New Attendee Orientation June 5, 2006 1 New Attendee Orientation OBF #95.

New Attendee OrientationJune 5, 2006

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New Attendee Orientation

OBF #95


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Orientation Co-ChairOrientation Co-Chair

• John Pautlitz– ATIS Director - Industry Forums, OBF


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AgendaAgenda

• Welcome and Introductions• Overview• OBF Committees• Issue Process


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IntroductionsIntroductions

• Name• Company• First OBF?• Committee You Will Be Attending• Have You Used ATIS/OBF Website?


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Alliance For Telecommunications Alliance For Telecommunications Industry Solutions - ATISIndustry Solutions - ATIS

• Sponsor of industry forums / committees - the OBF is one of 23 ATIS committees

• Addresses exchange access interconnection standards and other technical issues in post-divestiture & competitive (TA96) telecommunications environment

• Conducts open meetings• See the ATIS website for a list of other industry forums

sponsored by ATIS:

http://www.atis.org


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ATIS Mission StatementATIS Mission Statement• The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry

Solutions (ATIS) is a U.S.-based organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach.


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OBF BackgroundOBF Background• The Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) was

established in February 1985 • Based on a need for carriers to discuss

operational ordering, provisioning, billing and presubscription access service issues which had national impact

• Expanded to include Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) issues in 1995


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OBF Mission StatementOBF Mission Statement

• To provide a forum for representatives from the telecommunications industry to identify, discuss and resolve national issues which affect ordering, billing, provisioning, and exchange of information about access service, other connectivity and related matters.– Mission statement has been revised over the

years to accommodate industry needs


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What is OBF About?What is OBF About?• OBF Participants define:

– External exchange of information in a customer/ provider scenario

– Data elements, data characteristics, paper formats, business rules, and in some cases, mechanized specifications

• OBF does not address:– Internal operations of a particular company, whether it be customer

or provider

– Products: pricing, costs and individual company implementation timelines


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OBF ParticipantsOBF Participants• Telecommunications Services Companies

– Customers– Providers

• Consultants• Vendors (e.g., software companies, service bureaus,

consultants)• Participants of other ATIS-sponsored forums• Liaisons from other forums, committees• Other individuals with a direct and material interest in

the OBF process and activities


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OBF MeetingsOBF Meetings• Quarterly face-to-face meetings• Interim Full Committee Meetings, as necessary• Interim Task Force/Sub-Committee Meetings

for a specific purpose• Meeting Agendas posted on ATIS/OBF website:

http://www.atis.org/obf/meetings.asp


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OBF Funding CompaniesOBF Funding Companies• To become an OBF Funding Company, your company

must be an ATIS Member • OBF Funding Companies are critical to the success of

the OBF– Companies may observe one OBF before funding

required

– Funding companies share in OBF costs (administrative, management, legal counsel, website, etc.)

– Funding scale tiered by company revenues


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OBF Primary Company Contacts OBF Primary Company Contacts • Each Funding Company designates a Primary Company

Contact (PCC) who is the single point of contact for your company

– Coordinate company reps across all OBF committees

– Manage company availability to OBF documents and policies

– Work with OBF Leadership in resolving and correcting participant identified concerns

– If you are your company’s only rep, you are the PCC!


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OBF Leadership TeamOBF Leadership Team• OBF Co-Chairs• Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) Co-Chair• Committee Co-Chairs• Task Force and Subcommittee Leaders • ATIS Staff

– OBF Director– OBF Project Manager– OBF LSOP SME– OBF Team Manager– Committee Administrators– Administrative Assistant


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Thirteen OBF CommitteesThirteen OBF CommitteesBilling Committee: Addresses access billing related issues and maintains the Multiple Exchange Carrier Access Billing (MECAB) document, Small Exchange Carrier Access Billing (SECAB) document and the CABS Auxiliary Report Specifications (CARS) document.

EDI Service Order Committee (ESOC): Develops Business Models and ESOC Guidelines for the electronic ordering of telecommunications goods and services via EDI.

EDI Telecommunications Billing (ETB) Committee: Develops telecommunications Business Models and Implementation Guidelines standardized for industry use of: 811-Consolidated Service Invoice/Statement; 820-Payment Order/Remittance Advice; and 864-Text Message.

