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establish a out-of-band communication system [...] connected via nationwide system which doesn't rely on IP, ATM, or SS7

I'm not sure where you'd find such a beast anymore. Maybe an SS7 and an Iridium system, side-by-side, would do the trick.

HF radio, more likely. Those of you without roof-rights, you better ask building management about getting same for the triband beam....

Actually I was thinking of a combination of 'order wires' with a combination of VSAT and in-band network conference bridges for backup. However several people of indicated that level of backup was too expensive. This problem isn't really unique to the Internet. I was looking at the backup communications network for SS7 providers and noticed a couple of major SS7 network providers don't give out their direct contact information even to other SS7 network operators anymore. They changed their listings in the emergency directory to general customer service numbers. -- Sean Donelan, Data Research Associates, Inc, St. Louis, MO Affiliation given for identification not representation