Associated Number

A number which is within the same group of numbers involved with a port.

Available Number

An available number is one where the number is on a network but currently available for someone to purchase.

Audio Conference Service

A white label service involving non-geographic numbers issued by Gamma that function as a dial-in audio conference numbers that channel partners can resell to their end users.

BT Wholesale

(BTW)

The Wholesale division of BT which provides voice and data services to communications providers in Great Britain.

Build

Number Build

This is how the range holder has the numbers setup or requires the number to be presented to them within a port.

Bypass Number

Bypass numbers are associated numbers but tend to be in the background of an Openreach service.

Calling Line Identification

(CLI)

A service which allows transmission of a caller’s telephone number to the called party when making a call.

It is also used interchangeably with telephone number. For example, the CLI for Gamma could be described as ‘03330140000’.

Customer

The subscriber, or a reseller who has a contractual relationship with the subscriber, who may authorise the porting of a number. 

Communications Provider

(CP)

A person who provides an electronic communications network or provides electronic communications services.

Communications Provider Identification Code

(CUPID)

A number which allows a communications provider to identify who currently hosts the service.

Complex Port

A complex port is when numbers on a port are remining or ceasing as part of that port.

Cease

(CSE)

In numbering and porting this is when the number is made spare and restored to the range holder. This is then put in quarantine before being released as an available number by the range holder.

Cancel Own

(COW)

An order from the gaining provider to cancel a port.

Cancel Other

(COT)

An order from the losing provider to cancel a port.

Customer Requested Date

(CRD)

The date and time a port is requested to be ported on.

Change (CHA)

Change Order

A request to change the porting date and time.

Conservation Range

A geographic dialling code or non-geographic prefix with limited or no remaining availability for new ranges to be obtained via Ofcom.

Day of Port

(DOP)

The day in which the number port will take place. Channel partners can trigger a geographic port after submitting a port order provided it is accepted by the losing communications provider OR accepted by the range holder OR in customer delay.

Data Management Amendment

(DMA)

A process in which an Ofcom assigned range can be transferred to another range holder. This is not a port.

Directory Number

(DN)

Also referred to as MBN (this term is generally used by network engineers).

Directory Enquiry

(DQ)

A directory listing for a number held on the BT phone book site.

Direct Dial In

(DDI)

A telecommunication service offered to subscribers who operate a private branch exchange (PBX).

Directory Management System.

(DMS)

A BT system used for the management of BT phone book directory listings.

Dispute of Ownership

Where the ownership of a number or numbers is brought into question. These can be at any level of the porting process. This can also be used to describe the process which is followed both internally and externally to resolve this.

Digital Access Signalling System

(DASS)

A product of Openreach where there can be multiple main billing numbers. All main billing numbers must be on a port order with one of the main billing numbers appearing as the main billing number on the order.

End User 

Subscriber

(EU)

The end user of the number. Subscribers may, through billing or other communication believe that their reseller is a “network” communications provider.

Emergency Restore

(EMR)

A process which allows us to ask for the number to be restored to a previous provider after a port.

Equinox Number

These are numbers that cannot port from Openreach. This is normally due to system limitations as the numbers are built on very old systems that do not support porting.

Featurenet

An Openreach managed product. These came in two forms and was retired in 2020. Gamma can still port numbers that are assigned to a Featurenet product. Remaining numbers are being removed from the platform, however delays may be experienced due to the complexity and volume of Featurenet ports.

Geographic Number Portability

(GNP)

Number ports of geographic numbers, allowing customers to keep their existing telephone numbers when moving to a new supplier – see ‘geographic number’.

Gaining Communications Provider

(GCP)

The communications provider with the network that the number is to be ported to.

Gaining Party

(GP)

The reseller gaining the customer number.

Geographic Number

This is a number which has an area code incorporated. The first 4 or 5 digits denote the physical geographical location in the UK from where the number originated.

For example, 0161 is a Manchester number and 01841 is a Newquay number.

Host CP

Hosted Number

The communication provider who hosts a number range on behalf of another CP who is the designated range holder. 

A range holder may opt to host their number range with another CP (i.e., the host CP) based on a bilateral agreement between the 2 parties concerned. In these circumstances, the host CP would undertake all import/export activities on behalf of the range holder.

IPEX

IPEX Reseller

IPEX Port

An interconnect owned by BT which Gamma can use when there is no porting agreement between gaining and losing communications providers.

Once the number has been ported, BT IPEX sends all the call traffic onward to Gamma. This can also mean an Openreach hosting partner.

