June 15, 2003

TPM RECIPIENTS re: Planned TPM Changes – 01/15/04

The following describes planned changes to the Telcordia™ TPM™ Data Source that is produced by Telcordia™ Routing Administration (TRA) (732) 699-6700. Please call TRA if you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this notice. This notice is being sent to the party receiving the physical product (e.g. data transmission, tape, CD) since that is often our only confirmed product contact in your company. Please share this notice with those in your company that may be interested or may need to know. These changes may necessitate changes in how you or your company processes the TPM. Any pertinent changes that may occur between now and the targeted implementation date in this notice will be noted to users as soon as possible.

)))))) These changes are planned to be effective with the 01/15/04 TPM (issued 12/03) ((((((

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These changes primarily reflect resolutions and agreements reached on a consensus basis by representatives from companies who attend various industry forums and who utilize the TPM. These forums provide TRA with insight into desired and necessary changes to the TPM. A copy of this document, a revised copy of the TPM file specifications, and a working copy of a revised TPM Glossary are available at all times for download at (documents).

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Note: Changes to the TPM Data Source that begin with the 1/15/04 issue (distributed in late 12/03) amount to:

  • The replacing of the former TPM.DAT and TPMACT.DAT file / dataset formats with the TBP.DAT and TBPACT.DAT file / dataset formats. Alternatively, this can be viewed as the TBP files replacing the TPM files, but retaining the “TPM” filenames.
  • A reformatting of the MINORVH file / dataset to correlate with the new TPM format.
  1. TPM / TBP files

As previously announced late 2002, the “TBP” formatted files that have existed on the TPM since the 1/15/03 product will “replace” the “TPM” formatted files that have concurrently existed on the product since that time. However, the “filenames” referring to “TBP” will no longer exist. The bottom line is that the TBP files as filenames will no longer appear in the TPM, the TPM files however, will be reformatted to the record layout of what had been called the TBP files.

A complete set of specifications is available at (documents). Also, note that a separate page of this document reviews means of “Generation of TPM files from TBP files”. This identifies considerations that can be locally addressed should there be a need or concern about the immediate impact of the file format changes on downstream processes.

  1. MINORVH file / dataset

The TPM Data Source’s MINORVH data file / dataset has histroically been formatted as the TPM.DAT file with minor V&H Coordinates appended at the end of each record. To retain that configuration, the MINORVH file has been reformatted to be the “new” TPM format with minor V&H Coordinates appended at the end of each record.

  1. Microsoft Access Version of TPM (CD ROM only)

The TPM Data Source provided on CD ROM contains TPM Data Source data in both ASCII files as well as the same data in a pre-loaded Microsoft Access database. Those using the Microsoft Access version of the data should note the following.

  • To access the new file tables, previous users of the TPM Data Source database application, MUST replace versions of the front-end database that are effective prior to the 1/15/04 product with the appropriate new front-end, based on the version of Microsoft® Access being used. However, if you simply copy the new front-end database file to the working folder that you have been using on your hard disk (such as C:\ACCESS\TPM), you might overwrite your previous front-end database if it has the same name as the new one (TPMAPP97.MDB, TPMAPP00.MDB, or TPMAPP02.MDB). This would result in losing any user-created or user-modified Forms, Queries, Macros, Reports, etc. that may have been created and saved in the previous front-end database. Special action may therefore be required to rename and save the previous front-end database PRIOR to copying the new front-end(s) to your hard disk. You can then copy or import the previous user-created or user-modified Forms, Queries, Macros, Reports, etc. from the renamed database to the new front-end database.

er 06/03

Conversion concepts: Generation of TPM files from TBP files

The following describes how one can take data from the TBP formatted files and create the TPM formatted files. By locally “intercepting” the TBP files and performing the conversion to create the existing TPM formats through a straightforward local programming effort, downstream impacts can be managed at a later date.

Note: All data represented in the current TPM files is also in the TBP files, with one exception. The exception pertains to NXXTYPE 14 records that are not in the TBP files (i.e. re-formatted Special Calling Card data that is, and will continue to be provided, in the SCC.DAT file). Should this be a concern please contact TRA. TRA has not heard of any concerns on this matter since the TBP file was reformatted and issued as such, effective 1/15/03.

A program can be prepared locally that reads the TBP file and writes back a new file in the TPM “format” by considering the following:

  • Write back only those records (lines) that have “A” in the BLOCK ID field.
  • Write back the non-filler fields read from the TBP file in the order the same fields appear in the current TPM file. Note that the TBP file has 6 non-filler fields (BLOCK ID, Range, AOCN, Rate Center Name Abbreviation, Rate Center Type, and Effective Date of Assignment) that are not in the TPM.DAT field and therefore should not be written.
  • Using whatever process is applicable to your environment, programming language, etc., account for filler space as may appear in the TPM.DAT file.

Note that if the TPMACT file is also needed you may:

  • Perform what is noted above, using the TBPACT as a source or,
  • Generate the TPMACT from the TBP.DAT file by additionally restricting written records to only those that have a change code that is neither blank nor “A”.

TPM RECIPIENTS re: Planned TPM Changes 01/15/04 Page 1 of 3