Nortel Modular Ics 6.1 Installer Guide

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Guide for a detailed description about how to use the 
feature.
• CLID display enhancements:
— display an incoming call CLID on a telephone with 
activated CLID display, where a call is currently 
active.
• overlap dialing (profile 2 only)
— For calls over PRI lines that require pauses between 
dialing sequences, this feature allows the line to send a 
dialtone to the user between dialing an access code and 
dialing the telephone number.
Other feature notes
• MCDN Meridian attendant break-in feature correction: 
Only post-dial break-in is allowed. (Break-in on page 154)
• MCDN Meridian attendant camp-on feature note: 
Meridian attendants need to be notified that they must wait 
at least five seconds before assuming that a camp-on call 
has been camped. This is due to remote system 
requirements for checking for busy on the target telephone 
and determining if a prime telephone has been assigned.
• MCDN on tandem networks has been adjusted to correct 
or accommodate some networking issues experienced in 
previous versions. Changes are invisible to the user.
The Norstar Remote Utility (NRU) application is being 
replaced by the ICS Remote Tools (ICSRT) application, which 
has some of the same functionality of Norstar Manager. The 
ICSRT Quick Reference Guide provides an overview of the 
features of the ICSRT application. The ICS Remote Tools User 
Guide provides details about using the application. 
						

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							P0603534  02Modular ICS 6.1 Installer Guide
Welcome to ISDN
This chapter provides you with some background information 
about ISDN, including information about:
• analog vs. ISDN
• type of ISDN service
• ISDN layers
• ISDN bearer capability
• services and features for ISDN PRI and BRI
• ISDN hardware
• ISDN standards compatibility
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) technology 
provides a fast, accurate, and reliable means of sending and 
receiving voice, data, images, text, and other information 
through the telecom network. 
ISDN uses existing analog telephone wires. The signal on the 
wire gets divided into separate digital channels, which 
dramatically increases the bandwidth.
ISDN uses a single transport to carry multiple information 
types. What once required separate networks for voice, data, 
images, or video conferencing is now combined on to one 
common high-speed transport.
Note:  Nortel endeavors to test all variations of ISDN BRI and 
PRI on Norstar. However, due to the number of 
variations, this is not always possible. Check with your 
service provider about compatibility. 
						

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Comparing ISDN to Analog
ISDN offers significantly higher bandwidth and speed than 
analog transmission because of its end-to-end digital 
connectivity on all transmission circuits. Being digital allows 
ISDN lines to provide better quality signaling than analog 
POTS (plain ordinary telephone) lines. Also ISDN out-of-
band data channel signaling offers faster call setup and tear 
down.
While an analog line carries only a single transmission at a 
time, an ISDN line can carry one or more voice, data, fax and 
video transmissions simultaneously. 
An analog modem operating at 14.4 K takes about 4.5 minutes 
to transfer a 1 MB data file, while a 28.8K modem takes about 
half that time. Using one channel of an ISDN line, the transfer 
time is reduced to only one minute. If two ISDN channels are 
used, transfer time is just 30 seconds.
When transmitting data, the connect time for an average ISDN 
call is about three seconds per call, compared to about 21 
seconds for the average analog modem call.
Type of ISDN service
Two types of ISDN services (lines) are available: Basic Rate 
Interface (BRI) and Primary Rate Interface (PRI). Each line is 
made up of separate channels known as B and D channels 
which transmit information simultaneously.
• BRI is known as 2B+D because it consists of 
2 B-channels and one D-channel.
• PRI is known as 23B+D because it consists of 
23 B-channels and one D-channel. 
						

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B channels
B channels are the bearer channel. They are used to carry voice 
or data information and have speeds of 64 kbps. Since each 
ISDN line (BRI or PRI) has more than one B-channel, more 
than one transmission can occur at the same time, using a 
single ISDN line. 
D channels
The standard signaling protocol is transmitted over a dedicated 
data channel called the D-channel. The D-channel carries call 
setup and feature activation information to the destination. 
This channel has speeds of 16 kbps (BRI) and 64 kbps (PRI). 
Data information consists of control and signal information 
and packet-switched data such as credit card verification.
ISDN layers
ISDN layers refer to the standards established to guide the 
manufacturers of ISDN equipment. The layers include both 
physical connections, such as wiring, and logical connections, 
which are programmed in computer software. 
When equipment is designed to the ISDN standard for one of 
the layers, it works with equipment for the layers above and 
below it. 
There are three layers at work in ISDN for Norstar. To support 
ISDN service, all three layers must be working properly. 
Tip - Norstar PRI supports the D-channel on the 24th 
channel only. Norstar does not include support for a 
backup D-channel on the span. 
						