Installation Details

The postcode and address for a number typically where network provider records advise this is installed to operate.

IPEX Scenarios

These scenarios are numbered between 1-7 and describe the process an IPEX port must go through.

Most talked about is scenario 7, this is where the number is already using the IPEX service effectively making another provider apart from Openreach the losing provider.

A description of each scenario can be found on page 45 of the Gamma Numbers and Porting User Guide.

Integrated Service Digital Network

(ISDN)

A WLR product where almost all orders are multi-lines in terms of porting.

Losing Communications

Provider

(LCP)

The losing communications provider (LCP) provides the service to the customer as defined by Ofcom.

They only become the LCP when a request is made to move the service from them to another provider.

The LCP and range holder (RH) can be the same company.

Letter of Authority (LOA)

Customer Letter of Authority

(CLOA)

Also known as a CLoA or Customer Letter of Authority.

A letter of authority is the permission required to port a number from one provider to another. The details required on the form depend on whether the port is for a geographic or non-geographic number.

Line Type

The porting line type must be specified as either a single-line or multi-line.

Lead Times

The amount of time to complete a task.

Loss of Service

(LOS)

Used the describe any reduction of normal service. These are normally described at total loss of service or partial loss of service.

Like for Like Migration

The like for like migration of an existing product such as Inbound, Horizon or SIP from one channel partner account to another.

Main Billing Number

(MBN)

The main telephone number on the account, often used as an easy way to identify a customer’s account. It can usually be found on a bill or in any correspondence from the communications provider.

Migration (Product)

The migration of numbers from one Gamma product to another, or from one endpoint or company to another, within the same channel partner account

Migration (Channel Partner)

The migration of numbers from one channel partner to another (may also involve a change in product).

Multi-Line

A multi-line is a group of telephone lines with one telephone number. It usually terminates on a PBX (private branch exchange) or similar, to handle the multiple calls which can be made over the copper pairs.

Mixed Operator Port

(MO)

This is when there are multiple range holders of numbers that are linked together by the losing provider.

Manual Port

Manual ports are when the orders will not fit on our standard port order systems and must be done manually. This is when there are over 9 associated numbers, 6 SNDDI’s, 6 other numbers or 6 DDI ranges.

Non-Geographic Number Portability

(NGNP)

Number ports of non-geographic numbers, allowing customers to keep their existing telephone numbers when moving to a new supplier.

Number Portability

(NP)

Number portability or NP is just an expression to cover if the number is portable or not.

Number

Translation Service

(NTS)

This translates a dialled number to another number. This is normally used with non-geographic numbers. For example, translating an 08, 03 or 09 number to an 01 or 02 number.

Number/Telephone Number

(TN)

A telephone number in the format 030CD EFGHJ, 080CD EFGHJ or 090CD EFGHJ used for non-geographic numbering services.

Number Portability Prefix Code 

(NPPX)

Port Prefix

A 6-digit inter-network prefix allocated by Ofcom to facilitate onward routing of ported numbers from range holder/host to recipient, in the format.

Non-Geographic Number

This is a number which is location agnostic. These are 08 and 03 numbers, freephone numbers and premium rate numbers, for example.

Number Selection

The act of searching for and selecting specific numbers as opposed to obtaining the next available numbers in a given dialling code or prefix.

NGN Direct Routing

The process of routing non-geographic numbers directly to a channel partner’s IPIC endpoint without having to use either NTS or Inbound to point to a geographic number that is in turn provisioned on the endpoint.

Network Provider

(NP)

Network provider is used when describing of who currently has number from a network point of view.

Office of the Telecommunications Adjudicator

(OFFTA)

(OTA2)

Are independent of the regulator and of industry. Also can bring all parties together to find prompt mediated resolutions of industry issues.

Out of Hours

(OOH)

A port that is taking place outside of the usual porting window.

Ofcom

Office of Communications

The government-approved regulatory and competition authority for the broadcasting, telecommunications, and postal industries.

Other Number

A number with the same postcode and account information of another main billing number that is porting on the same order.

Openreach Data Integrity Robot

ORDI Robot

(ORDI)

This is an Openreach system for automatically resolving issues with the data they hold on their systems and resolving conflicts.

If this process fails a bridge case is required where a human at Openreach does the work in resolving the issue.

Open Order

Some providers can only have a single order open on a number at any given time. An open order would stop them from raising a new one for a port, for example. Sometimes the orders are at a network level and other times at a reseller level. Only the owner of the order would be able to close this.

