Independent central office which provides local and long distance calling services to new residential and commercial developments

• US 5,970,130 A
• Filed: 09/19/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyamic Telcom Engineering LLC
• Original Assignee: Dynamic Telcom Engineering, Inc.
• Inventors: Katko, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, David
• Application Number:
  US08/933,545
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/231, 379/232, 379/234, 379/211, 370/352, 370/389
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13138 Least cost routing, LCR
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13286 Direct in-dialling in PBX, DDI
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

A LEC bypass technique which provides analog voice grade communications from a caller to an independent Central Office (CO) for local services and/or to a long distance inter-exchange carrier ("IXC") for long distance services by utilizing existing tariffed network data services and existing tariffed commercial DID/DOD services. The telephone switching equipment of an Independent Central Office is located in a new residential housing development (single detached, attached, or multi-family) or a new commercial development and used to provide local and long distance calling services, as well as Internet access and other telecommunications services, to the residents of the residential housing development or the tenants of the commercial development. The long distance service is provided using a hardwired LEC bypass connection that does not pass through the voice tariffed switch operated by the LEC, while the local service within the development as well as local service via the public switched network is provided via DID/DOD trunks purchased from the LEC and unbundled for use by the residents in the residential development or tenants in the commercial development. Residents in other new housing or commercial developments may also be serviced by the Independent Central Office by installing a D4 multiplexer on-site at the development and connecting to the Independent Central Office using the same LEC bypass techniques used for long distance access.

Claims

1. A method of providing public switched network access to new residents/tenants of a new residential housing/commercial development, comprising the steps of:

placing telephone wires in said new residential housing/commercial development during construction of said new residential housing/commercial development;

terminating said telephone wires at respective subscriber premises in said new residential housing/commercial development and at a wiring terminal within said residential housing/commercial development;

connecting said wiring terminal to a telecommunications switch via a plurality of communications ports for said respective subscriber premises in said new residential housing/commercial development;

providing direct inward dialing (DID) and direct outbound dialing (DOD) to said telecommunications switch via respective DID and DOD trunk lines from a central office switch of a local exchange carrier (LEC), whereby said respective subscriber premises in said new residential housing/commercial development are connected to said public switched network via said telecommunications switch, said DID and DOD trunk lines, and said central office switch; and

connecting new residents/tenants of another new residential housing/commercial development to said telecommunications switch for public switched network access, comprising the steps of;

placing telephone wires in said another new residential housing/commercial development during construction of said another new residential housing/commercial development,

terminating said telephone wires at respective subscriber premises in said another new residential housing/commercial development and at a multiplexer including analog/digital and digital/analog conversion means,

connecting said multiplexer to digital switching means tariffed for data services at said LEC central office via first multichannel digital data lines, and

connecting said digital switching means to said telecommunications switch via second multichannel digital data lines, whereby said respective subscriber premises in said another new residential housing/commercial development are connected to said public switched network via said multiplexer, said digital switching means, said first and second multichannel digital data lines, said telecommunications switch, said DID and DOD trunk lines, and said central office switch.

2. A method of providing long distance network access to new residents/tenants of a new residential housing/commercial development, comprising the steps of:

placing telephone wires in said new residential housing/commercial development during construction of said new residential housing/commercial development;

terminating said telephone wires at respective subscriber premises in said new residential housing/commercial development and at a wiring terminal within said residential housing/commercial development;

connecting said wiring terminal to a telecommunications switch via a plurality of communications ports for said respective subscriber premises in said new residential housing/commercial development;

connecting said telecommunications switch to a particular output terminal of digital switching means tariffed for data services at a central office of a local exchange carrier (LEC) using first multichannel digital data lines; and

connecting said particular output terminal of said digital switching means to said long distance network, said digital switching means connecting said telecommunications switch to said long distance network via said first multichannel digital data lines.

3. A method as in claim 2, comprising the additional step of connecting new residents/tenants of another new residential housing/commercial development to said telecommunications switch for long distance network access, comprising the steps of:

placing telephone wires in said another new residential housing/commercial development during construction of said another new residential housing/commercial development;

terminating said telephone wires at respective subscriber premises in said another new residential housing/commercial development and at a multiplexer including analog/digital and digital/analog conversion means;

connecting said multiplexer to said digital switching means via additional multichannel digital data lines, whereby said respective subscriber premises in said another new residential housing/commercial development are connected to said long distance network via said multiplexer, said first and second multichannel digital data lines, said digital switching means, and said telecommunications switch.

4. A method as in claim 3, comprising the additional step of connecting said new residents/tenants of said another new residential housing/commercial development to a public switched network by performing the additional step of connecting said digital switching means to a LEC switch tariffed for voice services at said central office of said local exchange carrier using further multichannel digital data lines.

5. A method of providing telephone switching services to telephone subscribers in a new residential housing development using a switch at a central office facility which is maintained independent of a LEC switch at an incumbent local exchange carrier central office facility, comprising the steps of:

building said independent central office facility in said new residential housing development;

connecting customer premise equipment of said telephone subscribers to said switch at said independent central office facility;

providing direct inward dialing (DID) and direct outbound dialing (DOD) to said switch of said independent central office facility via respective DID and DOD trunk lines from said LEC switch at said incumbent local exchange carrier central office facility; and

connecting telephone subscribers of another new residential housing development to said switch at said independent central office facility, comprising the steps of;

placing a multiplexer including analog/digital and digital/analog converters at said another new residential housing development,

connecting customer premise equipment of said telephone subscribers of said another new residential housing development to said multiplexer,

connecting said multiplexer to digital switching means tariffed for data services at said incumbent local exchange carrier central office facility via first multichannel digital data lines, and

connecting said digital switching means to said switch at said independent central office facility via second multichannel digital data lines.

6. A central office facility which is maintained independent of a switch tariffed for voice services at an incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) central office facility, comprising:

a structure built in a new residential housing development containing a plurality of customer premises;

a private switch located within said structure, said private switch including a plurality of customer side ports and a plurality of LEC side ports;

wiring terminals which terminate wiring from said plurality of customer premises;

communications lines which connect said wiring terminals to said customer side ports of said private switch; and

a channel service unit for each of said plurality of LEC side ports, certain of said channel service units connecting said private switch to said switch tariffed for voice services at said incumbent LEC central office facility via DID/DOD trunk lines.

7. A central office facility as in claim 6, wherein said new residential housing development includes a coaxial cable which provides video data to certain of said plurality of customer premises, said central office facility further comprising a video bridge which terminates said coaxial cable on one side thereof and terminates a coaxial cable from a cable television service provider at another side thereof.

8. A central office facility as in claim 6, wherein other of said channel service units connect said private switch to multichannel digital data lines which are further connected via a switch tariffed for data services at said incumbent LEC central office facility to a long distance network for the provision of long distance voice telecommunications services to said customer premises via said private switch.