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igital circuit rented from AT&T (it's their marketing term) or the local telephone company. The same type of service is available from other long distance carriers. One source of con- fusion in the telecommunications industry is that different carriers (long distance and local) give different names to the same types of services. DDS can be subscribed to only as one fixed speed at a time up to 56 Kbps. DDS circuits (typically delivered in pairs: one send and one receive) are usually installed along with two separate dial tone voice-grade lines with modems known as dial back-up lines that are used if the DDS lines fail. More recently, BRI ISDN lines are used for the dial back up, each providing twice the bandwidth of the conventional voice-grade telephone line. Although many of these lines are in use, they are considered to be slow by today's standards. Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) is used for transmit- ting very high volumes of information over a circuit at very high speeds. One ATM circuit can handle 155 megabits per second. This is a digital service and uses fiber optic cable. You may also hear the term. SONET, which stands for Synchronous Optical Network, which is necessary for proper and reliable transmission and reception of ATM. SONET is 232 a The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 10 an optical interface standard that enables transmission prod- ucts from different vendors to network with each other. The service delivered is referred to as the SONET ring. See The Telecom Tutorials by Jane Laino for help on or- dering telecommunications lines: 1-800-LIBRARY or www.cmpbooks.com. The Telecom Handbook - 233 Taylor & Francis Taylor & Francis Group http://taylorandfrancis.com CHAPTER 11 Transmission Transmission is a complex subject. Here we introduce some basic concepts. Transmission has to do with getting information from one place to another, whether it's across the office or thou- sands of miles away. The connection between the two points is referred to as the circuit. The connection

may also be made up of multiple circuits temporarily connected for the duration of a con- versation or transmission. One of the challenges is to make the distant locations as accessible as if they were in the same office next door. The information being transmitted may be a voice, written information, still pictures, moving pictures (video) or some combination of these. Here are some of the things to think about, relating to tele- communications transmission. Transmission Medium First is the transmission medium. The communications sig- nal is a low-voltage electrical signal that must have some means of getting from one point to another. The medium may be a physi- cal connection such as a cable. There are different types of cable made out of different materials, but most common is copper (twisted pair and coax) or glass (fiber optic cable). A cable can be used to connect devices several feet from each other. Cable is also run on the ocean floor to connect the continents. The second most commonly used medium is space. Commu- nications signals sent via microwave or satellite are transmitted through the air or through space outside the atmosphere. Water is also a communications medium, such as with sub- marine-to-submarine communications, but it is not used to carry your average business communications signals. The Telecom Handbook 84 235 TRANSMISSION Typically telecommunications signals either travel through a cable or through space. The ones that go through space have of- ten started out in a cable and may end up in another cable before they reach their final destination. As wireless communication becomes more widespread, the need for cable is diminishing, but it is not likely that it will go away. All of this cable running through the office, under the street and around the Earth is useless as a transmission medium for communication signals unless there is some hardware at both ends of the circuit and more in the middle. Synchronous and Asynchronous Transmission At each end of the circuit there must be some type

of tele- communications device to send a signal and another one at the other end to receive it. This may be a telephone, a fax machine, a terminal or computer (PC) with a modem, a multiplexer or a video transmission device. It is becoming increasingly common to have a personal com- puter as the device at the end of the communications circuit. Terminals with no built in intelligence, sometimes known as dumb terminals used to be the most prevalent type. They were connected to a central mainframe computer where both the intel- ligence and information resided. The characters traveled to the mainframe individually as they were typed in by the user. This type of transmission is called asynchronous transmission. The signals are sent over the line in a random fashion with added signals called start bits and stop bits. These start and stop bits tell the device at the distant end when to start and stop sampling the data coming across the circuit. The information is transmit- ted in digital form (different combinations of ones and zeroes representing all letters, numbers and symbols). Teletype and TWX machines were examples of dumb terminals. They are still in use in some countries. There is also synchronous transmission. In this case, digital information is sent between two devices that are in a specific time relationship, synchronized by a master clock. This is 236 & The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 11 typically used between mainframe computers. It enables blocks of information to be sent, rather than individual characters one at a time. While some dumb terminals are still in use, most have long ago been replaced by PCs (personal computers). PCs communi- cating with each other or with mainframes use an asynchronous type of transmission. The terms synchronous and asynchronous transmission are becoming somewhat dated. Instead, one refers to a particular tech- nology such as ATM or to a protocol such as TCP/IP to describe the how the digital signals are being sent over the circuit. ATM or Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a very hig

h speed transmission technology. ATM is a high bandwidth, low de- lay, connection-oriented, packet-like switching and multiplex- ing technique. Usable capacity is segmented into 53-byte fixed-size cells consisting of header and information fields allocated to services upon demand. The term "asynchronous" applies since each cell is presented to the network on a "start- stop" basis, in other words, asynchronously. The access de- vices, switches and interlinking transmission facilities, on the other hand, are highly synchronized. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) is a networking protocol (set of rules and conventions) that pro- vides communications across interconnected networks, between computers with diverse hardware architectures and various op- erating systems. TCP and IP are only two protocols in a family of Internet protocols. Over time they have come to refer to this entire family of protocols. Modems We mentioned the modem earlier. Let's talk about what a modem does and some of the different types of modems. Modem stands for MODulator and DEModulator. One type of modem sits at each end of an analog telephone line that converts digital signals to high and low tones. This is sometimes called a dial-up modem. These high and low tones represent zeroes and The Telecom Handbook x 237 TRANSMISSION ones, enabling the digital format to be carried on an analog line. Since most telephone lines in place are designed to accept analog signals, the modems enable digital signals to be transmitted over an analog line. The tones are discrete. If not kept discrete, a series of ones would be indistinguishable. This is achieved using varying techniques. The modem demodulates the stream of tones at the far end of the circuit, converting the ones and zeroes into a format that can be understood by the other device with which you are commu- nicating. There are many different modulation schemes. You may have seen (maybe in a museum!) one of the earliest types of modems developed called an acoustic coupler. The

acous- tic coupler is a device with two built-in rubber cups into which a standard telephone handset fits. After dialing the telephone num- ber of the distant end device, the communications link is made by placing the telephone handset into the coupler to form an acous- tic connection, rather than an electrical one, between the modem and the telephone line. This device was developed in the "pre- Carterfone Decision" days when the Bell System was concerned about any foreign devices being hardwired into the telephone lines. Acoustic couplers are asynchronous modems. Let's look at how a dial-up modem works. The basic com- ponents of a modem are a transmitter, a receiver and a power supply. The transmitter includes circuitry for, among other things, modulation. The telephone line carries a signal in the form of a sine wave. The three parts of the sine wave which can be manipulated or modulated by the modem to represent data are frequency, ampli- tude and phase. Modulation techniques have been developed around each of these components. The higher the speed of the modem, the more complex the scheme needed to impress infor- mation on the sine wave. The more complex circuitry leads to greater cost. Here are the modulation techniques: Frequency Modulation is used for low-speed asynchronous transmission. The number of waves per unit of space on the 238 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 11 circuit is varied while the height or amplitude of the waves is kept constant. The one bit is represented by two waves and the zero bit is represented by four waves. (Remember, the computer can only understand ones and zeroes. The bit is the one or the zero.) Amplitude Modulation varies the height or amplitude of the waves while keeping the frequency constant. The waves rep- resenting the one bit are taller than the waves representing the zero bit. This technique is often used to transmit data be- tween 300 bps and 1200 bps. Amplitude modulation is seldom used in telecommunications. AM radio stations use ampli- tude modulation. In Phase Modula

tion, the normal sine wave is used to repre- sent the one bit and a sine wave that is 180 degrees out of phase, the mirror image of the original wave, is used to rep- resent the zero bit. Phase modulation is most common in high speed modems. There are more complex modulation schemes that com- bine aspects of the above three and may include error-correct- ing capabilities. The following lists some features and options for modems enabling some flexibility. As with most telecommunications equipment, optional features with some manufacturers may be standard with others. Multi-port capability means that more than one outside tele- phone line can be handled by the modem at the same time. Dial back-up allows you to switch from your dedicated line to a dial line or lines in the event that the dedicated line fails. Voice and data capability allows you to alternate voice trans- mission with data transmission on the same line. The Telecom Handbook 65 239 TRANSMISSION Self-testing diagnostics perform local and remote testing to determine if there is a problem with either the line or the modem. Autocall automatically places calls for a modem on the dial network to eliminate operator intervention. Auto-answering automatically answers incoming calls to the modem. An adaptive rate system built into the modem allows it to continuously sense varying line conditions and adjust accord- ing to the highest possible speed. Echo suppression is an advanced technique that minimizes echoes and the resulting distortions for 2-wire dial line trans- missions over short and long distances at speeds. Phase roll compensation is a feature that automatically ad- justs for frequency differences between long distance carriers. A modem substitution switch is an external option that allows you to reroute your data through a spare modem that is stand- ing by powered up in the event that the other modem fails. An asynchronous-to-synchronous converter permits an asyn- chronous modem to operate with a synchronous modem. Modem strapping options enable the

modem to switch from half to full duplex operation. (Full duplex means transmis- sion can be taking place in both directions simultaneously. Half duplex means you can either send or receive, but not do both at the same time.) Most of today's modems have speeds that are higher than you can typically achieve on a standard telephone line. Speed limitations often have more to do with the quality of the tele- communications circuit than with the modem itself. 240 < The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 11 When purchasing a modem, it is useful to know the volume of data you are planning to transmit. Volume is both a function of the characters per transaction and the number of transactions per day required to support your application. The volume of infor- mation not only determines the speed of transmission but whether you should use dedicated lines (enabling higher speeds) or dial up lines. Here are a few other questions to ask when you are selecting a modem: Will the modem be compatible with your devices at each end? Will new modems be able to communicate with existing ones? Will the modem be used on a dedicated line (a fixed line con- necting two points) or a dial line (a line with a dial tone requiring you to dial a telephone number to reach the distant end)? Will the modem be used in a point-to-point or multi-point configuration? What kinds of diagnostic capabilities are needed? Does the modem have network control capability to keep the network running despite problems? Multiplexers If you want multiple devices to be transmitting simultaneously or if you want to mix synchronous and asynchronous transmis- sions, consider installing multiplexers in front of the modems. The multiplexer enables two or more signals to be transmitted "simultaneously" on the same circuit. Just to be clear about the multiplexed transmissions, they are SO fast that they do appear to be simultaneous. However, the data being transmitted is still moving across the line sequentially. The The Telecom Handbook $ 241 TRANSMISSION multiplexer breaks each tr

ansmission into smaller pieces, send- ing pieces from each transmission and puts it back together again at the other end. A multiplexer, also known as a mux, is located at each end of the circuit. At the receiving end it is sometimes called the demux (demultiplexer). The multiplexer is used to maximize the use of a high cost dedicated line by enabling it to be used for multiple simultaneous transmissions. There are three types of multiplexing: Frequency division multiplexing is an analog technique, di- viding the bandwidth into smaller channels. This is used today for cable TV signals in what is known as broadband. The FM dial on a radio is an example of frequency division mul- tiplexing. This can take place in the air or on a coaxial cable. Time division multiplexing can operate in a digital (called pulse code modulation) or analog (called pulse amplitude modu- lation) manner. All modern PBXs use pulse code modulation also called PCM. Older PBXs used pulse amplitude modula- tion. Each device on the network is assigned a particular time slot on the high speed line whether it has something to trans- mit or not. The order in which the devices transmit always stays the same. The digital time division multiplexer operates by scanning the devices, sampling the first bit from each trans- mission and then repeating the process sampling the second bit. It continually transmits these interleaved bits down the tele- communications circuit. A limitation of time division multiplexing is that it cannot retransmit an error because the transmission is continuous. This is significant for data trans- mission, but insignificant for voice transmission. Statistical multiplexing is an improved form of time division multiplexing in the sense that it maximizes the use of the lines on your network, but can sometimes cause blocking if the sta- tistical expectations do not hold. The statistical multiplexers 242 a The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 11 take advantage of the idle time of communications devices by dynamically allocating time slots

only as the devices re- quire them. Thus, more devices can be served on the same line. These stat muxes also have buffers SO that, when statis- tics are wrong and more devices are transmitting than statistically anticipated, the buffer will hold the information until the circuit is free to transmit it. CSU/DSU Hardware Lines for digital transmission require hardware that is some- what like a modem called a DSU (Data Service Unit) or CSU (Channel Service Unit). Often the DSU and CSU are built into a single unit. The CSU/DSU maintains a steady current on the line to control the quality of the signal being sent. More Transmission Hardware Other types of hardware come into play for transmitting tele- communications signals. For devices that are nearby, the signal may travel over the medium without any help. For relatively longer distances the sig- nal begins to attenuate (diminish) and must be boosted or amplified by what is called a repeater. All communications circuits also have devices called trans- formers, as do other electrical circuits. The transformer provides a variety of functions, including stepping up and stepping down voltage, managing of line impedance and electrical isolation via magnetic coupling, an important safety item. Other types of hardware that send communications signals through the air are the microwave dish and satellite with its tran- sponders. These satellites are in geo-stationary orbits appearing to hover at a fixed point 22,000 miles over the Equator. In reality they are orbiting at a speed in excess of 8,000 mph in sync with the Earth's rotation. The Telecom Handbook * 243 TRANSMISSION A microwave dish sends a signal to another dish or bounces the signal off a satellite. The signal is then received by another dish. A microwave dish may be several feet in diameter or the size of a three-story building. (Do not stand in front of, or even nearby, a dish if it is transmitting. It may reorganize some of your cells. The receiving dishes are harmless.) Now that we have the transmission medium

and the hard- ware to make the medium useful, what else is there to think about relating to transmission? Bandwidth Two things to consider when sending communications sig- nals is how much information can be sent at the same time, and how fast can it get there. Bandwidth refers to the capacity of a circuit for carrying communications signals. Bandwidth has come to mean not width, but rather the speed at which information travels over a circuit. For example, you may hear someone say that the bandwidth of a circuit is 56 Kbps (kilobits per second). True bandwidth refers to the range or speed of frequencies that can be carried by a circuit. The hardware at each end and in the middle determines the number of separate frequencies which can be transmitted simultaneously on one circuit. The capacity of a particular circuit and the speed with which communications signals can travel over that circuit are a func- tion of both the bandwidth of the circuit and the capability of the hardware used at both ends and in the middle. Just to clarify, if a circuit has a higher speed (higher band- width) the signals do not actually move faster. Its just that more information can travel over the circuit within a given time interval. Simplex VS. Duplex Another basic concept relating to circuits is whether they are simplex, half duplex or full duplex. On a simplex circuit, 244 35 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 11 information travels in one direction only, such as a radio broad- cast. On a half duplex circuit, the information travels in both directions, but only one way at a time such as with a CB radio. You can either talk or listen. A full duplex circuit enables simul- taneous two way transmission such as with a telephone conversation where you may talk and listen at the same time. Protocols Protocols are the rules, procedures or conventions relating to the format and timing of communications transmissions between two devices. Both devices must use and accept the same proto- cols in order to understand each other. Analog VS. Digital Let