Interconnection Service Ordering and Provisioning (ISOP) Committee: Responsible for all business processes and documentation management associated with the Access Service Ordering Guidelines (ASOG).


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Thirteen OBF CommitteesThirteen OBF CommitteesInternet Protocol Network-to-Network Interface Committee (IP-NNI) Committee: The Internet Protocol Network-to-Network Interface (IP-NNI) Committee is charged with developing standards and processes related to accounting and settlements between suppliers and partners for use of the packet-based network and associated service elements, as well as analyzing and identifying issues associated with IP-NNI service establishment functions. Related international standards work and regulatory activity in the IP environment will also be addressed. Packet-based services may include VoIP, Wi-Fi Roaming, IPTV and various multimedia services. Liaisons with other internal and external SDOs will be established to facilitate committee work.

Local Service Ordering and Provisioning (LSOP) Committee: Responsible for all business processes and documentation management associated with services associated with the Local Service Ordering Guidelines (LSOG).

Message Processing Committee: Addresses non-access issues relative to message processing and maintains the Exchange Message Interface (EMI) document.


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Thirteen OBF CommitteesThirteen OBF CommitteesStrategic Advisory Group (SAG): Provides a focal point for the development of operational standards for the exchange of ordering, provisioning and billing information between customers and providers.SMS/800 Number Administration Committee (SNAC): Identifies, develops and implements the resolution of issues focused on the support of the 800/Service Management System (SMS/800) and toll free number administration, including Customer to Responsible Organization (Resp ORG) Requirements, Technical and Operational Issues and SMS/800 Help Desk Resp ORG Support Processes. The SNAC maintains the Industry Guidelines for Toll Free Number Administration.

Subscription Committee: Provides a forum for customers and providers to develop common definitions and recommendations for resolution of national subscription issues and maintains the Equal Access Subscription, Customer Account Record Exchange (CARE) document.


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Thirteen OBF CommitteesThirteen OBF CommitteesUnified Ordering Model – Access Service Request (UOM-ASR) Committee: Responsible for developing, evolving and managing the Unified Modeling Approach (UMA) process that defines information models, real-time interface specifications and implementation guidelines associated with ordering and provisioning of Interconnection/Access ServicesUnified Ordering Model – Access Service Request (UOM-ASR) Committee: Responsible for developing, evolving and managing the Unified Modeling Approach (UMA) process that defines information models, electronic interface specifications and implementation guidelines associated with local service ordering and provisioning Wireless Committee: Responsible for identifying, discussing and resolving technical and operational issues related to wireless communication interfaces and associated processes. The Wireless InterCarrier Communication Interface Specification (WICIS) document is managed under the purview of this committee.


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How Do I Identify How Do I Identify

An Industry An Industry

Problem Or Need Problem Or Need

To The OBF?To The OBF?


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OBF Is Driven by Issues OBF Is Driven by Issues Identified by Industry Identified by Industry ParticipantsParticipants


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OBF Issue ProcessOBF Issue Process• Issue Champion

– Identification of Issue

– Development of Issue

• Issue Identification Form• Committee

– Issue Acceptance

– Work Issue

– Develop Resolution

– Closure Process• Initial Closure

• Initial Pending, as required

• Final Closure


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Issue ChampionIssue Champion

• Person who identifies, develops and submits the issue to the OBF committee for consideration


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Issue Champion ResponsibilitiesIssue Champion Responsibilities• Socialize the proposed issue and resolution with other

committee participants • Fills in the Issue Identification Form from the ATIS Operating

Procedures– Provide to Committee Administrator at least 14 days prior to

meeting• Be prepared to

– Present the issue to the committee– Respond to the questions and concerns of committee– Lead the discussion of the Issue in all committee meetings until

resolved• Ensure accuracy of ongoing documentation


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Committee Participant ResponsibilitiesCommittee Participant Responsibilities• Download and review all agenda files• Socialize all issues (including proposed new issues)

with internal company Subject Matter Experts• Contact issue champion for clarification on issues

PRIOR to OBF committee meeting• Be prepared to state your company’s needs and

position• Bring meeting agenda files with you to the meeting • Be prepared to discuss all issues


