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The 5ESS Switch is a most flexible digital exchange for use in the global
switching network. Digital switches replaced earlier electromechanical and
analog switching systems. The 5ESS equipment switches ISDN voice and data,
local voice calls, long distance calls, Internet access, wireless PCS,
Advanced Intelligent Network services, interactive video and multimedia
services...moving any media on the public switched network. This means the
5ESS Switch provides the system, services and software to transform current
networks into multi-functional networks that meet the needs of todays home,
business and community. By 1992, the next generation 2000 Switch was created
at Bell Laboratories and added to networks worldwide. 

A digital switch is a single system with multiple applications such as local,
toll, operator services. The switch architecture is a modular, distributed
architecture with an administrative module, a communications module, and a
varying number of switching modules that provide the major processing power
in the total communication system. This switch design will allow network
providers to offer their customers voice, computer, fax, data, and visual
services.

FCC (Federal Communication Commission) required quality monitoring process
has shown the 5ESS Switch is highly reliable, in fact the 5ESS-2000 switch is
four times more reliable than its nearest competitor. Today the 5ESS switch
is considered the workhorse of the public telecommunications network in the
United States with its lower life cycle costs and its proven record of
reliability.

Modular Design Advantage
************************
An advantage, when deploying the 5ESS Switch, continues to be its modular
design. This modularity allows for ease of implementing ongoing enhancements
and allows service providers the ability to change their communication
network quickly.

The value of the current 5ESS Switch modular architecture and the ease with
which is adapts to new technologies has been repeatedly demonstrated.
Administrations can deploy new 5ESS Switches in their network, only to find
their business requires additional hardware modules and the associated
software releases. The new hardware can easily be added to the network's
standard growth and modernization plans. The result is an easy, effective,
and economical upgrade to a 5ESS-2000 Switch without service disruption. 
                                         
          Telephone administrations are often concerned with: 

               Increasing busy hour call completion capacity 
               Minimizing floor space requirements 
               Enabling growth in small increments 
               Integrating multiple applications in one exchange 
               Reducing power consumption and operational costs 

The 5ESS-2000 Switch architecture and software addresses each of these
concerns. Economical access to advanced services via the 5ESS-2000 Switch can
be provided to all subscribers no matter where they are located; in
metropolitan, suburban or rural areas.

A Distributed Architecture
**************************
The 5ESS-2000 Switch also features a distributed architecture that employs
modular components in all systems and subsystems. This readily accommodates a
broad array of growth and configuration options that allow you to easily and
economically evolve your network as subscriber demand grows. This flexibility
enables you to maintain your competitive edge while saving on sparing,
training and documentation.

Internet Capacity
*****************
Reliability and customer satisfaction are especially important with respect
to internet services, since the extensive growth of the Internet has caused
an increase in network blockages on existing central offices. However, a new
capability, which Lucent refers to as Project Renaissance, helps service
providers avoid this problem in a least costly fashion. Today the 5ESS-2000
Switch is the first switch to handle both wireline and wireless traffic.
Project Renaissance will modernize and consolidate central offices and
networks by using the SM2000 with Digital Network Unit -- SONET-- and the
Access Interface Unit to provide increased trunk and line capacity for the
service providers network. Project Renaissance also reuses some existing
central office equipment. This increased capacity affords opportunities not
only for a lower cost structure and simplified network operations, but also a
better grade of service with less probability of internet and voice calls
being blocked as a result of high internet hold times. 

Access Interface Unit (AIU) - A new cost-effective non-blocking line unit for
the 5ESS Switch that was generally available in 1996. This line unit
initially supports enhanced performance and reduced operational costs for
analog connections, but will also support ISDN and ADSL in the future. ISDN
PRI Expansion - The 5ESS Switch SM-2000 was expanded to handle more PRI
terminations in 1996. This capability will lower service provider operational
and first-time costs. Provisioning Solutions - The Switch Element Manager
Operations Systems will shadow a switch's translation/feature database,
making it easier and faster to provision ISDN lines without placing strain on
the embedded switch call processors. In early 1997, additional Applications
Software will be made available to further enhance the ISDN provisioning
process. Provisioning audit services are available to pinpoint trouble spots.

Small Exchanges and Remote Capabilities
***************************************
Remote line units can support basic and supplementary services and ISDN
capabilities. Remote switching systems provide all the duplex switch services
of the host exchange and can sustain complete stand alone functionality if
remote-to-host facilities are out of service.

Small autonomous exchanges, like CDX and VCDX, are configured to support
exchange sites where deployment of remotes may be unsuitable. In addition to
typical host exchange configurations, the 5ESS Switch offers full service
remote switch solutions and interchangeable models to configure the smallest
to the largest exchange sites. This simplifies training, documentation, and
spare parts while increasing flexibility and services. No longer must network
providers procure differing systems for small sites versus large metropolitan
exchanges.

Over the past seven years the switch has increased busy hour call capacity
more than fivefold. The architecture lets the switch add processing power as
needed to add extra call capacity. A network service provider need buy only
as much capacity as needed to start, then expand later to meet business
demands or to bring more features to customers in their market. Thus as
business expands, the service provider need only upgrade the modules directly
involved, rather than add whole new switches.

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