's talk about the terms analog and digital and how they come into play in the transmission of telecommunications signals. Some telecommunications signals are sent in an analog form, which is represented by a sine wave. The analog signal implies a continuous flow on the line. A digital signal is discrete, repre- senting the presence or absence of current on the line. Samples of the analog signal can be converted to binary numbers that can then be transmitted in a digital form. You may hear that a circuit is digital or analog. These terms do not really apply to the circuit, but rather to the ability to trans- mit the form in which information is sent over the circuit. Your basic telephone at home has two wires, completing the circuit or loop back to the central office of the local telephone company. The incoming voice and your voice are both carried by this loop. Your voice typically travels over the loop in an analog form. Most telecommunications equipment is designed around this elemental concept. If you have a PC with a modem, you can connect it to this same telephone line. Since the computer is sending out information The Telecom Handbook : 245 TRANSMISSION in binary form as either a zero or a one, the purpose of the modem, is to convert these zeroes and ones into acoustic tones. These tones travel over the line until they reach the other end where another compatible modem converts them back into ones and zeroes. Digital lines can be used to send voice communications as well as data, but in some cases it is necessary to convert the ana- log voice signal into a digital form. This is done with a variety of sampling techniques, but the basic concept is the same. The analog signal (sine wave) is sampled at frequent intervals and given a numeric value based upon the amplitude (height) of the wave at each point. This num- ber is then converted to a binary number. Binary numbers represent all values using only ones and zeros. Thus, the numeric value of each point sampled on the analog signal is converted to ones and z

eros which travel across the circuit digitally. 2-Wire VS. 4-Wire Still another issue relating to transmission is whether the cir- cuit is a 2-wire or a 4-wire circuit. Most dedicated point-to-point data communications circuits are 4-wire, having a transmit pair and a receive pair. Data can also be transmitted on a 2-wire dial up circuit usually at a lower speed. Note: On many circuits, the signals travel part of the way on fiber optic cable, but still termi- nates on copper wire at either end. The telephone in your home uses a 2-wire circuit. When ordering services and trying to get two devices to com- municate there are a lot of questions to ask to ensure that things work the way you expected. See The Telecom Tutorials by Jane Laino for a tutorial on Ordering and Provisioning Telecommunications Services www.cmpbooks.com. 246 * The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 Cable This chapter is about the physical transmission medium called cable, which is fundamental to telecommunications systems and services. The most well thought out telecommunications systems will not work as expected unless the cabling infrastructure is prop- erly designed and installed. There are many variables in both the types of cable and the quality of the installation. Transmission qualities are continually improving as the cabling manufacturers keep up with the demands of the marketplace for sending more information at faster speeds. Copper is by far the most commonly used type of cable in on- premises telecommunications installations. Copper is the best metallic conductor of electricity, other than silver and gold. Silver and gold have other limitations making them unsuitable. Telecom- munications signals are considered to be low-voltage electricity. Unshielded Twisted Pair Copper Cable The most prevalent type of copper cable is UTP, which stands for Unshielded Twisted Pair. The wires come in pairs which are twisted around each other. A different rate of twist for pairs of wires within the cable minimizes the effect of outside interference (crosst

alk), and there- fore improves the likelihood that the telecommunications signal will make it through the cable in an undistorted form. The out- side interference is called EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) or RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). The UTP is rated in terms of the number of turns or twists per foot, more twists being better. As mentioned above, the rate of twist varies on pairs within the same cable. There are different levels of cable which are UL (Underwrit- ers Laboratories) specified: Categories 1 through 6. All premise cable currently being installed is either Category 5E (also called The Telecom Handbook 14 247 CABLE CAT 5E) or Category 6 (CAT 6) which support gigabit applica- tions (very high speed for large quantities of data). Many telephone systems are still in place that use Category 3. The cat- egories also apply to the hardware that works with the cabling including jacks, patch panels and 110 blocks for terminating the cable. There are 25-pair CAT 5 cables that can be used for feeder cables to connect several floors. CAT 6 cables only come as single strands with 4 pairs of wires, SO the feeder or backbone cable in a CAT 6 installation will be fiber optic cable. NOTE: The speeds which can be supported are dependent upon both the category of cable used and the distance which the signals must travel. Figure 12.1 Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable (UTP) The Concept of Speed or Bandwidth All signals travel over copper cable at approximately the same speed. Speed, as it is used in this context refers to how much can be sent over a cable or a circuit within a second (100 mbps = one hundred million bits per second). So higher speed cables allow much more information (more bits) to be sent in one second than lower speed cables. Because more information is being sent in one second, the information appears to be traveling faster, but it is just that more is getting through in a given time interval. An- other term for this speed is bandwidth. UTP Configurations UTP is manufactured in a variety of conf

igurations. You can buy a cable containing two pair or four, eight, twelve, twenty-five 248 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 or fifty pair (CAT 5E only up to 25 pair). The most frequently used cable, which is a standard, is a 4-pair cable (total of 8 wires). By definition, Categories 5E and 6 are both 4-pair cables. Each pair of wires within a cable is color coded. For ex- ample, one wire is blue with white stripes. It is twisted around a second wire which is white with blue stripes = white/blue- blue/white. There is also white/orange-orange/white, white/ green-green/white, white/brown-brown/white, etc. In many installations, more than one 4-pair cable is run, perhaps two 4-pair cables or, most commonly, four 4-pair cables. Some forethought is required in terms of how the cable is to be used, although the planned use may be different from the ultimate use. Jacks In addition to deciding how much and what type of cable will be run, it is important to consider how the cable will be termi- nated at each end. At the desk, the end of the cable will terminate in a jack into which a connector will be plugged to connect the telephone or other communications device. Sometimes the con- nector is referred to as the jack, but the jack is actually the outlet. The means for terminating the cable, and the size and con- figuration of the jack are dependent upon what is to be plugged into the jack, which is not always known when the cable is run. For example, it is possible to terminate all eight wires of a 4-pair UTP in an 8-pin modular jack. The Category 5E and 6 standards require that you do so. It is also possible to terminate only six of the eight wires (or fewer), leaving one or more spare pairs in the wall behind the jack. This is called a split cable. The spare pairs can also be terminated on a second jack. The connec- tors plug into the jack, ideally having the same amount of wires as are terminated on the jack. It is possible to plug a 6-pin con- nector into an 8-pin jack, but it is not recommended in terms of ensuring th

e best transmission. The Telecom Handbook 249 CABLE The 8-pin connector is larger than the 6-pin. There is also a 4-pin connector that is the same size as the 6-pin connector, but only four wires are terminated on it. There are also different standards in use which dictate differ- ent ways for terminating the cables. Two standards. EIA-TIA 568A and 568B specify two different methods of wiring the jacks for the 4-pair cables as a part of the overall standard. The jack for the telephone in your home is probably a 42A block (if the tele- phone is hardwired into it) or an RJ11C if the telephone plugs into it with a modular connector (6 pin). The RJ11C jack is a little beige square plastic box into which a 6 pin modular connector is plugged (the type of plug at the end of the mounting cord on a single-line telephone). This connects the telephone to the wires which in turn connect you through the cable in your home, out to the street, and back to the central of- fice of the local telephone company. There your call goes through switching equipment (the central office switch) to be connected to the telephone number you are calling. Your voice then travels in the same manner out to the telephone at the other end. The term quad was used to refer to an older type of 2-pair cable. It was not twisted and is no longer used in new installations (quad uses 4 wires, one pair red/green and the other yellow/black). In what was formerly The Bell System, the division known as Western Electric developed some standard wiring configura- tions for jacks used today. The two most commonly encountered are RJ11C (6 pin modular jack) and RJ45 (8 pin modular jack). RJ stands for registered jack. In new installations it is increas- ingly rare to see RJ11C jacks since RJ45 is becoming the standard. Many offices run four separate 4-pair cables to the desk, ter- minating each in a separate jack (Figure 12.2). One of these jacks may be used to plug in the telephone. Another may be used to plug the computer into the LAN (local area network). A third

may be used to plug the computer into a separate outside line, bypassing the PBX or an extension from the PBX, which can be used by the computer as a dial back up for Internet access, should the LAN connection to the Internet be out of service. The fourth 250 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 Figure 12.2 Faceplate With 4 Jacks VOICE may be used for a fax machine or some other telecommunica- tions device. There is a lot to be said for running more cable to each desk than you think you will need. Some applications use all four pairs in the cable for one high speed transmission path. It is also important to make the cable accessible. Having to remove the jack and reach behind the wall to pull out another pair of cables can create a messy appearance, be cumbersome perform, and may disrupt other devices already working at that location. Power at the Desk Another related consideration is having a sufficient number of electrical outlets at each desk to accommodate everything that requires power. Most traditional telephones do not require sepa- rate power. The required amount of power can be sent from the telephone equipment room over a separate pair of wires (low voltage) going into the same jack as the telephone. Certain tele- phones may require an electrical outlet at the desk, SO it is always a good idea to ask if it is necessary. For example, modules used to expand the number of extensions appearing on the telephone may require power at the desk. Some speakerphones enabling The Telecom Handbook % 251 CABLE hands-free conversation also require separate electrical outlets. Also some early IP (Internet Protocol) Telephones require power at the desk, although the newer ones do not. Main and Intermediate Distribution Frames We have talked about UTP copper cable and how it is termi- nated at the desk. What happens at the other end of that cable? If all cables in the installation are home run that means that they all pull back to the same place, which is the MDF (Main Distribution Frame). It is a good idea to place the MDF

in a central location SO that each cable run will be equidistant from the MDF. For more efficient cable distribution in larger installa- tions, IDFs (Intermediate Distribution Frames) are sometimes used. On multi-floor installations there may be one or more IDFs per floor. The IDF is connected to the MDF with a feeder cable containing enough pairs of wires to accommodate all of the cable pulls back to the IDF, plus additional pairs of wires for growth. The IDFs and MDFs are laid out to accommodate growth and to enable records to be kept on the originating and terminat- ing end of each cable. If good records are not kept, you may find it costs less to run new cable than to figure out the old. The IDF and MDF are made up of connecting blocks which are devices made of plastic and metal designed for terminating cable. Although M66 blocks are still in place in most installa- tions, newer installations use 110 blocks developed by AT&T (Figure 12.3). These are higher in density, enabling more pairs of wires to be terminated in a smaller space. These blocks can be mounted on plywood backboards or can be installed on free-stand- ing racks. Sometimes there are cable trays above the racks to neatly hold and support the cable. Some telephone systems are installed using modular patch panels at the MDF. This appears to make things easier since any- one can make changes without knowing how to punch down (connect the wires) cable on the block. However, if there is a lot of moving and changing, the modular panel can become a tangle of cables and problematic to manage. 252 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 Figure 12.3 AT&T Developed 110 Block A 600 Pair Block for Main Distribution Frame The Telecom Handbook - 253 CABLE Another possibility for the MDF which is costly and used primarily for data installations is an electronic digital patch bay in which the cables remain in the same place. The con- nections are changed using software. This method may be used for voice communications in the future. The problem with it is that it creates

a single point of failure for the entire cabling system. Hardwired methods of terminating cables are more fault tolerant. Shielded Twisted Pair There is another type of twisted pair cable known as STP (Shielded Twisted Pair). The shielding is an extra layer of metal insulation surrounding the twisted pair. This is sometimes rec- ommended in cases where a lot of outside electromagnetic interference is present or anticipated. If it is not necessary, it is better to do without the shielding, since it can also have the ef- fect of keeping electromagnetic fields generated within the cable trapped inside the shield, causing distortion of the signal. If shield- ing is used it is important that it be properly grounded. Otherwise, it may attract the interference that it was designed to repel. The grounding should only take place at the MDF. If it is grounded at both ends, more interference in the signal may result. In general, shielding should only be used in low-level signal situations. Shielding works best when each pair of wires is shielded sepa- rately. Overall shielding of a cable containing multiple pairs will still keep out external interference but will not prevent interfer- ence between the pairs. This interference is known as crosstalk and results in conversations spilling over to other pairs of wires SO that one conversation is heard in the middle of another. Good quality shielded pair cable is expensive. The expense is justified since these cables must meet rigid manufacturing speci- fications which address the diameter and strength of each conductor, the properties of the insulation, the twisting of each pair, the shielding of each pair by a metallic foil, and the shield- ing of the entire cable by an outer layer of shielding material. 254 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 Screened Twisted Pair Cable Also knows as SCTP, this is a variation of shielded twisted pair cable developed by ITT. It can carry a signal 75% further than regular UTP. Grounding An important consideration relating to the installation of equ

ipment and cabling is grounding. A ground is a common elec- trical reference point which serves two primary purposes. The first, a power ground, is a matter of safety. Metal cabinets and racks housing equipment and cabling should be properly grounded to minimize the possibility of electrical shock to anyone coming into contact with them. This is done through grounding (con- necting with a wire) to cold water pipes or building steel. The second, a signal ground, is to ground the cable in order to enable proper transmission and reception of the signal with a minimum of distortion. As mentioned above, in many buildings, the cold water pipes are used for grounding. You may also ground to your UPS (uninterruptible power supply or battery backup) Grounding is really "completing the electrical circuit." A com- plete circuit ensures high-quality transmission. On the matter of safety, however, a person does not want to inadvertently become the object that completes the circuit! Advantages and Disadvantages of Twisted Pair Copper Cabling Some advantages of twisted pair cabling include the following: Many developments of new applications call for twisted pair. It is a flexible system. Distribution cables (feeder cables) are easily used and it is not necessary to home run all cables. The Telecom Handbook as 255 CABLE The same cabling can be used for voice and data communica- tions, saving on materials and labor, and therefore on expense. Many technicians are available for performing high-quality installations. It is often already in place, SO it may make sense to reuse it. Disadvantages of twisted pair include the following: It has limitations in terms of the speed (bandwidth) with which data can be carried. It is more likely to have crosstalk interference than other types of cable. It may be less secure than coax or fiber cable in terms of someone being able to tap into it. Coaxial Cable Another type of cable, more commonly used for data com- munications rather than voice, is coaxial cable, also known as coax. It is made up

