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- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Two, Issue 24, File 8 of 13
-
- /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\
- /^\ /^\
- /^\ Special Area Codes /^\
- /^\ /^\
- /^\ by >Unknown User< /^\
- /^\ /^\
- /^\ January 3, 1989 /^\
- /^\ /^\
- /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\ /^\
-
-
- Greetings! I have compiled information about the SACs for your edification;
- these include 700, 800, and 900.
-
- Most telephone users from the United States are quite familiar with 800
- service: A number that they dial and incur NO charge (not even message units
- in most areas).
-
- Then there is 900 service, which is what most people perceive as 'value added,'
- i.e. you pay more for the information than for the transport of the call.
- These vary typically from 35 cents to a few dollars for either a timed service,
- or a 'as long as you like' duration-sensitive service. There are two
- sub-species of 900 service: AT&T and "everybody else."
-
- Finally, there is 700 service, which many people remember as Alliance
- Teleconferencing. This is the third "canonical" SAC. With few limitations,
- this SAC is given over to the IEC entirely.
-
- Let's look at these in more detail.
-
-
- 800 Service
- ~~~~~~~~~~~
- 800 service is offered by various IECs. Each NXX in the 800 SAC is assigned to
- a given carrier, who is responsible for assigning numbers from that block to
- customers, and providing 10 digit translation.
-
- The carrier must have Feature Group D presence for originating calls from the
- originating exchange (either direct, or through an access tandem).
-
- In the future, when CCIS becomes wide-spread, a query will be made in the
- database [Who gets 1-800-985-1234?] and the call will be routed appropriately.
- To clarify: Now the carrier is determined by the NNX. In the future, the
- carrier will be determined by the entire 7 digits.
-
- A similar situation exists with 900 service. Each carrier can reserve NXXs
- from BellCore (the people who among a zillion other tasks are in charge of
- handing out prefixes and area codes). They're not cheap! To get the actual
- number is free (there are qualifications that I don't deal with), but to get it
- 'turned on' in a LATA costs you money, depending on:
-
- (1) How many prefixes you're getting,
- (2) Whether it's 800 or 900 service; and,
- (3) How many Tandems/End Offices are in the LATA.
-
- It requires a discrete amount of labor for EACH office, because EACH routing
- table must be modified. However, I will be discussing 900 Service in more
- detail later in this file.
-
- When you, as Joe Customer, dial 1-800-222-1234 (made up number, please don't
- bother them) it will initiate the following sequence:
-
- 1. If you are in an Electronic Office (DMS-100, DMS-200, 1A ESS, 5 ESS)
- the 800-222 will be translated to "AT&T" and will search for an
- opening in a trunk group marked for 800 origination. Should none be
- found, bump to step 3.
-
- 2. If you are in a non-electronic office (SxS, XB, and some flavors of
- ESS), it will go to the access tandem that your office 'homes' on,
- where 800-222 will be translated to "AT&T."
-
- Note: If at this point, the number doesn't have a translation, you
- will get a "lose" recording from the CO.
-
- 3. Find a trunk in a trunk group marked for 800 origination. Should none
- be found, give the customer a recording "Due to network congestion,
- your 800 call could not be completed" or die, or whatever. (Depends
- on phase of moon, etc.)
-
- 4. The end office will the send the following pulse-stream (in MF):
- KP + II + 3/10D + ST + KP + 800 222 1234 + ST
-
- Note: This is a simplification; there are some fine points of ANI
- spills that are beyond the scope of this file.
-
- II = 2 information digits. Typical values are:
-
- 00 normal ANI .. 10 digits follow
- 01 ONI line ... NPA follows
- 02 ANI failure ... NPA follows
-
- 3/10D = 3 or 10 digits. Either the NPA, or the entire 10 digit
- number. KP and ST are control tones.
-
- 5. The carrier receives all of this (and probably throws the ANI into the
- bit bucket) and translates the 800 number to what's called a PTN, or
- Plant Test Number (for example, 617-555-9111). Then, the call is
- routed AS IF the customer had dialed that 10 digit number. Of course,
- the billing data is marked as an 800 call, so the subscriber receiving
- the call pays the appropriate amount.
-
-
- Of the 800 possible NXXs, 409 are currently assigned. A long-distance carrier
- can get one 800 and four 900 numbers just for the paperwork. But to get more
- than that, you have to show that you're 70% full now, and demonstrate a real
- need for the capacity.
