1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and systems using local number portability (LNP) databases and, more particularly, to a method and system for forecasting telephony traffic trends using LNP databases.
2. Background Art
Local number portability (LNP) allows wireless and landline telephone customers to keep their telephone numbers when they change residences and/or service providers. A LNP database stores a list of telephone numbers that have been switched or ported from one service provider to another service provider. For each ported telephone number, the LNP database also stores an associated location routing number (LRN). The networks of the service providers use the LRN to route a telephone call from a point of origination (such as from a telephone associated with the ported telephone number or from another party's telephone) to a point of destination (such as to the other one of the telephone associated with the ported telephone number or to the other party's telephone) over the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Porting telephone numbers between service providers causes changes in the way that the networks of the service providers handle telephone calls associated with the ported telephone numbers. Generally, the network of a service provider handles more telephone calls if there is a net influx of ported telephone numbers to the service provider. As such, the service provider should ensure that its network has enough capacity and is properly connected to the networks of other service providers in order to handle the additional telephone traffic. Likewise, the network of a service provider handles less telephone calls if there is a net outflow of ported telephone numbers from the service provider. As such, this service provider should consider changing its network and reconfiguring how its network is connected to the networks of other service providers in view of the reduced amount of telephone traffic.
The networks of the other service providers not directly involved in the porting of telephone numbers between two service providers may also handle telephone calls associated with the ported telephone numbers differently after these telephone numbers have been ported between the two directly involved service providers. As such, these other service providers should consider changing their networks and reconfiguring how their networks connect with the networks of other service providers in view of the differently routed telephone traffic.
Presently, network engineers monitor service provider networks using broad measures such as minutes of use on trunk groups, blocking on trunk groups, and point-to-point telephone traffic flows through the networks. These metrics are compiled over long periods of time (for instance, several months) and therefore are indicative of what has previously happened in the networks. As such, these are lagging indicators of telephone traffic trends.
Thus, there exists a need for using LNP database images or snapshots obtained at periodic times to track ported telephone numbers between service providers and then use this data along with topology and interconnection data regarding the networks of the service providers in order to predict future telephone traffic on the service provider networks.