JACKET SHIELD DIELECTRIC INSULATION CONDUCTOR Advantages of coaxial cabling are as follows: Low susceptibility to electromagnetic interference resulting in less interference and crosstalk. High bandwidth for transmitted signals, with resulting lower signal distortion. Can be used over longer distances than twisted-pair cables. Can be matched to operate with twisted pair through the use of a device called a balun. Lower signal distortion. More channels can be transmitted over the same cable than with twisted pair. There is less of a tendency to have crosstalk between cables than with twisted pair. There is greater security of the information than with twisted pair. Disadvantages of coaxial cable are as follows: It is more difficult to install than twisted pair, costing more and taking more time. It is heavier and fatter than either twisted pair or fiber op- tic cable. The Telecom Handbook 13 257 CABLE Many systems have shifted from coaxial cable to twisted pair as new technology is developed to improve the transmission on the twisted pair. It must be installed in either a daisy chain fashion or home run, SO it does not have the flexibility of twisted pair. Fiber Optic Cable Fiber optics is a technology in which light is used to trans- port signals from one point to another. Fiber optics are thin filaments of glass through which light beams are transmitted. (See Figure 12.5 and Figure 12.6) Single mode fiber optic cable is used under the streets to con- nect one telephone company central office to another, for example. It uses lasers as a light source and can transmit a signal for 100 miles without a boost. Multimode fiber optic cable has a much larger core diameter than single mode. It typically used within a building, uses LED's (light emitting diodes) as a light source and transmits signals much shorter distances than single mode. There are two types of multimode fiber optic cable. One is multimode step index. This is sufficient to handle the speed of ethernet and token ring LAN transmissions. Multimode graded i

ndex increases speed 400% over step index. The graded in- dex cable varies the speed of different light paths in the core. This cuts down on pulse widening (distortion) also called modal dispersion. Fiber optic cable is often used as a backbone cable such as a building riser cable. It may also be used between Local Area Networks. It is seldom run to each desk. Advantages of fiber optic cabling are as follows: Fiber optic cable carries large amounts of data at a very high speed. Since the information is being transmitted by light 258 V The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 Figure 12.5 Index The structure Input Output Profile Pulse Pulse of the fiber determines how light propagates through it. Multimode Step Index Multimode Graded Index Singlemode Step Index - Compliments of AMP, Jim Loizides and The Hylan Group Figure 12.6 BUFFER CLADDING The concentric layers of an optical fiber include the light-carrying core, the cladding, and the protective buffer. - Compliments of AMP, Jim Loizides and The Hylan Group The Telecom Handbook << 259 CABLE energy rather than electrical energy, the signal is not subject to the electrical properties of wire such as resistance and in- ductance which can attenuate the signal. Signal loss (diminishing strength as the signal moves along the cable) is significantly lower than for either coaxial cable or twisted pair. The signal is unaffected by electromagnetic frequency inter- ference. Fiber cables do not produce any electromagnetic noise, nor are they affected by it. There is no need for con- cern about cross talk, echoing or static. Fiber optic cable eliminates all grounding problems since it uses optical cou- pling instead of electrical coupling. Fiber optic cables carry no electrical energy SO there is no possibility of an electrical spark. Thus, the cable can be used in potentially explosive environments such as chemical plants and refineries. Fiber optic cables are far more secure than twisted pair or coaxial cables. There is no electromagnetic field. It is very difficult to tap into a f

iber cable without detection, but it can be done. Fiber cable is adaptable to almost any LAN configuration. Disadvantages of fiber optic cabling are as follows: Requires qualified, specially trained technicians to install it. Tends to be the highest in cost, but this depends in part on the application. The cost is coming down. Purchasing Cabling and its Installation When deciding which of the three types of cable to use, it is important to consider the cost of installation and maintenance, 260 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 and future requirements. You must evaluate the suitability for supporting your applications. When you are in the process of specifying cabling for the purpose of obtaining pricing, here are some questions to ask: Will all work be done in compliance with national, state and local codes including building codes, fire codes, electrical codes and health codes? Most areas of the U.S. no longer permit the installation of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) coated cabling in office environments, particularly running through return air plenum ceilings. This coating emits toxic gases when it burns, SO it presents a danger in the event of a fire. There is actually a lot of it installed, but the idea is not to put any more in. Teflon or other coatings, less toxic when burning, now replace it and tend to be higher in cost. What is the prior experience of the cabling installation com- pany with this type of installation? Will the installation company be responsible for the replace- ment of floor tiles, ceiling tiles and any other areas damaged due to the cabling activity? What type of cable documentation will be provided at the conclusion of the work? Building Cabling Systems Now that we have introduced some specific types of cable used in typical business installations, here is a view on the im- portance of the building cabling system. Some building owners or business users of office space view the wiring as a strategic investment. The cabling network must meet both near and long term needs. In the past, the cable

design has accommodated the needs of a specific system or systems. With technology changing regularly, the cabling systems being installed now must be much more flexible and universal, capable The Telecom Handbook * 261 CABLE of supporting all of the communications of a building including voice, data, images and video. The cabling being installed now will be expected to last at least ten to fifteen years if not more, yet the technology of the equipment using the cable often has a life cycle that is much shorter. Transmission speeds are continually increasing. This points to the importance of installing what is sometimes called a structured wiring system. Not all building owners are interested in installing a structured wiring system for the entire building due to the expense (unless the building is occupied and owned by a single tenant). In multi-tenant buildings, different companies have different ideas about what their cabling system should look like. Strictly speaking, the structured wiring system addresses the needs for connectivity from the entrance to the build- ing through the workstation/desktop. The riser cable system, also called the backbone, extends vertically from the main distribution frame for the entire build- ing (often located in the basement). It provides service to the telephone closet on each floor of the building. The riser cable may be copper or fiber or a combination of the two. In a large spread out building such as a factory, the equivalent of a riser cable may be placed horizontally. A predetermined number of cable pairs are terminated on each floor. These will be used to bring telephone service from the out- side world into the space of the company occupying that floor. The copper riser cable typically uses 24 gauge cable formed into binder groups of 25 pairs each. The groups are identified by dis- tinctively colored binders and are assembled to form a single compact core covered by a protective sheath. The gauge of the cable relates to the transmission properties and the diameter. The

higher the number, the smaller the diameter. You may also see the term AWG which stands for American Wire Gauge. Most telephone cable is either 24 or 22 gauge. Twenty-four gauge is typically used for premise cabling, while 22 gauge is used to connect telephone company central offices. Fiber optic cable now more commonly connects most central offices. The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 The telephone closet in which the riser cable is terminated is usually located in some common building area, perhaps adjacent to the elevators. It is typical to take the outside lines from the building telephone closet and run them through a cable in a con- duit (pipe) into the telephone equipment room. There the PBX and perhaps the file servers for the LANs are located. This PBX room is part of the individual business' premise. The plastic and metal blocks on the wall of the telephone equipment room on which the outside lines are terminated are referred to as the demarc. The blocks at the demarc are also called the RJ21X's or just RJ's. This is the point of demarcation where the outside lines are dropped off. From that point the telephone system installation company runs cable to connect the outside Recommended Cabling Practices DON'T Terminate each horizontal Use connecting hardware cable on a dedicated that is of a lower category telecommunications outlet. than the cable being used. Locate the main cross- Create multiple appear- connect near the center ances of the same cable of the building to limit at several distribution cable distances. points (called bridged taps). Maintain the twist of horizontal and backbone Over-tighten cable ties, cable pairs up to the point use staples, or make sharp of termination. bends with cables. Make sure that horizontal Place cable near equipment cables are all the same that may generate high category or higher. levels of electromagnetic Tie and dress horizontal interference. cables neatly and with a maximum bend radius of 4 times the cable diameter. - Compliments of Dave Crozier The Telecom Handbo

ok is 263 CABLE lines into the telephone system SO that when someone at an ex- tension dials 9 they will be able to place an outside call. Cabling Standards The following information reviews a cabling standard. It was obtained from an article by William C. Spencer of Net- work & Communications Technology, Park Ridge, NJ (201-307-9000) in Business Communications Review Maga- zine, Hinsdale, IL (708-986-1432). The article was contributed for use in this book by Anthony G. Abbott, president of Comware Systems, Inc. (203-326-5500), a telecommunica- tions management software company. In 1993, the American National Standards Institute, the Tele- communications Industries Association and the Electronic Industries Association formally approved and published their Administration Standard for the Telecommunications Infrastruc- ture of Commercial Buildings, numbered EIA/TIA-606. This administrative standard follows and conforms to the Commer- cial Building Telecommunications Wiring Standard (ANSI/EIA/ TIA-568, published in July 1991) and the Commercial Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces (ANSI/ EIA/TIA-569, published in October 1990). Although not as widely known as EIA/TIA-568 and 569, the new EIA/TIA-606 and 607 standards may have far-reaching ef- fects on the telecommunications industry. People in charge of network management in an organization will see these standards as the foundation upon which they will build future network con- figurations and management systems. Those preparing Requests for Proposals will include technical specifications based on the standard when defining documentation and identification require- ments for new structured wiring systems. System integrators, contractors, designers and installers will have to understand the 606 and 607 standards in order to respond to the new requirements which hopefully will be included in fu- ture RFPs. In addition, software developers, who offer 264 & The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 cable industry is in a state of flux. When pre- paring to

purchase new cable, it is important to identify the current state of cabling technology and standards. configuration management and telecommunication administra- tion software systems, will have to be certain that these applications meet and comply with the new standard. Administering a telecommunications infrastructure includes tasks such as documenting and identifying all cables, termina- tion hardware, cross-connects, cable pathways, telecommunica- tion closets, work areas and equipment rooms. In addition, an administrative system needs to provide reports that present tele- communications information in useful format; include drawings of the telecommunications infrastructure for design, installation and management purposes; and document changes to the system with trouble tickets, service requests and work orders. The administrative standard does, in fact, deal with all the components of the telecommunications infrastructure. This stan- dard supports electronic applications such as voice, data, video, alarm, environmental control, security, fire and audio. The pur- pose of the 606 and 607 standards is to provide a uniform administration scheme that is independent of applications, which may change several times throughout the life of a building. Three major administrative areas covered by the new stan- dards are (1) pathway and space, (2) wiring system and (3) grounding and bonding administration. In addition, the standard defines specific requirements for labeling and color coding and includes symbols recommended for use when preparing telecom- munication infrastructure drawings. The overall concept of the standard is to establish identifiers, in the form of labels that specify the content of various records and define the linkages between records. The standard then de- scribes how to present the information needed to administer build- ing wiring, pathways and spaces, and grounding and bonding. The Telecom Handbook SS 265 CABLE Mandatory and advisory criteria are included in the standard. Mandatory criteria, w

hich are required of record-keepers, specify the absolute minimum acceptable requirements and generally apply to safety, protection, performance and compatibility. Optional advisory criteria, which are considered to be above the minimum requirements, are viewed as desirable enhancements to the standard. Identifiers, as specified by the standard, are included as part of the record assigned to each element of the telecommunica- tions infrastructure and must be unique. Enclosed identifiers may include additional information-cable, termination position, work area or closet location. Labels, including these identifiers, must meet the legibility, defacement, adhesion and exposure requirements of Underwrit- ers Laboratory 969 and should be affixed in accordance with the UL-969 standard. Bar codes, when included on labels, must use either Code 39, conforming to USS-39, or Code 128, conform- ing to USS-128. Labels must also be color-coded to distinguish demarcation points and campus, horizontal, and riser or back- bone termination points. Pathways must be labeled at all endpoints located in tele- communication closets, equipment rooms or entrance facilities. All horizontal and riser/backbone cables must be labeled at each end. All splice closures must be marked or labeled. Termination hardware, including termination positions, must also be labeled, except where high termination densities make such labeling im- practical. The telecommunications main grounding busbar, as well as each bonding conductor and telecommunications grounding busbar, must be marked or labeled. Finally, each telecommuni- cations space, whether telecommunications closet, equipment room or work area, must be labeled. Each record defined in the standard must contain certain re- quirement information and required linkages to other specified records. Linkages define the logical connections between identi- fiers and records. Identifiers then may point to more than one record. Descriptions of optional information and linkages to 266 - The Telecom Handbook C