-
- I have included the entire 800-NXX to long-distance carrier translation table.
- Note that not every NXX is valid in every area.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Revised 800/OCN Translation Table
- Effective October 10, 1988
-
-
- 221 ATX 222 ATX 223 ATX 224 LDL 225 ATX
- 226 MIC 227 ATX 228 ATX 229 TDX 230 NTK
- 231 ATX 232 ATX 233 ATX 234 MCI 235 ATX
- 236 SCH 237 ATX 238 ATX 239 DLT 240 SIR
- 241 ATX 242 ATX 243 ATX 244 --- 245 ATX
- 246 --- 247 ATX 248 ATX 249 --- 250 ---
- 251 ATX 252 ATX 253 ATX 254 TTU 255 ATX
- 256 LSI 257 ATX 258 ATX 259 --- 260 ---
- 261 SCH 262 ATX 263 CAN 264 ICT 265 CAN
- 266 CSY 267 CAN 268 CAN 269 FDG 270 ---
- 271 --- 272 ATX 273 --- 274 MCI 275 ITT
- 276 ONE 277 SNT 278 --- 279 MAL 280 ADG
- 281 --- 282 ATX 283 MCI 284 MCI 285 ---
- 286 --- 287 --- 288 MCI 289 MCI 290 ---
- 291 --- 292 ATX 293 PRO 294 --- 295 ---
- 296 --- 297 ARE 298 --- 299 CYT
-
- 321 ATX 322 ATX 323 ATX 324 HNI 325 ATX
- 326 UTC 327 ATX 328 ATX 329 TET 330 TET
- 331 ATX 332 ATX 333 MCI 334 ATX 335 SCH
- 336 ATX 337 FST 338 ATX 339 --- 340 ---
- 341 ATX 342 ATX 343 ATX 344 ATX 345 ATX
- 346 ATX 347 UTC 348 ATX 349 DCT 350 CSY
- 351 ATX 352 ATX 353 --- 354 --- 355 ---
- 356 ATX 357 --- 358 ATX 359 UTC 360 ---
- 361 CAN 362 ATX 363 CAN 364 HNI 365 MCI
- 366 UTC 367 ATX 368 ATX 369 TDD 370 TDD
- 371 --- 372 ATX 373 TDD 374 --- 375 TNO
- 376 --- 377 GTS 378 --- 379 --- 380 ---
- 381 --- 382 ATX 383 TDD 384 FDT 385 CAB
- 386 TBQ 387 CAN 388 --- 389 --- 390 ---
- 391 --- 392 ATX 393 EXF 394 --- 395 ---
- 396 --- 397 TDD 398 --- 399 ARZ
-
- 421 ATX 422 ATX 423 ATX 424 ATX 425 TTH
- 426 ATX 427 --- 428 ATX 429 --- 430 ---
- 431 ATX 432 ATX 433 ATX 434 AGN 435 ATX
- 436 IDN 437 ATX 438 ATX 439 --- 440 TXN
- 441 ATX 442 ATX 443 ATX 444 MCI 445 ATX
- 446 ATX 447 ATX 448 ATX 449 --- 450 USL
- 451 ATX 452 ATX 453 ATX 454 ALN 455 ---
- 456 MCI 457 ATX 458 ATX 459 --- 460 ---
- 461 CAN 462 ATX 463 CAN 464 --- 465 CAN
- 466 ALN 467 ICT 468 ATX 469 --- 470 ---
- 471 ALN 472 ATX 473 --- 474 --- 475 TDD
- 476 TDD 477 --- 478 AAM 479 --- 480 ---
- 481 --- 482 ATX 483 --- 484 TDD 485 TDD
- 486 TDX 487 --- 488 --- 489 TOM 490 ---
- 491 --- 492 ATX 493 --- 494 --- 495 ---
- 496 --- 497 --- 498 --- 499 ---
-
- 521 ATX 522 ATX 523 ATX 524 ATX 525 ATX
- 526 ATX 527 ATX 528 ATX 529 MIT 530 ---
- 531 ATX 532 ATX 533 ATX 534 --- 535 ATX
- 536 ALN 537 ATX 538 ATX 539 --- 540 ---
- 541 ATX 542 ATX 543 ATX 544 ATX 545 ATX
- 546 UTC 547 ATX 548 ATX 549 --- 550 CMA
- 551 ATX 552 ATX 553 ATX 554 ATX 555 ATX
- 556 ATX 557 ALN 558 ATX 559 --- 560 ---
- 561 CAN 562 ATX 563 CAN 564 --- 565 CAN
- 566 ALN 567 CAN 568 --- 569 --- 570 ---
- 571 --- 572 ATX 573 --- 574 AMM 575 ---
- 576 --- 577 GTS 578 --- 579 LNS 580 WES
- 581 --- 582 ATX 583 TDD 584 TDD 585 ---
- 586 ATC 587 LTQ 588 ATC 589 LGT 590 ---
- 591 --- 592 ATX 593 TDD 594 TDD 595 ---
