About LIDB

A Line Information Database (LIDB) is a real-time, transaction-oriented database that contains subscriber information on virtually all working telephone numbers in North America.

LIDBs are distributed databases that
have been in place since 1987 and were
established primarily for one purpose:
validation of alternately billed calls
(collect, calling card, and bill to third).

These databases reside on a Service Control Point (SCP) node
that provides the network interface for an LIDB to the Common
Channel Signaling (CCS)/Signaling System Number 7 (SS7)
network. LIDBs work as central repositories for data storage
and retrieval based on 10-digit line numbers. They are nationally
accessible by Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) CCS networks
and are continually audited and updated.

LIBDs contain information including:

  • Various line number and Special Billing
    Number (SBN) data needed by Operator
    Services Systems (OSSs) and other Network
    Elements (NEs) to process and bill calls.
  • Necessary billing information such as the
    Revenue Accounting Office (RAO).
  • Customer’s name and billing information
  • Identity of the service provider (Account Owner)
  • Customer’s preferred language

The OSS’s Core System (switch) accesses LIDB data to provide originating line (calling number), billed number, and terminating line (called number) management functions. The OSS sends queries to the LIDB to obtain information about the calling, called, and billed numbers associated with the calls it handles. Query messages to, and response messages from, the LIDB consistof a package of one or more Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) Operation Protocol Data Units (OPDUs).

LIDBs are currently accessed via CCS SS7 networks
via several existing SS7 query types: Calling Card to support Calling Card Service; Billed Number Screening to support Collect and Bill-to-Third-Number Services; Generic Name to support Calling Name Delivery Service; Originating Line Number Screening (OLNS) to support services needing data about the callingline; and GetData, which enables the receipt of any one or more data elements associated with the queried line.