Toll-Free

 

What are area codes 880, 881, and 882 used for?

These codes provide a way to extend toll-free calling beyond the borders of the country in which the party paying for the calls resides. These codes have been used primarily to allow Caribbean callers to reach toll free numbers in the US. With this arrangement, the caller pays for the international segment of the call (to the US gateway), and the called party pays for the remainder. In theory, this concept can be implemented between any of the countries sharing the NANP.

 

Invalid Toll-Free NXXs

 

 

You can use CIS as an interface to SMS to determine the availability of a toll-free number. There are several methods you can use to access the toll-free menu.
            

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          Choose the Toll Free Inq PF key from the equipment screen.   

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          Enter IRES from the TRAN field on a "Tombstone" screen.     


Once you get to a screen that has a toll-free command line, enter NR to go to the "SMS Reservation and Search" screen shown below.



On the screen above, you may search for a number by entering the following:
            

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>           S in the Action field to search for a toll-free number

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>           Specific toll-free numbers (up to 10 individual numbers) in the toll-free number(s) field


The Toll Free Number field on the NR screen will allow you to search for toll-free numbers in the following ways:
            

<DIV ALIGN=center>1.</DIV>        Specific toll-free numbers by entering specific number in toll-free number field.

<DIV ALIGN=center>2.</DIV>        Vanity numbers by entering letters in the toll-free number field.

<DIV ALIGN=center>3.</DIV>        Partially specified spare numbers by using an * as a placeholder for the blank digits. For example, if you wanted the last four digits to spell Tire you'd enter "*** Tire" in the toll-free number field. If you don't want to specify a number, use all asterisks (*** ****) or leave blank.

<DIV ALIGN=center>4.</DIV>        Any spare number(s).

<DIV ALIGN=center>5.</DIV>        Block of contiguous spare numbers. The Contiguous field allows you to indicate that you want to search for a block of numbers in sequence by typing "Y" in the Contiguous field. The default for this field is "N" for no.

<DIV ALIGN=center>6.</DIV>        Numbers with specific NPAs. The NPA field allows you to search for numbers beginning with a specific NPA.

<DIV ALIGN=center>7.</DIV>        Numbers with specific NXXs. The Start NXX field allows you to search for numbers beginning with a specific NXX.

<DIV ALIGN=center>8.</DIV>        Numbers with a specific station number (last four digits).

 

 

 

Dedicated Toll-Free  (Ultra Toll-Free)


Ultra Toll Free has not been actively sold as a stand-alone product for several years. Ultra is known as a service type (W9), more or less just another word for dedicated access. An Ultra account is a toll-free account with dedicated access. To contrast, a FONLINE account is a toll-free account with switched access. Today, with Sprint's program marketing approach, an account on the Real Solutions product (program) can have both Ultra and FONLINE accounts.

This information is maintained for the minority of toll-free customers who may still be on the Ultra sales program and who want to add another toll-free service location.

How It Works

Following are key points in the Ultra Toll Free call routing process:
            

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          DMS-250 switches access the Signaling System #7 (SS7) components, signal transfer points (STPs) and service control points (SCPs) for toll-free number translation information.

           

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          The toll-free number is then routed by the DMS-250 switch to the on-net number returned by the SCP.

           

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          Ultra Toll Free calls terminate over dedicated facilities from the Sprint switch, through the local exchange carrier (LEC) offices (no switching) to the customer premises.


Inbound

When the caller dials a Sprint toll-free number, the call terminates to the toll-free service subscriber's location. This termination is over dedicated facilities.

Single-Number Service

Interstate and intrastate traffic can terminate on the same line.

Originating Service Areas

Calls can originate from within the 48 contiguous United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Sprint International Toll Free Service (ITFS) is available from certain countries.
            

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          Calls from Alaska (907) and Hawaii (808) are Rate Steps 19-22.

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          Calls from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are rated as Band 5.

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>          Intrastate calling is available, where authorized. Rates are state-specific.


Terminating Access

Ultra Toll Free is available using T1 access. Dedicated access lines (DALs) may be used if they are associated with a T1 service group. T1 is a 1.544 MB digital circuit that can carry up to 24 voice channels and enables higher-quality transmission. DAL is an individual voice grade circuit, generally analog.

Hardware Requirements

Customers do not need any special hardware to receive toll-free calls. However, a customer may need special equipment on a private branch exchange (PBX) or automatic call distributor (ACD) to install lines. This equipment would be required for most network services being installed. Such needs would be determined on an individual basis and would be evaluated through a site survey.


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Switched Toll-Free  (FONLine)<div class="title"> </div>

 

FONLINESM is no longer actively sold as a stand-alone service; but rather is just one facet of a product offering such as Business Sense,® Real SolutionsSM or Premiere.® FONLINE has become synonymous internally for switched toll-free access.  Unlike dedicated toll-free, switched toll-free does not require special dedicated trunks.  Instead, it can be delivered over the PSTN POTS lines, or into the dedicated lines into the customer’s PBX which also receives the non-Toll-Free calls.  The calls terminate exactly as they would on a normal business line or private branch exchange (PBX) trunk

Sprint FONLINE service is designed to provide quality, toll-free service to low-end users (0 to 500 hours per month of inbound calls), who normally do not qualify for Sprint's dedicated service offering.