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Layer 1: A physical connection that supports fundamental 
signaling passed between the ISDN network (your service 
provider) and the Norstar ICS. When a DTI card configured as 
BRI or PRI is used for a network connection, the LED for the 
loop on the card is lit when the layer 1 is functioning.
Layer 2: A logical connection between the ISDN network 
(your service provider) and the Norstar ICS. Norstar has two 
of these connections for each BRI line, one for each of the 
logical lines. Without Layer 2, call processing is not possible, 
and there is no dial tone. 
Layer 3: Also a logical connection between the ISDN network 
(your service provider) and the Norstar ICS. For BRI lines, 
layer 3 is where call processing and service profile identifier 
(SPID) information is exchanged. This controls which central 
office services are available to the connection. For example, a 
network connection can be programmed to carry data calls.
The system of layers is important when you are installing, 
maintaining, and troubleshooting an ISDN system. See 
Problems with BRI service on page 600 for more information 
about working with the layers.
ISDN bearer capability
Bearer capability describes the transmission standard used by 
the BRI or PRI line that allows it to work within a larger ISDN 
hardware and software network. 
The bearer capability for BRI and PRI is voice/speech at 
3.1 kHz audio, and data at unrestricted 64 kbps, restricted 
64 kbps, 56 kbps.  
						

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Services and features for ISDN PRI and BRI
As part of an ISDN digital network, your Modular ICS 
supports enhanced capabilities and features, including:
• faster call setup and tear down
• high quality voice transmission
• dial-up Internet and local area network (LAN) access
• video transmission
• network name display
• name and number blocking (PRI, BRI and analog)
• access to public protocols (only NI-1 for BRI)
PRI services and features
• call by call service selection
• dialing plan
• Emergency 911 dialing, internal extension number 
transmission
• Advanced Private Networking to Meridian 1 using SL-1 
protocol, providing 
– access to central Voice Mail and Automated Attendant 
equipment connected to the Meridian system
– Message Waiting Indication (MWI) from the Voice 
Mail application
– Network Call Redirection Information (NCRI), which 
is built on the existing Call Forward and Call Transfer 
features
– trunk route optimization (TRO)
– trunk anti-tromboning (TAT)
– ISDN call connection limitation (ICCL)
• tandem networking between Norstar systems 
						

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BRI services and features
• data transmission at speeds up to 128 kbps per loop, 
depending on the bandwidth supported by your service 
provider
• shared digital lines for voice and data ISDN terminal 
equipment
Norstar Basic Rate Interface (BRI) cards also support 
D-channel packet service between a network and terminal 
connection. This allows you to add applications such as point-
of-sale terminals without additional network connections. 
Any analog or digital network connections can be shared by all 
Norstar telephones, peripherals and applications, and ISDN 
terminal equipment (TE).
Modular ICS supports the following ISDN services and 
features offered by ISDN service providers:
• D-channel packet service (BRI only) to support devices 
such as transaction terminals. Transaction terminals are 
used to swipe credit or debit cards and transmit the 
information to a financial institution in data packets. 
• calling number identification, which appears on both 
Norstar sets and ISDN terminal equipment with the 
capability to show the information
• Multi-Line Hunt or DN Hunting which switches a call to 
another ISDN line if the line usually used by the Network 
DN is busy. (BRI only)
• subaddressing of terminal equipment (TE) on the same 
BRI loop. However, terminal equipment which supports 
sub-addressing is not commonly available in North 
America. (BRI only) 
						

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Transmission of B-channel packet data is not supported by 
Modular ICS.
Contact your ISDN service provider for more information 
about these services and features. Packages for ISDN service 
in North America are described on page 64.
The terminal equipment (TE) connected to the Norstar system 
can use some feature codes supported by the ISDN service 
provider. Refer to ISDN services and features in the Modular 
ICS 6.1 System Coordinator Guide for more information.
Feature descriptions
The following section provides brief descriptions about the 
ISDN features, and links for more programming information.
Network name display
This feature allows ISDN to deliver the Name information of 
the users to those who are involved in a call that is on a public 
or private network. For information about system 
programming for this feature see, BusName on page 453.
Systems with Advanced Private Networking connections 
(MCDN SL-1) to a Meridian system also retain information 
about sets that have forwarded or transferred a call, as well as 
the originating caller information.This feature is called 
Network Call Redirection Information (NCRI). This 
information is available to all parties involved in the call.
Calls can only be redirected for a defined number of times 
within the network. This is currently hardcoded to five times. 
Once this limit is reached, call redirection will be disallowed 
for any type of outgoing line being presented for redirection. 
						

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Instead, the call will be handled in one of these ways:
• If Call Forward on Busy is programmed, the call will ring 
if a free key is available. Otherwise, it goes to the Prime 
set. DND Busy programming is ignored.
• If Call Forward All Calls is programmed, the call will go 
to the Prime set.
• If Call Forward No Answer is programmed, the call will 
continue to ring at the destination.
Note:  If a terminal rejects a call, the call goes to the Prime set, 
if a Prime set is configured for the target line. If the 
target line is configured to send a busy tone, the call 
gets released with the reason as User Busy.
Message Waiting Indicator (MWI)
Systems with Advanced Private Networking connections to a 
Meridian system Voice Mail system provide message-waiting 
indicators at telephones connected to those lines. Telephones 
with displays display a message. Non-display terminals may 
have a lamp that lights when a message is waiting. The setting 
for this feature is defined from the Meridian system.
Name and number blocking
This feature suppresses the outgoing name and/or number on 
a call-by-call basis. For information on system programming 
of this feature see, Outgoing Name and Number Blocking on 
page 456.
External call forwarding
The system now allows you to forward calls to an external 
number. This feature is activated using 
≤› from the 
telephone.