Number Hosting
Number Hosting is a Professional Link service that allows telecommunications operators to manage their telephone numbers even without having a direct connection with Telecom, maintaining their identity and independence
Professional Link holds a general authorization for the installation and supply of public electronic communication networks and a license for the supply of voice telephony services to the public in Italy.
We therefore offer a wide range of electronic communication services through our network and our numbers, including telephone traffic termination services for national and international geographical numbers and non-geographic numbers. In fact, we have signed a direct interconnection contract and a reverse interconnection contract with Telecom Italia.
What is PLINK Number Hosting
Number Hosting is a service provided in Italy by Professional Link that allows TelCo operators, who do not have a direct interconnection with the TIM network, to manage and control their numbering ranges, using the Professional Link voice network.
What are number ranges?
The first digits of each number (called a “code”) specifically identify the services that can be provided through that number. These “codes” can be considered “number ranges”.
Number ranges are therefore blocks of telephone numbers assigned to telephone operators. These ranges can include geographical, non-geographic and mobile numbers. Number Hosting allows the number ranges assigned to a given operator to function.
In Italy, the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM) establishes which numbers must be allocated to the various services, while the Ministry of Economic Development – Communications Department assigns them to applicants.
How PLINK Number Hosting Works
Our Number Hosting consists, in a few words, of offering hospitality on our network to the geographical numbers of one of our client operators. Here’s how to start it, step by step.
1. The interested operator asks PLINK to use the Number Hosting service to provide its telephone services to the public
2. The interested operator informs the Communications Regulatory Authority (AGCOM)
3. PLINK communicates to Telecom Italia its intention to host the geographical numbering of the customer operator on its network and signs an agreement with Telecom Italia that provides for the recognition and routing by Telecom Italia of the geographical numbering of the customer operator on the PLINK network
4. PLINK makes its network and the technical facilities necessary for the performance of the service available to the customer
5. The voice telephony services offered to the public through numbering are provided by virtue of an exclusive relationship between the PLINK customer operator and its end customer
6. The operator is responsible for the content and methods of execution of its voice telephony services both towards its end customer and towards PLINK
Professional Link provides the Number Hosting service according to standards detailed in a transparent Service Level Agreement that guarantees compliance with operational security, maintenance of network integrity, interoperability of services and total data protection.
Technical description
Professional Link combines Number Hosting with the management of telephone numbers on proprietary infrastructures including interconnection services. This is to allow telephone operators to set up voice or VoIP services for their end customers. With Number Hosting, PLINK hosts on its network the geographical number ranges held by the hosted operator who wishes to provide telephone service to its customers.
Telephone traffic termination can be carried out towards:
• National Geographic numbers
• International numbers
• Non-geographic numbers (mobile numbers, toll-free numbers and numbers for premium-rate services)
Hosted numbers can only be on a geographical basis. The hosted operator is responsible for requesting and obtaining the hosted numbers directly from the Ministry of Economic Development. Professional Link hosts the numbers obtained from the hosted operator on its network, including the initiation of any routing operations.
The interconnection infrastructure to the public telephone network provided by PLINK guarantees the reachability of the hosted operator’s geographical numbers from the national public network and from all interconnected operators.
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