Switched toll free services offer these conveniences:

·         FONLINE calls terminate in the local exchange carrier's (LEC) access tandem via Feature Group B (FGB) or Feature Group D (FGD) facilities. The LEC then routes the call to the customer's business line. Business lines include:

·         Flat- and measured-rate business lines.

·         PBX trunks.

·         DID lines which have 10-digit numbers, allowing FONLINE calls to terminate exactly as they would on a normal business line or private branch exchange (PBX) trunk.

·         Centrex station lines. Like the DID line, the 10-digit telephone number must be provided on the order so that Sprint can translate the toll-free number to the Centrex station line.

·         Any 10-digit POTS number.

·         Both inbound and outbound calls can go over the same lines. However, outgoing and non-toll-free incoming traffic may block the toll-free calls, causing lost business.

·         With single-number service, interstate, intrastate (where authorized), Canadian and international (where available) calls can terminate to the same toll-free number.

·         Existing hunting arrangements and LEC features on business lines will not be affected by FONLINE service.

·         Calls are completed at the subscriber's location without charge to the caller.

·         Calls are rated at the point of termination, rather than origination.

·         Customers may have up to five toll-free numbers per service group.

·         Sprint provides trained field operations personnel.

·         Certification includes thorough training on toll-free services, installation procedures, maintenance and problem resolution.


HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS FOR FONLINE

No special hardware is needed to receive FONLINE service. Customers may need special equipment on a PBX to install additional lines.

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Call Allocation (Percentage Routing)

 


Call Allocation allows calls to the same toll-free number to be routed to multiple Sprint Toll Free service groups on a percentage basis.

Key Points/Applications

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>Percentages are based on call attempts.

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>Call Allocation can balance traffic across multiple centers making more effective use of personnel and facilities.


<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>Call Allocation can be used to transition new locations into applications or slowly downsize closing locations.

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>Single location toll-free customers desiring only contingency planning will likely use this feature (Disaster Recovery).


Call Allocation Example

 



Call allocation is accomplished by generating a random number, 00 - 99 for each call. The random number generated is then referenced to a Call Allocator Table to determine the destination for that call. The Call Allocator Table is assigned 100 slots, one slot per percentage point. Destinations are assigned to a number of slots corresponding to the percentage of calls to be routed to that destination.

The statistical properties of random numbers conforming to a standard distribution ensure that over the long run all numbers in the range will be generated with equal frequency.

In this example, refer to the Call Allocator Table below:

New York is assigned a destination name, D100, and allocated 15 slots (15%).
Los Angeles is assigned a destination name, D200, and allocated 15 slots (15%).
Chicago is assigned a destination name, D300, and allocated 70 slots (70%).

<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>A call generating random number 06 is routed to New York.<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>A call generating random number 17 is routed to Los Angeles.<DIV ALIGN=center>•</DIV>A call generating random number 85 is routed to Chicago.


Call Allocator Table

 

 

DINA (Distributed Intelligent Network Architecture)

 

This is Sprint’s toll-free AIN – Advanced Intelligent Network.  The Intelligence is supplied by SS7 (Signaling System 7).  The DINA platform is what allows the Enhanced Toll-Free feautures, such as command routing, time-of-day routing, DNIS (Dialed Number Identification System), etc.

 

 

 

Advanced intelligent networks have become a buzz word in telecommunications today. Each carrier has its own version and interpretation of these smart networks. While each version may differ, the concept of AIN is the same. Before calls are sent to their final destination, the network queries a database asking, "what should I do with this phone call?" The response determines how the call is handled.

Advanced intelligent networks operate over SS7 (Signaling System 7). SS7 is an industry standard for transmitting signaling information in a switched network. It is designed to efficiently transfer information between network Signaling Points and interconnected networks.

SS7 utilizes out-of-band signaling to improve call processing setup times. Signaling information is sent ahead of a call, over a separate channel, to establish and control network connections. This set-up information includes supervisory signals (answer, non-answer), billing information (who called whom and for how long) and network management signals such as maintenance test signals and routing information.

Advanced intelligent networks generally include three basic elements:
        

<DIV ALIGN=center>1.</DIV>      Signaling Points (SPs)

SPs are digital telephone switches that query the SCP for customer-specific instructions on how to handle a call. They reside inside the DMS switch and convert the call to be SS7 compatible.

<DIV ALIGN=center>2.</DIV>      Signal Transfer Points (STPs)

STPs are high-speed packet switches that shuttle queries/responses between SPs and SCPs.

<DIV ALIGN=center>3.</DIV>      Service Control Points (SCPs)

SCPs are computers holding databases of customer-specific information. It is accessed by the network for call routing information.

 

 

 

DINA takes SS7 and uses it for toll-free intelligent processing.  Hundreds of SS7 scripts have been written for this purpose.

 

DNIS (Dialed Number Identification System)