- 596 --- 597 --- 598 --- 599 ---
-
- 621 ATX 622 ATX 623 --- 624 ATX 625 NLD
- 626 ATX 627 MCI 628 ATX 629 --- 630 ---
- 631 ATX 632 ATX 633 ATX 634 ATX 635 ATX
- 636 CQU 637 ATX 638 ATX 639 BUR 640 ---
- 641 ATX 642 ATX 643 ATX 644 CMA 645 ATX
- 646 --- 647 ATX 648 ATX 649 --- 650 ---
- 651 --- 652 ATX 653 --- 654 ATX 655 ---
- 656 --- 657 TDD 658 TDD 659 --- 660 ---
- 661 CAN 662 ATX 663 CAN 664 UTC 665 CAN
- 666 MCI 667 CAN 668 CAN 669 UTC 670 ---
- 671 --- 672 ATX 673 TDD 674 TDD 675 ---
- 676 --- 677 --- 678 MCI 679 --- 680 ---
- 681 --- 682 ATX 683 MTD 684 --- 685 ---
- 686 LGT 687 NTS 688 --- 689 --- 690 ---
- 691 --- 692 ATX 693 --- 694 --- 695 ---
- 696 --- 697 --- 698 NYC 699 PLG
-
- 720 TGN
- 721 --- 722 ATX 723 --- 724 RTC 725 SAN
- 726 UTC 727 MCI 728 TDD 729 UTC 730 ---
- 731 --- 732 ATX 733 UTC 734 --- 735 UTC
- 736 UTC 737 MEC 738 MEC 739 --- 740 ---
- 741 MIC 742 ATX 743 EDS 744 --- 745 ---
- 746 --- 747 TDD 748 TDD 749 TDD 750 ---
- 751 --- 752 ATX 753 --- 754 TSH 755 ---
- 756 --- 757 TID 758 --- 759 MCI 760 ---
- 761 --- 762 ATX 763 --- 764 AAM 765 ---
- 766 --- 767 UTC 768 SNT 769 --- 770 GCN
- 771 SNT 772 ATX 773 CUX 774 --- 775 ---
- 776 UTC 777 MCI 778 UTC 779 TDD 780 TDD
- 781 --- 782 ATX 783 ALN 784 ALG 785 SNH
- 786 *1 787 --- 788 --- 789 TMU 790 ---
- 791 --- 792 ATX 793 --- 794 --- 795 ---
- 796 --- 797 TID 798 TDD 799 ---
-
- 821 ATX 822 ATX 823 THA 824 ATX 825 MCI
- 826 ATX 827 UTC 828 ATX 829 UTC 830 ---
- 831 ATX 832 ATX 833 ATX 834 --- 835 ATX
- 836 TDD 837 TDD 838 --- 839 VST 840 ---
- 841 ATX 842 ATX 843 ATX 844 LDD 845 ATX
- 846 --- 847 ATX 848 ATX 849 --- 850 TKC
- 851 ATX 852 ATX 853 --- 854 ATX 855 ATX
- 856 --- 857 TLS 858 ATX 859 --- 860 ---
- 861 --- 862 ATX 863 ALN 864 TEN 865 ---
- 866 --- 867 --- 868 SNT 869 UTC 870 ---
- 871 --- 872 ATX 873 MCI 874 ATX 875 ALN
- 876 MCI 877 UTC 878 ALN 879 --- 880 NAS
- 881 NAS 882 ATX 883 --- 884 --- 885 ATX
- 886 ALN 887 ETS 888 MCI 889 --- 890 ---
- 891 --- 892 ATX 893 --- 894 --- 895 ---
- 896 TXN 897 --- 898 CGI 899 TDX
-
- 921 --- 922 ATX 923 ALN 924 --- 925 ---
- 926 --- 927 --- 928 CIS 929 --- 930 ---
- 931 --- 932 ATX 933 --- 934 --- 935 ---
- 936 RBW 937 MCI 938 --- 939 --- 940 TSF
- 941 --- 942 ATX 943 --- 944 --- 945 ---
- 946 --- 947 --- 948 --- 949 --- 950 MCI
- 951 BML 952 ATX 953 --- 954 --- 955 MCI
- 956 --- 957 --- 958 *2 959 *2 960 CNO
- 961 --- 962 ATX 963 SOC 964 --- 965 ---
- 966 TDX 967 --- 968 TED 969 TDX 970 ---
- 971 --- 972 ATX 973 --- 974 --- 975 ---
- 976 --- 977 --- 978 --- 979 --- 980 ---
- 981 --- 982 ATX 983 WUT 984 --- 985 ---
- 986 WUT 987 --- 988 WUT 989 TDX 990 ---
- 991 --- 992 ATX 993 --- 994 --- 995 ---
- 996 VOA 997 --- 998 --- 999 MCI
-
- Notes
- ~~~~~
- *1 -- Released For Future Assignment
- *2 -- These NXX codes are generally reserved for test applications; They
- may be reserved for Access Tandem testing from an End Office.