HAPTER 12 other records outside the scope of the standard are also included but are not meant to be inclusive or complete. There is no ques- tion that properly designed administrative systems will have to incorporate many of the non-mandatory advisory elements in- cluded within the standard. In order to associate various applications with the telecom- munications infrastructure, user codes identifying and linking circuit information, such as voice or data, may be included. Com- bining both physical and logical information is important for telecommunications administration, especially when generating trouble tickets for network fault management and when generat- ing work orders for adds, moves and changes. Being able to quickly determine which circuits are available, reserved, in use or out of use is an important part of telecommunications infra- structure management. The following reports are recommended by the standard: pathway, space, cable, end-to-end circuit, cross-connect and grounding/bonding summary reports. The recommended content of the reports includes: Pathway reports: List all pathways and include type, present fill and load. Space reports: List all spaces, types and locations. Cable reports: List all cables, types and termination positions. End-to-end circuit reports: Trace connectivity from end-to- end and list user codes, associated termination positions and cables. Cross-connect reports: List all cross-connections within each space. Grounding/bonding summary reports: List all grounding busbars and attached backbone bonding conductors. The Telecom Handbook x 267 CABLE Additional and optional information can be presented in these reports. Also, the reports described in the standard are not all- inclusive. Many other reports not mentioned in the standard would normally be included as part of a properly designed telecommu- nications infrastructure administration system. Conceptual and installation drawings are considered input to the final record drawings which graphically document the tele- communica

tions infrastructure. While the standard doesn't specify how the drawings are created, in most cases they will be pre- pared using a computer-aided design (CAD) system, either a separate software product or a telecommunications administra- tion system that incorporates CAD functionality. The record drawings must show the following: the identifier as well as the location and size of pathways and spaces; the loca- tion of all cable terminations (work areas, telecommunication closets and equipment rooms); and all backbone cables. Draw- ings which show the routing of all horizontal cables are desirable. The standard includes symbols that may be used when preparing these drawings. Ideally, record information should be accessible when one is viewing the record drawings. It is mandated that all wiring, termination and splice work orders be maintained for telecommunication repairs, adds, moves and changes. The work-order document must include cable iden- tifiers and types, termination identifiers and types, and splice identifiers and types. The work-order process should be used to update the administrative records. In day-to-day telecommuni- cations administration, this is the most important requirement set forth in the standard. If the system records are not immedi- ately updated when a work order is completed, the administrative system will quickly become outdated and useless. Configuration management is identified by the International Organization for Standardization's Network Management Forum as one of the five functional network management areas, the others being fault, security, performance and accounting management. Configuration management is the core of the four other network management areas and comprises the following management 268 99 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 12 elements: in-use and spare-part equipment inventory management; cabling and wiring management; circuit management; tracking, authorizing and scheduling adds, moves and changes; trouble ticketing network faults; user and vendor management; and docu

menting current network configurations. If the mandatory and advisory criteria are included, the ANSI/ TIA/EIA-606 and 607 Administration Standards for the Telecom- munications Infrastructure of Commercial Buildings cover most of the elements included in the definition of configuration man- agement. Since the infrastructure can be thought of as the collection of those components that provide basic support for the distribution of all information within a building or campus, the telecommunications administration standard must now be viewed as the basis upon which all future network configuration man- agement systems will be built. Implementing a telecommunication administration system re- quires a great deal of thought and planning. There are many important reasons why organizations should implement a physi- cal layer configuration, design and telecommunications administration system. Some of the reasons are: To determine what cables, conductors or fibers, and circuits (PBX, Ethernet, Token Ring, etc.) are free, in use, and out of use, and what circuits and users are assigned to them. To maintain a documentation and identification system for the implementation of an equipment and cable disaster re- covery plan in case of fire, explosion, flood, or other natural or man made emergency. To identify what equipment is in use, spare and out of use, and to document and maintain equipment connectivity. To update and manage network faults, adds, moves and changes, and to maintain work order records for all equip- ment, users, circuits and cable paths. To reduce the amount of network or LAN downtime. The Telecom Handbook . 269 CABLE To decrease labor costs by eliminating the need to trace un- documented circuits each time an add, move, change or network fault occurs. To increase confidence in the structured wiring systems that organizations use to downsize applications from main- frame platforms to client/server environments or to change PBX systems. To generate management reports and perform detailed net- work analysis on a

ll equipment and cabling systems. To transfer users from one network to another as part of the effort to manage overall network performance. To document and maintain cable and circuit test data. To manage important vendor relationships, purchasing, tech- nical support, returns and service. To administer names and addresses and track all network equipment, cables and circuits for departments, users, man- agers and technicians. To design new networks within the infrastructure and to pro- duce reports and analysis detailing equipment and cabling requirements for them. The focus of this chapter has been cabling on a business premise, but cabling also carries most transmissions between locations. For more information on purchasing cable see How to Write an RFP for a Telecommunications Cabling System by Don Bodnar. Available at 1-800-LIBRARY or www.cmpbooks.com 270 * The Telecom Handbook PART IV Telecommunications Industry The Telecom Handbook 12 271 Taylor & Francis Taylor & Francis Group http://taylorandfrancis.com CHAPTER 13 Understanding the Telecommunications Industry Who Does What The purpose here is to provide you with an understanding of the different types of companies that make up the continually changing telecommunications industry. Before 1984, the telecommunications industry was relatively simple to understand. Much of the United States was served by a single organization known as the Bell System and the balance of the country was served Independent Telephone Companies, sev- eral large and many small. These companies sold most telecommunications equipment and services including (1) business telephone systems, (2) tele- phones, (3) cabling for your office, (4) local outside lines for placing both local and long distance calls and (5) data communi- cations circuits with the needed equipment. Everything was billed to you on a single invoice each month. After the break up of the Bell System monopoly and the re- sulting court judgments, companies in the telecommunications industry became more specialized. Some

companies sold busi- ness telephone systems only. Some sold local outside lines and telephone calls. Others became long distance companies or spe- cialized in data communications. Now things are beginning to change again, and a new regula- tory climate resulting from the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is permitting companies to expand into areas of the business from which they had formerly been prohibited. Companies have been merging or acquiring other companies with services that com- pete with or complement their own. It is no longer possible to identify a company as purely a local telephone company or a long distance company. Instead, we classify companies by the types of equipment and services The Telecom Handbook 273 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY they sell and support. Keep in mind that many companies now fall into more than one of these categories. Considering the pace of mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and failures, nothing becomes out-of-date faster than telecommuni- cations company names. Telecommunications Network Services (Outside Lines And Calls) Local telephone lines come into your business, most typi- cally on cables running in from the street to your office. They connect either your telephone system or individual telephones, faxes or modems to the outside world. They include dial tone lines also known as POTS lines (POTS = plain old telephone service) or may be called auxiliary lines, combination trunks, direct inward dial trunks, T-1s, and PRIs. These lines are most typically delivered to your telephone equipment room or telephone closet where they are then physi- cally connected to your telephone system or to a cable running to a separate telephone, fax or modem. These connections are made by your telephone system maintenance company. To order these lines you call a Local Telephone Company. While there is now competition in many areas of the United States with more than one company selling local telephone lines and calls, you can call the Traditional Local Telephone Company; the one that has been a

round for years (Verizon or Bell South, for example). Since there is now competition, this company is some- times called the ILEC (Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier) to distinguish it from the others. This company may have been part of the Bell System at one time or may be an Independent Tele- phone Company, depending upon where you are located. The competitors are called CLECs (pronounced "see-lex") (Competi- tive Local Exchange Carriers) or BLECs (Building Local Exchange Carriers). A BLEC is a variation on the CLEC that tries to corner the local telephone service market in certain office buildings where it has installed cabling and electronic equipment. 274 is The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 In some cases the CLEC is one of the companies historically recognized as a long distance company, such as AT&T. Most of the Long Distance Companies now compete with the Local Tele- phone Companies selling Local Telephone Lines and Calls in some geographic areas. Most of the Long Distance companies got into the business of selling local telephone lines and calls by purchasing a CLEC. There are often a number of CLECs that compete with the ILEC in certain geographic areas, mainly large cities where the opportunity is the greatest. Some CLECs have run their own cabling into certain office buildings, but it is more common for them to rent the cabling that is already in place which is owned by the ILEC with whom they are competing. These local telephone companies may also sell local tele- phone calls which are seldom detailed on your monthly bill, but instead billed as message units which have an associated cost. The calls are billed according to how far away you are calling and how long you speak. In some areas of the country, you may make an unlimited number of local calls for a fixed monthly cost known as a flat rate. Detailed descriptions of how local calls are billed by the ILEC in your area can be found in the front of the White Pages telephone directory they publish. CLECs tend to price local calls differently than the IL

EC not only in terms of cost, but in terms of the initial period, for which you pay even if you speak for just one second, and subsequent time period increments. Many of the ILECs and CLECs also sell long distance calls and related services such as Calling Cards. They may also sell Cellular Service and Data Communications Services including circuits connecting you to the Internet. It is likely that many companies selling these different types of telecommunications services were formerly separate compa- nies that have been merged together. Therefore if you want to buy more than one service you may still feel as if you are dealing with separate companies. For example, there are often different The Telecom Handbook 275 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY sales people and different billing systems for each different type of service. In some cases, these companies have separate divisions that sell business telephone systems called PBXs. They may also sell a service historically known as Centrex which provides PBX ca- pabilities using the functions of the local telephone company's own switching equipment at their central office rather than on the customer's premises. Your local telephone company is also typically responsible for ensuring that your organization is appropriately listed in the white pages and yellow pages directories and in directory assis- tance. With the proliferation of competitors, these listings can no longer be taken for granted and must be regularly checked for accuracy and to be sure that callers can reach you when request- ing directory assistance. The local telephone company owns a number of central of- fice switches (electronic equipment used to route telephone calls to their destination). The central office may be a large or small building depending upon the number of telephone service sub- scribers in the area. In large cities it is likely that you are located within a mile or two from this central office while in more rural areas you may be many miles away. The cables that deliver the local telephone

lines to your pre- mises are run from this central office and may be routed underground or overhead on telephone poles. If you are in a high- rise building, the local telephone company may also own the riser cable that runs vertically from the basement and drops off tele- phone lines on each floor. Long Distance Telephone Calls and Point-to-Point Circuits Long distance companies, also known as long distance carri- ers or IXCs (inter-exchange carriers) sell long distance telephone calls. When you pick up the telephone in your office and place a long distance call it may be sent over an outside line connect- ing you directly to your long distance company. The call may 276 4 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 also be sent over the outside lines connecting you to your local telephone company, who then passes the call along to the long distance company you have told them to use on your behalf. This is called your carrier 'pic'. The way you have your telephone system set up will control which of those two routes your call takes. This routing is controlled by the Automatic Route Selec- tion capability of your PBX. Long distance companies also rent circuits that permanently connect two or more offices of a large organization. These cir- cuits may carry voice, data or video signals. The circuits are sometimes called leased lines or dedicated lines. There are some large long distance companies and many smaller ones that cover the entire United States or a specific geographic area. Most handle international calls as well. U.S. companies may have relationships with carriers for local and long distance calls in other countries, since a call may be carried on circuits of several different companies before reaching its final destination. Even in the U.S., a long distance telephone call is most likely to use the circuits of the traditional local telephone companies at both ends of the call. The long distance companies pay the local companies for the use of these circuits. If you're renting a circuit from a long distance carrier co

nnect- ing two of your offices, the local telephone companies at both ends may provide the local leg or local loop (mean the same thing) of the circuit, even though you are billed by the long distance com- pany. Sometimes long distance companies rent circuits from each other. Some calls may still be transmitted by bouncing the sig- nals off of communications satellites. Transponders on the satellite may be shared by different long distance companies. The trend is away from satellite communications as the use of fiber optic cable becomes more widespread and its resulting capacity to handle call volumes increases. However there are still remote areas re- lying on satellite and microwave radio communications. Long distance companies generally refer to their network, which is the collective group of all circuits over which calls are The Telecom Handbook 38 277 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY sent or permanent point-to-point connections are made. The net- work may include a variety of transmission media including copper cable, fiber optic cable (underground and above ground), and to a limited extent, microwave and satellite communications. The network also includes electronic hardware to provide the media with the capability to transmit. Long distance carrier networks have electronic switching equipment for connecting and routing calls, enabling a large num- ber of people to access a common group of outside lines or circuits. These long distance company switches are located at what is sometimes referred to as the carrier POP, meaning point-of-pres- ence or the NOC (network operating center). You may reduce your costs by having a circuit that connects your telephone sys- tem directly to this POP. The circuit may be rented from the local telephone company by the long distance company, although you will probably be billed for it by the long distance company. The cost of this circuit is called an access charge. Smaller companies and residences reach the long distance carrier networks in most U.S. locations through equal access

. Each of the major long distance companies in your area rents space for its own electronic switching equipment at the local tele- phone company central office. The programming in the central office switch will route your call over the network of the long distance company you have selected. There are many companies selling long distance calls, repre- senting a variety of long distance companies. You can buy long distance calls directly from the carrier or from one of these compa- nies which may be called a reseller, rebiller, aggregator or a variation on the same concept. These companies are providing bulk buying, representing large numbers of customers, and are therefore able to negotiate lower rates for the organizations in their group. Since a long distance call has become a commodity in that most calls are of equal quality, not counting cellular service which can vary, one must select a long distance company based upon reputation, service and clarity and accuracy of billing. The cost of a long distance call is based upon many variables. These include 278 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 distance, time of day, duration, total number of calls made (higher volume = lower costs) and special promotions in effect at the time you select a long distance carrier. Long distance companies provide 800 numbers (may also be 888 or another prefix) enabling callers to reach you without pay- ing for the call. You pay for it instead. This is also called a toll-free number. Along with the 800 numbers, you can buy some sophis- tication in the routing of your calls. For example, you can have a single 800 number with callers from each state routed automati- cally to the nearest branch of your company when they dial the number. Your 800 number can also be programmed to send your calls to your New York office until it closes. After 5PM EST, it will reroute the calls to your California office. You can receive reporting of the telephone numbers of the people who are calling your 800 number. This is called ANI (pro- nounced "Annie") or

automatic number identification. More new services are being introduced regularly. Long distance companies also provide: 900 services, 700 ser- vices, credit cards, toll fraud prevention programs, and customized bills and management reports on paper, on CD-ROM or on-line Web access and other related services. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 has enabled the tradi- tional long distance companies to compete for local telephone service. The local telephone companies, meeting certain criteria, can now sell long distance service as well. Most major long distance companies also sell local service, Internet access and cellular service. Calling Cards A calling card enables you to place calls from any telephone using your unique calling card number and personal identification number (PIN). Calling cards are provided by both long distance companies and local telephone companies. There actually is a small wallet-sized plastic card (like a credit card) that is issued to each calling card holder. In some public telephones including The Telecom Handbook 279 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY those in airport travelers' lounges, this card can be swiped through a slot on the telephone which reads the calling card number from the magnetic strip on the back of the card. If the telephone is not equipped with this slot or if the card holder chooses not to carry the card around with him, a calling card call can be placed by dialing a toll free telephone number of the service provider (11 digits), the telephone number you are calling (11 digits) then the calling card number (10 digits) and PIN (4 digits.) Despite the inconvenience of dialing 36 digits, the use of calling cards is widespread for business travelers, although rapidly decreasing as the use of cellular telephones increases. Most calling card calls are charged not only a cost per minute, but a surcharge on a per call basis. These charge vary dramati- cally depending upon the rates you have negotiated with your particular service provider. This is sometimes called a "bong" charge

