Feature Group
Encyclopedia
A Feature Group is United States telephone industry jargon for four types of access to long distance service. They defined switching arrangements between Local exchange carrier
s central offices to interexchange carrier
s.
These arrangements were described in an official tariff of the National Exchange Carrier Association
, filed with the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC).
Four feature groups exist:
These Feature Group alternatives allowed the LEC's end users to make long distance call
s using the interexchange carrier's network, when non-stored program-controlled exchanges could not be modified to provide equal access. Late in the 20th century, Equal Access features in exchange software rendered Feature Group D universally available.
Local exchange carrier
Local Exchange Carrier is a regulatory term in telecommunications for the local telephone company.In the United States, wireline telephone companies are divided into two large categories: long distance and local...
s central offices to interexchange carrier
Interexchange carrier
An Interexchange Carrier is a U.S. legal and regulatory term for a telecommunications company, commonly called a long-distance telephone company, such as MCI , Sprint and the former AT&T in the United States...
s.
These arrangements were described in an official tariff of the National Exchange Carrier Association
National Exchange Carrier Association
The National Exchange Carrier Association is a not-for-profit association created in 1984 by telecommunications companies to administer the fees that long distance companies pay to access local telephone networks...
, filed with the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC).
Four feature groups exist:
- Feature Group A - user has to dial a local telephone numberTelephone numberA telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
, following by the desired long-distance number. - Feature Group B - associated with 950-XXXX calling; instead of a local telephone number the user enters 950 and 4 additional digits; depending on the service provided this may be followed by a calling card number and the long-distance number
- Feature Group C - used mainly by AT&T for pay phones since they allow the operator to keep control of the caller's telephone line until the transaction is completed
- Feature Group D - highest quality connection, and allows pre-selection of the interexchange carrierInterexchange carrierAn Interexchange Carrier is a U.S. legal and regulatory term for a telecommunications company, commonly called a long-distance telephone company, such as MCI , Sprint and the former AT&T in the United States...
by the end-user. This feature group permitted two types of calls. If a user dials 1 + area code + seven-digit number, the long distance call is handled by a default carrier chosen by the user. Alternatively, a user dials 101 + four-digit carrier code + area code + seven-digit number, and the call is handled by the carrier specified by the carrier code. Most carrier codes began with 0, so this type of "dial around" service was typically marketed as dial-around 1010 service.
These Feature Group alternatives allowed the LEC's end users to make long distance call
Long Distance Call
"Long Distance Call" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:A boy communicates with his father's European-immigrant mother, who had recently died, using a toy telephone that she gave him on his birthday before her passing. The boy, Billy, runs out in...
s using the interexchange carrier's network, when non-stored program-controlled exchanges could not be modified to provide equal access. Late in the 20th century, Equal Access features in exchange software rendered Feature Group D universally available.