-
- Note also: The following NXXs are dedicated for RCCP (Radio Common Carrier
- Paging) under the discretion of the local exchange carrier:
-
- 202, 212, 302, 312, 402, 412, 502, 512, 602, 612, 702, 712, 802, 812, 902,
- and 912.
-
-
- OCN Reference List
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- ADG - Advantage Network, Inc. AGN - AMRIGON
- ALG - Allnet Communication Services AMM - Access Long Distance
- AAM - ALASCOM ARE - American Express TRS
- ARZ - AmeriCall Corporation (Calif.) ATC - Action Telecom Co.
- ATX - AT&T BML - Phone America
- BUR - Burlington Tel. CAB - Hedges Communications
- CAN - Telcom Canada CNO - COMTEL of New Orleans
- CQU - ConQuest Comm. Corp CSY - COM Systems
- CUX - Compu-Tel Inc. CYT - ClayDesta Communications
- DCT - Direct Communications, Inc. DLT - Delta Communications, Inc.
- EDS - Electronic Data Systems Corp. ETS - Eastern Telephone Systems, Inc.
- EXF - Execulines of Florida, Inc. FDG - First Digital Network
- FDN - Florida Digital Network FDT - Friend Technologies
- FST - First Data Resources GCN - General Communications, Inc.
- GTS - Telenet Comm. Corp. HNI - Houston Network, Inc.
- ITT - United States Transmission System LDD - LDDS-II, Inc.
- LDL - Long Distance for Less LGT - LITEL
- LNS - Lintel Systems LSI - Long Distance Savers
- LTQ - Long Distance for Less MAL - MIDAMERICAN
- MCI - MCI Telecommunications Corp. MDE - Meade Associates
- MEC - Mercury, Inc. MIC - Microtel, Inc.
- MIT - Midco Communications MTD - Metromedia Long Distance
- NLD - National Data Corp. NTK - Network Telemanagement Svcs.
- NTS - NTS Communications ONC - OMNICALL, Inc.
- ONE - One Call Communications, Inc. PHE - Phone Mail, Inc.
- PLG - Pilgrim Telephone Co. PRO - PROTO-COL
- RBW - R-Comm RTC - RCI Corporation
- SAN - Satelco SCH - Schneider Communications
- SDY - TELVUE Corp. SIR - Southern Interexchange Services
- SLS - Southland Systems, Inc. SNH - Sunshine Telephone Co.
- SNT - SouthernNet, Inc. SOC - State of California
- TBQ - Telecable Corp. TDD - Teleconnect
- TDX - Cable & Wireless Comm. TED - TeleDial America
- TEM - Telesystems, Inc. TEN - Telesphere Network, Inc.
- TET - Teltec Savings Communications Co TGN - Telemanagement Consult't Corp.
- THA - Touch America TID - TMC South Central Indiana
- TKC - TK Communications, Inc. TLS - TELE-SAV
- TMU - Tel-America, Inc. TNO - ATC Cignal Communications
- TOM - TMC of Montgomery TOR - TMC of Orlando
- TSF - SOUTH-TEL TSH - Tel-Share
- TTH - Tele Tech, Inc. TTU - Total-Tel USA
- TXN - Tex-Net USL - U.S. Link Long Distance
- UTC - U.S. Telcom, Inc. (U.S. Sprint) VOA - Valu-Line
- VST - STAR-LINE WES - Westel
- WUT - Western Union Telegraph Co.