after the sound that is sometimes heard on the telephone line by the caller before dialing in his calling card number. Calling cards calls are billed on your telephone bill and are identified by the calling card number placing the call. Pre-Paid Calling Cards Another type of calling card is a pre-paid calling card. This also is a wallet sized plastic card, but unlike the other type of calling cards, you pay in advance for a pre-set number of min- utes of calling. You can buy these cards in many retail locations like newspaper stands and drugstores. The pre-paid calling card companies buy the service from a local or long distance service provider. Some local and long dis- tance companies also sell the pre-paid cards themselves. Data Communications Circuits and Services Most telecommunications service providers sell both voice and data communications circuits and services, although some 280 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 are more focused on data. Others may have separate groups of salespeople to handle the more complex and often more profit- able sale of data services. Data communications is a broad term that refers to any type of computer-to-computer communications. Many large organizations with multiple sites set up a data communications network using circuits and related services and equipment from the telecommunications service provider. Data communications services include individual circuits of different speeds or bandwidth, having to do with the throughput capability. Data Communications also refers to networks con- necting multiple sites. Data communications also includes an organization gaining access to the Internet and using its capabilities to communicate among multiple locations. Some telecommunications service providers set up what is known as a VPN (virtual private network) or intranet which uses Internet-like capabilities on the service provider's own network to set up data communications for its customers. Once a data communications circuit or entire network is setup, it is technically possible to

use some of the capacity to transmit voice communications as well. Some organizations do this and others are experimenting with it as a means of cost reduction. There are many quality of service considerations and associ- ated start up costs for using a data communications network to transmit voice. Cellular Telephone Service Most telecommunications service providers now sell cellu- lar telephone service. While cellular telephone calls often use the existing network of the telecommunications service provider for some portion of the call (may be called land lines or wire based services), the initial connection to the network from the cell phone is made without a physical connection based upon a cable. The Telecom Handbook 281 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY Cellular service providers erect transmission towers at dif- ferent points within a geographic area to enable the cellular transmissions. The ISP or Internet service provider provides access for or- ganizations to reach the Internet. They may also provide a group of Internet related services such as the hosting of an organization's e-mail or web site. The ISP is reached either by the computer dialing into a certain telephone number or over a permanent connection provided by the ISP using the cable of a local tele- phone company. Cable Television Companies Cable Television companies are making some inroads into providing services traditionally offered by local telephone companies, such as a local telephone lines for placing and re- ceiving calls and data communications including access to the Internet. While the cable TV company has cable running into most homes, it still needs to invest in considerable amounts of equipment to turn its system into one that can be used for telephone service and Internet access. Since cable TV does have much more of a presence in homes than in businesses, cable TV companies are selling telecommunications services primarily to residential users. Pagers and Messaging Devices Some wireless companies also sell the traditional beepers and

devices that provide much more advanced ability to receive and send text messages. Some devices now enable the receipt and sending of e-mail as well as Internet access. Since some cellular telephones are equipped to handle the text messaging and e-mail as well, the lines between pager com- panies and other wireless service providers are blurring. 282 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 Telecommunications Systems (Equipment) Business Telephone Systems (PBX and Key Systems) Installation and Maintenance Companies The telephone system installation and maintenance companies in your area can be found in the yellow pages under Telephones. Sometimes these companies are called telephone system ven- dors. They used to be called interconnect companies although this term is now rarely heard. These companies developed start- ing in the 1970's when it first became legal to purchase a telephone system from an outside supplier rather than renting it from the local telephone company. Some telephone systems are installed and maintained by the same company that manufactures them. These installation arms of the manufacturers are often former interconnect companies who first sold, installed and maintained the products of the manu- facturer and were subsequently acquired. Other installation and maintenance companies are authorized distributors and carry the product line of one or more telephone system manufacturers. In either case, the services you can expect from a telephone instal- lation and maintenance company include the following: You can purchase a business telephone system from them (including the backroom equipment and the telephones). They will install the system. Installation includes pulling the cable in the walls; connecting the telephones to the cables; and connecting the control cabinet of the telephone system to the other ends of the cables and to the outside lines brought in from the local telephone and long distance company. They will also install the switchboard console, used as a central answering point. They may also

install cable for your computer network. It does not make sense to have two separate companies (one for tele- phones and one for computers) running cable back to a central point since a significant portion of the cost is for labor. The Telecom Handbook to 283 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY They will program the system in a manner to complement your organization's particular way of operating. Program- ming the telephone system for the way in which it will be used is as important as buying the right system. Most tele- phone systems have a set of rules determining how they may be programmed. Programming determines such things as which extensions are picked up by which telephones and what happens to a call when it rings on an extension which is unanswered or busy. The interaction between the telephone system and the voice mail system is a key ele- ment of system programming and how successfully your system handles callers. They will train your staff how to use the telephone system and provide an instruction manual. They will handle changes to your system such as installing new telephones, rearranging telephones and making program- ming changes. If you wish, someone on your staff can learn to make some of the system program changes with a Mainte- nance Administration Terminal or MAT. The changes made with the MAT are often called MAC work which stands for moves and changes. They will handle all repairs to the telephone system and the cabling. They may act on your behalf to interface with the local telephone company. If there is a problem with one of your outside lines, they will report the problem and follow up un- til it is resolved. They sell other related systems such as Voice Mail, Auto- mated Attendant and Call Accounting which they will install and maintain. They may also be authorized representatives for a local tele- phone company or a long distance carrier, from whom they 284 ** The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 receive a commission for selling certain types of services. This is called being an Authorized Agent or

a Reseller. The telephone installation and maintenance company is not the place to call for problems with telephone bills or for help in deciding the types of local and long distance telephone services you need. Some companies can provide service nationally in the U.S., but most serve smaller areas. When evaluating a company, it is important to focus on the support available in the local area where the telephone system will be installed. Some smaller telephone systems (for less than 20 people) can be purchased in telephone stores or through catalogs. It's a good idea to have an experienced telephone installer put the sys- tem in for you rather than doing it yourself, unless you want to learn by doing. Business Telephone System Manufacturers There are approximately ten major manufacturers of telephone systems for large organizations and perhaps another twenty to thirty that make smaller size systems. Two of the manufactures (Avaya and Northern Telecom) evenly share approximately 50% of the business telephone system marketplace worldwide. Avaya was formerly Lucent and before that it was AT&T. These companies manufacture the control equipment (PBX cabinet, circuit boards, processors, etc.) and the telephones them- selves that work only with the system from that particular manufacturer. Local or Long Distance Company Switching Manufacturers The major companies that manufacture telephone systems (called PBXs or switches) for large businesses also manufacture The Telecom Handbook to 285 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY switches for use by either a local telephone company or a long distance company to connect the many calls from all sources to destinations passing through their network. These are often called central office switches and are said to be part of the public switched telephone network or PSTN. PSTN is often used to re- fer to the separate network other than the Internet. The network consists not only of these switches but also of the connections between them, most often made via copper or fiber optic cable. Manufa

cturers of Telecommunications Hardware (Used by the Local and Long Distance Telecommunications Service Providers in their Networks) Some of the telephone system manufacturers also make other equipment used by local and long distance service providers in their networks. These may be called bridges, routers, data switches, smart modems, hubs, etc. These facilitate the trans- mission and proper routing (sending to the right destination) of voice, data and video transmissions. Some companies that were originally only in this business are trying to move into the telephone system business by manu- facturing their own versions and visions of next generation telephone systems. Data Communications Hardware Again, there is overlapping in what different companies make. What we are calling data communications hardware are the elec- tronic devices primarily used on an organization's premises in support of communications among a group of computers either at a single site or connecting multiple sites. This is often the same type of equipment used by the tele- communications service providers themselves in their own networks such as routers, bridges, data switches, etc. 286 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 Specialized Business Telephone System Manufacturers TRADING TURRET COMPANIES There is a very small group of companies who manufacture a type of telephone system called a trading turret system, some- times called a dealing system, particularly in Europe. These are large multi-button telephones, usually 60 or 120 buttons, some- what like a key system, but designed with the brokerage trader in mind. Traders require instantaneous communication with a large number of other traders. This is accomplished through point-to- point circuits that appear on the buttons of the trading turret. The newer versions of these systems are more dependent upon software which provides the appearance of a multi-button tele- phone on a computer screen. This enables access to many pages of different outside lines through which the trader can scroll. As w

cally designed to handle large call centers, such as airline reservation operations, groups of order takers handling catalog sales or help desk/customer service centers. These systems are specialized switches designed to handle high volumes of calls. They route the calls to different groups of agents or representa- tives and provide management statistics. These statistics include how many calls are handled by each person, how long callers wait to be answered, and how many callers are on hold at any given time. Most PBXs can be set up to work as an ACD. The Telecom Handbook 58 287 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY Many applications linking computer and telephones are being set up in conjunction with an automatic call distribu- tion system. PERIPHERAL SYSTEM INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE COMPANIES While many telephone installation companies also sell voice mail, automated attendant, call accounting and facilities man- agement systems, another small group of companies sells only these systems without actually selling the telephone system it- self. The advantage of buying from these companies is that they tend to have more in-depth knowledge of the types of systems they sell than the telephone installation and maintenance compa- nies do. Also, the systems that they sell are often more technologically advanced than the systems sold by the telephone installation and maintenance companies. The disadvantage of working with such a company is that you now have an additional supplier to manage. If you are buy- ing from one of these companies selling peripheral equipment only, be sure that the systems are already working with the type of telephone system with which you plan to use them. Also, be sure that this company has worked with the telephone system installation and maintenance company you are using or is will- ing to do so, SO that you're not left to do a lot of coordination between them during and after the system installation. PERIPHERAL SYSTEM MANUFACTURERS While some business telephone system manufacturers also make periph

eral systems, other companies specialize in the pe- ripheral systems only. Some hardware and software and others developing the software only. These include: a) Voice mail and automated attendant companies who may also sell software applications related to these. 288 - The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 b) Interactive voice response companies (IVR) who manu- facture but also provide the development of IVR solutions (such as being able to check your bank balances by using a touchtone telephone.) c) Fax Server Companies d) Call Accounting, Charge-back and Facilities Manage- ment Companies Manufacturers of call accounting systems tend to be small organizations with under $10 million per year in business. There are one or two that were acquired by larger companies, but still tend to operate as separate entities. This type of company makes and supports the call account- ing software and other related software packages for things such as facilities management or record keeping and telecommunica- tions work order processing. These companies typically prefer to provide the computers and related equipment, such as printers, with which their soft- ware operates. Increasingly their customers are providing the hardware themselves and may be using the systems in a networked environment meaning that multiple people within the same of- fice or connected offices can access the system to make changes or view information. Recognizing the work involved in the administration of on- site Call Accounting Systems, some organizations are opting to use the services of Call Accounting Service Bureaus, discussed later in this tutorial, to accomplish the same objectives. CABLING INSTALLATION COMPANIES Your telephone installation and maintenance company will install the cable for both the telephone system and the com- puter network. Other companies are in the business of running cable only. The company from whom you are buying the telephone system The Telecom Handbook 10 289 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY is likely to sub-contract the cable pulling

to one of these compa- nies anyway. These companies are often electrical contractors. When us- ing electrical contractors for telecommunications cabling, it is important to be sure that they have experience installing this type of cabling. If a separate company is installing the cable, be sure that they will certify the work and that the company installing the tele- phone system (or computer system) on that cable will accept it. The telephone installation company putting in a new telephone system may wish to charge extra for testing the cable that they did not install, sometimes called toning and testing. Certification of cabling typically adds five to ten percent to the price, but it's a good insurance policy. There are different levels of certification, SO it's important to be very clear on what is being requested and what happens when something goes wrong in the future. No matter how small the project, it's a good idea to put ca- bling specifications in writing and obtain competitive bids. You may wish to take a bid from the telecommunications installation and maintenance company and one from an electrical contractor to see how they compare. An improperly installed cabling job can create problems with systems that may never be resolved. MANUFACTURERS OF CABLING AND RELATED HARDWARE While people often think of cabling and the hardware associ- ated with it to be somewhat of a commodity, there is actually considerable difference in quality among the various manufac- turers. Different companies make copper cable and the associated hardware like jacks and distribution panels while others manu- facture fiber optic cable and the associated electronics. DISTRIBUTORS OF CABLING AND RELATED HARDWARE These companies typically represent multiple manufactur- ers and sell their cabling and hardware to companies who install the cable. 290 50 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 VARs (VALUE ADDED RESELLERS) Companies traditionally specializing in installing office com- puters and computer networks are now selling business telepho

ne systems and peripheral systems, as well. Their intent is not SO much to get into the telephone system business, but rather to enable their customers to experiment with applications that use capabilities of both the telephones and the computer networks, such as having a screen of customer information pop up on the computer with the arrival of a call from that customer called a screen pop. INTERCOM COMPANIES The office telephone system did not always provide the ca- pability for calling others in the same office, now known as in- ternal calls. There was once a larger group of companies that sold intercoms for inter-office communications. Several of these companies still remain since there are some environments like a Wall Street brokerage trading room, that demand instantaneous voice communications with other individuals in the same office or same large room. The intercoms are separate desktop devices with their own control equipment for the backroom and using their own sepa- rate pairs of wires on the office cabling infrastructure. WIRELESS TELEPHONES WITHIN THE OFFICE As some office workers move around the workplace for most of the day, there is an increasing need for them to be able to continue to receive their calls. Some manufacturers of telecommunications systems also sell wireless telephones or wireless headsets to work with that sys- tem, using base stations, with the same concept as many wireless telephones used in the home. These tend to be comparatively high priced and work within a limited area. Several companies manufacture separate wireless systems for the office environment requiring the installation of transmitters in the ceiling enabling coverage of the entire office. These systems The Telecom Handbook 3 291 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY are separate from the office telephone system but can be set up to work in conjunction with it, enabling workers to receive calls to their desktop telephone from anywhere in the office. The drawback of these systems is that they tend to cost as much as the telephon

e system itself. Still another approach to wireless communications within the office is to enable workers to use their cellular telephones as a "wireless telephones working with the office telephone system" when they are in the office. This requires an interface with the office PBX and the cellular system that often takes place within a communications server in the office. OVERHEAD PAGING While fewer conventional offices are using overhead paging as a means of locating people within the office, there are still certain environments, such as warehouses and manufacturing fa- cilities, where overhead paging is appropriate and useful. A well-designed overhead paging system requires the knowl- edge of an acoustical engineer to properly space and regulate the speakers. While Telephone Installation and Maintenance companies can and often do install and maintain an overhead paging system, en- gaging an engineer to design the system is a worthwhile investment to enable the system to work properly and preserve your hearing! The paging system typically consists of an amplifier located in the telecommunications equipment room, and cabling connect- ing the amplifier to ceiling speakers. The office telephone system can be programmed to enable some or all users to access the paging system, typically by dial- ing an access code such as "8". Sometimes paging capability is limited to the switchboard attendant only. Some smaller business telephone systems have paging capa- bility built in. The page comes out of the same speaker on the telephone as the intercom. The drawback to this type of paging is that it is usually limited to about 15 telephones and may be 292 is The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 distracting since it is heard on every desktop. (It can be elimi- nated from certain telephones if necessary.) Software And Service Companies Software Developers There are many companies developing a wide variety of soft- ware applications to be used in conjunction with the telephone system. Many of these come and go without ever taking ho

