More Toll-free terms & definitions

Access Tandem: Any LEC switch used to consolidate end-office traffic for purposes of carrier interconnection.
Agent: 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.
Carrier Identification Code: A 4 digit code used to identify ICs and associated network facilities.
Common Channel Interoffice Signaling: An out-of-band signaling system used to support database queries and responses, also known as Common Channel Signaling (CCS).
Customer: A toll-free service end-user subscriber, a toll-free service provider or an agent of either.
Customer Record: A record in the SMS/800 containing customer specific administrative and call routing data.
End Office: A LEC switch providing dial-tone to subscribers.
Industry Numbering Committee (INC): An open industry forum sponsored by ATIS which addresses issues related to numbering.
Interexchange Carrier (IC): A telecommunications company that provides inter-LATA transport.
Local Access and Transport Area (LATA): A geographic area in which LECs can provide transport services. Transport services between LATAs is provided by ICs.
Local Exchange Carrier (LEC): A franchised telecommunications company providing originating exchange and exchange access services.
Mechanized Generic Interface (MGI): A high speed, system to system interface between the SMS/800 and the support system used by a Resp Org.
North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA): The organization responsible for the plan, policies, and procedures used to assign and deploy numbering resources within World Zone 1.
NXX Plan: An interim 800 service access arrangement based on the assignment of individual 800-NXX codes to specific service providers.
Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF): An open industry forum sponsored by ATIS which deals with issues related to provisioning and billing.
Point of Presence: The point of interconnection between the networks of LECs and ICs.
Responsible Organization (Resp Org): The entity designated to manage and administer a customer’s SMS/800 records.
SMS/800 Data Center: The SMS/800 processing center which houses the main SMS/800 database.
SMS/800 Help Desk: The organization that provides user support for the SMS/800.
SMS/800 Management Team (SMT): A team, consisting of one representative from each of the BOCs, which is responsible for all aspects of SMS/800 services.
SMS/800 Number Administration Committee (SNAC): An open industry forum sponsored by ATIS which addresses issues related to the SMS/800 and toll-free number administration.
SMS/800 Business Manager: 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.
Service Control Point (SCP): The real-time database systems in the Exchange Carrier network that contains routing instructions downloaded by the SMS/800.
Service Switching Point (SSP): 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.
Signal Transfer Point (STP): A packet switch used to route SS7 messages to the appropriate database or switching system.
Signaling System 7 (SS7): An out-of-band signaling system used to transport messages related to database queries and/or call set-up information.
Testing/Disaster Recovery Site: 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.
Toll-Free Number Administration: The process of assigning, reserving, and releasing toll-free numbers for public use.
Toll-Free Number Portability: The ability for the subscriber to transport its toll-free number from one service provider to another without the need for a number change.
Toll-Free Service: A telecommunications service for which the dialing party incurs no toll charges.
Toll-Free Service End-User Subscriber: 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.
NOTE: 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.