-
- NOTE: Where local telcos, such as Illinois Bell, offer 800 service, they
- purchase blocks of numbers from AT&T on prefixes assigned to AT&T. They
- are free to purchase blocks of numbers from any carrier of their choice
- however.
-
- This list also applies to the 900/OCN Translation Table (presented later
- in this file).
-
-
- 900 Service
- ~~~~~~~~~~~
- As I mentioned earlier there are two flavors of 900 service, AT&T and
- "everybody else." Everybody else is handled exactly as the 800 service above,
- except the IEC will probably use the ANI information to send you a bill
- (either directly, or through your BOC, each situation governed by applicable
- tariffs and contractual arrangements between the IEC and the BOC).
-
- AT&T 900 is a curious monster indeed. It was designed as a "mass termination"
- service. When you dial a 900 by AT&T (such as the "hear space shuttle
- mission audio" number) you get routed to one of twelve "nodes" strewn
- throughout the country. These nodes are each capable of terminating 9,000
- calls >PER SECOND<. There are several options available where the customer
- and/or the IP pay for all/part of the call. The big difference between 800 and
- AT&T 900 is >NOT< "who pays for the call" (there are free 900 numbers), but
- "how many people can it handle at once." The IP is responsible for providing
- program audio. AT&T is prohibited from providing audio-program services (i.e.
- tape recorded messages). As with any rule, there are exceptions to these as
- well.
-
- I have included the entire 900-NXX to long-distance carrier translation table.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Revised 900/OCN Translation Table
- Effective October 10, 1988
-
- Please note that this differs from the 800 table, because much fewer of the 900
- NXXs are assigned.
-
- NXX OCN NXX OCN NXX OCN NXX OCN NXX OCN
-
- 200 ATX 202 Ameritech 210 ATX 220 ATX 221 TDX
- 222 ONC 223 TDX 225 Pac. Bell 226 MCI 233 TDX
- 234 TEN 240 U.S. West 248 Ameritech 250 ATX 258 TEN
- 254 TTU 255 SNT 260 ATX 264 ADG 266 CSY
- 272 Bell Atl. 273 CAN 275 ITT 280 Ameritech 282 LGT
- 283 Pac. Bell 288 GTE N.west 297 CAN 300 ATX 301 Ameritech
- 302 Ameritech 303 Pac. Bell 321 TEN 322 TDX 327 ETS
- 328 ATX 331 TET 332 PLG 333 U.S. West 335 Bell Atl.
- 342 ATX 344 ATX 345 ALN 346 United Tel. 350 ATX
- 364 GTE N.West 366 ONC 369 TEN 370 ATX 377 GTS
- 386 United Tel. 388 SNT 399 ARZ 400 ATX 407 ATX
- 410 ATX 420 ATX 422 ALN 426 PLG 428 Ameritech
- 430 U.S. West 444 ONC 445 PHE 446 MCI 450 Ameritech
- 451 CAN 456 TEN 463 United Tel. 478 AAM 479 ARZ
- 480 ATX 483 GTE Midwest 488 ONC 490 U.S. West 500 ATX
- 505 Pac. Bell 520 ATX 529 MIT 536 BUR 540 ALN
- 543 ALN 545 GTE Calif. 550 ALN 555 ATX 567 ALN
- 580 U.S. West 590 ATX 595 CAN 600 ATX 620 Ameritech
- 624 Pac. Bell 626 CSY 628 Ameritech 630 CAN 633 MIT
- 639 PLG 643 CAN 645 CAN 650 ATX 654 TEN
- 656 SNT 660 ATX 661 United Tel. 663 MDE 665 ALN
- 666 ONC 670 CAN 677 CAN 678 MCI 680 ATX
- 686 LTG 690 CAN 698 NY Tel. 699 PLG 701 Bell Atl.
