Tollfreenumber.ORG Toll-Free Forum

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[b]Access Tandem:[/b] Any LEC switch used to consolidate end-office traffic for purposes of carrier interconnection.
[b]Agent:[/b] Any authorized representative of a toll-free service end-user subscriber or a toll-free service provider. The agent is the entity whom the toll-free service end-user subscriber or the toll-free service provider has authorized to act on its behalf to establish, change or disconnect toll-free service.
[b]Carrier Identification Code:[/b] A 4 digit code used to identify ICs and associated network facilities.
[b]Common Channel Interoffice Signaling:[/b] An out-of-band signaling system used to support database queries and responses, also known as Common Channel Signaling (CCS).
[b]Customer:[/b] A toll-free service end-user subscriber, a toll-free service provider or an agent of either.
[b]Customer Record:[/b] A record in the SMS/800 containing customer specific administrative and call routing data.
[b]End Office:[/b] A LEC switch providing dial-tone to subscribers.
[b]Industry Numbering Committee (INC):[/b] An open industry forum sponsored by ATIS which addresses issues related to numbering.
[b]Interexchange Carrier (IC):[/b] A telecommunications company that provides inter-LATA transport.
[b]Local Access and Transport Area (LATA):[/b] A geographic area in which LECs can provide transport services. Transport services between LATAs is provided by ICs.
[b]Local Exchange Carrier (LEC):[/b] A franchised telecommunications company providing originating exchange and exchange access services.
[b]Mechanized Generic Interface (MGI):[/b] A high speed, system to system interface between the SMS/800 and the support system used by a Resp Org.
[b]North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA):[/b] The organization responsible for the plan, policies, and procedures used to assign and deploy numbering resources within World Zone 1.
[b]NXX Plan:[/b] An interim 800 service access arrangement based on the assignment of individual 800-NXX codes to specific service providers.
[b]Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF):[/b] An open industry forum sponsored by ATIS which deals with issues related to provisioning and billing.
[b]Point of Presence:[/b] The point of interconnection between the networks of LECs and ICs.
[b]Responsible Organization (Resp Org):[/b] The entity designated to manage and administer a customer's SMS/800 records.
[b]SMS/800 Data Center:[/b] The SMS/800 processing center which houses the main SMS/800 database.
[b]SMS/800 Help Desk:[/b] The organization that provides user support for the SMS/800.
[b]SMS/800 Management Team (SMT):[/b] A team, consisting of one representative from each of the BOCs, which is responsible for all aspects of SMS/800 services.
[b]SMS/800 Number Administration Committee (SNAC):[/b] An open industry forum sponsored by ATIS which addresses issues related to the SMS/800 and toll-free number administration.
[b]SMS/800 Business Manager:[/b] The organization which, on the behalf of the SMS/800 Management Team, provides day-to-day coordination and management for the SMS/800 services provided to both Resp Orgs and SCP Owners/Operators.
[b]Service Control Point (SCP):[/b] The real-time database systems in the Exchange Carrier network that contains routing instructions downloaded by the SMS/800.
[b]Service Switching Point (SSP):[/b] A software package deployed at either the EO or AT, and used to process originating calls requiring a database query to gather routing information and/or transport carrier identification information.
[b]Signal Transfer Point (STP):[/b] A packet switch used to route SS7 messages to the appropriate database or switching system.
[b]Signaling System 7 (SS7):[/b] An out-of-band signaling system used to transport messages related to database queries and/or call set-up information.
[b]Testing/Disaster Recovery Site:[/b] The secondary SMS/800 processing center which functions as a backup facility in case of a disaster level failure at the production site. Resp Orgs can also use this site for testing their software and for training employees on the use of the SMS/800.
[b]Toll-Free Number Administration:[/b] The process of assigning, reserving, and releasing toll-free numbers for public use.
[b]Toll-Free Number Portability:[/b] The ability for the subscriber to transport its toll-free number from one service provider to another without the need for a number change.
[b]Toll-Free Service:[/b] A telecommunications service for which the dialing party incurs no toll charges.
[b]Toll-Free Service End-User Subscriber:[/b] The entity which subscribes to toll-free service from the toll-free service provider. This entity defines and manages all final termination points for the toll-free service, and takes ultimate financial responsibility for tariffed charges resulting from callers dialing the toll-free number.
[b]NOTE:[/b] The toll-free service end-user subscriber definition specifically excludes toll-free service resellers with respect to all situations of resold toll-free service other than shared use toll-free and bundled services.
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