Common channel signaling: the nexus of an advanced communicationsnetwork

An overview of BellSouth's current and future common channel signaling (CCS) network is presented. The current network and its architecture are described. Network element testing and network interconnection in a multivendor, multinetwork environment are discussed. Services offered by BellSouth via the existing network are summarized. Future plans for the CSS network are outlined. These include the establishment of a target architecture that will permit the rapid introduction of a wide range of communications services in a manner consistent with the probable evolution of the market and the regulatory environment. The introduction of two BellSouth programmable nodes-the local service control point (SCP) and the ISDN service node-is described. Advanced services are highlighted