PDF of this tutorialThe answer to the problem of nationwide and global interconnection has emerged in the form of the interconnection application service provider (ASP). The interconnection ASP serves as a centralized, automated clearinghouse for carrier communications and transactions.
This type of electronic clearinghouse is a market-tested concept that has proven invaluable to other industries. For example, in the banking industry, it has accelerated and simplified the processing of billions of checks, which must be received from and routed to thousands of different banks. Similarly, in the telecom industry, service providers of all types and sizes need just one link into the clearinghouse, rather than multiple links to each of their trading partners. The clearinghouse or ASP receives all messages and order and preorder information, automatically translates them to the right protocols, and directs them to the appropriate carriers.
The business rules of all participating trading partners are programmed into the clearinghouse, where they are updated as soon as a carrier's issue changes. Service providers can access the ASP via traditional gateways or the Internet.
There is nothing theoretical about this type of service. It is already operating in the United States, where it has made nationwide interconnection simple, efficient, and virtually error-free.