ld in any significant way. Others tend to evolve as their development proceeds. Most require considerably more customized program- ming that is apparent at first. Many of these applications are developed for the incoming call center environment where large numbers of calls are handled for customer service or sales. Some of the types of software include: Workforce Management, helping Call Center Managers to staff properly CRM or Customer Relationship Management, enabling or- ganizations to create and maintain strong relationships with their customers through personalizing their communications with them. Convergence Applications enabling users to merge voice and data to, for example, handle voice communications and e- mail over the same desktop or wireless device. Call Accounting and Charge Back Service Bureaus With multiple telecommunications companies providing a va- riety of systems and services and with expenses on the rise, the need to manage telecommunications within the organization is increasing. There is a small group of companies who write and The Telecom Handbook & 293 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY support software to assist organizations with the management of telecommunications assets and often computer assets as well. These software systems keep track of the system configura- tions (circuit boards and spare capacity), the actual desktop devices such as telephones and PCs, the cabling, and the circuits from both the local telephone company and the long distance companies. In addition, they may track work orders SO that as changes are made to the system, all information is automatically updated. Company telephone directories are also generated from the software. They provide cost allocation and charge back capabilities for telecommunications equipment, services and calls. Directory Assistance A number of different companies using different databases now provide directory assistance. As a result, the likelihood that you will get accurate information from directory assistance is diminishing. This is the serv

ice you may reach by dialing 411 to reach your local telephone company or the area code plus 555- 1212 to reach your long distance company. The call centers where the directory assistance operators are located may not be any- where near your city. Directory Publishers Most local telephone companies still publish some form of the traditional white and yellow pages paper directories. The pub- lishing may be done by a separate company, however, often formerly part of the local telephone company. There are also com- peting companies offering directories specific to a particular city or geographic region. These very thick paper directories now compete with Internet based directories, but it appears that they will be around for the foreseeable future. The yellow pages represents significant rev- enue in advertising for which the customers pay every month while the directory is in effect. 294 " The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 Professional Services Telecommunications Consulting These companies offer a range of professional services based upon hourly or project fees. Since no two are exactly alike, it is important to identify the services and capabilities of each com- pany. These services may include: a. Assessment of your organization's use of telecommunications technology. b. Assistance with the development of requirements, evaluation of alternatives and procurement of telecommunications equip- ment and services. Telecommunications Contract Negotiation. d. Telecommunications Project Management. e. Telecommunications Expense Review and Cost Reduction, Telecommunications Bill Auditing These companies find errors on your telecommunications bills and are paid a percentage of the refund or savings they arrange on your behalf. They determine whether your service providers are complying with your contracts and the related telecommunications tariffs. They may also determine whether all of the services for which you are being charged are actually in place and working. Telecommunications Bill Management As the total number and co

mplexity of telecommunications bills increases, organizations are looking for outside help to man- age them. This breed of company is still developing and may offer services such as monthly review and validation of bills, tracking of expenses and correction of billing problems. Some larger Bill Management Companies also pay all of your telecom- munications suppliers and invoice you with a single master bill. The Telecom Handbook is 295 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY Telecommunications Outsourcers Although the concept has been around a long time, the idea of outsourcing a variety of telecommunications management and maintenance functions is still alive and well, although the qual- ity of telecommunications outsourcing has historically left much to be desired. The following descriptions provide you with some ideas of the types of outsourcing available: Complete Outsourcer. If you completely outsource your organization's telephone system and services, this means that you have delegated all responsibility to an outside firm in- cluding the repair and maintenance of your PBX, provision of local and long distance service, reviewing and payment of telephone bills and a variety of other services that should be carefully spelled out in your contract. The outsourcer is paid a monthly fee and also makes money reselling you equip- ment and local and long distance service. This type of a relationship may seem like "the fox minding the hen house," since the organization doing the billing is also responsible for approving the bills. Nevertheless, it is working well for a number or large organizations. Telecommunications Management Outsourcer. This type of outsourcing manages your telephone system and service pro- viders, but the company does not sell you equipment, local or long distance service as a Complete Outsourcer may. The Telecom Management Outsourcer is the equivalent of hav- ing an in-house telecommunications department, but an outside firm staffs it. Out-tasker. An out-tasker, either a firm or an individual, takes the com

plete responsibility for one or more specific tasks. For example, you may out-task the updating and production of your telephone directory. Another example would be to out-task the work order processing and record keeping for changes to your telephone system. 296 * The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 13 Consultant. Many people refer to all subcontractors as con- sultants, SO this is one view of the term. In the stricter sense, a consultant is an individual who is charged with analyzing a problem or assessing a situation and providing a recommen- dation. A consultant may also execute steps necessary to carry out the recommendations. A consultant may be an individual, may have a small company or may be a member of a small or large consulting firm. Technician. Like "consultant", this is a term that has vary- ing definitions. A technician is typically someone who can do the things a purely administrative person cannot. For ex- ample a telephone system administrator can write up requests for changes to the telephone system such as adding two new extensions to a particular telephone. The administrator, if trained to do so, can also make program changes to the tele- phone system to add the two new extensions. If, however, a new circuit board for the PBX was required for those new extensions, or if any rewiring had to be done, that would be the job of the technician. Subcontractor or Independent Contractor. These term are used interchangeably and typically refer to an individual who is providing work to you for a fee, but is not on your payroll. The fee is usually per hour or per day (also called "per diem"). Depending upon expertise or experience, this person can pro- vide support in any area of your department. Sometimes an entire firm is referred to as a subcontractor. Any of the above categories may be considered to be a subcontractor or inde- pendent contractor. Outsourcing Resources - Who To Call Telecommunications Outsourcers. Some firms identify them- selves as Outsourcers. At present, they seem to be going after the la

rger, multi-site businesses. Initially they outsourced the The Telecom Handbook or 297 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY Information Technology systems, but have added Telecom- munications to their capabilities. Large Telecommunications Vendors. Some large telecom- munications installation and maintenance companies or local and long distance network service providers will take on a complete outsourcing of telecommunications equip- ment and services. Consulting Firms. Some consulting firms also provide ongoing support which may include Telecommunications Management Outsourcing or Out-Tasking in specific areas of expertise. The consulting firm will assess your requirements and may provide management of the Out- Tasking, which may make it a better choice than simply hiring a group of subcontractors from separate firms or from a temporary agency. Specialized Support Firms. Some firms provide support spe- cific to a certain type of product or service or, in some cases, specializing in services relating to equipment from a particu- lar telecommunications vendor. Temporary Agencies Specializing in Telecommunications Staffing. These firms operate like any temporary agency, but maintain resumes on people with different capabilities in the telecommunications arena. Try to find a firm that is truly a temporary staffing firm, rather than a company whose spe- cialty is really permanent placement and only dabbles in the temporary market. This concludes our explanation of the Telecommunications Industry. It is varied and continually changing as the forces of both governments and the marketplace continue to shape it. 298 * The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 Historical Perspective on The United States Telecommunications Industry The Saga Continues. In order to understand today's telecommunications in- dustry and services, it helps to have a perspective on how things have developed. On March 10, 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the tele- phone. He filed his application for a patent just hours before his competitor, Elisha Gray. While we'

re not going to cover it all here, the history of tele- communications is a fascinating story. In the beginning, with multiple local telephone companies competing, you may have had three separate telephone instruments on your desk to call people who subscribed to one of the three different services. AT&T (American Telephone & Telegraph) was formed in 1885 to provide long distance service to the local telephone ser- vice provider known as Bell. In 1900 AT&T became Bell's parent company through a stock purchase. AT&T came to be known as Ma Bell and AT&T owned telephone companies were known as the Bell System. The Telecommunications Act of 1934 was adopted in order to regulate the AT&T monopoly over telephone service. It created the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and granted them the authority to review mergers and acquisitions between telephone companies and the power to regulate interstate tele- phone services. Intrastate telephone service was left up to the state utility com- missions which ultimately led to the creation of monopolies for local telephone service. In some areas of the U.S., the local mo- nopoly was not part of the Bell System, but an Independent Telephone Company such as was GTE or one of many smaller "Mom and Pop" telephone companies that still exist, particu- larly in rural areas. The Telecom Handbook - 299 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AT&T had already cornered the long distance and local mar- ket when the 1934 act took effect. During the 1930's it seemed to make sense that these companies remain monopolies for the pro- tection of consumers, keeping prices in check. Then the telecommunications industry started to develop and claims of unfair competition against AT&T began. Dick Kuehn, a well-known telecommunications consultant, describes this time in his column in Business Communications Review Magazine (www.bcr.com): "Back in 1956, an obscure company named Hush-A- Phone began manufacturing a plastic cup-like device that clipped onto a telephone mouthpiece to block extra- neous noise. Hush-A-

Phone eventually secured a Supreme Court ruling allowing them to attach that device to phones provided by the local telephone company. This paved the way for today's competitive telephone equipment indus- try, but Hush-A-Phone remained obscure, even after the court ruling. Then a gentleman named Tom Carter, from Gun Bar- rel, Texas, used the Hush-A-Phone case as a basis for an anti-trust case against the Bell System. His Carterfone device used a technique called acoustic coupling that en- abled a mobile radio to talk to a telephone or vice versa. Carter was looking for a way to help people working in the Texas oil fields, but AT&T and Southwestern Bell (the local telephone company in Texas) had a tariff that restricted the attachment of any device to telephone com- pany property. Carter's anti-trust suit eventually found its way to the U.S. Supreme Court and then to the FCC for resolution in 1969. This was the first time that tele- phones and business telephone systems could be purchased and owned, rather than rented from the tele- phone company. Around the same time, Jack Goeken, a GE mobile radio distributor in Joliet, Illinois, wanted to construct a 300 35 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 microwave network between Chicago and St. Louis that his customers could use to dispatch cars and trucks. AT&T, Illinois Bell (local telephone company in Chicago), South- western Bell (local telephone company in St. Louis) and Western Union (company who sent telegrams) all opposed that license, SO Goeken amended his application to be- come a specialized common carrier. He'd provide services that weren't available from the traditional carriers. The filing by Goeken's company - Microwave Communica- tions Inc. or MCI - produced the FCC's 1969 decision creating the competitive long-distance industry. Who would have thought that opposition to a micro- wave license would set in motion a chain of events that would lead to the breakup of the Bell System? Some years after the FCC's decisions, an AT&T attorney who par- ticipated in both

cases was asked why neither decision was appealed. His answer was that no one at AT&T ever thought they would lose the case, SO when the Order came down against them, they did not have enough time to mar- shal forces for an appeal. There have been plenty of other 'who would have thought' situations in the telecommunications industry. During the mid-1970's Northern Telecom (now called Nortel) and ROLM (now Siemens) introduced the first digital telephone systems and the battle was on for what would be the 'office controller.' The other contenders were IBM with its mainframe model and a newcomer, a tech- nology called Ethernet, that was being promoted by DEC (Digital Equipment Corp.) and Xerox. Who would have thought that the newcomer could defeat such en- trenched opponents? And who would have thought that AT&T would shed its equipment arm, Western Electric, which became Lu- cent and has split again with the entity manufacturing business telephone systems now being Avaya. Who knew that the Regional Bell Operating Companies, created by The Telecom Handbook * 301 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE the AT&T divestiture, would outperform AT&T and wind up as the dominant carriers? And who would have thought, as the debate raged over the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (described below) that competition for local tele- phone service would be SO unsuccessful?" In 1982, after the Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit against AT&T, what is known as the Modification of Final Judge- ment (MFJ) was reached. Under the MFJ, AT&T was to divest its twenty-two existing Bell Companies into seven independent Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs - pronounced "R- box"). AT&T agreed to the break-up of the Bell companies on the condition that it could provide long distance service with al- most no restrictions. The RBOCs were completely restricted from offering long distance service, information services and the manu- facturing of telecommunications equipment. In January of 1984, the culmination of this antitrust suit over which Judge Ha

rold Greene presided resulted in the divestiture of the Bell System companies by AT&T. This marked the begin- ning of more change in the telecommunications industry. New players came in to sell systems and services. The RBOCs, also known as Baby Bells, were the result of this break up of AT&T. Although AT&T retained its long dis- tance network and the capability to sell business telephone systems, it gave up the ownership of the regulated local tele- phone companies which became part of the newly formed RBOCs. There are still separate telephone companies today regulated by the state utility commission. Each provides local telephone ser- vice, handles local telephone calls and switches long distance telephone calls to the appropriate carrier. Separate companies within the RBOC may sell business telephone systems and other telephone equipment, although not all do. Since their inception, the RBOCs have had to surmount regulatory restrictions to ob- tain the right to compete in existing markets, including long distance telephone calling and other emerging markets, such as the sale of information. 302 - The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 Most services sold by the local telephone companies con- tinue to be tariffed. Although a movement toward detariffing is underway. Tariffing entails a review by a state utility commis- sion. The tariffs are incorporated into a voluminous set of written service descriptions and prices. Any time there is a price in- crease or a new service is introduced it is subject to review by the commission. Although the 1984 divestiture ended AT&T's monopoly in the telecommunications industry, competition had not material- ized as had been expected. As technology continued to develop in the 1990's, the MFJ's process for allowing RBOCs to offer new telecommunications services was becoming obsolete. Pro- cedures under the rules created numerous legal delays. For example, the RBOC had to go through a process to get permis- sion to offer any new services to its customers. This was a long, drawn out proced

