Modernization of the Gateway System for Convergent Number Portability (Mobile/Fixed)

Project Year: 2024–2025 Institutions involved: Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE), SUTEL Provider: SOIN Soluciones Integrales S.A Key technology platform: Oracle Communications (OCOMC)

The Challenge:

The client was required to comply with regulatory requirements for the implementation of fixed-line number portability in Costa Rica and to modernize the national number portability system (Portability Gateway), which had been in operation for more than ten years. The new system needed to adopt a strategic approach that covered both mobile and fixed number portability, ensuring operational continuity, regulatory compliance, capability for future evolution, faster time-to-market for regulatory requirements, increased functionality and flexibility, as well as real application support. The key challenge, therefore, was to design and implement a modern solution that would immediately address the obsolescence of the mobile portability system by replacing it, while also laying the foundation to incorporate fixed-line portability in a simple and accelerated manner once the regulator defines its reactivation—thus avoiding the complexity and deadline compliance risks posed by the previous platform.

Our solution:

• SOIN designed and implemented a comprehensive solution based on a modern microservices architecture, integrated and interacting with world-class telecom products, combining in-house developments with components from the Oracle Communications suite (OCOMC). a) Architecture and Platform • Implementation of SGPN – Number Portability Management Solution, supporting both mobile and fixed number portability. • Use of Oracle Communications OCOMC as the central platform for the efficient, secure, and orchestrated transfer of files, a critical element of the number portability ecosystem. Based on OCOMC, the MFA System (File Flow Engine) was built, responsible for: - Agile and secure file distribution. - Orchestration of daily bidirectional flows. - End-to-end traceability and control of the process. b) End-to-End Integration The solution robustly and in a standardized manner integrates information flows among the three main actors of the ecosystem: 1) Regulator systems (ERPN-SUTEL) - Information generated in the current ERPN core system (Portaflow). - Four full end-to-end operational simulations prior to go-live, coordinated with Costa Rica’s regulatory authority, vendors, operators, client systems, and SOIN technical teams. - Full compliance with client cybersecurity policies. - Training and knowledge transfer to technical and operational teams.

Results:

• Successful Production Go-Live: successfully deployed with zero impact on customers, other operators, ICE system users, Costa Rica’s mobile operators (3), the regulatory authority, and the regulator’s service providers. • Modern, Supported, and Future-Ready Platform: A modern, fully supported platform prepared for continuous and sustainable evolution. • Significant Risk Reduction: Substantial reduction of operational and regulatory risks. • Time-to-Market and Cost Reduction: 80% reduction in time-to-market and 50% reduction in implementation costs compared to the legacy system. • Investment Optimization: 90% reduction in Gateway operating expenses (OPEX). • Increased Agility for Regulatory Flows: Greater agility in incorporating new regulatory processes and flows. • Readiness for Fixed-Line Portability: Technical and functional foundations ready to rapidly and safely incorporate fixed-line number portability once the regulator defines its implementation. • Operational Efficiency Improvements: Significant improvements in operational efficiency, traceability, and response times. • Improved Usability for End Users: Greater agility and ease of use of the system for end users. • Configuration-Based Enablement: Through the use of OCOMC, file flows and integration packages were incorporated through parameterization and configuration, significantly reducing the need for custom development.

Technologies used:

• Microservices • Oracle Communications Offline Mediation Controller (OCOMC) • Unix • JavaScript • Shell Scripts • Oracle PL/SQL • Oracle Database • REST APIs • SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture) • Oracle Applications Integration Architecture (AIA) • Web Services • Oracle Advanced Queuing (AQ) • Groovy • Perl • JWT + Keycloak • Spring Boot • Docker • CI/CD