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Issue Identification FormIssue Identification Form• Issue Title• Committee/Forum• Subcommittee Assigned• Targeted Resolution Date• Issue Statement/Business Need• Suggested Solution:• Related work required for the solution to this issue to be

implementable by the industry • Issue Champion


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Issue Identification FormIssue Identification Form• Issue Title

– Provide a succinct descriptive title for the proposed issue• Committee/Forum

– Enter OBF followed by the Committee name using the following abbreviations:

• Billing - OBF/BLG• EDI Service Order Committee - OBF/ESOC• EDI Telecommunications Billing - OBF/ETB• Internet Protocol Network-to-Network Interface Committee – OBF/IP-NNI• Interconnection Services Ordering and Provisioning - OBF/ISOP• Local Services Ordering and Provisioning - OBF/LSOP• Message Processing - OBF/MPC• SMS/800 Number Administration Committee - OBF/SNAC• Subscription - OBF/SUB• UOM-ASR – OBF/UOM-ASR• UOM-LSR – OBF/UOM-LSR• Wireless - OBF/WIR


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Issue Identification FormIssue Identification Form• Subcommittee Assigned

– Enter any applicable subcommittee• Targeted Resolution Date

– The suggested date for agreement to be reached on the issue resolution

• Issue Statement/Business Need– Define the Issue (problem or need) as it relates specifically to the

customer/provider relationship. Include background, if appropriate. Provide clarification on the "WHAT" that makes this a problem and the "HOW" this impacts the industry. Attach straw proposals and, when applicable, forms, and indicate the consequences if the Issue is not resolved.


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Issue Identification FormIssue Identification Form• Suggested Solution

– Provide any suggestion or proposal that might help resolve the Issue, for example, generic methods or guidelines. Multiple solutions are acceptable. The Suggested Solution is required for issue acceptance but is only a suggestion and may not be consistent with the issue resolution.

• Issue Champion– Provide the name, company, and e-mail address of the

individual(s) submitting the Issue. The Champion should be prepared to present the Issue formally to the committee.


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Issue Identification FormIssue Identification Form• Related work required for the solution to this issue

to be implementable by the industry– Specify any ordering, provisioning, and/or billing

process(es) that are impacted. Indicate any similar issues that have been addressed by the OBF (USE Issue number when possible) or other industry forum, such as the Network Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NIIF). This may include industry groups outside the ATIS umbrella.


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Issue Process NoteIssue Process NoteSome committees may have additional information requirements that would normally be submitted with any proposed new issue - check with the Committee Co-Chairs!


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Issue Acceptance CriteriaIssue Acceptance Criteria• Once an Issue is submitted, the appropriate Forum or

Committee must determine whether to accept the issue based on the following criteria:– The Issue is clearly defined via the ATIS Issue

Identification Form (Appendix D of ATIS Operating Procedures);

– The Issue is within the scope of the Forum or Committee; and

– There is no existing solution or the existing solution can be enhanced to gain efficiencies, i.e., operational, functionality, etc.


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Working the Issue:Working the Issue:• After acceptance, issue is prioritized by committee

and added to agenda• Co-Chairs facilitate issue process• Issue champion leads discussion/ participants

actively contribute to discussion• Participants may provide contributions to help

move issue towards resolution• Issue resolutions are developed by consensus


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What is Consensus?What is Consensus?• The method used by the OBF committees to reach

resolution of issues• Established when substantial agreement has been

reached among interest groups participating in the issue at hand

• Interest groups are those groups materially affected by the outcome of the result


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What is Consensus?What is Consensus?

• Substantial agreement means more than a simple majority, but not necessarily unanimous agreement

• Remember:

A PARTICIPANT’S SILENCE WILL BE PERCEIVED AS CONSENSUS!


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Issue ClosureIssue Closure• A time-sensitive acceptance process for issue resolutions

that ensures “due process”• Initial Closure/Final Closure Time Frames

– Issues automatically move to Final Closure 21 days after Initial Closure notification

– An Issue in Initial Closure may be moved into the Initial Pending category during the 21 days after Initial Closure, if one of the following occurs:

• New and substantive information that directly impacts the resolution is submitted

• Anticipation of the output of another industry group, regulatory body or similar organization.


