Re: Are ISDN calls on hold cheaper than active calls?

[Robert Wade Brown <rwb@robert.com>]

  2/3/96 3:14pm ct
  
  *Great Question*!!
  
          Currently I believe the "hold" is managed at the terminating LEC
  central office.  In other words, if you have 8 calls "coming in" and only
  have 2 B channels to handle them, once answered, they are "held" in the
  serving CO while one uses one's EKTS set to switch between them.  If that's
  the case, the argument can be made that the "held" calls are in fact
  "completed" except for the "last mile"; and since they are taking up space,
  per se, over the network, particularly if we are talking toll here, then
  they are chargeable.  However, if they are "held" at the *originating*
  central office (I don't' think ISDN and SS7 are yet doing this), then
  certainly one could make a good argument that only an SS7 charge would be
  applicable.
  
  Best,
  Robert
  =============================
  At 15:21 2/3/96 -0500, Daniel R. Kegel wrote:
  >Hi,
  >Does the incremental cost of providing an ISDN call drop when the
  >call is put 'on hold'?  I would expect that calls placed on hold
  >would consume no trunk capacity.  Is this the case?
  >
  >This is an interesting question because ISDN tariffs are under debate
  >right now in the US, and the ability to save money by putting calls on 
  >hold may make the usage charge increases requested by the telcos more 
  >bearable.  I don't know if any tariff provides for lower (e.g. zero)
  >per-minute charges for ISDN calls on hold, and the question is, should they?
  >
  >If this feature were available, I bet it would be added to PPP stacks faster
  >than you can say "It's So Darned Neandrethalesque" :-)
  >as it would let people stay logged in to their internet provider
  >all day without incurring horrendous charges during idle periods.
  >- Dan
  >dank@alumni.caltech.edu
  >
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  Robert Wade Brown... Independent Telecommunications Consultant
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