On 7 Oct 2000, Sean Donelan wrote:

A few questions. I'm completing my paper on the effect of fiber cuts on the Internet, and I'm looking for a few data sources or SWAGs.

How much Internet dialup is done via access banks connected to CLEC lines versus to Bell/ILEC lines?

CLEC lines have grown, but I think more and more ISPs are becoming CLECs and connecting their RAS box directly to the ILEC local tandems.

What percentage of the CLEC Internet dialup ports depend on a third-party (i.e. Illuminet) SS7 data channel to complete the call between the typical residential/business user on an ILEC line and the ISP on a CLEC line?

I hope that there are not many people that are relying on Illuminet or any SS7 provider that much. I don't see why you would not fall back to MF and/or have more then 1 SS7 pair. If you are terminating IMTs directly into your RAS box you may not have this option, but if you have a switch...

My theory is because many of the ISP ports have migrated off the ILEC networks onto CLECs they are impacted by a SS7 failure more than the traditional call traffic. SS7 failures are very rare, but the two I know about disrupted dialup ISP access across huge geographic regions.

This is interesting, but now that so many ISPs are moving away from buying PRIs and are connecting directly to the ILEC local tandems they may be at much more risk.

<> Nathan Stratton CTO, Exario Networks, Inc. nathan@robotics.net nathan@exario.net http://www.robotics.net http://www.exario.net

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