Traffic Service Position System
Encyclopedia
Traffic Service Position System (TSPS) was developed by Bell Labs
in Columbus, Ohio
to replace traditional cord switchboard
s. The first TSPS was deployed in 1969 and used the Stored Program Control
-1A CPU, "Piggyback" twistor memory
(a proprietary technology developed by Bell Labs
similar to core memory) and IGFET Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor solid state memory devices similar to DRAM
Dynamic Random Access Memory.
trunks that originated at Class 5 End Office circuit switch systems and Class 4
Toll Access circuit switch systems that were connected to Class 3 Primary Toll circuit switch systems such as the 4A-ETS/PBC and 4ESS switch
systems. The TSPS system did not perform switching between the originating end office switch and the toll switch for the subscriber voice path.
The TSPS system included a feature known as "Remote Trunking Arrangement" or (RTA) that consolidated the trunk connection at the originating switch and provided a switched connection to a telephone operator
only as required for a short duration at the beginning of a call to obtain billing information or at the end of a call in which the caller requested "time and charges". See the Bell System Technical Journal
for several articles on the TSPS system and RTA enhancement. Some telecom manufacturers wrongly claimed intellectual property rights in the late 1990s on the RTA concept developed by Bell Labs in the 1970s.
The TSPS system provided a temporary switched connection to a Toll Operator who helped facilitate calls requiring human assistance such as Person-to-Person, Collect, Third-Party-Billed, and Hotel Billing. The TSPS system supported up to seven "Chief Operator Groups" (COGs) with each COG supporting up to 31 operator consoles. Operator consoles initially used nixie tube
displays that were quickly replaced by light-emitting diode
displays due to reliability issues.
The TSPS system was ultimately replaced by the OSPS or Operator Service Position System feature package developed for the 5ESS switch
ing system. During the era of TSPS systems, calls to mobile and marine radiotelephone customers were initially handled by operators at a Special Operator Service Treatment cord board. Operator assisted calls to international destinations were handled by "Code 10" and "Code 11" operators generally collocated at special gateway International Switching Systems.
s from hotel front desks so guests could be charged for calls made almost immediately prior to their departure. Private Teletype data links were provisioned to large hotel
s that subscribed to this service.
in 1977 the Automated Coin Toll System or ACTS was an addition to TSPS which provided an automated way to perform charge advisory and toll collection of coin paid calls - reducing the need for operator involvement. The ACTS sub-system of TSPS handled the automated voice announcements ("Please deposit 5 cents for the next 3 minutes" (all voiced by Pat Fleet
)) and worked with TSPS for coin deposit (start of call) coin collection/coin return (at end of call).
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
to replace traditional cord switchboard
Telephone switchboard
A switchboard was a device used to connect a group of telephones manually to one another or to an outside connection, within and between telephone exchanges or private branch exchanges . The user was typically known as an operator...
s. The first TSPS was deployed in 1969 and used the Stored Program Control
Stored Program Control exchange
Stored Program Control exchange is the technical name used for telephone exchanges controlled by a computer program stored in the memory of the system. Early exchanges such as Strowger, panel, rotary, and crossbar switches were electromechanical and had no software control...
-1A CPU, "Piggyback" twistor memory
Twistor memory
Twistor is a form of computer memory, similar to core memory, formed by wrapping or closing magnetic tape around a current-carrying wire. Although the developers, Bell Labs, had high hopes for Twistor, it was used for only a brief time in the marketplace between about 1968 and the mid-1970s...
(a proprietary technology developed by Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
similar to core memory) and IGFET Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor solid state memory devices similar to DRAM
Dram
Dram or DRAM may refer to:As a unit of measure:* Dram , an imperial unit of mass and volume* Armenian dram, a monetary unit* Dirham, a unit of currency in several Arab nationsOther uses:...
Dynamic Random Access Memory.
How it works
The TSPS system utilized special analogAnalog transmission
Analog transmission is a transmission method of conveying voice, data, image, signal or video information using a continuous signal which varies in amplitude, phase, or some other property in proportion to that of a variable...
trunks that originated at Class 5 End Office circuit switch systems and Class 4
Class 4 telephone switch
A Class 4, or Tandem, telephone switch is a U.S. telephone company central office telephone exchange used to interconnect local exchange carrier offices for long distance communications in the Public Switched Telephone Network....
