[ News ] [ Paper Feed ] [ Issues ] [ Authors ] [ Archives ] [ Contact ]


..[ Phrack Magazine ]..
.:: Special Area Codes ::.

Issues: [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] [ 21 ] [ 22 ] [ 23 ] [ 24 ] [ 25 ] [ 26 ] [ 27 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] [ 33 ] [ 34 ] [ 35 ] [ 36 ] [ 37 ] [ 38 ] [ 39 ] [ 40 ] [ 41 ] [ 42 ] [ 43 ] [ 44 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ] [ 47 ] [ 48 ] [ 49 ] [ 50 ] [ 51 ] [ 52 ] [ 53 ] [ 54 ] [ 55 ] [ 56 ] [ 57 ] [ 58 ] [ 59 ] [ 60 ] [ 61 ] [ 62 ] [ 63 ] [ 64 ] [ 65 ] [ 66 ] [ 67 ] [ 68 ] [ 69 ] [ 70 ] [ 71 ]
Current issue : #24 | Release date : 1989-02-25 | Editor : Taran King
Phrack Inc. XXIV IndexKnight Lightning & Taran King
Phrack Pro-Phile XXIV Featuring Chanda LeirTaran King
Limbo To Infinity; Chapter Three of FTSagaKnight Lightning
Frontiers; Chapter Four of FTSagaKnight Lightning
Control Office Administration Of Enhanced 911 ServiceThe Eavesdropper
Glossary Terminology For Enhanced 911 ServiceThe Eavesdropper
Advanced Bitnet ProceduresVaxBuster
Special Area Codesunknown
Lifting Ma Bell's Cloak Of SecrecyVaxCat
Network ProgressionDedicated Link
Phrack World News XXIVKnight Lightning
Phrack World News XXIVKnight Lightning
Phrack World News XXIVKnight Lightning
Title : Special Area Codes
Author : unknown
                                ==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.
_______________________________________________________________________________
[ News ] [ Paper Feed ] [ Issues ] [ Authors ] [ Archives ] [ Contact ]
© Copyleft 1985-2024, Phrack Magazine.