Telecommunications network circuit usage measurement

A communication system comprising a pair of switched communication networks each including trunked together switches controlled by separate data switched networks having a central controller and storage, said communication system including in each of said communication networks at least one end office switch having access to communication with its data switched network and central controller, and local loop lines for connecting the end office switch in a first of said networks through a distribution frame interface to customer premises, said local loop lines having said distal ends connected to customer premises terminals and having near ends connected to said interface for connection to said switch, at least one of said local loop lines connected to customer premises being disconnected from said end office switch at said interface;

• at least one service provider connected to a second of said networks and connected via said network to said disconnected local loop line in said first network and connected via that disconnected local loop line to customer premises for providing signals over said local loop line to a terminal at said customer premises;
• said data switched networks being connected together for exchange of data therebetween;
• said data switched network of said second network transmitting to said data switched network of said first network common channel signaling signals indicative of commencement and discontinuance of service provider signals to said disconnected local loop line to permit storage of information regarding the times of commencement and discontinuance of service provider signals on said local loop line as a measure of usage thereof by said service provider.

In a communication system comprising a pair of switched communication networks each including trunked together switches controlled by separate data switched networks having a central controller and storage, said communication system including in each of said communication networks at least one end office switch having access to communication with its data switched network and central controller, and local loop lines for connecting the end office switch in a first of said networks through a distribution frame interface to customer premises, local loop lines having said distal ends connected to customer premises terminals and having near ends connected to said interface for connection to said switch, at least one of said local loop lines connected to customer premises being disconnected from said end office switch at said interface;

• the method comprising;
• transmitting a service provider signal via a second of said networks to said disconnected local loop line in said first network and over that line to customer premises;
• said data switched networks being connected together for exchange of data therebetween;
• transmitting from said data switched network of said second network to said data switched network of said first network data signals indicative of commencement and discontinuance of service provider signals to said disconnected local loop line to permit storage of data regarding the times of commencement and discontinuance of service provider signals on said line as a measure of usage thereof by said service provider.

In a communication system comprising a pair of switched communication networks each including a first network of program controlled switches (PCSs) controlled by data switched networks having a central controller and storage, said communication system including in each of said communication networks at least one PCS having access to communication with its data switched network and central controller, said at least one PCS in one of said first networks being connected to local loop lines through a distribution frame interface to customer premises, said local loop lines having said distal ends connected to customer premises terminals and having near ends connected to said interface for connection to said switch, at least one of said local loop lines to customer premises being disconnected from said at least one PCS at said interface;

• the method comprising;
• transmitting via the other of said first networks a first signal to said disconnected local loop line and over that line to said customer premises;
• transmitting from the data switched network of the other of said first networks to the data switched network of said one of said first networks data signals indicative of commencement and discontinuance of said first signals to said disconnected local loop line;
• and storing data regarding the times of commencement and discontinuance of said first signals on said disconnected local loop line as a measure of usage thereof.

In a communication system comprising a pair of switched communication networks each including a first network of program controlled switches (PCSs) controlled by data switched networks having a central controller and storage, said communication system including in each of said communication networks at least one PCS having access to communication with its data switched network and central controller, said at least one PCS in one of said first networks being connected through a distribution frame interface to lines to customer premises, said local loop lines having said distal ends connected to customer premises terminals and having near ends connected to said interface for connection to said switch;

• the method comprising;
• transmitting via the other of said first networks a first signal to one of said local loop lines to customer premises and over that line to said customer premises;
• transmitting from the data switched network of the other of said first networks to the data switched network of said one of said first networks data signals indicative of commencement and discontinuance of said first signals to said local loop line;
• and
• storing data regarding the times of commencement and discontinuance of said first signals on said local loop line as a measure of usage thereof by said first signals.