AT&T and T-1 Call forwarding

[SUSANVV]

I know this is about a phone company but since many of you deal with the phone company's perhaps someone will have an answer.

We have a long distance PRI from AT&T that has 3 incoming numbers, an 800 and 2 other phone numbers. We get the PRI with DNIS. My question is: Should I be able to call forward through the phone company, one of the 2 phone numbers coming in through the PRI to our POTS lines in the event that the PRI goes down? AT&T is telling me that I can't do that with a long distance PRI and I need something else that will cost about $100 dollars a month more. Does anyone know if this is real or they just trying to make more money. I am trying to get a disaster plan in place if the PRI should go down. Presently we would get no incoming calls if the PRI fails. TIA for any help.

Sue Van

 

[jgideon]

The ability to re-route calls that were going to a dedciated trunk group to a switched destination in the event that a dedicated trunk group is busy or unavailable is sometimes called 'direct termination overflow'. I have this set up with a couple of carriers at no-charge monthly charge (one had a set-up charge). They just configure the toll-free number with alternate routing (first to the dedicated trunk group, second to the NPA-NXX-XXXX number). Now, you mention that you have two other numbers coming in on that ATT LD pri. Are these also toll-free (8xx), or do you have some kind of 'hybrid' local/LD circuit from them? I'm not familiar with an LD facility that carries both 'ld toll-free' and 'local' direct dial incoming traffic.

I have the other way set up with a couple of CLEC's... if my 'local' PRI goes down, all calls that would have come in on it (all my DID's) are re-routed to my toll-free number which comes in on my LD circuit from another carrier. That did have a setup and a monthly charge, but we felt it was worth it in the long run.

 

[Pepperz]

Jgideon, the ability to carry local and LD on a T-1 / PRI, is totally tariff driven, and therefore locality sensitive. Here is CA, AT&T wasn't able to deliver local dialtone on a T-1 for several years, just 800, and LD. Now, they are, in this area. Shop around, because if you get one "path" into your switch for everything, it really makes things easier, and often cheaper.

Pepperz@charter.net