OOH Migration

A migration processed out of hours (OOH)/outside normal business hours.

Porting Order Form

(PO Form)

Number Port Order Form

(NPOR)

Porting order form mostly in a spreadsheet format.

Pre-Order Validation

(POV)

The P.O.V or “Pre Order Validation” process is an industry standard process which is used to minimise the chances of a port order being rejected due to incorrect data being entered onto the order itself and to help with rejected orders.

Private Branch Exchange

(PBX)

A telephone network used within an organisation to route incoming and outgoing calls.

Provide Port

(PRO Port)

A provide (PRO) port order is used when the range holder and losing communications provider are the same company.

Provisional Acceptance

A date and time that an order was provisionally accepted, given that further detailed studies or capacity planning is required. This can be up to 10 working days additional lead time to get a full response.

Port Override Request

(POR)

A process to port a number where the actions of another provider have been found to be blocking a port.

Public Switched Telephone Network

(PSTN)

These are Openreach single-lines however it may be that these are business single-lines and may have to be ported as multi-lines.

Phone Book

(PB)

PB listings are when that listing is in the phone book itself, this is always subject to a charge.

Quarantine

When live numbers are ceased, they are placed in a quarantine status and are not reissued until this time has expired. This is to try and minimise end users from receiving calls intended for the previous owner of the numbers.

Range Holder

(RH) 

The range holder is the party which originally requests the number range from Ofcom.

The range holder will always own those numbers; however, they have an obligation to export (port out) those numbers to another communications provider if the user requests it.

The range holder remains the owner of those numbers even if they are ported out to another communications provider. They are also responsible for routing the calls to the right communications provider’s network.

Return to Range Holder

RRH Port

This is a type of port where the number is now returning to the range holder after being ported out.

Recipient 

The communications provider who receives call traffic from a range holder/host in respect of a ported number.

Reseller

A person, organisation or company that has acquired numbers.

Represent

(RPT)

When an order is rejected by the losing provider the following order is a represent if this is done within the time limit.

Range

A group of consecutive numbers which are not only consecutive but are linked together through a process on the range holder’s side.

Service Definition Code

(SDC)

Service Definition Code. The 0SABC part of the number (e.g. 08456 xxx xxx or 0161 xxx xxxx).

STD Code

Subscriber Trunk Dialling Code, otherwise known as the area code.

Single-Line

Single lines are lines that terminate on a single NTE socket, and do not have any other form of associated numbers.

Subsequent Port

(SUP Port)

A subsequent (SUP) port order is used when the number has already been ported away from the range holder at least once before. So, the range holder and LCP are different companies.

Security Lines

A phone line with fire/intruder alarm services on. This can also refer to markers left by these services.

Service Level Agreement

(SLA)

A commitment between the service provider and client.

Slam/Slamming

When a number is ported without consent.

Spare

Spare Number

If a number is spare it is not in use by any end user.

Service Establishment

(SE)

Porting Agreement

Planning Data Build Information

(PDI)

Where a network is obtaining an agreement with another to move numbers. No porting can take place without this agreement. This sometimes covers all numbers and in others only covers certain ranges or scenarios.

The agreement when completed will result in a PDI record between providers to show which numbers are included in the agreement and the technical aspects of porting them.

Service Review

This is a structured meeting that is held with other network providers we have an agreement to port with. This could be for any service delivery issues for example late responses to orders. This enables us to offer our support by working differently to help the other provider get back on track or to raise grievances.

Tromboning/ Looping

The term used to describe a loop in call routing through a transit or range holder/host network, occupying an ingress and egress circuit for the duration of the call.

Timescales

How long a port will take to complete.

Terminating Alternative Destination

(TAD)

A number that is terminating to an alternative destination. Gamma sometimes use this to route traffic to certain IPIC products.

Trigger

A contact made or made through automation to begin the port process.

TAD Numbers

Terminating alternative destination numbers are virtual 010 numbers used by Gamma to allow for non-geographic numbers to be forwarded directly to channel partner endpoints without the use of a product such as Inbound and an underlying geographic number.

Utilisation Level

The percentage of the numbers being requested that are live or will be live within a certain time period.

Wholesale Line Rental

(WLR)

A number which is under Openreach’s control. This can sometimes be confusing as the reseller is often a network provider as well.

Wholesale Migration

This is where end users are not moving these numbers to another provider, but the reseller is moving all their business to another provider. Some network providers do not allow the porting process to be used for this as this is an end user led process.