OTA2 Update for November 2009

At the end of November, the number of unbundled lines stands at 6.26 million. There are 6.13 million WLR lines and the number of telephone numbers using CPS is 3.80 million.

Product Development Roadmap

Openreach have now implemented the new Product Development & Launch process along with the associated Change Control Process which has been agreed with Industry. The process is working well and the recently launched on-line SOR (Statement of Requirement) Management Tool will help to underpin the whole end to end process. This tool allows all CPs to register their SOR’s such that its progress through the various formative stages of the development process can be closely tracked by all interested parties.

Openreach have almost completed the significant task of mapping all ‘legacy’ SORs (circa 400) onto the new tool and once this is done Industry will have a ‘complete’ view of all SORs in-flight.

A Code of Practice is being developed to ensure the ‘rules of the game’ (e.g. SOR sharing, Industry collaboration, etc) are clearly understood by all parties and that the full potential of the tool can be realised.

One of the headline roadmap deliverables involves improvement of the EMP Consumption model to enable CPs to adopt new functionality more efficiently and cost-effectively. Following further reviews by Openreach on risk and implementation of the new EMP Consumption model proposal, Openreach are preparing a final proposal for CPs to review and ultimately commit to. The timescale for this is likely to be up to 3 months to allow CPs to complete their own business cases and secure the necessary internal approvals. Again this proposal is wholly dependent upon all parties making the proposed changes.

New Challenges

As reported last month, we have been asked to undertake several important tasks relating to the Migration of customers from one CP supplier to another. This subject is currently stimulating much discussion and Ofcom are, in parallel, considering the characteristics of any future new policy. The work that we are undertaking is however limited to process improvements to current policies. The above can be summarised as follows:

Background

A number of activities are currently in progress to address issues associated with consumer processes for migrations and homemoves:-

1. Strategic Process Review - Ofcom have been leading a Strategic review of consumer migrations processes.
2. Current Processes Review – OTA2 have agreed (following requests from OTA2 Exec members and Ofcom) to lead a process review of the two existing migration processes (MAC and AOT) to determine how both could be improved in both the short and medium term in a way that addresses any perceived weaknesses. For the purpose of clarity, OTA2 will not seek to amend the principles of either existing process, nor will we propose any changes to migrations policy.
3. Erroneous Transfers Investigation- OTA2 and Openreach have been asked by Ofcom to lead an industry-wide investigation into the underlying causes behind erroneous transfers and to develop/implement the necessary short and medium actions needed to resolve them.
4. Restoration Process – OTA2 and Openreach have also been asked to develop/implement an effective recovery process when an erroneous transfer occurs.(Short term action)

OTA2 have initiated an industry-wide workstream to address item 2 above (Current Processes Review). This project is progressing well and on track.

By the end of January 2010 we hope to publish to the stakeholders a report which describes:-

1. a shared view of the respective weaknesses of the existing AOT and MAC-based migration processes and their relative impacts for both consumers and SP/CPs.
   This report should include supporting data as much as possible to underpin the results.
   
2. an improvement plan for each of the 2 processes which seeks to address their respective weaknesses

Items 3 and 4 above have a separate but very focused investigation. The volume of related consumer complaints are already significant. OTA2 are working closely with Openreach and will be engaging with CPs as necessary over the next few weeks. This project is progressing well and on track to deliver a report (findings & improvement plans) by early Jan 2010.

Minimum Security Standard

The NICC Minimum Security Standard (ND1643) has been published and can be downloaded via the following link; http://www.niccstandards.org.uk/publications/llu_spec.cfm .

NGNuk are also working to develop a certification scheme in association with UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) to support the standard.

The Code of Practice (CoP), committing CPs to the full implementation of the Minimum Security Standard (ND1643) has now been signed by 10 major CPs/LLUOs. The task of OTA2 is now to work with those CPs that have signed the CoP, to monitor and report on progress towards implementation. The previously agreed task for the OTA2 of widening the scope of signatories to the CoP also remains a priority.

Displaced Mobile Emergency Calls

As previously reported the service is operational on four of the five networks. There have been some minor operational and process issues with the Emergency services which have been addressed and additional documentation issued.

We are working with the Fifth network to look at implementation and will report any progress through this update.

Connectivity Services (Ethernet)

At the October OTA2 Executive meeting we undertook a session aimed at raising the profile of issues which have been raised by the Ethernet Business CPs. The approach was to break the issues into key areas:

• EAD (Ethernet Access Direct)
  
• BCMR (Business Connectivity Market Review)
  
• Ethernet Aggregation Phase 1
  
• Ethernet Aggregation Phase 2
  
• EAD Flex – FttP

We will continue to work with industry, Openreach and Ofcom to address the areas of concern and to develop action plans to remove any barriers to CPs consuming Openreach Ethernet Product and report progress through the monthly update.

Connectivity Services Process Group (CSPG)

This forum provides an excellent opportunity for CPs to collaborate directly with Openreach process design experts in validating the solutions proposed for new functionality in upcoming products, before they progress to the development stage. Additionally, for new requirements, these groups will develop the initial ‘User Journey Stories’ which Openreach designers need before they can progress their solution designs.

Areas of activity

• Aggregation Phases 1&2
• 56 Points of Aggregation
• Fibre Mapping

WLR & LLU Commercial Groups

Following a review led by the OTA2, a proposal has been made to the OTA2 Executive to combine these two commercial and process groups. This recognises the maturity of both the LLU and WLR products, resources required from CPs to attend a number of working groups across WLR and LLU, and the relationship to the existing combined product Service Forum and Migration Planning board. The plan is to introduce this method of working from the start of 2010 using a structured agenda that separately covers WLR/CPS, LLU and combined areas.

Work is now is progress to prepare for the launch of the new combined groups.

Service Levels

Our KPI charts show current performance levels.

Plan & Build – A serious backlog of PoP-site survey & build orders has arisen and is now seriously impacting ‘RFT-Right first time’ and ‘MTTP-mean time to provide’ performance

• Openreach believe that the principle reason for this is poor forecasting coupled with a significant uplift in volumes leading to a lack of resource being available to complete the programmes on time.
  
• Remedial actions have been set in train within Openreach to correct the situation from both a resource planning and forecast accuracy point of view, although recent severe weather throughout the UK may impact resource availability
  
• It is most disappointing to see this important aspect of OR’s operational performance deteriorate so quickly after a sustained period of good performance
  
• LLU-SMPF - Provide (L2C – Lead to Cash) – Performance of late has been well below agreed staircase target. Openreach have explained that fresh actions are in hand to correct this situation by November, whilst acknowledging that year to date results have remained broadly flat against a rising target.

OTA2 will continue to focus on:

• 18 month Development Roadmap - implementation & change control
  
• EMP consumption issues
  
• Documentation issues
  
• Data Integrity issues
  
• WLR/LLU Process development
  
• Connectivity Services – Product Issues
  
• Connectivity Services Process Development
  
• Current migrations processes-Critical Review
  
• Erroneous Fixed Line Provisioning activity
  
• Service levels (LLU/WLR/Ethernet)
  
• Migrations Process developent for NGA to/from Copper
  
• Minimum Security Standards
  
• Displaced Mobile Emergency Calls