Advanced intelligent network (AIN)-based alternate carrier routing (ACR) for NS/EP telecommunications

The National Communications System (NCS) is tasked with ensuring the availability of a viable national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications infrastructure. The NCS advanced intelligent network (AIN) program is responsible for research and development of AIN-based technology applications to support NS/EP telecommunications. The AIN program develops and demonstrates AIN NS/EP applications, ensures that NS/EP requirements influence the evolving technology, and facilitates integration of AIN into government networks (e.g., Government Emergency Telecommunications Service [GETS], Defense Information System Network [DISN]). AIN is a service-independent architecture that enables the rapid development, customization, and implementation of advanced services for end users. This paper discusses AIN-based alternate carrier routing (ACR), an application that is implemented using commercial AIN capabilities. ACR is being widely implemented to support NS/EP telecommunications requirements. The Office of the Manager, NCS (OMNCS) is implementing AIN-based ACR in several local exchange carrier (LEC) networks as a part of the GETS. GETS provides authorized NS/EP users with public switched network (PSN)-based voiceband communications during times of network stress (e.g., network congestion or damage due to man-made or natural disasters). GETS calls are afforded preferential treatment and enhanced routing nationwide in both the LEC and interexchange carrier (IEC) networks