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         TAS Lingo Simplified

           By Doctor Zerox
                 GJC
             David Johns
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      When we have dialtone, whether it is a line or trunk, we can make and
receive calls; either one or the other or both depending on the type ordered.
n we call with this line? And how? Each area is different but the
majority use a specific dialing plan. 
      Local Calls are usually seven digits, consisting of the NNX or office
code followed by the four digits line number. In some Step by Step (SXS) COs,
the office code may not be required as they are "absorbed", however, in large
SXS and all Crossbar and ESS offices, the NNX is required, hence the seven
digits needed.
      If you have local calling to adjacent towns, dialing their NNX
followed by their four digit line number will connect you to their CO and
hence their telephones. It is possible to see groupings of NNX codes.
      In many areas, because of the method of Step by Step switching, all
exchanges in one city may begin with four (4), such as 422, 473, 488, etc.,
and all the towns surrounding the city may begin with 6 such as 633, 622, 655,
etc. This way all 6XX codes were switched to a "tandem" office or the
location where all EAS (Extended Area Service) or free calling offices are
connected through.
      Some EAS plans today still follow the common first selector digit train
(first digit of the NXX codes the same) as we see above, such as Ssyracuse, NY
4XX is all Metro Syracuse, with 6XX all EAS towns, even though all Metro is
ESS. With Crossbar (XBar) and Electronic Switching (ESS) this practice is no
longer necessary.
      Most EAS plans are banded with different large area zones for each
calling "band" and the further you call airmileage (the way all Toll and EAS is
billed), the more yo pay. Usually EAS calls are not itemized, hence the
reduced rate per minute. Itemization would show the printed date, time,
where, number, how long and type, as in a Toll Statement.
      If the call is not a local or EAS call, the next type is DDD, or Direct
Distance Dialing. DDD calls are usually placed by the caller dialing "1" plus
the number, i.e. 1-555-1234. Such a call is a Toll Call from the serving
Central Office (CO) to the remote (called) CO based on the Interoffice
Airmileage fro the center to the CO to the center of the receiving CO
according to the chart of the mileage toll bands.
      Toll within the state is Intrastate Mileage and is at a rather high rate,
usually reducing per mile greatly after the first 25 miles or so to the same
rate for calls 200 miles or more away.
      Out of state calls are Interstate Mileage and are at AT&T rates, which
are usually lower than interstate rates. The cost to call your neighboring
state or across the country (staying in the 48 continental) is virtually the
same. There are seven bands from coast to coast that slightly increase the
rates as we move toward the opposite shore. DDD is based on the whole minute
and is rounded to the next highest minute per call.
      Some areas are required to dial 1 + a code + the number. In those cases
the code is the "party" code for ANI (Automatic Number Identification) so that
ONI (Operator Number Identification) is not required with over two parties on a
line. In most Bell areas, ONI is used for four and eight party lines. ANI with
1+ only works for two and one-party private lines.
      The problems with ONI are that you can give anyones number and the
operator will accept it. Thus, you next-door neighbor can bill calls to you
and you to him.
      DDD requires the NPA (area code) before the dialed number, if you are
calling outside your local NPA. Therefore, to call San Jose from Los Angeles, 1
408-555-8585 would be dialed. When calling inside your own NPA, the area code
is rejected and you must redial. Some states have one NPA for the whole state,
others have several. Each NPA can have 639 CO NNX codes, or 6,390,000
telephones.
      With our NPA codes being a three digit number, with the center digit
always a 1 or a 0, we have 80 possible NPAs or 511.2 million potential base
telephones. With all phones having 1+ dialing, which some do not at present,
we can have NNX codes with 1 and 0 in the center digit, and therefore 80
additional NNX codes for 800,000 added phones per area code. This plan has
started with New York City (212 area) being converted to a 1+ as they ran out
of NNX codes for the 212 area.
.     In areas where ESS offices have been installed, a new highly popular
feature has been added: IDDD. International Direct Distant Dialing is the
ablility to dial over 80 other countries without operator assistance, just as
with DDD. This time dialing starts with 011 + country code + routing number.
      The country code is two or three digits, followed by a routing code
(like an area code overseas) usually one to four digits, followed by the actual
local number there, usually four to seven digits.
      ODD and OIDD are Operator Distance Dialed which costs more per call. To
place domestic Operator calls, dial 0 + the area code (if needed) and the
number. International calls are 01 + country code + routing number.
      Special Service Codes are another thing that can be dialed. 411 in many
areas is information (Directory Assistance-DA); 611 usually is repair, and 811
is usually the business office. All areas of the USA have 911, or access to
emergency services (fire, ambulance, police, etc.)
      Where no government organization wanted to do 911 service, the 911
translates to 0 or the operator so that travelers can dial what they are used
to, 911, for service. The operator routes the emergency call in these cases.
Most 911 centers have ANI to tell where the call came from, thus when a child
calls 911 help can be dispatched without a CO line number trace.
.     Some areas have mass recording codes, like 936 (the old WE6) or
976-XXXX for weather, sports, news, stockmarket reports, etc. These are always
one Message Unit calls in local calling aras, even if the caller is flat rate
local service and calls toll from elsewhere.
      Information outside your local area is always 1 555-1212 for calls within
your NPA and 1 NPA 555-1212 for calls to areas outside your area code. Calls to
DA (directory assistance) in many states to areas within the state are billable
inquiries after a small allowance, but never chargeable outside the state you
are in. Therefore DA in Nevade from Chicago is free of charge. DA to WATS
listings is 1 800-555-1212 and is always Toll Free. DA to Dial-it Service is 1
900-555-1212 and is also toll free.
      WATS service using 800 numbers, is the old INWATS service now called
800 service and is totally Toll Free to the caller. The recipient of the
service tone with the 800 numbers gets billed for each and every call by the
second per month.
      The 800 Service lines are available in seven types. Band 0 800 Service is
used for persons within your own state to call you (The last number of the 800-
-NNX codes, is always a 2). For a New Jersey state inward WATS (Wide Area
Telephone Service) the number may be 1 800-962-0000.
      A US inward 800 Service WATS can be obtained in six zones. Bands 1-5 are
the 48 states of the USA plus Puerto Rico, Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands.
Band 6 includes the above bands 1-5 plus Alaska and Hawaii. Never does an US
inward WATS line include the state you are in.

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By Doctor Zerox, GJC and David Johns
            TEAM ZEROX
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