root@uunet.uu.net (Marcel D. Mongeon) (08/26/90)
We have a reasonably large Northern Telecom Meridian SL-1 PBX serving
a hotel environment. For calls made from guest rooms we have two
types of trunk lines: a) regular outgoing trunks for local calls and
message toll calls which are costed by a call detail recorder; and b)
toll trunks which are used strictly for 0+ calls. On the second types
of trunks a HOBIC hooked up to the CO gives us any charging
information.
I discovered a major problem the other day with respect to the
blocking of calls on the first type of trunks (which use '9'+
dialing). A guest can dial '9', access the outside trunk, then dial
'0', let the line time out and speak to an operator and presumabbly
have a call made which is charged on the line but which we *can't*
charge to the guest because the Call detail recorder has no
information other than the fact that '0' was dialled.
A little investigation showed that the problem results from the fact
that although '0' is denied on the particular trunk route '011' to
allow direct dialled international is allowed. Apparently the SL-1
time out is longer than the trunk line '0' time out and the call does
not get blocked. Obviously, we could just require all calls starting
with '0' including '011' to go out over the toll trunks. However, we
have 200 rooms full of dialling instructions that would have to be
changed.
Are there any SL-1 experts out there that can suggest a work-around?
Perhaps changing some of the trunk timers?
Marcel D. Mongeon
e-mail: ... (uunet, maccs)!joymrmn!root or
joymrmn!marcelmGSM@icf.hrb.com (Gary S. Mayhew) (08/29/90)
In article <11423@accuvax.nwu.edu>, joymrmn!root@uunet.uu.net (Marcel D. Mongeon) writes: > A little investigation showed that the problem results from the fact > that although '0' is denied on the particular trunk route '011' to > allow direct dialled international is allowed. Apparently the SL-1 > time out is longer than the trunk line '0' time out and the call does > not get blocked. Obviously, we could just require all calls starting > with '0' including '011' to go out over the toll trunks. However, we > have 200 rooms full of dialling instructions that would have to be > changed. > Are there any SL-1 experts out there that can suggest a work-around? > Perhaps changing some of the trunk timers? You can change most of the trunk timers through your local TTY device on your SL-1(?). Overlay 15 [Customer Data Block] allows you to set both your EOD timer for non-DTMF trunks and your ODT timer for DTMF trunks (``DIGITONE'' in NT nomenclature). Default settings are usually sufficient for most applications, however, you must have extremely fast CO trunks. Reducing the timer's values may indeed help your situation, but take heed ... too much will raise `havoc' with the people using the system. Try reducing EOD timer by 25% of the default, and ODT timer by the same. Consult the NTP's for more information. Reach me by one of the methods below if you wish to discuss in depth. Gary S. Mayhew Internet: GSM@ICF.HRB.COM HRB Systems, Inc. Bitnet: GSM%HRB@PSUECL.Bitnet State College, PA. USA UUCP: ...!psuvax1!hrbicf!gsm (814) 238-4311; 237-6345{DID}; 234-7720{FAX}
"Barton F. Bruce" <BRUCE@ccavax.camb.com> (08/31/90)
In article <11423@accuvax.nwu.edu>, joymrmn!root@uunet.uu.net (Marcel D. Mongeon) writes: > that although '0' is denied on the particular trunk route '011' to > allow direct dialled international is allowed. Apparently the SL-1 I can't help you with an SL-1's programming, but I will tell you what I do with a Mitel SX-200, and it may help. Before you pick the trunk group to use, you must look at more digits! Consider: 011+ is for direct dialed with NO operator assistance 01+ is for direct dialed WITH operator assistance (the next digit must obviously test NOT a 1) 00 is just to reach the IXC operator In your environment, you want to route the first onto your regular trunks for pricing by your own call accounting machine, but the last two MUST go to HOBIC trunks. For customer sanity, and to keep existing instructions on phones valid, it is often simplest to simply treat 8+ and 9+ identically, and YOU do the route selection based on what else is dialed. The smart exception to 8+ = 9+ is to treat 9+11 as a panicked 9+911, and allow both those and 8+911 from ANY phone reguardless of how otherwise restricted. That includes maid's closets, elevator, lobby house phones, pool area phones and phones that can't even terminate an incoming call. The other reasonable option is to totally DUMP hobic! and get 'screening 94' or whatever they call it where you are. This says allow 0+ on the trunk, but NOTHING gets billed back to the property. Obviously CC, 3rd party, collect, and free calls are about all that get through. You can have this on a regular trunk where 1+ (that your accounting box can price) can go anywhere. The HOBIC folks won't allow you to keep HOBIC if you are also using screening. All you have lost is 'bill-to-the-room' operator handled services. Your call accounting probably posts to the room's bill automatically, HOBIC may, but often is a manual posting pain - worth losing. At 200 rooms, why don't you have T1 into some IXC's POP for some serious low cost service? The following is a more general comment on carrier access from hotels, hospitals, prisons, school dorms, nursing homes, timeshare condos, etc. For fairness to all CC users, it would be 'nice' to allow 10xxx0+ routing, but a hotel clearly wants to prohibit 10xxx1+ because they are reselling those calls and MUST control what carrier is used. What would solve lots of problems would be for the LEC to offer a class of screening where 10xxx routing would only work for 0+ calls and they would also be subject to the 'bill elsewhere' restrictions currently provided by 'screening 94' or whatever it is. Any call would be valid as 1+ traffic to the default carrier on the same trunks. This does eliminate requests for AT&T to provide feature group B (950 type) access for their card users in non-AT&T hotels, and also helps stamp out feature group B trunks in general. If you like the idea, tell 1) your LEC, 2) your DPU, 3) your Senators, and 4) your IXCs.
