What is a PBX?
The PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is a customer premise telephony switch that works in TDM or IP to provide advanced calling features to the business. As a switch, the business keeps all of its office – office extension dialing within its own network. The business has full control of the PBX to move, add, change or delete stations (phones) within its location.
What is a PRI?
The primary rate interface (PRI) is a telecommunications standard for carrying multiple DS0 voice and data transmissions between two physical locations. All channels operate on ISDN at 64 kbps. This service is commonly used by business with digital PBXs to provide them digital access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and to the Digital Switched Network.
What is SIP?
The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is an application-layer control (signaling) protocol for creating, modifying, and terminating sessions with one or more participants. It can be used to create two-party, multiparty, or multicast sessions that include Internet telephone calls, multimedia distribution, and multimedia conferences.
What is SIP Trunking?
A SIP Trunk is a concurrent call that is routed over the IP backbone of a carrier using VoIP technology. SIP Trunks are used in conjunction with an IP-PBX and are basically replacements for traditional PRI or analog circuits. The popularity of SIP Trunks is due primarily to the cost savings of SIP along with the increased reliability as backed by the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) of SIP Trunk Providers.
SIP Trunking is simply a single conduit pipeline for multimedia elements (voice, video and data). SIP Trunking reduces or eliminates the need for PSTN media gateways as well as reduce or eliminate the need for narrow-band voice circuits. SIP Trunking provides a cost-effective solution by eliminating the need to purchase additional equipment, such as managed media gateway devices to interface between IP voice to the PSTN; additionally, SIP Trunking provides the following benefits:
Works with any SIP Supported device
No need to invest in costly TDM gateway equipment infrastructure or desktop equipment
No need for equipment changeover or disruption to services
Additional cost savings may be realized through converged access
Eliminate the need to purchase and manage traditional TDM-based voice circuits with limited scalability
How many telephone numbers are assigned per trunk?
There are 10 telephone numbers provisioned per trunk.
Are extra telephone numbers available?
Yes. Extra telephone numbers can be purchased in blocks of 10.
What is Local Number Portability?
Local Number Portability (LNP) is the ability of a telephone customer in the U.S. to retain their local phone number if they switch to another local telephone service provider. Any number already assigned to a customer by another carrier is considered “ported” when they switch to Bright House Networks local service. Numbers can only be ported within the same Rate Center.
Does Business Trunking support Local Number Portability?
Business Trunking will support ported and native telephone numbers or any combination. For example, you may port all existing numbers or only the main telephone number. You may also select new numbers. Phone numbers can only be ported within a rate center.
What are the Advanced Routing Features?
We know that you may have strategic partners, multiple locations, or other custom calling patterns you may want to manage. The routing options enable these routing requirements and include the following:
Trunk Group Failover. For a multi-site business, Trunk Group Failover provides additional diversity options for supporting call completion. When a given trunk group is unavailable, Bright House Networks will route calls to an alternate Bright House Networks provided trunk group.
Trunk Group Overflow. Trunk group overflow is available if your business has multiple trunk groups. If one trunk group capacity is full, then Bright House will send the inbound call to a second Bright House provided trunk group.
Time-of-Day Routing (time of day, day of week or day of year). Routes calls to a customer defined location, within the Bright House network, based upon the time, day and date the call is originated. Time-of-Day Routing allows businesses to change the destination of calls for a trunk group at different times of day. A schedule of time intervals per day must be provided and a routing destination must be designated for each interval. Intervals can be as small as 10 minutes. This schedule applies 7 days a week unless combined with Day-of-Week or Day-of-Year.
Day-of-Week. Allows calls for a trunk group to be routed to different destinations based on the day of the week the call is made. The schedule for these routing changes must be specified. The schedule applies to all weeks of the year. Day-of-Year Routing can preempt Day-of-Week Routing.