ure in which the RBOC had to file its reasons with the District Court as to why it should be able to expand services to consumers without hindering competition. This pro- cess under the MFJ caused the United States to fall behind other countries in technological innovation. In addition, the MFJ de- creased long distance competition, since it banned the RBOCs from providing it. The shortcomings of the MFJ resulted in Congress updat- ing the 1934 act by passing the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This act attempted to level the playing field for competition in the local telephone service market and enabled RBOCs to offer long distance service. Part of the Act applies to all telecommu- nications service providers, including the RBOCs. It states that it is the "general duty of telecommunications carriers is to in- terconnect directly or indirectly with other telecommunications carriers." It also states that they must (1) resell services on rea- sonable terms (2) provide telephone number portability (3) permit competitors to have access to telephone numbers, op- erator assistance and directory assistance without unreasonable delay (4) give competitors access to telecommunications equip- ment such as poles and conduits and (5) they must provide The Telecom Handbook 92 303 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE reciprocal compensation for the transport and termination of tele- communications. One of the results of this is that the new competitors to the traditional local telephone company can rent cables from them to deliver the competing services. Another part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 per- mits an RBOC to offer long distance services within its home region providing it complies with safeguards outlined in the Act (in terms of allowing local competition). There are also provi- sions enabling the RBOCs to sell information (content) and to manufacture telecommunications equipment. In the years since the 1996 Act was signed into law, there has been a dramatic consolidation of telecommunications companies and these mergers are

continuing to take place among RBOCs and the long distance companies. Rates for telecommunications services have dropped considerably. The face of the telecommunications marketplace changes regularly and usually not in the way that was anticipated by the regulators, the providers of equipment and services and the cus- tomers. It's often confusing and contradictory, but never dull! Telecommunications Industry History: A Personal Perspective From The Author Many founders of today's telecommunications industry came out of the Bell System and the development of the industry was shaped by their experience. The Bell System was essentially the telecommunications industry in the U.S. for many years. Here's what it was like working for the Bell System from the late 1960's through the mid 1970's. Some people worked in the craft or plant department end of the business and were members of the Communications Workers of America union (CWA). Installers, repairmen, field foremen, inside foremen, linemen; these were the workers on the front lines that were making it all happen. If you opened up a new business and ordered a telephone line and one telephone, the installer would 304 3 The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 show up on the due date, hook up the line, test it and install the telephone. It seemed deceptively simple. The installer usually had the order in his hand, written mostly in cryptic codes called USOCs, still in use today. A copy of that same order document was actually received and acted upon by forty different people within the telephone company. When you order a telephone line or even make a simple change in your telephone service today, the process is much the same. Many different departments have roles in the deployment of even the most basic services. The commercial department included what was called the business office. The people in this department were members of the Union of Telephone Workers (UTW). I started out as a Ser- vice Representative at Forest Hills Commercial in Queens, a borough of New York City. T

he business office was a structured environment, like the rest of the Bell System. Very little was left to chance. Before starting to work, I was sent to a month long training class with a group of other women (no men worked in the busi- ness office then, and no women worked out in 'the field' doing repairs or installations). The Bell System was big on training. The companies that used to be a part of it still are. We were trained exactly how to react and precisely what to say and do under every conceivable circumstance. If an inconceivable circumstance came up, we were to immediately put the caller on hold and head up to the desk of our "BOS" (Business Office Supervisor), the "Mother" of our unit. Each unit within the business office had approximately six representatives managed by a BOS. For every six units there were six BOS's and a District Manager to manage them. The Dis- trict Managers reported to a hierarchy of other managers. There was a similar hierarchy in the Plant Department. The foremen were first line, second line, third line, etc., each line having a cor- responding set of responsibilities, clout and compensation. Back in the business office, our job was to take customer orders over the telephone. Orders were written in pencil on paper forms (no computers on the desktop). We released them to the The Telecom Handbook 305 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE order reviewers, who reviewed them for accuracy. They sent them to the order writers, who typed them into the system for distribu- tion to the other departments. It was also our responsibility to answer customers' questions about their telephone bills and, when we had time, to make collection calls to customers who were late in paying. These were known as "treatment calls." Orders had to be written on the form in a very precise way, block printing and using the correct USOCs (Universal Service Order Codes) which were consistent throughout most of the Bell System. The terms CV for a single-line telephone and KV for a six-button telephone rarely heard today, wer

e USOC codes. Another group supporting the business office was the service observers. The observers were hidden away in a nearby unmarked office. Throughout the day, they listened in on a random sam- pling of calls for each unit. This was to ensure that a high quality of service was maintained and that accurate information was be- ing given out. The worst thing that could happen to a unit was to get a "scoring," meaning that the service observer had heard some- thing wrong. The observer would come racing into the business office and post the scoring on a bulletin board for all to see. Natu- rally, the members of the unit, including the BOS, were humiliated for the remainder of the day. We never knew which of the six members of the unit got the scoring. There were different types of scorings. One was CWI (Cus- tomer Waiting Interval), meaning that a representative had left a customer on hold for an unacceptable amount of time. Another was ICR (ncorrect Rate), usually a result of someone adding the component rates of an order incorrectly (by hand - there were no adding machines on our desks). Another was IHM. I can't re- member exactly what it stood for (Inhospitable Manner?), but it meant that a representative had handled the customer in a less than pleasant way. This was the worst type of scoring to get and one that promoted the most speculation about who did it and what was said. When I transferred from New York Telephone to Southwest- ern Bell, first in St. Louis and then in Kansas City, the business 306 : The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 offices were carbon copies of the one I left behind in New York. Nevertheless, each required a month in a training class before I was put back on the desk to talk to the customers. The old Bell System was just that, a system and a very good one. The rigidity of structure and customer service monitoring worked well for a company which was regulated by the govern- ment and, as a monopoly, had no competition. As competition emerged, first for telephone systems, then for long dista

nce ser- vice and finally, for local service, the Bell System's strong but inflexible structure became its weakness. The layers of management made it difficult to reach a deci- sion quickly. The uniformity of products and procedures throughout the United States prevented different parts of the or- ganization from responding to conditions in the local marketplace. The tariffing of all services required that the Bell System obtain approval from each state's public utilities commission prior to offering a new service. Brand new Custom Calling Services avail- able from home telephones were introduced in 1969: Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, Speed Calling and Three Way Calling. More than thirty years later, the local telephone companies are still of- fering these same four services as "advanced" capabilities. And the business office is still pretty much the same as it was in the late sixties. The main difference is that customer records are now accessed by computer instead of paper files. As monopolies, the Bell System telephone companies were regulated cost-based businesses. If they wanted to raise rates, they had to obtain approval from the government regulatory bodies and first had to make a case for why the rate increase was needed. The notion of making large profits did not exist, since it was not permitted. Thus, the Bell System was not the best training ground for the development of entrepreneurial skills. Many years after the AT&T divestiture of the Bell System companies and the de- regulation of the telecommunications industry, some employees of the former Bell System companies still think of their business as it was. They have been challenged to adjust it to keep up with the changing marketplace and increased competition. The Telecom Handbook < 307 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Getting back to the telephone company business office in the 1970's, if customers hinted that they were going to buy their own telephone system, we had a special "hot line" number to call to report this immediately. Someone from the telephone

company sales department would then call to talk the customer out of mak- ing this big mistake connecting "foreign" equipment to the Bell System lines. I can remember getting queasy at the thought of someone being foolish enough to do this. That good old Bell System training included a fair amount of brainwashing as well! The world of telecommunications began to change. Not everyone's entrepreneurial skills had been dulled by the Bell Sys- tem. More business people were discovering the economic advantages of purchasing telephone systems rather than renting from Ma Bell. In 1976, the interconnect industry was taking off thanks to the way being paved by Tom Carter several years earlier. Inter- connect companies sold, installed and maintained telephone systems and competed directly with the local telephone company who continued to rent systems. You could purchase a system for $100,000 that replaced the system you were renting from the tele- phone company for $10,000 per month. From a financial perspective, the 10-month break-even point was a no-brainer. What businesses did not realize was that by buying their own telephone systems they were being pioneers. They often had a rocky road ahead. It was around this time that I went to work for a consulting firm, back in New York City. Our specialty was showing busi- nesses how to save a lot of money by purchasing their own telephone systems. We then proceeded to help them make the purchase and to manage the project. My job was project man- agement. My Bell System background was what got me the job, but it did little to prepare me for overseeing the installation of large business telephone systems. I started learning from the very first day when I was directed to show up at a cutover (this refers to the process of changing over from the old to the new telephone system). 308 * The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 I learned at that time that the local Bell telephone company was not very helpful to customers who had left the fold to buy their own telephone systems. The local Bell

employees viewed the people installing the new telephones as having taken away part of the Bell job, which they had, SO Bell was not too anxious to make cutovers a big success. Sometimes the interconnect sys- tem installers had just quit their jobs at the telephone company and were now on the other side from their former co-workers. You still needed the local telephone company to install new out- side lines or to make adjustments to the lines already in place to accommodate the new system. At that time, organizations were also required to install inter- face devices. These were circuit boards of questionable usefulness connected to the end of each Bell System outside telephone line to protect it from the foreign equipment that was being installed. These interfaces were rented to the customer by the Bell System company. This was a consolation prize awarded to Bell by the courts in exchange for having given up the lucrative system rental revenue. Actually, the interfaces just provided another point at which something could go wrong, which it often did. The early systems did not always work as promised, SO there were surprises. On several occasions, the installation company was unable to obtain the system that had been purchased SO they put in a substitute system from another manufacturer, hoping that no one would notice. I worked at a cutover where the customer had decided to purchase a used system. The installation company had not even bothered to remove the old coffee stains from the switchboard console! At this same cutover, it took a whole day before the installers could get the telephones to ring. When a call came into the switchboard, I would find out who it was for and run back to tell that person to pick up his telephone handset as a caller was there waiting! At another cutover, the customer had been told that the new telephones would be black, but the manufacturer only made white ones. That evening, the housings were removed from all the tele- The Telecom Handbook 38 309 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE phones and

we spray-painted them black right there in the tele- phone equipment room. At a typical cutover, a lot of people would be standing around looking worried, smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee and making periodic forays out of the telephone equipment room to reassure the customer: "Yes, at any moment now you will be back in business." There was a lot of naiveté during this time. This included the buyers, the consultants, and the interconnect companies. We were all making our way through uncharted territory. The telephone system functions were clunky and did not al- ways work. To successfully transfer a call without cutting the caller off was a major accomplishment. Just to keep this in per- spective, note that the first telephone system purchased by a com- pany (rather than renting) was often the first system that enabled the system users to do anything by themselves. It is likely that they had never dialed another extension or transferred a call be- fore. The systems they replaced were often cord boards where the switchboard operator had been responsible for handling all of these functions for them. Those were the seventies. Several decades have passed and the process of installing a new business telephone system has smoothed out considerably. At a recent cutover, the CEO announced that the change to the new telephone system had been a "non-event" and the business operations continued without missing a beat. 310 * The Telecom Handbook INDEX Index Symbols American Telephone & Telegraph, 299 110 blocks, 252 American Wire Gauge, 262 1A2, 12 AMP, 259 2-wire, 246 Amplitude Modulation, 239 2500 set (touch-tone), 12 analog, 242, 245 2B+D, 231 analog trunks, 26 3-digit outpulsing, 212 ANI, 89, 91, 115, 232, 279 4-digit outpulsing, 212 Annotated fax mail, 183 4-pair, 249 ANSI/EIA/TIA-568,, 264 4-wire, 246 ANSI/EIA/TIA-569, 264 42A block, 250 answer supervision, 116 500 set, 12, 16 API, 149, 166 6 pin modular jack, 250 application programming 8 pin modular jack, 250 interface, 149, 166 Application Service Provider, armature

, 16 Abandon rate, 77 ARPANET, 143 Abbott, Anthony G., 126, 264 ARS, 49 access code, 37, 49 ASCII, 174 access line, 222 ASP, 169 account codes, 51 Asynchronous Transfer Mode, ACDs, 287 151, 232, 237 acoustic coupler, 238 asynchronous transmission, adaptive rate system, 240 Add-on, 71 asynchronous-to-synchronous, Agent Statistics Display, 84, 85 ATM, 151, 232, 237 agents, 76, 77 Attendant Console, 36, 41 AIOD, 51 Authorized Agent, 285 American Standard Code for Auto-answering, 240 Information Interchange, 174 Autocall, 240 The Telecom Handbook S 311 INDEX Autodial, 46 bits, 248 Automated Attendant, 95 black boxes, 120 Automated Data Collection, BLECs, 274 boards, 25 Automated Receptionist, 110 Bodin, Madeline, 230 automated workforce manage- Bodnar, Don, 270 ment software, 90 "bong" charge, 280 Automatic Answer, 81 BOS, 305 Automatic Dialing, 46 "boss-secretary" intercoms, Automatic Number Identifica- tion, 89, 91, 115, 232, 279 both-way trunk, 207 automatic privacy, 47 Branch, 21 Automatic Release, 81 BRI, 27, 231 automatic ringdown line, 227 broadband, 242 Automatic Route Selection, broadcast, 102 49, 66, 277 Broadcast Fax, 184, 193 aux line, 224 buffer, 51, 118 auxiliary, 224 buffer device, 51 Avaya, 301 Building Local Exchange AWG, 262 Carriers, 274 built-in database functions, Business Communications Baby Bells, 302 Review Magazine, backbone, 262 126, 127, 264, 300 backbone cable, 258 Business Office Supervisor, balun, 257 bandwidth, 230, 244, 248 busy lamp field, 41 Base, 11 button and buzzer, 43 Basic Rate Interface, 27, 231 battery back-up, 56, 255 bearer channels, 231 Bell, Alexander Graham, cable, 247 18, 299 Cable reports, 267 Bell System, 299 Cable Television, 282 binder groups, 262 cable trays, 252 bit, 239 Cabling Installation, 289 312 35 The Telecom Handbook INDEX CAD, 268 central office switch, 250 Call Accounting, 51 central office switches, 276 Call Agent, 146, 151 Central Processing Unit, 29, Call Alert, 82 Call Back Fax, 185 Centrex, 99, 227 Call Center Magazine, Centrum, 227 93, 179 channel ba

gence Magazine, 140 Category 6, 248 communications servers, 93, CCML, 165 CCS, 29 Communications Workers of CCXML, 164 America, 304 CDR, 51, 118 Competitive Local Exchange Carriers, 274 central office, 226, 276 Component Compatibility central office based Voice Markup Language, 165 Mail, 99 Computer Telephony, 160 The Telecom Handbook & 313 INDEX Computer Telephony Integra- DDE, 174 tion, 160 DDS, 232 computer-aided design, 268 DEC, 301 Comware Systems, Inc, 127, dedicated, 207 dedicated lines, 277 conduit, 263 dedicated rates, 224 conference, 45 Deflection, 80 conference bridge, 45 demarc, 263 connecting blocks, 252 demultiplexer, 242 Continuation of Business, 55 demux, 242 Convergence, 140, 159 detariffing, 303 copper, 235, 247 dial 9, 208 copper trunks, 26 Dial back-up, 239 cordboard, 33 dial back-up lines, 232 CPU, 29, 100 Dial intercoms, 43 CRM, 293 dial pad, 6 Cross-connect reports, 267 dial pulse, 7 crosstalk, 247, 254 dial repeating tie line, 212 CSU, 243 dial tone, 224 CSU/DSU, 243 dial-up modem, 237 CTI, 160 Dialed Number Identification curly cord, 6 Service, 89, 110 Custom Calling Services, 307 DID, 25, 96, 98, 100, 210 Custom Service Reps, 76 dielectric, 256 Customer Relationship digital, 242, 245 Management, 293 digital data bus, 31 cutover, 308 Digital Equipment Corp., 301 CV, 12 digital signal zero, 219 CWA, 304 digital station board, 27 Direct Inward Dial, 25, 37, 96, 98, 100, 183 Direct inward dial trunks, 210 data jack, 141 Direct Outward Dial, 25 Data Service Unit, 243 direct outward dial trunk, 208 Dataphone Fixed Digital direct station select, 41 Service, 232 Directed call pick up, 47 Dawson, Keith, 93 314 * The Telecom Handbook INDEX Disaster Recovery Planning, Emergency Record, 83 EMI, 247 display, 8 End-to-end circuit reports, distribution group, 102 DNIS, 89, 110 equal access, 278 Do Not Disturb, 48 Erlang, 29 DOD, 25, 208 Essex, 227 drawing dial tone, 214 Ethernet, 301 DSO (digital signal zero), 219 exchange, 21, 226 DS1, 219 extends, 36 DSS/BLF, 41 eXtensible Markup Language, DSU, 243 D

