Computer Program for Optimizing Long Haul Telephone Networks for Least Cost via Common Carrier Wide Area Telephone Service (WATS)

摘要

With the breakup of American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) nearly two years old, many businesses and government agencies are just starting to feel the impact. Equal access, the process of making four wire direct trunk connections available for all long haul common carriers to the local telephone switch, is now being offered incrementally throughout the country. People are being asked to choose the carrier they want to carry their traffic. Businesses and governments have had WATS available as a cost saving measure even before the divestiture of AT&T; however, divestiture has created additional savings possibilities for WATS through competition. A tool is needed for businesses and governments to make an informed decision. It would be simple if one carrier was the cheapest for all network configurations, but that is not the case. The leasst costly alternative is different for each specific network configuration and usage pattern of the customer.