IN architectures for implementing universal personal telecommunications

This article focuses on architectures for providing universal personal telecommunications (UPT) service to wireline users. Although UPT services could be provided to users of wireless phones, thereby giving those users personal communication services (PCS), the wireline environment introduces certain important complications. Unlike "smart" cellular phones, which can register themselves and the user automatically, wireline telephones are unable to automatically detect and register a UPT user. UPT therefore includes a manual registration procedure to associate a PTN with the phone where calls will be received or placed. Also, unlike personal communications terminals that are typically used by only one person, wireline phones are likely to be shared among other users. Therefore, the network must keep track of who is using the phone, so it can provide the appropriate telecommunications services. It would be difficult or impossible to implement UPT as a switch-based service. Fortunately, an intelligent network (IN) architecture that is well suited for implementing UPT is being deployed by many local exchange (LECs) and interexchange carriers (IXCs).<<ETX>>