Operations Support Systems

  Operations Support Systems (OSS) include diagnostic, maintenance, and network management capabilities that are of use to ESPs in controlling their telecommunications services efficiently. Computer Inquiry III did not require the BOCs to offer OSS services, however, the BOC ONA Order directed the BOCs to amend their plans to specify OSS services that could be offered to ESPs in the near term [para. 110]onaorder. Recognizing that a number of issues associated with OSS services might need to be resolved before customers can access the BOCs internal systems, the FCC directed the BOCs to examine, through the IILC, the most feasible means of providing OSS access for ESPs [para. 110]onaorder.

For the most part, access to and control of OAM& functions support the network. However, these functionalities are not an essential part of the network required to convey customer information from point to point, and are therefore beyond the requirements of ONA [12]. The BOC ONA Order defined ancillary services to be unregulated, competitive services useful to ESPs. Depending on the criteria, OSS services may be offered either as ONA services or as tariffed services not subject to ONA requirements. The following list groups OSS services into four categories:

1. Service Order Entry and Status

   Services requested by ESPs include a service to speed up and automate the service order process by placing service orders electronically and a service to determine the status of service orders electronically.

2. Trouble Reporting and Status

   Services requested by ESPs include a service to enter a trouble report into a carrier database and subsequently check its status.

3. Traffic Data Collection

   This capability refers to information ESPs need to analyze traffic volume and congestion on their lines.

4. Diagnostics, Monitoring, Testing, and Network Reconfiguration

   Services requested by ESPs include services for testing and reconfiguration abilities.

The carriers proposed providing indirect access to OSS services for ESPs, yet direct access for themselves. Keeping comparably efficient access in mind, in the BOC Amendment Order, the FCC required that the carrier's enhanced services operations take the same access to OSS services as the access provided by the carrier to ESPs. This issue is commonly known as the OSS same access issue.

ONA plans revolve around Basic Service Elements (BSEs), Basic Serving Arrangements (BSAs), and Complementary Network Services (CNSs). The BOC ONA Amendment Order requirement for OSS same access only applies to Basic Service Elements and Basic Serving Arrangements. There is a requirement for OSS access for Complementary Network Services, however the carrier's enhanced services operations are not required to take the same access to OSS services as the access provided to the ESPs. OSS access for Complementary Network Services will require stricter security than OSS access for Basic Service Elements and Basic Serving Arrangements because Complementary Network Services include access to customer lines.

On February 22, 1990, the IILC reached consensus on Issue #003 - ESP Customer Access to BOC Network Management System. ``The resolution identifies OSS capabilities useful to ESPs, and establishes a commitment to develop a generic software gateway interface''[26]. As directed by the FCC in the BOC ONA Order, at its April 1993 meeting, the IILC accepted Issue #039 - ESP Needs for OSS Capabilities Associated with End-User Complementary Network Services. ``The purpose of this issue is to determine ESP needs for OSS capabilities for Complementary Network Services associated with end-user lines, and to develop methods as to how those needs could be met through some kind of indirect OSS access''[28].

A gateway approach was considered by the carriers and the IILC to allow access to OSS services but consensus has not been reached on this issue. Depending on the configuration, a gateway could either be used to deter or assist unauthorized ESPs and end-users in accessing OSS services.

Several articles (e.g. [11], [12], [13]) have addressed OAM& aspects of ONA. Many of these aspects can be categorized by the four areas of OSS services defined by the FCC. Appendix describes several OSS ONA products that are listed in the ``Ona Services User Guide''. Note that additional OSS services may be offered to ESPs as tariffed services not subject to ONA requirements.