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Table of Contents:

Definition and Overview

1. Introduction

2. Network Repair Process

3. Why Voice over IP?

4. Test-System Elements

5. Emerging Network Support Issues for Delivering Fast Internet Access

6. New Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Requirements

7. Internet Consumer Customer Care (ICCC) Testing

8. Expanded Test System Architecture

9. The Future

Self-Test

Glossary

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There are four main stages in the access network (AN) repair process for voice service today: reception, analysis, dispatch, and repair (see Figure 2). At reception, the customer trouble report (CTR) is recorded, and a test is initiated with a centralized test system. The systems performing this function have historically been referred to as "line test systems." Receptionists will then make a judgment on what to do next based on the test results and CTR. Ideally, receptionists would resolve the CTR—meaning it is either a fault and should be passed directly to dispatch, or it is not the responsibility of the LEC. This is often referred to as "one touch." If receptionists cannot determine the root cause, they will pass the CTR to the next step: diagnosis.

Figure 2. LEC repair process

The diagnostic specialist may perform various tests to characterize and locate the problem. The fault is then passed to a dispatcher who assigns the job to a field technician. The field technician then repairs the fault as quickly as possible. The testing process used by either the receptionist or diagnostic specialist should provide information concerning the segment of the network in which the fault is located in order to send the technician with the right skills to the right location the first time.

Like most operational processes, it is most cost-effective to avoid first having customers find a problem. However, when they do, the goal is to resolve the CTR as early as possible in the repair process. This reduces cost, as well as the time required to resolve the fault. As the highest cost of repair occurs when a skilled field technician is dispatched, LECs are obviously interested in resolving as many problems in the reception and analysis stages, where the cost of repair is kept to a minimum.

Competition and the demand for new services puts continued pressure on LECs to add new testing capability, reduce the number of faults detectable to consumers, and reduce the time related to resolving a customer complaint—all while continuing to reduce the cost of maintenance. This puts enormous demands on service-support systems, including network testing.