JolaCalls Standard Reseller - Porting Handbook- v1 1

JolaCalls Standard Reseller - Porting Handbook- v1 1

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Porting Handbook
A guide to JolaCalls Standard Porting
Valid from 01/12/2022


Overview 


This porting guide is exclusively for Jola Calls customers using SIP Manager (it is not for JolaCalls Wholesale customers or JolaPhone customers).


This document provides an overview of the porting process and key areas around porting. A number port is defined as the movement of a number/range of numbers from one provider to another. This requirement is carried out by Jola Cloud Solutions through our carriers on your behalf and is requested via SIP Manager portal. This process is chargable once a port completes, and all parties involved carry that cost. 


Please be aware that failed ports, port cancellations and port date changes can also incur charges (see Jola price list for details). We recommend reading this guide carefully to mitigate the risk of additional costs.

 

This document is intended to provide additional information around the porting process and additional FAQ’s. 


Date valid from

This service specification is effective from 01/12/2022


Version Control

Version 1.0 Reviewed and authorised by Ben Merrills


Changes or amendments

Jola reserve the right to add, remove or adjust any clauses within this service specification with a 14-day notice to partners.


1. Key Terms

BT IPEX – British Telecom IP Exchange
CLoA – Customer Letter of Authority/Letter of Authority
CP – Communications Provider
Cupid Code – Communications Provider Identity code
DDI – Direct Dial In
GCP – Gaining Communications Provider
GEO – Geographical Number Ports (01 or 02 numbers)
LCP – Losing Communications Provider
MBN – Main Billing Number
NGN – Non-Geographical Number Ports (03 or 08 numbers)
PoV – Pre order Validation
RH – Range holder

2. Porting Types

There are several types of port request, dependent on the line type and with varying lead times and complexity. The table immediately below provides an overview of these types. The standard lead time is the expected industry lead time for the port to be completed after the request has been sent it to a carrier. 

 

Port Type

Definition of Port Type

Standard Lead Time

Single Line Geographic (GEO)

A single telephone number beginning 01 or 02 that is not part of a DDI range, is not the MBN for a DDI range, and is not part of a multi-line.

4-13 working days

Multi Line Geographic (GEO)

Multiple lines on one or more telephone numbers. 

7-25 working days

Complex DDI (GEO)

Multiple digital lines, consisting of part of a block of DDI’s and a MBN. All DDI’s are attached to the circuit must be recorded on the LoA, with the number(s) to be port to be specified. 

22-25 working days

Non-Geographic (NGN)

Numbers that are not associated with an area, so have no area code. Typically, numbers starting with 03 or 08

15+ working days

IPEX Ports (NGN and GEO)

This is a port that needs to be completed via BT IPEX as we do not have a direct porting agreement with the Losing Provider.

No standard lead time due to no porting agreement. Lead time varies on a case-to-case basis.

International

Telephone numbers from countries outside of the UK. 

Lead time varies within country, as local restrictions and requirements. Please contact you Jola Account Manager for further information


3. UK and International Porting

3.1 UK Porting

Achieved via your SIP Manager portal in Porting > New. This process will indicate where you will need to provide the details and documents listed below. 

3.2 International Porting

For International ports, please speak to your Jola Account Manager. Our sales department will confirm pricing and local restrictions/requirements which are specific to the country in question.

4. Porting Process

4.1 Porting Information Requirements

Numbers to port  
Address to validate  
Losing Communications Provider (LCP)  
Letter of Authority (LoA)   
o This is for the LCP to understand your end user / customer would like to leave their service and join ours.   
o You can either provide an LoA signed by the customer, that you have organised independently yourself.  
o Or alternatively you can use our E-sign LoA system. This will fill the LoA for you, taking the details you have provided and send it to an email you specify. This is sent from a white-label email address – admin@e-porting.co.uk     
Customer Bill –
o A copy of the bill from the losing provider is a requirement for a Non-Geographic (NGN) ports  
o For Geographical number ports (GEO) attaching a customer bill is optional. 
o Provides authenticity to the porting request.  
o Provides information to us on who the losing carrier is and who needs to be contacted to authorise the port.   
Requested port date 
o You can request a date on which you would like the port to complete. 
o We are unable to guarantee this date as the order may be rejected as part of the validation process. So please be aware the date requested is seen as a target.  

For International Ports you may be asked to provide additional information. Documentation required varies depending on a country. 

4.2 Port Submission

When a port request is placed within the SIP Manager portal and successfully submitted, the order will be validated before submission to the carrier. This validation is to confirm that all required fields have been completed including the LoA. The order will then be submitted to the carrier for them to process and submit to the Losing Provider.

For International Ports, the information on the port status and successful submission will be provided via email, jolacalls-porting@jola.co.uk.

4.3 Porting status and provisioning steps

A port can have multiple statuses during the provisioning journey, below is a breakdown of each status and an explanation. 

