The 800 Service Management System (SMS / 800) is a US-based Operations Support System (OSS) that manages toll-free numbers (800, 877, 888, and 866).
Service providers (for example, Qwest, Verizon) that assign toll free numbers for use within the US and Canada use SMS / 800 to check the availability of toll free numbers, reserve them, establish routing records for customers and download records to local exchange operator’s Service Control Points (SCP) to facilitate call processing.
Who is SMS / 800? SMS / 800 (FCC Feature Rate No. 1) is administered by the following Bell Operating Companies (BOC):
or AT&T (it was BellSouth Telecommunications Inc./SBC Communications Inc.)
o Qwest Corporation
or Verizon Communications Inc.
These BOCs jointly maintain the tariff (a legal agreement ordered by the FCC) that stipulates the conditions for the access of the Resp Organization to SMS / 800 services and they are also responsible for SCP contracts.
Listed companies are part of the SMS / 800 Management Team (SMT); the SMT is made up of one member from each of the BOCs. The SMT is responsible for the overall management of SMS / 800. The SMT is the final authority on all matters related to SMS / 800.
SMS / 800 was originally developed by Bell Communications Research, Inc. (now known as Telecordia Technologies).
Who pays to keep SMS / 800 running?
Response organizations using SMS / 800 pay various fees to support SMS / 800 management and maintenance. These fees include monthly recurring charges, request charges, and non-recurring charges.
An example of a recurring monthly fee: A liability organization like AT&T, Verizon, or Qwest must pay 15.3 cents per month for each toll-free line that it actively routes. This may not sound like much, but with approximately 23 million toll-free numbers in service, Resp organizations are paying more than $ 42 million per year (in monthly fees) to support the SMS / 800 infrastructure.
What is the technical architecture of SMS / 800?
SMS / 800 runs on an interactive IBM Information Management System (IMS) computer system. It supports IBM 3270 terminal online access, web-based online access, batch processing, and a mechanized interface.
There are separate production, disaster recovery, and test servers. Production sites include Unisys data centers in Eagan, MN and Salt Lake City, UT.
SMS / 800 is available 24/7, except for planned downtime.
What is the next generation SMS / 800?
The industry is currently evaluating the implementation of a new SMS / 800 system built with modern hardware / software technology (web services interface, UNIX O / S, client / server, etc.). The potential hardware architecture features Sun, EMC Storage, and Cisco servers. switches. In addition to upgrading the infrastructure, different cost models and pricing structures are being evaluated.
Originally scheduled for implementation in January 2006, a new program is still pending implementation.
