Consult 21 - TWG

The Pathfinder Programme

Keith Fowler

14 January 2005

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The Pathfinder Programme

Background:

• Horizontal Cross programme proving exercise for 21CN Transformation programme.

• First step on the road to mass migration.

• Builds on lessons and experience gained from preceding releases and trials.

Purpose:

• to prove fully all technology, systems and processes BEFORE full scale transformation starts in April 2006

• to prove the PSTN migration process

• to prove the capability to take private circuit growth on the 21CN platform

Timing:

• Pathfinder runs from January 2006 to March 2006

• However, out of service trial from Oct 05 to Dec 05

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The Pathfinder Programme – Approach

• Pathfinder is the first step on the road to mass migration and as such must reflect as closely as possible the 21CN footprint.

• General approach is to build on all the good work in place already.

• Hence use the agreed Consult 21 process and organisation to provided the engagement with CP’s.

• Some of the thinking in particular areas is further ahead than others (commercials) . Need to work hard to bring those upto speed.

• Go/No Go decision in March 06. Criteria not yet agreed. Appropriate feedback and lessons learnt will be made available.

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The Pathfinder Programme - Approach

Products Included

• Migration of PSTN (most Features), ISDN, FeatureLine, Dial-IP

• Migration of BB Access

• Interconnect and Wholesale products

• Growth of some new Wholesale Data Connectivity products which are provided completely (end to end) over the new network.

• Access tails for VPN product sets.

Products Excluded (from migration):

• All existing Private circuits.

• FeatureNet

• VPN (end to end services )

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The Pathfinder Programme - Objectives

Customers:

•To ensure that customer satisfaction (retail and BTW) does not drop during Project Pathfinder

•To pilot the new customer journey/experience and assess the impact on our customers.

Process and Systems:

•To clearly demonstrate the ability to migrate 150,000 customers per week onto the converged platform.

•To understand and manage the old and new systems and operating models concurrently

•Demonstrate integrity and availability of network and service including tools, fallback and migration capability

• Capture learning from Pathfinder and build into the migration plan

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The Pathfinder Programme - Objectives

Technology:

• To test and verify OSS operability

•Demonstrate integrity and availability of network and service including tools, fallback and migration capability

•To prove platform interworking and service execution capabilities

•To successfully decommission DLEs/RCU’s and legacy equipment as appropriate

Products and Service:

• Prove the ability to provide, manage and assure any new Wholesale Data Connectivity products and VPN access tails

• To develop service execution capabilities and trial wrap around services as appropriate.

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The Pathfinder Programme – Location

• Currently Consulting with CP’s about potential locations for Pathfinder.

• No decision has been taken.

Current Location Criteria

• representative of full scale migration

• representative of the retail and wholesale customer base

• approx 350k customer lines for PSTN

• adequate growth for new private circuit products

• contiguous catchment area

• representative of country geographically

• representative of product mix

• suitable for early 21CN build

• good accessibility

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The Pathfinder Programme – Next Steps

• The setting up of a Consult 21 Pathfinder Working Gp

• Need to capture asap any CP’s business requirements to be considered in the Pathfinder Programme.

• Before any formal forum, then feed requirements into Annette Murphy.

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OPEN SESSION

We welcome your contribution and participation