Toll Access circuit switch systems that were connected to Class 3 Primary Toll circuit switch systems such as the 4A-ETS/PBC and 4ESS switch
4ESS switch
The 4ESS switch is a Class 4 telephone Electronic Switching System that was the first digital electronic toll switch introduced by Western Electric for long distance switching. It was introduced in 1976 in Chicago, Illinois to replace the 4a crossbar switch. The last of 145 in the AT&T network was...
systems. The TSPS system did not perform switching between the originating end office switch and the toll switch for the subscriber voice path.
The TSPS system included a feature known as "Remote Trunking Arrangement" or (RTA) that consolidated the trunk connection at the originating switch and provided a switched connection to a telephone operator
Telephone operator
A telephone operator is either* a person who provides assistance to a telephone caller, usually in the placing of operator assisted telephone calls such as calls from a pay phone, collect calls , calls which are billed to a credit card, station-to-station and person-to-person calls, and certain...
only as required for a short duration at the beginning of a call to obtain billing information or at the end of a call in which the caller requested "time and charges". See the Bell System Technical Journal
Bell System Technical Journal
The Bell System Technical Journal was the in-house scientific journal of Bell Labs that was published from 1922 to 1983.- Notable papers :...
for several articles on the TSPS system and RTA enhancement. Some telecom manufacturers wrongly claimed intellectual property rights in the late 1990s on the RTA concept developed by Bell Labs in the 1970s.
The TSPS system provided a temporary switched connection to a Toll Operator who helped facilitate calls requiring human assistance such as Person-to-Person, Collect, Third-Party-Billed, and Hotel Billing. The TSPS system supported up to seven "Chief Operator Groups" (COGs) with each COG supporting up to 31 operator consoles. Operator consoles initially used nixie tube
Nixie tube
A nixie tube is an electronic device for displaying numerals or other information. The glass tube contains a wire-mesh anode and multiple cathodes. In most tubes, the cathodes are shaped like numerals. Applying power to one cathode surrounds it with an orange glow discharge...
displays that were quickly replaced by light-emitting diode
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
displays due to reliability issues.
The TSPS system was ultimately replaced by the OSPS or Operator Service Position System feature package developed for the 5ESS switch
5ESS Switch
The 5ESS Switch is a Class 5 telephone electronic switching system sold by Alcatel-Lucent. This digital central office telephone circuit switching system is used by many telecommunications service providers.-History:...
ing system. During the era of TSPS systems, calls to mobile and marine radiotelephone customers were initially handled by operators at a Special Operator Service Treatment cord board. Operator assisted calls to international destinations were handled by "Code 10" and "Code 11" operators generally collocated at special gateway International Switching Systems.
Hotel Billing Information System (HoBIS)
The TSPS system included the "Hotel Billing Information System" special feature to provide automated billing of long distance callLong Distance Call
"Long Distance Call" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:A boy communicates with his father's European-immigrant mother, who had recently died, using a toy telephone that she gave him on his birthday before her passing. The boy, Billy, runs out in...
s from hotel front desks so guests could be charged for calls made almost immediately prior to their departure. Private Teletype data links were provisioned to large hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s that subscribed to this service.
Automated Coin Toll System (ACTS)
Debuted in Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
in 1977 the Automated Coin Toll System or ACTS was an addition to TSPS which provided an automated way to perform charge advisory and toll collection of coin paid calls - reducing the need for operator involvement. The ACTS sub-system of TSPS handled the automated voice announcements ("Please deposit 5 cents for the next 3 minutes" (all voiced by Pat Fleet
Pat Fleet
Pat Fleet is a working American voice actress known as the registered voice of AT&T.Widely recognized for the tens of thousands of recordings she has made for US telephone companies such as AT&T, Verizon, Qwest, the former Bell System companies, and others since 1981, she is still most recognized...
)) and worked with TSPS for coin deposit (start of call) coin collection/coin return (at end of call).
External links
- Bell System video ending with TSPS operator From YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. - ATIS definition
- TSPS system history
- Telephone World - AT&T Automated Coin Toll System
- TSPS definition 47CFR part 67 Appendix, Amos E. Joel, Jr.Amos E. Joel, Jr.Amos Edward Joel, Jr. was an American electrical engineer, known for several contributions and over seventy patents related to telecommunications switching systems....
, Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ, Richard Orriss, Bell Laboratories Columbus, OH, Douglas C. Dowden, Bell Laboratories, Columbus, OH