Status

Meaning

Unsubmitted

The port has been created, however has not been submitted.

Pending

The port request is waiting for a response from the LCP.

Failed

The port has not been accepted due to a reason that will be provided in the rejection notice.

Approved

The port request has been accepted for a date that will be specified on the order.

Completed

The port has been completed, and the numbers are now active on our network.


4.4 Port Failure/Rejections

If the port is not valid or details do not match the LCP or RH records incorrect, then a rejection will be raised with a reason. These are listed below.

Rejection Reason

Explanation

Resolution

LCP postcode

invalid

The postcode provided on the port order is not the same as the postcode listed with the Emergency Services Database (999) for those number(s). 

We recommend getting the customer to speak to their current provider and ask what postcode is currently listed with the Emergency Services Database. This may differ from the postcode listed on bills/invoices. If they are unable to provide the correct details, we would raise a PoV to obtain the correct details.

 

Number already ported

The number has already been exported to another provider.

We are sometimes provided the Cupid code of the carrier it has been moved to, which we will advise you in our rejection notice. If not we can raise a PoV to the RH to see who the current LCP is. 

 

Incorrect Line

Type

The line type for the number(s) is incorrect.

The correct line type will have been given as part of the rejection notice. It will also advise if there are any missing DDi’s. If the DDi’s are not advised in the rejection notice, we would recommend raising a PoV. 

 

Number not in service

The number the customer has provided is not currently in service, meaning if you try and place a call to it, it will not connect.

The customer should speak to their service provider, and request the numbers be brought back into service if they would like to port them. 

Customer has no service with LCP

The customer does not have any service with the LCP they have provided. 

This is a common rejection when the provider is a Re-seller of another communications providers services. You can either ask your current provider who the underlying provider is or alternatively, we recommend raising a POV to confirm identity of the correct LCP.

 

LoA ineligible

The LoA you have provided does not pass validation. 

The reason for the LoA failing will be explained in the rejection notice.

 

If any rejections that are not in the above list are provided, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the next steps. 

4.5 PoV Requests

This is a request sent to the Losing Provider by Jola Cloud Solutions on the customers behalf, to confirm the valid details of a number port. 

It is recommended a PoV request is raised after 3 failed port attempts, however we will accept any PoV requests if the port has previously failed, or it is unclear if the details provided are correct.

Please contact jolacalls-porting@jola.co.uk or refer to FAQ section of this document for further information on PoV’s


4.6 Required Information for PoV request

       Letter of Authority (LoA)

o   This is to confirm the numbers we require the correct information for.  

o   The LoA should specify the GCP as Zapappi          

o   If BT is the LCP, please specify which BT section. i.e. BTW or BT IPEX

o   The LoA must not be more than 3 months old. 

o   LoA must be signed by the customer / end user.

       Main Billing Number 

       Associated numbers and ranges  

       Line configuration – Single/Multi  

       Postcode 

       RH Cupid

       LCP Cupid 


4.7 Port Completion Day

Completion is dependent on the type of port requested.

       A Single Line Geo are completed automatically between 08:00 -10:00

       All other porting types will complete between 10:00 – 15:45.

 

Additional:

       We are unable to specify an exact port time for when it will complete.

       Our support team actively monitors all port due to complete throughout the day.  

       If a port has not completed by 16:00, we will contact our supplier to confirm status.

       As a multiline or Complex DDI is being completed, there are instances where the numbers are being moved over one by one rather than all in one go. Therefore, the customer may experience some numbers being active on their new system when some may not be. 

 5. Troubleshooting/FAQs

Why has my Single Line Geo port with BT Openreach not completed with the 08:00 – 10:00 timeslot?

On the day of port, all Single Line Geo’s with BT are automatically triggered between 08:00 and 10:00. However, at times - BT can over fill their porting queue and which can mean that sometimes ports will complete later than 10AM.

Why is the port taking so long?

Please see Standard Lead Times for the expected time frame for a port. However, if the port has surpassed the given time frame and you have not already received an update from our support team. Please do not hesitate to contact us for an update on the status of your port. Please note, if at any point your port is rejected, the lead time starts again and only applies to the newest port placed.

Can I change the date of port?

Yes, however this is only possible whilst the port is in specific states: 

      •       The states are as follows:

o   Unsubmitted – allows you to request a different date before the order is sent for validation.

o   Approved – this will change the approved date that the port will complete.

If a change is required, then this can be requested via the SIP Manager portal but may incur a charge which is charged at the discretion of the carrier. However, if it is within the last 24 hours, please contact us through our ticket system, automated requests would not be picked up in time and we can contact them to prioritise the request.

There is less than 24hours before the port is to complete, can I still change the date?

We will ask our carrier to cancel this port and will notify you once we get confirmation. Until we have received that confirmation it should be assumed that the port request is still active. This is a best-efforts request and a change/cancellation within 24 hours of the completion date does not guarantee the request will successfully complete. 

