Norstar PRI ; NI-2 : problems w/ routes, dest. codes, calls dropping

[rumpnugget]

I have a serious dillema - looking for some advice!
I have a MICS w/ a PRI. The service provider is bringing me National Protocol. ESF, B8ZS, Ascending. No matter what I try I cannot get the NI-2 Protocol to work. I can get my incoming mapped properly w/ my DNIS digits, but cannot get outgoing calls at all. I thought I had my routes built properly using destination codes, etc. The only way I was able to get incoming and outgoing was to change the protocol to 4ESS. It worked so we rode it out. Since then the customer has had occasional calls drop that became more frequent. There are certain numbers that drop all the
time,some long distance, some International. Another Tech told me it was my low rev. 5.0 software. I upgraded it to 6.0. I still could not get the NI-2 Protocol. I set it back up on 4ESS, it worked great for 3 or 4 weeks.
The only problem the customer had was that the call took noticably longer to connect, but all calls made it through. Not a real big issue. Now calls are occasionally dropping again w/ "normal clearing" showing on the display. A
scheduled vendor meet only showed that w/ a T-berd the technician was able to make all calls without any drops. Of course, he was running National protocol. What am I doing wrong? I thought I was not building my routes/dest. codes properly w/ the NI-2 protocol!

 

[kevjb]

What is your CbC (call by call services) set to? Who is your service provider and is their switch type 5ess?

 

[rumpnugget]

The service provider is BTI,they tell me that it's National protocol. That the T1 originates from Bell South,
and for it to be set up any differently would require a custom PRI build. I have not set up anything in the Cbc field. I was told I did not really have to do much there to get the PRI to function. Is that incorrect?

 

[kevjb]

The intermittant drops sure sounds like you're on the wrong protocol, 4ess when you should be on NI-2. Since, you cannot tag call types (SDN, international, national long distance, etc) with the Norstar, you need to set something in the CbC field for the Norstar to correctly tag the call types in the Q.931 ISDN messaging. Also, with NI-2 protocol setting you have an additional field for the Norstar to know how to handle NSF (Network Specific Facilities) information element:
After setting protocol: NI-2, press SHOW, press NEXT until the display shows: set the default protocol NSF EXT: none. Change this setting depending on the actual switch type (not just the NI-2 protocol-you'll have to find out from BTI or BellSouth):
DMS100 - none (default)
Siemens ESWD or Lucent 5ESS - WATS (this is probably it)
GTD5 or DMS10 - ALL

For the CbC Routing, when display shows "Protocol:", press NEXT until display CbC routing. Press SHOW, then NEXT to change thru different service options - you may need to experiment here (default is probably FX). You probably need to set to Public or OUTWATS.

Try this and let me know, I'm very curious.