root@joymrmn.UUCP (Marcel D. Mongeon) (09/03/90)
In article <11618@accuvax.nwu.edu> BRUCE@ccavax.camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) writes: >In article <11423@accuvax.nwu.edu>, joymrmn!root@uunet.uu.net (Marcel >D. Mongeon) writes: >> that although '0' is denied on the particular trunk route '011' to >> allow direct dialled international is allowed. Apparently the SL-1 >I can't help you with an SL-1's programming, but I will tell you what >I do with a Mitel SX-200, and it may help. >Before you pick the trunk group to use, you must look at more digits! How do I do this without a least cost routing system in place? Bell Canada refuses to implement BARS (The SL-1 least cost system) for us on the basis that we are not permitted to resell anything but Message Toll Service to hotel guests. We are not allowed to resell FX, Outwats or anything! >The smart exception to 8+ = 9+ is to treat 9+11 as a panicked 9+911, >and allow both those and 8+911 from ANY phone reguardless of how >otherwise restricted. That includes maid's closets, elevator, lobby >house phones, pool area phones and phones that can't even terminate an >incoming call. Excellent Idea!! I especially like the panic version! One problem that I have is that I would also like the SL-1 to imform the front desk area when 911 has been dialled. Apparently, such a feature does not exist! >The other reasonable option is to totally DUMP hobic! and get >'screening 94' or whatever they call it where you are. This says allow >0+ on the trunk, but NOTHING gets billed back to the property. Welcome to the wonderful world of Bell Canada. Even though Northern Telecom is a subsidiary of Bell Canada and keeps coming up with wonderful technical enhancements for everything which is Telecom related, Bell Canada doesn't see the point of implementing any of it! Therefore, the screening system you suggest doesn't exist North of the Border! >At 200 rooms, why don't you have T1 into some IXC's POP for some >serious low cost service? This is really funny. When I asked our Bell Canada account rep about the possibility of a direct T1 to the CO she asked: "What's that?". Someone who was a little more in the know let me know that in Bell Canada territory (which is presently already 100% digital) T1's wouldn't be available in any substantial number (or at a rate that made it price competitive) for a couple of years and then it would be principally for data service. A fully digital switching system and they don't know what T1 is! Go figure. Marcel D. Mongeon e-mail: ... (uunet, maccs)!joymrmn!root or joymrmn!marcelm
BRUCE@ccavax.camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) (09/04/90)
In article <11659@accuvax.nwu.edu>, root@joymrmn.UUCP (Marcel D. Mongeon) writes: > One problem that I have is that I would also like the SL-1 to > inform the front desk area when 911 has been dialled. The PC (that I assume is) monitoring the SMDR port might be able to also notice 911 calls and give special notice of any desired sort, but it would be after the call is completed and logged. Still it would generally be before the Police/Fire/Ambulance truck arrives. [Moderator's Note: An interesting aspect of some 911 tariffs is a provision that a 'responsible' subscriber with a recognized security force of his own, i.e. a university or medical center complex, occupying hundreds of acres, or several city blocks can have 911 calls from within the subscriber's premises routed to his own security or police force. Typically, the subscriber will have centrex service, occupying all, or most of an exchange. Panic calls to 911 are routed by the CO to the proper office within the institution. Not all 911 tariffs are written to provide this, and the municipal police/fire agencies generally resist this unless they have a *very good* working relationship with the private force. Sometimes telco has to write the tariff after the fact, once the subscriber and the local police have a working agreement. It cannot be implemented without local police and fire approval. For example, the University of Chicago Police are fully sworn officers of the law. Their authority is equal to that of a police officer of the city of Chicago within the geographic limits of the UC campus. Chicago police monitor the UC Police radio frequency and vice versa. A call from a security 'hotline' phone to campus police can be 'patched' immediatly to the city with a button on the dispatcher's console. As he is talking to the caller and learns the address is outside their immediate jurisdiction, he already has the Chicago PD en route. UC is surrounded by a crummy neighborhood on three sides. A call of 'a woman screaming for help', a report of shots fired, or an officer needs assistance brings help from both forces in a minute. PAT]
ashbya@uunet.uu.net (Adam J. Ashby) (09/05/90)
In <11674@accuvax.nwu.edu> BRUCE@ccavax.camb.com (Barton F. Bruce) writes: >In article <11659@accuvax.nwu.edu>, root@joymrmn.UUCP (Marcel D. >Mongeon) writes: >> One problem that I have is that I would also like the SL-1 to >> inform the front desk area when 911 has been dialled. >The PC (that I assume is) monitoring the SMDR port might be able to >also notice 911 calls and give special notice of any desired sort, but >it would be after the call is completed and logged. Still it would When I worked at BNR (R&D for Northern Telecom) I tested the Emergency Calling Feature on the DMS-250 and Centrex switches for Mercury (UK). As far as I can remember, there was a log output plus optional MMI Alarm whenever the emergency code (999 or whatever you programmed) was dialled, thus giving immediate notification of an emergency call. Of course, whether or not this feature is the same for the North American market and the SL-1 I cannot tell you. Adam Ashby | Most, if not all of the above (+1)(708) 632 3876 - work time | came from my mind...and not (+1)(708) 934 1431 - play time | even I have control over ...!uunet!motcid!ashbya | that. - madA 1990