What is a PoV?

PoV stands for Pre order Validation – This is a request sent to the losing communications provider (LCP) on your behalf, to confirm the details surrounding a port request and is a useful tool when the correct LCP or address details are unclear. A request for a PoV can be made if the port has previously failed. 

Please speak to our support team to discuss if a PoV is recommended for the port rejection instance in question. This is due to some LCPs refusing a PoV request outright unless certain stipulations are met. 

Can I raise a PoV to any LCP?

PoV’s can be raise to any LCP that is on the PoV register. Appendix J3 – Consolidated Contacts Register - PoV Process (offta.org.uk)


We can also process PoV’s for any carrier not listed on the PoV register, however, it may take longer to receive the correct details from them. Also, due to addition processes required, there is a charge of £10 for non-register PoV’s.

What common reasons result in an LoA being rejected? 

        Incorrect billing data or postcode 

        Incorrect LCP details 

        GCP does not state Jola Cloud Solutions. 

        The LoA is over 3 months old. 

What details may I be asked to provide for a PoV request?

        Missing data in the LoA

Please refer to the rejection matrix in this document for further information.

What is a cupid code? 

A cupid code is the Communications Provider Identity code and are standard ID numbers for the telecoms industry these are necessary when applying for services such as Number Portability arrangements. 

 Why does a port get rejected with no reason? 

Although frustrating, it is possible for a port to appear to be initially rejected without a specific reason. When this occurs, we will liaise with the carrier to identify the reason and notify you as to what the issue is and the resolution.  

The port has not completed on the completion date?

If a port has not completed it may be due to several reasons.

       The port is still within the completion window for the line type and has not been completed yet.

       The port has completed but the carrier has not notified us of the completion. 

o   In this instance, it may be possible to see traffic flow across the number although the completion status is not evident within your portal. 

       An error on the LCP’s end has resulted in a porting day failure or the porting window has been passed. 

o   In this instance we will raise a query with the carrier in question and update you on the progress. Our support team actively monitors ports on completion day. 

What prechecks can I perform on port requests? 

We would advise contacting your current provider and asking them to provide a completed LoA for your customer to sign or alternatively, ask them to provide the details below:

·       Line Type

·       Main Billing Number

·       Associated Range

·       Associated Numbers

·       LCP

·       RH

·       Postcode

If the customers current provider supplies all this information, you should be able to place a port order which is correct. If they provide incorrect information, the port will most likely be rejected. Please refer to the rejection matrix in this document for further information.

How can I reduce the risk of placing multiple ports for a customer? 

Actively pursuing the correct information from the previous supplier would reduce the requirement to place multiple ports.

Also please allow sufficient lead time for all ports to be accepted, by choosing a porting date that is not the minimum standard lead time for the line type can reduce the risk of rejections due to insufficient lead time.

What is the difference between a Range Holder and a Current Service Provider?

Range Holder:

When Ofcom release a brand-new number range to a Communications Provider, that provider will become the Range Holder. The numbers may move between Service providers as they port here and there but the Range Holder will always stay as the Communication provider initially provided those numbers.

Current Service Provider:

The current service provider (LCP) is the Communications provider currently hosting those numbers and this can change. Once you port your numbers to us, we would become the new LCP and if the numbers were to move away, the new provider would become the new LCP.

 

Why are there no SLA’s for BT IPEX Ports?  

Suppliers can be hosted on the IP exchange platform but without any porting agreements. The port is treated as an IPEX port which are unregulated by Ofcom and are not subject industry lead times. 

Which Communication Providers do you have Porting Agreements with?

A full list can be found below:

                (aq) Limited trading as aql 

                Affiniti Integrated Solutions Ltd 

                aql Wholesale Limited 

                BT 

                Citrus Telecommunications Ltd 

                COLT Technology Services 

                Coms.com Ltd 

                Easynet Enterprise Services Limited 

                Essensys Ltd 

                FleXtel Limited 

                Gamma Telecom Holdings Ltd 

                I-net Communications Group Plc 

                I-net Telecoms Ltd (Voipfone) 

                iHub 2 Limited 

                Inclarity Communications Ltd 

                Invoco Ltd 

                Kalnet4u Ltd 

                KCOM Group PLC 

                Level 3 Communications Ltd 

                Level 3 Communications UK Limited 

                Magrathea Telecommunications Limited 

                Metronet (UK) Limited 

                Mintaka Limited 

                Nexbridge Communications Limited 

                Orbtalk Limited 

                Simwood eSMS Limited 

                Spitfire Network Services Ltd

                Storacall Technology Limited

                TalkTalk Communications Limited 

                Telecom2 Ltd 

                The Excell Group PLC

                Tipicall Limited

                Verizon UK Ltd

                Virgin Media Business Limited 

                Virgin Media Limited 

                Vodafone Ltd (C&W) 

                Vodafone Ltd (Energis)

                Vodafone Ltd (Thus)

 


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