omplished, the IIC's team will produce two key items: a recommended approach for converting legacy data into the new OSS platform, and a conversion plan. The primary factors that influence the conversion plan are the cost per converted account, the overall cost of conversion, the estimated time frame for completing the conversion and the The Ultimate Guide to Building and Delivering OSS/BSS accuracy of the converted data. The conversion strategy, specifying the number and order of iterations for completing the rollout, is then defined. 1.1.2 Phase 2 - Execution of Data Conversion Plan The execution of the conversion is an iterative process that compares results against metrics and CSFs. Depending on data volume and the number and types of data sources, conversion is either done manually or through automated conversion tools. For each iteration of the conversion process, Phase 2 is completed and Phase 3 begins independently. Since all of the parallel efforts and conversions will not come to fruition or be accomplished at the same time, concurrent use of new and legacy systems during the rollout iterations may be required. Because of the obvious complexity of this parallel operation, it is recommended that Phase 2 be completed as quickly as possible. 1.1.3 Phase 3 - Validation and "Go Live" During the validation stage, regression testing is performed to ensure that systems and processes operate consistently. An operational readiness check is performed to ensure that the business community is ready for the new systems and processes. Finally, the cut-over is completed and the new OSS platform is live and in business. LESSONS LEARNED IN CONVERSION In working with clients, BusinessEdge Solutions has developed a series of "lessons learned" to facilitate risk mitigation and conversion management. Consider these lessons as critical points to keep in mind. They are logical, and sound like common sense, but in the heat of battle, these are some areas that are often overlooked and can come back to haunt the IICs that miss th