#: 2204 S2/Regulatory Affairs
    31-Mar-91  10:47:20
Sb: #Cellular Interconnect
Fm: Scott Loftesness 76703,407
To: tim gorman 71336,1270 (X)

Tim,

What kind of access is provided to the network for the cellular carriers? I've
heard that in many cases, the caller id info is not available for calls
originating from cellular phones.  Is that because of the kind of interconnect
used?

Scott

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#: 2221 S2/Regulatory Affairs
    31-Mar-91  18:50:58
Sb: #2204-#Cellular Interconnect
Fm: tim gorman 71336,1270
To: Scott Loftesness 76703,407 (X)

Scott,

Your surmise is correct. We basically offer two types of interconnect. The
first is an end office trunk-with-line-treatment type service. Originating
calls from the cellular office, destined for the network at large, are
identified to the network at large by the screening telephone number associated
with the trunk group. This type of connection is typically used for accessing
911, operator services, and miscellaneous services although it will handle all
types of traffic if this is the only connection type the cellular carrier
wants.

The second type of connection is a tandem connection. To provide full service
two tandem connections are required, one for access into the intra-LATA network
and one for connection into the inter-LATA network. The inter-LATA connection
is treated just like a group coming in from one of our own equal access central
offices. Full Feature Group D signaling is expected from the cellular carrier.
This would include ANI being sent to the interLATA carrier.

For the intra-LATA network connection, we treat the cellular switch as an
interLATA carrier for incoming traffic to us and create an access billing
record. No ANI is therefore provided on this type of connection.

tim



There is 1 Reply.

#: 2226 S2/Regulatory Affairs
    31-Mar-91  19:57:48
Sb: #2221-#Cellular Interconnect
Fm: Scott Loftesness 76703,407
To: tim gorman 71336,1270 (X)

Tim,

Why does the cellular carrier pick one type of interconnection over the other?

Is the first type cheaper at the start with some sort of crossover to the
second type being cheaper as the cellular carriers call volume builds?

Would it be possible for the cellular carrier to implement "calling party pays"
on the first type of interconnection or only on the second?

Do cellular carriers receive any kind of access charge payments for terminating
calls to their subscribers?

Scott

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#: 2242 S2/Regulatory Affairs
    01-Apr-91  12:14:19
Sb: #2226-#Cellular Interconnect
Fm: tim gorman 71336,1270
To: Scott Loftesness 76703,407 (X)

Scott,

The basic trunk-with-line-treatment connection is always needed for access to
911, operator service, etc. that we cannot provide from the tandem connection.

The tandem connection provides a higher grade of service to non-local customers
because one less trunk is involved (you lose the trunk from the end office to
the tandem). When the cellular carrier moves to this is driven by both call
volumes and the perceived need to offer (and advertise possibly) a higher grade
of service. I say call volumes are involved because inter-office versus local
call volumes need to be analyzed. If 23 out of 24 trunks are used for
completing local cellular-to-wireline connections, there is little need for a
tandem group.

It was my understanding that calling-party-pays (cpp) is a billing issue, not a
technical network issue. The only technical issue I could see is that today, we
do not make a detail billing record on a local call from a wireline station to
a cellular station. If cpp is to be applied on a local call, then translations
(and possibly telephone numbers) would have to be changed to recognize these
calls as toll calls. This could be done regardless of connection type.

tim



There is 1 Reply.

#: 2250 S2/Regulatory Affairs
    01-Apr-91  18:59:29
Sb: #2242-Cellular Interconnect
Fm: Scott Loftesness 76703,407
To: tim gorman 71336,1270

Tim,

Very interesting.  I've never had a very good understanding on the nature of
the cellular telephone interconnects.  Does sound like implementing calling
party pays wouldn't be too much of a problem.  Do you expect to begin seeing
more of that as the cellular carriers attempt to continue to expand usage?

Scott