2nd May 2007

Vangent boosts equivalence process and achieves UK first with new line management platform

Vangent today announces the launch of a platform that will for the first time enable Communications Providers (CPs), of any size, to fulfil orders for WLR3 products and directly manage fault reporting and resolutions for the telephone lines they commission from BT Openreach. Vangent’s solution will also help CPs avoid having to develop their own costly interfaces into the line ordering system currently being developed by BT.

Vangent has developed its solution in response to the changing market conditions created by OFCOM’s 2006 rulings on equivalence. This required BT to provide equal market conditions for line switching for all CPs, including BT Retail. As a result BT is developing the Wholesale Line Rental 3 Equivalence Management Platform (WLR3 EMP) which will be launched between 2007 and 2009. This will replace the existing WLR2 system and streamline the ordering process.

“While WLR3 EMP will ensure that competing providers can follow a more equal process in relation to line switching, much of the support infrastructure currently provided by Openreach will be scaled down. # In particular WLR3 will no longer include the web portal which enables CPs to raise all order types, and will require them to develop their own interfaces into the ordering gateway. This is what Vangent’s system is designed to overcome. It will also enable CPs to offer greater levels of customer service,” said Gareth Jones Business Development Director, Vangent.

“For the last 12 months Vangent has been designing and developing its own WLR3 solution for both fulfilment and assurance. We are the first company to produce the assurance platform, and the fulfilment element is on target for June when BT Retail is obligated to process all new orders through WLR3. One of the key features of our approach is that we are ensuring that both the assurance and fulfilment elements are available to CPs of any size through our hosted, deployed or managed service options,“ said Gareth Jones.