TMF, 28 extension, 36 DTMF pad, 6 Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency, 6, 28 dumb terminals, 236 Face Layout, 11 Dynamic Data Exchange, 174 Faceplate, 11 dynamic ports, 98 fax boards, 181 Fax Call Log, 196 Fax Error Log, 196 Fax Message Center, 184 E&M, 212 fax retrieval, 184 e-mail, 128 Fax Server, 91, 181 Echo suppression, 240 fax text, 184 Edison, Thomas, 16 Fax-on-Demand, 184 EIA-TIA 568A, 250 FCC, 300 EIA-TIA 568B, 250 feature buttons, 8 EIA/TIA-568, 264 feature keys, 8 EIA/TIA-569, 264 Feature Server, 149 EIA/TIA-606, 264 feature usage, 131 EIA/TIA-607, 264 feeder cable, 252 Electro Magnetic Interference, Fiber Optic Cable, 235, 258 find me-follow me, 167 electronic digital patch bay, First Party Call Control, 162 fixed, 207 electronic places, 25 flat rate, 275 The Telecom Handbook as 315 INDEX Flexpath, 222 hold recall, 44 Forced Answer, 86 home run, 252 four-wire circuit, 218 host, 173 Frequency division multiplex- host machine, 173 ing, 242 HTML, 165 Frequency Modulation, 238 HTTP, 147 Full duplex, 240, 245 hunt group, 35 function keys, 8 hunting, 208 hunting group, 100 Hush-A-Phone, 300 hybrid, 36 gauge, 262 Hylan Group, 259 glare, 210 Hyper Text Transfer Protocol, glass, 235 Goeken, Jack, 300 HyperText Markup Language, grade of service, 30 graphical user interface, 111 Gray, Elisha, 299 Greene, Judge Harold, 302 ground start line, 226 I-hold, 44 ground start trunks, 208 ID/Password, 81 Grounding, 255 IDFs, 252 Grounding/bonding summary IETF, 151 reports, 267 ILEC, 274 Group call pick-up, 47 immediate start, 212 group intercoms, 43 in band, 230 Groupings, 85 Inbound Call Routing, 77 GUI, 111 Incoming Call Center, 75 Incoming Service Grouping, Incorrect Rate, 306 Half duplex, 240, 245 Incumbent Local Exchange hands free answer back, 10 Carrier, 274 handset cord, 6 individual hold, 44 Hard drives, 101 Integrated Services Digital hardwired, 6 Network, 26, 230 headset, 6 Intelligent Queuing, 88 316 to The Telecom Handbook INDEX Intellipath, 227 inter-exchange carriers, 276 Interactive Voice Response, K sets, 12 87, 9

1, 171, 181 Kauffman, Maury, 204 Intercom, 36, 43, 291 key sets, 12 Interconnect, 308 key strips, 13 interconnect companies, 283 Key systems, 34 interface devices, 309 keypad, 6 Interflow, 80 KK6, 12 Intermediate Distribution Kuehn, Dick, 300 Frames, 252 Internet, 128 Internet and Computer-Based Faxing, 204 lamps, 9 Internet offload, 150 LAN, 109, 142, 250 Internet Protocol, land lines, 281 31, 143, 151, 216, 252 last number redial button, 46 Internet Protocol Device latency, 144, 145, 150 Control, 151 LCD, 8 Internet service provider, 282 LCR, 49 IP, 31, 151, 216, 252 leased lines, 207, 277 IP Centrex, 169 Least Cost Routing, 49 IPDC, 151 LED, 9, 258 ISDN, 26, 224, 230 Lidyard, Dave, 126 ISG, 208 light emitting diodes, 9, 258 ISP, 282 Lights, 9 IVR, 87, 91, 171 Line Appearance, 70 IVR server, 173 line assignmen, 226 IXC, 276 liquid crystal display, 8 Local Area Networks, 142, local loop, 277 jack, 249 log off, 77 jagging, 197 log on, 77 Jainschigg, John, 140 Loizides, Jim, 259 long haul, 227 loop, 226 The Telecom Handbook 6 317 INDEX loop keys, 42 Modification of Final Judge- loop start, 226 ment, 302 loop start trunks, 208 modulation, 238 low voltage, 247, 251 modules, 13, 24 Lucent, 301 monitor, 10 monitoring, 10 mounting cord, 6 moves, adds, changes, 130 M66 blocks, 252 moves and changes, 53 Ma Bell, 299 multi-button telephones, 3 MAC, 53, 284 multi-line telephones, 3 MACs, 130 Multi-port capability, 239 Main Distribution Frame, 252 Multimode fiber optic cable, mainframe, 236 Maintenance Administration Multimode graded index, 258 Terminal, 284 multimode step index, 258 manual ringdown line, 227 multiplexer, 218, 241 MAT, 284 mux, 242 MCI, 301 MDF, 252 Media Gateway Control Protocol, 148, 151 network, 230, 277 media gateway controller, network operating center, 278 146, 151 network services, 207 Message waiting indicator, 10 Network Termination Device, message waiting lamp, 104 MFJ, 302 Newton's Telecom Dictionary, MGCP, 148, 151 3, 160 Microprocessors, 18 Night Service, 79 Microwave Communications NNX, 226 In

c., 301 NOC, 278 microwave dish, 243 Normal fax mail, 183 modal dispersion, 258 Nortel, 301 modem, 237 Northern Telecom, 301 Modem strapping options, NT-1, 231 number assignment, 226 modem substitution switch, 318 in The Telecom Handbook INDEX poll, 118 poll cats, 120 Off-hook voice announce, 43 polled, 51 Off-system call forwarding, polling, 120 polyvinyl chloride, 261 one bit, 239 POP, 222, 278 out of band, 230 portability, 216 out of band signaling, 230 ports, 25 outside line, 207 POTS, 34, 37, 274 Outsourcing Resources, 297 POTS line, 224, 274 Overflow, 79 power failure transfe, 56 Overhead Paging, 292 power ground, 255 predictive dialers, 90 presence context, 159 packets, 144 Presence Technology, 159 paging, 43 PRI, 26, 231 patch panels, 252 Primary Rate Interface, 26, 231 patches, 156 printed circuit boards, 25 Pathway reports, 267 privacy release, 47 PBX Trunk Group, 121 Private, 21 PBX-to-host, 173 private line, 224 PCM, 31, 242 programmability, 156 Peripheral System Installa- tion, 288 property management system, Peripheral System Manufac- Protocols, 245 turers, 288 personal greeting, 65 PSTN, 144, 150, 151, 286 Phase Modulation, 239 public, 21 Phase roll compensation, 240 Public Switched Telephone Network, 144, 150, 151 pick up on line 3, 35 pulse amplitude modulation, PingTone, 169 plain old telephone service, Pulse code modulation, 31, 34, 37, 224, 274 platform-based systems, 180 punch down, 252 point-of-presence, 222, 278 PVC, 261 point-to-point circuits, 207 The Telecom Handbook $ 319 INDEX quad, 250 Same Call Fax, 185 quality of service., 144 satellite, 243 queue, 77 save and repeat, 46 Queue Display, 83 Screen Pop, 76, 161 Screen Pops, 91, 160, 180 Screened Twisted Pair Cable, Radio Frequency Interference, SCTP, 255 SDN PRI, 224 RBOCs, 302 Self-testing diagnostics, 240 read, 176 Send a Document, 196 real estate, 26 server, 173 Real Time Displays, 85 Session Initiation Protocol, receiver, 5, 16 146, 147, 164 redundancy, 56 SGCP, 151 Regional Bell Operating SGML, 165 Companies, 301, 302 Shielded Twi

sted Pair, 254 registered jack, 250 side noise, 18 regression testing, 156 side tone, 18 Release, 48 Siemens, 301 repeater, 243 Sign-On/Off, 81, 82, 83 Reseller, 285 signal ground, 255 RFI, 247 Signal loss, 260 rheostat, 15 Signaling System 7, 152, 230 ring generator, 18 Silent monitor, 86 ringer, 18 silver satin, 6 riser cable, 276 Simple Gateway Control RJ, 250 Protocol, 151 RJ11C, 250 simplex, 244 RJ21X, 263 Single mode fiber optic cable, RJ45, 250 Robins, Marc, 97 single-line telephones, 3 rollover sequence, 208 SIP, 146, 147, 164 ROLM, 301 SIP Proxy, 154 RS-232, 118 six digit toll restriction, 49 320 $ The Telecom Handbook INDEX Skills Based Routing, 79 stop bits, 236 slots, 24 storage device, 118 SMDI link, 99 STP, 254 SMDR, 51, 118 Structured Query Language, soft keys, 8 soft-phones, 169 structured wiring system, 262 softswitch, 57 stutter dial tone, 104 software, 100 Superpath, 222 SONET, 232 supervision, 208 SONET ring, 233 Supervisor Alert, 83 Southwestern Bell, 300 switch, 21 space division, 34 Switch Redirect, 56 Space reports, 267 switchboard, 36 Speaker, 10 Switchboard Console, 41 speakerphone, 10 switched circuits, 207 speech recognition, 172 switched rates, 224 Speed, 248 switchhook, 9 Speed Calling, 307 switching system, 21 Split/ silent monitor, 86 Synchronous Optical Net- SQL, 176 work, 232 square, 35 synchronous transmission, SS7, 152 Stand-Alone, 116 system design, 34 stand-alone ACDs, 76 system speed dial, 46 Standard Generalized Markup Language, 165 start bits, 236 T-1 circuit board, 219 stat muxes, 243 T-3, 219 station, 3 TAPI, 163 station message desk inter- tariffs, 303 face, 99 TCP/IP, 237 Station Message Detail Recording, 51 TDD, 72 station message detail record- Telecommunications Act of ing, 118 1934, 299 station speed dial, 46 Telecommunications Act of 1996, 273, 302, 303 Statistical multiplexing, 242 The Telecom Handbook $ 321 INDEX Telecommunications Bill Toll Fraud, 122 Auditing, 295 Toll restriction, 49 Telecommunications Bill Touch-tone, 28 Management, 295 touch-tone buttons, 6

Telecommunications Consult- touch-tone pad, 6 ing, 295 Trading Turret, 287 TELECONNECT Magazine, traffic engineering, 29, 89 130, 230 traffic study, 52, 123 telephone closet, 262 transfer, 45 Telephone Device for the Deaf, 72 transformers, 243 Transmission Control Proto- telephone handset, 5 col/Internet Protocol, 237 Telephone Service Reps, 77 transmission medium., 235 telephone system, 24 transmitter, 15 Telephony Application Programmer's Interface, transponders, 243 163, 164 treed, 101 telephony user interface, 111 trunk, 207 Teletype, 236 trunk groups, 51 Ten digit toll restriction, 49 TSAPI, 164 Terminal Adapter, 231 TSRs, 76 Text-to-Speech, 112, 182 Tucker, Tracey, 130 The Call Center Handbook, TUI, 111 twisted pair and coax, 235 The Telecom Tutorials, two-way DID, 26 233, 246 TWX, 236 The Voice Mail Reference Manual & Buyers Guide, 97 Third Party Call Control, 146, UL, 247 Three Way Calling, 307 UL-969, 266 tie lines, 124, 212 Underwriters Laboratories, tie trunk, 214 time division, 34 Underwriters Laboratory 969, Time division multiplexing, Unified Communication, 167 tip and ring, 33, 226 Unified Messaging, toll bypass, 150 57, 111, 160 322 6 The Telecom Handbook INDEX uniform numbering plan, 214 VPN, 281 Uninterruptible Power Supply, VRU, 172 56, 255 Union of Telephone Workers, universal slots, 24 WAN, 108 Unshielded Twisted Pair, 247 WAP, 204 UPS, 56, 255 WATS lines, 50 user group, 22 Western Electric, 250, 301 USOC, 305 Wide Area Network, 108 USS-128, 266 Wide Area Telephone Service, USS-39, 266 UTP, 247 wink start trunks, 212 UTP Configurations, 248 wire based services, 281 UTW, 305 Wireless Application Proces- sor, 204 Work, 82 World Wide Web, 143 V&H, 119, 121 Wrap, 82 Value Added Resellers, 291 VARs, 291 vertical and horizontal, 119 virtual private network, 281 Xerox, 301 Voice and data capability, 239 XML, 165 voice announce, 43 voice forms, 88 Voice Mail, 95, 96 zero bit, 239 Voice Mail service bureaus, zip tone, 82 voice mailbox, 101 Voice Messaging, 87 Voice over IP, 143 Voice Processing, 95 v