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Walk-In IssuesWalk-In Issues• Should be the RARE exception

– Not preferred method of issue introduction– Meets issue preparation and introduction criteria with

the following exceptions:• Not submitted to Committee Administrator 14 days prior

to start of meeting• Does not appear on the Committee agenda• Issue champion brings paper copies as required by the

committee (and an electronic version for Committee Administrator)

• Might not be worked in the meeting in which they are accepted


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Process ConcernsProcess Concerns

• You Have The Right To Be Heard• Know How To Escalate to:

– Committee Co-Chairs

– Your PCC

– OBF Co-Chairs


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Meeting EtiquetteMeeting EtiquetteAs Participants:• Prepare for the meeting• Be on time and ready to fully participate• Exhibit professionalism and respect for other participants• Contribute constructive ideas to the discussion• Listen openly to the ideas of others• Consider the issues objectively• Contribute to the orderly conduct of the meeting

– Provide feedback to the Co-Chairs– Carry out agreed upon actions– Actively engage in issue discussion, even when you are in

agreement with the issue– Ask questions


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Process/Resolution InhibitorsProcess/Resolution Inhibitors

• New participant insecurity • Attendees who dominate the meeting• Attendees who do not actively participate• Lack of openness to new ideas• Lack of preparation


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Want To Know More?Want To Know More?• Ask about Committee Mentors• Ask questions• Check out the ATIS web-site• Network during breaks • Visit OBF Support Office• Talk with OBF Leadership


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• Portion of OBF Website http://www.atis.org/obf contains information available to the public: – General information regarding the OBF

– OBF calendar and agendas

– OBF membership information

• OBF Website http://www.atis.org/obf password protected for ATIS members: – OBF Leadership and Administrator contact information

– Correspondence sent by/to the OBF

ATIS/OBF Website – 3 TiersATIS/OBF Website – 3 Tiers


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• OBF Website http://www.atis.org/obf password protected information for ATIS and OBF participants: – Meeting attendee lists

– OBF Documents (working and final)

– Meeting notes and attachments

– OBF Issues and attachments

– Presentations given by OBF Leadership

ATIS/OBF Website – 3 TiersATIS/OBF Website – 3 Tiers


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OBF Side MenuOBF Side Menu


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Upcoming MeetingsUpcoming Meetings

General SessionMeeting

s


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Meeting Calendar/AgendasMeeting Calendar/Agendas

Interim Activities


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Issue IndexIssue Index


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Meeting Notes/AttachmentsMeeting Notes/Attachments

Download by OBF #


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Meeting Notes/AttachmentsMeeting Notes/Attachments

Or Download by

Committee


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OBF DocumentsOBF Documents


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OBF DocumentsOBF DocumentsDocumentDownload

Here


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OBF Exploder ListsOBF Exploder Lists• Notification of OBF activities are sent via

e-mail through the use of “Exploder” distribution lists

• Information on “subscribing” & “unsubscribing” at – http://www.atis.org/obf/_mem/lists.asp

• OBF exploders are limited to ATIS members and OBF participants


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Contact InformationContact InformationOBF Co-Chair

Dave Thurman, Sprint (913) 315-6743 [email protected]

OBF Co-ChairDawn Kaplan, Telcordia(732) 699-4323

[email protected] ATIS OBF Director John Pautlitz

(630) 784-8233 [email protected]

ATIS AttorneyTom Goode(202) 434-8830 [email protected]

ATIS OBF Team ManagerYvonne Reigle(215) [email protected]

ATIS OBF Project ManagerAlissa Medley(202) [email protected]

ATIS Meetings/Events ManagerMadelyn Foxworthy(202) [email protected]

ATIS OBF RegistrationCindy Lee(202) [email protected]


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Why You Are HereWhy You Are Here

• You are the industry experts• You are the best representative to address your

individual company’s business requirements• OBF process works best with broader industry

representation


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QuestionsQuestions

• Open Discussion

New Attendee Orientation June 5, 2006 1 New Attendee Orientation OBF #95.

Documents

Transcript of New Attendee Orientation June 5, 2006 1 New Attendee Orientation OBF #95.