Chapter 7: Better Phones; Quality Sound

Dialed digital ISDN connections offer a broad range of advanced features and capabilities:

Clear, quiet digital connections.
Digital lines are so quiet that several telephone carriers have seriously considered generating artificial "white noise" when calls are put on hold so callers will know they're still connected.

Much faster connections.
From the last digit dialed to the first ring often takes less than a second, even for long distance calls.

Call intelligence.
The ISDN D channel carries information about where the call is coming from, and the type of transmission being received (voice, data or other).

Multiple devices.
Up to eight devices (telephones, PCs, faxes and more) can be attached to and use the same line.

Two conversations at once.
Two voice conversations (or a conversation and a facsimile or data call) can travel through a single copper twisted-pair wire at the same time. Both calls could also take place while the D channel was being used for packet transmission of data.

Multiple telephone numbers.
Not only can each device have its own telephone number, but any device can have multiple appearances of the same number, as well as up to 64 other unique numbers. A single phone in a busy office, for example, could be properly answered, by name, for many individuals.

What these many capabilities give an ISDN-based system is an enormous responsiveness to almost any need, and the equally significant potential to save money.

In a number of controlled tests throughout the country, ISDN dramatically reduced the number of lines and telephones needed, simplified wiring, and produced quieter calls, faster connections and much higher data speeds as well. One corporate office building of 580 people reported that ISDN reduced telephone and telecommunications operating costs by more than a million dollars a year - or about $1,725 per employee per year.

Subsequent Sections Of This Chapter:

Better Call Handling
PC-Aided Call Handling
Call Centers For Sales & Services
Call Centers: Automatic Call Distributors
Long Island Lighting Company
Visiting Nurse Association
Broadcasting: Worldwide Duets
Broadcasting: Linking Facilities
Broadcasting: Following The Action
Broadcasting: Sound Distribution