress with the IETF.

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