Preparing Ars Tables For A Typical Business 5 - AT&T MERLIN 3070 Administration Manual

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The Other Digits column of each of the ARS tables contains up to 20 additional
characters required to place a call using the line pool specified in the corresponding
entry in the Pool column. These characters are typically access codes and account
codes needed to place calls using an alternate long distance company. When some-
one places a call that is routed through this table entry, the system automatically dials
the necessary digits and pauses before the telephone number.
Default Tables. Tables 8 and 9, the default tables, have Pool Number, Absorb, and
Other Digits sections only. Table 8, the Default Toll Table, is used for long distance
calls to all area codes that aren't listed in Tables 0 through 7. Table 9, the Default Local
Table, is used for local calls to all exchanges that aren't listed in Tables 0 through
7. If someone dials digits that don't match any of the entries in Tables 0 through 7,
the system automatically routes toll calls to the line pools listed in Table 8 and local
calls to the line pools listed in Table 9.
The Special Numbers Table. People in your business may need to call the follow-
ing special numbers for information or for help or to place toll-free calls: 0, 411, 611,
911, 800, and 900. When your system was first set up, these six numbers were
automatically assigned as the only entries in the Area Code/Exchange section of
the Special Numbers Table. Pool 9, the main pool, was automatically assigned as
the only entry in the Pool Number section of the Special Numbers Table, and absorp-
tion type 0 was assigned. You cannot change these table entries.
If you must dial an access number such as 9 before dialing a special number, you
should enter this access code in the Other Digits section of the Special Numbers
Table. If you want to use a different pool to reach one of these special numbers, you
can place the special number (except 0) in the Area Code/Exchange section of a table
that routes calls to the pool you prefer instead of to the main pool.
Preparing ARS Tables For a Typical Business
To get the maximum benefit from ARS, it is important to consider the calling patterns
of people in your business and the relative costs of calls placed on different lines
in your system. The following example illustrates the steps an administrator takes
to analyze a company's needs and set up ARS tables to meet them.
Primo Foods is a northern New Jersey (area code 201) firm that distributes its specialty
meat products in the United States and Canada. Primo has
Six local lines
Three in-state (Band 0) WATS lines
Two FX lines to Philadelphia
Two Northeastern (Band 1) WATS lines
Three cross-country (Band 5) WATS lines.
Primo uses the alternate long distance company WHIZ for some types of calls. Users
must dial 9501099 and wait for a dial tone, then dial 123789 and wait for a dial tone
to access the lines used by WHIZ.
Frank, Prime's system administrator, has set up the following line pools:
Pool 9 contains the company's six local lines. Pool 9 is the least expensive way
to call the 20 exchanges in Prime's immediate calling area, which consists of
the city in which the Primo facility is located and several nearby towns.
Pool 890 contains the three in-state (Band 0) WATS lines. This pool can only be
used for calls to the two New Jersey area codes, 609 and 201. It is the most
economical method for calling anywhere in New Jersey except Primo's local call-
ing area.
Pool 891 contains the two FX lines to the 465 exchange in area code 215. This
pool can only be used to place calls to an exchange in the southwestern sec-
tion of Philadelphia, where Primo has several suppliers. It is the least expen-
sive way to call numbers in area code 215 that have that exchange.