Sonus Networks announced that VeriSign has successfully demonstrated interoperability testing that will allow wireless, wireline and cable operators the ability to run number portability queries over IP-based networks. Supported by a global Internet infrastructure that helps a growing number of organizations and individuals to communicate and conduct commerce with confidence, VeriSign offers a wide spectrum of solutions for financial services, consumer product and retail companies, healthcare and life sciences, media and entertainment, telecommunications, and the public sector.

    The introduction of number portability regulation by many governments has, in some cases, increased the resources needed by carriers to complete the accurate transfer of calls. The implementation of Local Number Portability (LNP) has created the need for carriers to perform a LNP Query.

    This in turn has resulted in an elevated use of the carrier's SS7 networks, and in some cases necessitates the need to purchase additional SS7 network capacity. Sonus has implemented an IP-based LNP Query mechanism, ENUM-LNP, as an inexpensive alternative to the traditional SS7-based LNP Query. The IP transported LNP Query is served by the VeriSign Number Identity Registry.

    "Minimizing cost continues to be a driving force behind the migration to IP," said Paul Florack, vice president of network and database services, VeriSign Communications Services Division. "Use of the VeriSign Number Identity Registry for real-time location routing number discovery leverages our ENUM infrastructure, and its complete, up-to-date, portability-corrected record of the entire North American Number Plan (NANP)."

    "Historically, number portability queries were taking place on traditional networks, increasing resources required to fulfill the process," stated Vikram Saksena, CTO at Sonus Networks. "By eliminating the need for legacy SS7 Service Control Points and related signaling interfaces, Sonus solutions can reduce operational costs associated with number portability implementations.”

    Sonus' complete Local and Mobile Number Portability solutions, which are currently deployed in North America, Europe and Asia, support a variety of number portability routing methods, including traditional SS7 TCAP/INAP (Transactional Capabilities Application Part/Intelligent Network Application Part), ENUM, or direct hosting of a local number portability routing database.

    Vikram Saksena went on saying that, ”We added this functionality in the most recent release of the Sonus multimedia platform and we are pleased to announce interoperability with VeriSign to enable more carriers to leverage one solution to manage their entire network, both legacy and IP-based."