Operations systems (OS) unbundling: it's all about interfaces

The OS unbundling activities required by the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996 (TA96) pose significant challenges for industry standards bodies, for the Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs), and for Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs). This presentation examines the current state of implementation and looks at the challenges faced, from the point of view of both ILECs and CLECs. Interfaces are the key, including interfaces between companies, between gateways and operations systems (OSs), and between OSs within a company. While the divestiture of AT&T in 1984 created many inter-carrier interfaces and created new OS requirements, it's impact was much smaller than the impact of TA96. Describing and supporting (for ordering, billing, ...) all the details of local service requires much more detail and sophistication than the earlier support of long distance access.