product change notifications

As communication products have been generally available and/or have been in service for a period, it often becomes necessary for suppliers to introduce changes to those products. Changes, modifications or improvements also need to be announced to the users of the equipment so that end-users can assess and take appropriate action. PCNs are the method used to communicate this information about the changed product in a standard format.

The PCN process as defined per GR-209-CORE requires that a Product Change Notice is issued prior to the product being shipped. This is to ensure that the CLEI Code that represents the corrected or updated item is found within the CLEI Code repository or the service provider’s local database. PCNs use the CLEI Code to clearly identify the old and new products. The PCN process also includes a review period so that the impact to the network of the PCN can be assessed. The PCN process and CLEI Codes can reduce the time to locate and replace an item, thereby avoiding a potential outage situation.

Yes, a new CLEI Code needs to be assigned. This product change is documented using a Class A or Class AC Product Change Notice (PCN).