Day of Year - Routes calls to a specific number based on a calendar date. This is typically used for holiday routing. The dates are *not* year specific; they are month/day only so it is necessary to review and update these on an annual basis. For example, if a company recognizes Independence Day on a Monday when July 4th fell on a Sunday, the routing must specify Monday’s date of July 5th for the holiday rather than July 4th. Day of Year routing will override Day of Week of Time of Day routing as it is assumed that the holiday routing should have precedence.
Is there a charge for advanced routing features?
A change fee will be charged if a routing feature is requested or changed after initial install is complete. Each trunk group has a primary destination. There can be up to 3 secondary route-to locations, in sequential order.
Is 911/E911 available with Business Trunking?
Emergency services connect to the correct Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) utilizing diverse path to Selective Routers. This is only available to the primary location. If you are using a PBX, you are responsible for programming the PBX to ensure the agencies receiving E911 emergency calls through the PBX will receive the appropriate information about the location of the caller.
You are responsible for providing Bright House will any updates about the location of lines and when they are moved so that updates to the E911 system may be kept current. The information will be accepted via email to datechsupport@bhnis.com.
Is battery back-up available?
A fiber termination unit with an integrated access device or SIP terminating device (collectively known as Trunk Equipment) will be provided and installed by Bright House Networks at no charge. The customer is responsible for battery backup for the Trunk Equipment. In the event of a power outage, the duration of service during a power outage using the Trunk Equipment will depend on your battery backup choice.
Can I run my alarm system on Bright House Network’s Business Trunking?
No, alarm lines should not be run through a PBX.
Will my number be listed in the White Pages?
If you choose “Listed”, Bright House will provide a main listing (Primary Listing) in the white pages of the local phone directory which will consist of either Name, Address and Phone Number or Name and Number. With either of these options, the record will also be sent to Directory Assistance (411).
Are Private Listings available?
If you chose “Private”, the directory listing and directory assistance information will not be sent to any local phone directory provider. Callers who dial 411 and request information on private listings will be told there is “no record” of the number.
What are the billable charges?
Trunks – Billed in advanced on a monthly rate basis and pro-rated for partial months.
Long Distance Calls – billed on a per transaction basis. Outbound calls are billed as actuals or in “buckets.”
Additional Telephone Numbers – Billed in 20 block increments above what is included at no charge.
Inbound Toll Free Number service billed as a monthly service with usage.
Can I view my bills online?
Yes. There will be ten (10) monthly of billing history available through a secure website. The printed paper bill will not include extensive call detail. Call detail can be downloaded from www.insertlinkhere.com . You will able be able to manage account payments as long as the account is current.
Where can I get call details?
Call Detail will not be provided on the printed statement, but is available online at https://calldetail.brightbiz.com on a monthly basis. Details for International Long Distance, Domestic Long Distance, Operator Services, and Directory Assistance (411). Call Details are available for up to 10 months.
What information is available online?
Upon creating an account, the following functions are available:
View online statements by month
Adjust the data view by phone number or in total
View call detail by type (international, directory assistance, operator services)
View calls by Account Code
Download account code detail to an Excel spreadsheet
Manage the password for the account
Print copies of the monthly statements (call detail by month)
For complex accounts, the account administrator can adjust the allowed view of other users.
What taxes and fees are applied to Business Trunking?
Business Trunking is subject to federal, state and local taxes and certain additional fees and surcharges. The application of taxes, fees and surcharges differ from state to state.
Are there late fees or penalties?
Bright House Networks imposes a 1.5% late fee with a $5.00 minimum on past due balances without regard to product set.
What are the Terms and Conditions?
Terms and Conditions.
Are there Early Termination Charges?
Early Termination Charges apply when service is disconnected service prior to completion of the service period specified in the Service Order or Agreement, if applicable. The standard penalty is the total monthly recurring charge (MRC) for the remaining service period.
Is the E-Rate Program applicable?
Eligible schools and libraries may receive reimbursement from the FCC’s Universal Service Fund for certain types of service provided by Bright House Networks. These services include Business Phone, Business Trunking, Dedicated Internet Access, Metro Ethernet Services, and Business Internet (HSD).