tion - in multi-vendor transport networks. 11. Switch element activation, for automated activation of switch services. 12. Customer network management, which is where customers are given control over certain parts of the services which they are buying, including Centrex services management. 11 13. Switch load balancing - which is the proactive transferring of line equipment for the purpose of easing traffic burdens. 10 An early 2002 issue of Capacity magazine - published in the UK - quoted this argument from several enterprise and wholesale customers of service providers. 11 Centrex (CENtralised EXchange) comprises PBX-type services provided directly to a subscriber from the carrier's (centralised) exchange. OSS for Telecom Networks Most of these 13 functionalities are provided by separate products offered by Telcordia. This list gives an idea of the number of functions that are involved in service provisioning and activation. While Telcordia is not a typical "OSS vendor", in this relatively new industry, it can be hard to identify any OSS vendor as typical. The following are involved in provisioning support through all phases of provi- sioning, from user requirement identification through satisfaction and validation that the requirement has been satisfied: 1. Order entry. 2. Service request processing: (a) reviewing, validating and logging telecommunications service requests (b) service design (c) writing service orders and work orders that are needed to implement a serv- ice, after receiving a service request from a user (d) creating or updating a customer account in the configuration management database (e) provisioning the service (f) updating the provisioning status of the requested service in the configura- tion management database (g) providing status reports on service requests. 3. Implementation support: verify the implementation of service requirements and document changes to those requirements; update the configuration management database for service implementation status and coordinate customer accept