News and current events
Network Challenge: Prepare for 800 database
SWBT and other Bell operating companies are now in the middle of a huge job: to implement 800 database service. An FCC order requires the service to be operational on March 1,1993.
To meet that deadline, SWBT network operations personnel have been working feverishly to complete installation and testing of common channel signaling (CCS). The implementation will be welcomed by the thousands of companies that use 800 numbers, according to Dan Winters, 800 database product manager.
"National 800 database service will revolutionize how the toll-free industry operates," Winters said. "The most significant change from today's 800 service is that 800 numbers will no longer be tied to specific interexchange carriers. Subscribers of 800 services will be able to vary their interechange carrier while keeping the same 800 number." An 800 number that spells out a word or phrase can be an important marketing tool for the subscriber. And the flexibility to change interexchange carriers means the subscribers can choose the carrier that best meets its needs.
The FCC order includes "call setup thresholds" (translation: the maximum allowable time that occurs between the completion of dialing and the first ring). Meeting those thresholds will require extensive modifications to SWBT's network, including the use of new CCS technology.
One modification requires routing 800 calls from central offices that aren't equipped to access the new database to a tandem office that is equipped. Another effort involves establishing and testing the 800 database itself. Neither is an easy task, said Mike Grogan, area manager-common channel signaling.
"Testing compatibility between our switches and carrier customer switches and establishing separate signaling circuits for CCS to those customers is a big job," said Grogan. "SWBT has taken these actions to meet the FCC requirements but they will also help modernize our own capabilities.
"Meeting both the FCC deadline and SWBT's own aggressive 800 implementation schedule will require a significant installation, coordination and testing effort."
Switches GO Digital!
SWBT is now 2 years into the Telefuture 2000 network modernization plan,82 electromechanical switches in Missouri have been replaced with digital switches. Digital switching has meant improved service for more than 158,000 customers in Missouri, giving them access to touch-tone dialing and Custom Calling Services.
In addition to the digital switching equipment, SWBT will install more than 800 miles of fiber optic cable and T-carrier statewide to provide clearer transmission on long distance calls in rural areas.
Also as part of the $180 million network modernization program, SWBT plans to phase-out nearly 60,000 party lines by December 1997. About 14,000 party lines in Missouri have now been converted. "The party line elimination program is right on schedule," said Ed Wheatley, area manager-budgets.
Texas and Kansas have similar network modernization programs under way. As part of the Texas First plan, Texas will convert 196 central offices to digital and eliminate nearly 104,000 party lines. N-carrier replacement is not part of the Texas plan. The Lone Star state expects to complete its modernization effort by November 1994. Kansas also is meeting its timeframes for updating its telecommunications technology outstate. The TeleKansas plan calls for replacing nearly 1,100 miles of N-carrier with digital facilities, converting 131 central offices to digital switching and upgrading more than 31,000 party lines by year-end 1994.
SWBT opens new ISDN market
SWBT recently began selling SmartTrunk service in Kansas.
The service is based on primary rate interface ISDN technology. SmartTrunk is a large-capacity type of ISDN service. It has high-volume, 23-connection channels between SWBT's telecommunications network and the customer's PBX.
"SmartTrunk gives our customers flexible control over their trunking networks," said Mike Reddout, area manager-product management. "In a nutshell, SmartTrunk is fully digital networking which lets customers communicate with more speed, quality, economy, control, value and ease. "Typical customers for SmartTrunk service are telemarketing companies, service bureaus, catalog businesses and other firms with heavy, but fluctuating, calling volumes from their PBX's."
SmartTrunk service offers customers an automatic call-back feature and dynamic channel allocation (which manages distribution of calling paths). The service provides customers efficiencies and expandability to provide for a business growth.
SmartTrunk service in Texas and Missouri. The company plans to present tariffs to the public service commissions in Arkansas and Oklahoma in the next few months.
Well thats it for this issue gang, next issue I promise will be bigger and packed with useful information. For now you can mail your comments to me at noperator@pegasus.ch and if your sitting around and got nothing to do, why not hack something out or call something interesting...
Call the Bell Company Line for the quickest in News and events in Bell. its a good informative tool. You may also be able to reach the MEL (Mechanized Employee Locator) which enables you to look up specific employee's for those special social engineering jobs. I have listed below a complete list of numbers for the company line.
State LATA Location Local Access Number
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Arkansas: Little Rock (501) 373-1411
Fort Smith (501) 785-1411
Pine Bluff (501) 534-1411
Kansas: Kansas City (913) 676-1411
Topeka (913) 276-1411
Witchita (316) 261-1411
Missouri: St. Louis (314) 331-1411
Kansas City (816) 275-1411
Springfield (417) 836-7411
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City (405) 291-1411
Tulsa (918) 586-1411
Texas: Dallas (214) 464-1411
Houston (713) 871-1411
San Antonio (512) 228-0411also call:
Michigan Bell CNA line 313-424-0900 automated, if you hack out a pin which is 5 digits please let me know.
Well next issue I will try and have more numbers put up to call.. if you want you can send me some interesting numbers to add to the list and I will put them in the next issue.
CON--Dedicated to the Freedom of Information!
