Toll Free Service Overview
The 800 Service Management System (SMS/800) is an operations help system (OSS) used for the creation and upkeep of North American toll-free call-processing information. SMS/800 can also be the supply of toll-free quantity availability and reservation standing info. Many customers name the 800 Service Management System the “National Database”.
All service suppliers that assign toll-free numbers to be used throughout the US and Canada use the SMS/800 to confirm the supply of particular numbers, reserve them, create buyer information, and obtain information to native trade service Service Control Points (SCPs) to facilitate name processing.
New Customer Records (CRs) and adjustments to current CRs are loaded into the SMS/800 by a Responsible Organization (Resp Org). The Resp Org (normally a telecommunications supplier) is a company designated to handle and administer a buyer’s SMS/800 information. Resp Org’s should undergo a certification course of to achieve entry to the nationwide database.
After the CR is created or modified SMS/800 then downloads the suitable info to the Service Control Points (SCPs) which directs toll-free visitors by offering routing info and service identification. The CR comprises the decision dealing with directions and choices chosen by the shopper. These choices may embrace selecting a number of carriers (e.g. Verizon or Qwest) for various time intervals or routing calls to different locations.
Toll Free Provisioning
Currently, there are 200+ Resp Orgs which enter information into the SMS/800. There are 4 primary strategies of provisioning (inputting, altering, or creating) this information:
Mechanized Generic Interface (MGI)
Some MGI customers are massive telecommunications suppliers (e.g. AT&T). Others Resp Orgs buy entry to stylish front-end methods that improve their toll free provisioning customers effectivity. In every case, because the consumer units up buyer information, the report is robotically transferred, through the MGI, to SMS/800.
The MGI is linked to the SMS/800 by a high-speed information hyperlink (56kbps) or body relay (64k). Resp Orgs could seek for and reserve numbers, in addition to create or replace buyer information, by means of the MGI.
The major advantage of MGI entry is {that a} consumer can replace a whole lot or 1000’s of toll free numbers with highly effective on-line mass change instructions (without having for tapes or electronic mail to the assistance desk.)
Batch Tape
Batch tape customers write buyer report information onto a digital tape. The tape is then bodily despatched to the SMS/800 manufacturing website (e.g. through US mail) the place it’s loaded into the SMS/800. Resp Orgs could create or replace buyer information by batch tape, however they can not reserve numbers by batch tape. Due to the real-time nature of quantity reservations, these actions are dealt with on-line.
Online Access (3270 Terminal Emulation)
Online customers entry the SMS/800 through a devoted personal line which is mostly a 9.6kbps hyperlink, or through dial-up services. Resp Orgs could seek for and reserve numbers, in addition to create or replace buyer information by means of on-line entry. Most updates are made to a single toll free quantity at a time.
Web Based Access (WBA)
Internet customers entry the SMS/800 through a devoted line or a dial-up connection to an Internet Service Provider. Most updates are made to a single toll free quantity at a time.
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Overview of Basic Toll Free Provisioning Activities
The SMS/800 offers three primary help features: 1) quantity search and reservation; 2) buyer report creation and modification; and three) studies era.
- Toll Free Number Search/Reservation
- Customer Record Creation And Modification
- Reports Generation
The Resp Org can seek for out there ten digit toll-free numbers that reside throughout the database. Random searches and sample matching (for vainness numbers) can be found.
A Resp Org can reserve a spare quantity for a most interval of 45 days . Reserved toll-free numbers not activated inside 45 days can be transformed from reserved standing and returned to the pool of spare numbers.
The most amount of toll-free numbers a Resp Org can have in reserve standing at any given time is the same as 8 % of its working numbers or 2,000 numbers, whichever is larger.
The Resp Org could create and modify buyer information within the SMS/800 and schedule the date and time the information are to be activated on the SCPs. SMS/800 additionally helps quite a lot of particular capabilities meant to permit the Resp Org and the subscriber to manage, monitor, and management the visitors related to the toll-free quantity.
Numerous administrative and exception studies can be found.
Data Output
The SMS/800 downloads info to the Service Control Points (SCPs), as acceptable. There are roughly 20 mated pairs of SCPs unfold all through the United States and Canada. The SMS/800 is linked to the SCPs by information hyperlinks.
Summary
This article offers an summary of North American Toll Free Service Provisioning. Concepts lined embrace the nationwide database, Customer Records, Resp Orgs, Service Control Points, Access Technologies (MGI, Batch Tape, 3270, Web) and Search/Reserve, CR Creation and Modification, and Reports.
