Illuminet, Cellular One Prove Critical Number Portability Data Access in Production Environment.Business Editors, High-Tech Writers OLYMPIA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2000 --Wireless carrier launches queries to Illuminet database, enables call delivery directly to ported numbers-- Illuminet(SM)(Nasdaq:ILUM), the largest unaffiliated provider of SS7 network services in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , today announced that Cellular One of Hattiesburg, MS, is the first wireless carrier to launch queries to its Number Portability See NP. (NP) database in a production environment. Illuminet NP Data Access service enables Cellular One and potentially other wireless carriers to avoid the costly process of delivering calls to ported numbers via default routing to Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers ILEC, short for incumbent local exchange carrier, is a local telephone company in the United States that was in existence at the time of the break up of AT&T into the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) also known as the "Baby Bells". (ILECs) or Regional Bell Operating Companies The Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC) are the result of the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust suit against American Telephone & Telegraph. History (RBOCs). "This is a positive development for our business," said Rick Jorgensen, President of Cellular XL Associates, LP, which owns and operates the local Cellular One affiliate. "Even though wireless carriers are not required to port numbers for some time, we are now receiving bills from the RBOCs for default routing when we deliver calls to ported wireline numbers. Illuminet provided a turnkey solution for Cellular One in a very short timeframe that will allow us to move forward with a cost-effective alternative." Prior to introduction of Illuminet Wireless NP services, wireless carriers' only other independent service option was to undertake significant capital and operational expense to deploy and manage an NP system on site. Illuminet was the first provider to develop an NP service bureau solution and port numbers for wireline carriers, and the company announced earlier this fall that it had successfully routed and replied to NP queries from Chicago-based wireless carrier U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM) is a super-regional cellular telephone provider, serving 5.8 million customers in 189 markets in 26 U.S. states. The company was created in 1983 as a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. Since April 2000, John E. in a test environment. This test represented a significant milestone, because it came more than two years prior to the FCC (1) (Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC, www.fcc.gov) The U.S. government agency that regulates interstate and international communications including wire, cable, radio, TV and satellite. The FCC was created under the U.S. mandate for wireless carriers to begin porting numbers in November 2002. "Now we have Cellular One operational in a live production environment," said Rebecca Stillings, Illuminet Senior Product Manager for Number Portability. "It is doubly exciting because it demonstrates the ability of Cellular One to access these particular NP services through Illuminet's interconnection with NACN NaCN Sodium Cyanide NACN North American Cellular Network (North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. Cellular Network)." Cellular One had the necessary hardware and software installed in its Nortel DMS-MTX switch. Tests of NPREQ (Number Portability Request) software with Illuminet went smoothly, and within weeks, Illuminet was ready to receive and reply accurately to "live" queries routed from Cellular One's switch to NACN and on to Illuminet's database. "Our experience proves the point that with Illuminet, it doesn't matter where the end-office wireless switch is connected," Cellular XL's Jorgensen said. "Wireless carriers with switches similar to ours who are connected directly to NACN, as we are, may be able to take advantage of Illuminet's NP services very easily because no additional A links are necessary." Currently, wireless carriers have responsibility under recent FCC rulings as N-1 carriers (the last carrier to handle a call before local termination to a ported number) to be able to get call routing information. Illuminet solution follows industry specifications that a wireless carrier is capable of launching either NPREQ, Intelligent Network (IN) or Advanced IN query messages to a database containing the Location Routing Number information. In addition to the Data Access service used by Cellular One for call routing to ported numbers, Illuminet also offers Service Order Administration (SOA (1) (Start Of Authority) The first record in a DNS zone file. See DNS records. (2) (Service Oriented Architecture) The modularization of business functions for greater flexibility and reusability. ) -- required for deploying number portability. Wireless carriers will not require these services until they actually begin porting numbers. Carriers interested in obtaining more information on any of Illuminet's Number Portability services may contact Rebecca Stillings in the company's Olympia offices at 360/493-6000 or visit their Web site at www.illuminet.com. Based in Hattiesburg, MS, Cellular XL Associates is one of the few remaining independent cellular operators, and is privately held. It operates using the Cellular One brand and is a leading provider of cellular and wireless telephone service, including digital PCS (1) (Personal Communications Services) Refers to wireless services that emerged after the U.S. government auctioned commercial licenses in 1994 and 1995. This radio spectrum in the 1. services, in a 12-county area centered in Forrest and Lamar Counties Lamar County is the name of several counties in the United States:
 n`), city (1990 pop. 10,633), Pearl River co., S Miss., near the Pearl River and the La. line; inc. 1904. , MS and employs more than 125 people. ABOUT ILLUMINET Founded in 1981, Illuminet operates the largest unaffiliated Signaling System 7 (SS7) network in the United States and is a leading provider of complementary advanced signaling technology and applications to telecommunications carriers. Connection to the Illuminet network gives carriers access to the system of signaling networks of nearly the entire U.S. public-switched telecommunications infrastructure through a single source. Illuminet specializes in signaling network services and intelligent network solutions for a variety of services such as caller identification, calling card validation, wireless roaming, number portability, network usage measurement, billing and clearinghouse services, 800 database and other specialized database access functions. Illuminet's headquarters are at 4501 Intelco Loop, SE, Lacey, WA 98503; 360/493-6000; www.illuminet.com. Editors' Note: Illuminet is a registered service mark of Illuminet, Inc., in the United States and Canada. Other product and brand names are trademarks of their respective owners. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: This release contains information that is forward-looking. "Forward-looking" statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. Act of 1995 ("Act"), are based on current expectations, estimates and projections. Such statements are made pursuant to safe harbor Safe Harbor 1. A legal provision to reduce or eliminate liability as long as good faith is demonstrated. 2. A form of shark repellent implemented by a target company acquiring a business that is so poorly regulated that the target itself is less attractive. provisions of the Act. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Illuminet's beliefs and expectations are forward-looking statements forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. . These forward-looking statements may differ from actual results and are subject to risks and uncertainties as are detailed in our filings with the SEC and in the press release. For a discussion of the principal factors that may cause actual results to be different, please refer to the company's registration statement filed with the SEC on August 23, 1999 and declared effective October 7, 1999. |
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