- 710 TGN 720 ATX 722 Pac. Bell 724 RTC 725 SNT
- 727 GTE Calif. 730 ATX 739 CSY 740 ATX 741 TEN
- 746 ITT 750 CAN 753 ALN 765 ALN 773 ATX
- 777 Pac. Bell 778 Ameritech 780 Ameritech 786 ATX 790 CAN
- 792 CAN 801 Bell Atl. 820 ATX 830 CAN 843 Pac. Bell
- 844 Pac. Bell 847 United Tel. 850 ATX 860 ATX 866 AAM
- 870 CAN 872 TEN 887 ETS 888 CIS 900 TDX
- 901 Bell Atl. 903 ATX 909 ATX 924 Ameritech 932 ATX
- 948 ARZ 949 MIC 963 TEN 970 MIC 971 MIC
- 972 MIC 973 MIC 974 ALN 975 ALN 976 ATX
- 988 MCI 990 MCI 991 ALG 993 SNT 999 TEN
-
-
- 700 Service
- ~~~~~~~~~~~
- The last SAC we'll deal with is 700. I've seen ads on late-night television
- for Group Access Bridging service (GAB) under 700 numbers, with an elephantine
- dialing sequence. The one that comes to mind is 10041-1-700-777-7777. If you
- were to dial 1-700-555-4141 you will hear a recording announcing your
- Equal-Access carrier. (Some carriers ignore the last four digits, and any
- 700-555 number will give the announcement).
-
- This is signalled the same as 800 service, and may or may not be billed
- ENTIRELY at the discretion of the IEC. In New York, under PSC tariff, you can
- order 900 and/or 700 blocking as well as 976, 970, 550, and 540 blocking in
- various combinations.
-
- What in ONE carrier might be a customer service hotline (Dial 1-700-I AM LOST)
- might for another be a revenue product. There is LITTLE standardization of 700
- usage from IEC to IEC.
-
- The one last dialing pattern that is worth mentioning is what's called, "cut
- through dialing." Try dialing 10220. If Western Union comes to your
- town, you'll get a FG-A style dial tone. Presumably if you had a Western
- Union "Calling Card" you could dial a call.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Glossary
- ~~~~~~~~
- ANI - Automatic Number Identification. An MF sequence that identifies your
- line for toll billing information. Often confused with ANAC (Automatic
- Number Announcement Circuit) which reads your number back in a
- synthesized voice.
-
- BOC - Bell Operating Company. An often misused term that in general usage
- means, "Your local exchange carrier." Since most of the telephones in
- the country are served by what used to be the Bell system, we tend to use
- the term. The proper term in this case, however IS "Exchange Carrier
- [EC]" They provide service within your LATA.
-
- FG-A - Feature Group A. Line Side termination for Long Distance carriers. The
- old 555-1234 for Widget Telephone Company then dial an access code and
- the number style dialing is called FG-A.
-
- FG-B - Feature Group B. Trunk Side termination for Long Distance carriers.
- (aka ENFIA B). 950 service. This is LATA wide service, and doesn't
- cost the customer message units. ANI is only provided when the trunks
- terminate in the End Office (as opposed to an access tandem).
-
- FG-D - Feature Group D. Trunk Side termination. Provides 10xxx dialing, 1+
- pre-subscription dialing, and Equal Access 800/900 service. Only
- available in electronic offices and some 5XB offices (through a beastie
- called an Adjunct Frame.)
-
- GAB - Group Audio Bridging. Where several people call the same number, to talk
- to other people calling the same number. "Party" or "Chat" lines.
-
- IEC - Inter-Exchange Carrier. Someone who actually carries calls from place to
- place. AT&T, Sprint, MCI are all IECs.
-
- IP - Information Provider. Someone who sells a value-added service over the
- telephone. Where you pay for the INFORMATION you're receiving, as well as
- the cost of TRANSPORT of the call.
-
- NXX - Notation convention for what used to be called a "prefix". N represents
- the digits 2 through 9, and X represents the digits 0 through 9. There
- are 800 valid NXX combinations, but some are reserved for local use.
- (411 for Directory, 611 for Repair Bureau, 911 for emergency, etc.)
-
- ONI - Operator Number Identification. In areas with some styles of party-line
- service, the CO cannot tell who you are, and the operator will come on
- and say, "What number are you calling from?". You can lie, they have to
- trust you. They MAY know which PREFIX you're coming from, though.
-
- PTN - Plant Test Number. A regular 10 digit number assigned with your inward
- WATS line. This may NOT be a 'dialable' number from the local CO. (A
- friend has a WATS line in Amherst, MA [413-549,
- dial the PTN locally, but you can if you come in on a toll trunk.)
-
- SAC - Special Area Code. Bellcore speak for area codes that aren't really
- places, but classes of service.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-