Submission for mod.telecom (line hunting)
la...@kitty.uucp
> I am interested in installing a hunter on three telephone lines that are
> attached to modems that are receiving calls. The phone company tells me
> that the lines are "auxiliary" lines and that one cannot put a hunter
> on these lines. They claim that a "trunk" line is needed if one wants
> to use a hunter.
> What is the difference between an auxiliary line and a trunk line?
In virtually all cases, the difference is in telephone company
tariff descriptions, and therefore in the recurring monthly cost for the
affected line; there is no "hardware" difference. Trunks, auxiliary lines,
and POTS lines (Plain Old Telephone Service) all look the same to the
central office line equipment; the only exception is that trunks are often
configured as ground-start lines - but then again, ANY line can be optioned
as a ground-start line.
With the exception of constraints imposed by older electromechanical
central offices (like SxS and X-Y), virtually any central office can be
configured to cause any directory number to "hunt" (if busy) to any other
directory number, in a continuing chain (often called ISG - Incoming Service
Group) without regard to the actual directory numbers involved.
There is no special hardware in the central office which must be
added to cause lines to hunt; in electromechanical offices, jumper wires are
changed in some cross-connect fields. In ESS offices, hunting configuration
is accomplished through software changes made using the console tty.
> Are the phone company claims accurate?
It depends upon the tariffs for your local telephone company.
For New York Telephone, auxiliary lines and auxiliary trunks (yes, there
is a "paper" distinction) can be made to hunt in additional groups (i.e.,
in addition to the "main directory number" hunt group) for no additional
monthly charge; there is, however, a non-recurring "installation" charge
if this configuration is performed at some time after the lines in question
are actually installed.
However, some telephone company tariffs require that the FIRST
line of any hunt group be considered a "trunk" or "main" line - at a
higher recurring monthly cost. This may be your situation; if it is, you
will face a monthly increase in the charge for the first affected line,
plus a non-recurring charge for the new configuration. No physical line
change nor premises visit will be involved. (Read "rip-off", if you so
desire... :-) )
I would suggest that you ask your telephone company salesperson
to put in writing the billing charges for the addition of hunting; this
request generally causes a telephone company salesperson to double-check
their information.
<> Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
<> UUCP: {allegra|ames|boulder|decvax|rocksanne|watmath}!sunybcs!kitty!larry
<> VOICE: 716/688-1231 {hplabs|ihnp4|mtune|seismo|utzoo}!/
<> FAX: 716/741-9635 {G1,G2,G3 modes} "Have you hugged your cat today?"