OverView

tw telecom proposes to provide Local Telephone Services through tw telecom's Lucent 5ESS-2000 switches, which are located in the tw telecom Central Offices in Austin, Dallas (late 1999 or early 2000), Houston, and San Antonio. These switches are the most flexible digital exchange available for use in the global switching network. The 5ESS-2000 equipment switches ISDN voice and data, local voice calls, calls for the QOE’s designated IXC carrier for long distance, Advanced Intelligent Network services, and multimedia services on the public switched network.

tw telecom's Lucent 5ESS switch is also connected to the Local Network Access Tandem Office (LNATO) within each city for termination of calls to areas within the LATA not served directly by tw telecom. Through this method tw telecom will provide the same call termination capability and coverage for TEX-AN 2000 network users as the incumbent currently provides. tw telecom will continually analyze the calling pattern through its 5ESS-2000 switch and arrange direct end office termination as traffic patterns dictate, eliminating the requirement to traverse the LNATO.

The 5ESS-2000 switch supports analog and digital trunks including DID, DOD, and 2-way (both DID and DOD over the same trunk) all via DS1 transport facilities. It also supports ISDN PRI trunks. It is a single system with multiple applications such as local, toll, operator, and emergency services (E911). The Lucent 5ESS-2000 ISDN Primary Rate Interface (PRI) is a multi-purpose, high speed, multiplexed digital interface based on international standard and Bellcore technical references. The PRI uses a 1.544 Mbps (DS1) digital interface structured to contain bearer B channels for the transport information, and a message-oriented, out-of-band signaling D channel for control of the bearer channels. In general, one D channel is used to support twenty-three B channels (23B+D). However, with multiple PRI trunks, one (1) D channel is typically used to support five (5) PRI trunks. The 5ESS-2000 has a modular, distributed switch architecture with an administrative module, a communications module, and a varying number of switching modules that provide the major processing power. The switch design will allow tw telecom to provide LCCS network users with voice, computer, fax, data, and video services.

tw telecom offers the following types of local telephone service: Analog Trunks, Digital Trunks, Inbound Modem Pool Service Digital Trunks, ISDN PRI, ISDN PRI-Data, ISDN PRI-Inbound Modem Pool Service, ISDN PRI-Select, Flat Business Line, DID Number Blocks (10, 20, 100), Directory Listings, Business Voice Mail Service, and Directory Assistance Service.

tw telecom offers local telephone service with the following optional features:

Public Listings, Three-Way Calling, Access Restriction, Call Forward, Call Pickup/Call Pickup Group, Call Transfer, Call Waiting, Caller ID Name and Number Display, Last Number Redial, Hunting, Toll Restriction, Trace Call, Voice Mail, and Foreign Exchange Lines.

Since SONET relies on timing signals, we employ four timing sources-two from the Global Positioning Satellite System (GPSS) and two from a Lorain source. We monitor these timing sources at all times to make sure they are all synchronized.

Other key features of tw telecom’s Local Telephone Services solution include:

• Expertise of personnel.
• Experienced project management.
• Flexibility of services.
• Quality of service delivery (via the tw telecom fiber network)
• 24 hour monitoring and technicians on call for trouble or maintenance.
• Proactive customer support and service reviews.
• Best price.

tw telecom is not providing any goods, only services. Therefore, all references to goods are inapplicable.