CallingAreaInfo™
Local Calling Plan Software

MapInfo CallingAreaInfo telecommunications software defines and maps local calling plans. This enables service providers to make better decisions about expanding networks, responding to competition, and marketing to customers and prospects - all leading to business advantage.

Local call plans are rate structures that determine which phone numbers can call other phone numbers and at what rates. Most U.S. Area Codes (NPA) and Exchanges (NXX) have multiple call plans available for inbound and outbound calling, with rate structures that vary by geography, time of day, call duration and holiday status. Plus, some local calls might be free and others toll - an important distinction when planning service areas or marketing to potential customers.

CallingAreaInfo visually integrates and simplifies complex information, enabling carriers to easily understand and use local calling plans without having to spend weeks pouring over reams of cryptic tariff and regulatory data.

Feature List

Call Analysis

Rates
Calling Plans are the rate structures determining which phone numbers can call which other phone numbers and at what rates. Most Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) offer more than one calling plan for each NPA/NXX combination they serve. In addition, most geographic areas now have a wide range of operating companies and carriers offering multiple alternatives.

CallingAreaInfo includes extensive information for calculating the rates incurred for calling NPA/NXX combinations within the local calling plan.

Wizard-Based User Interface
Wizards guide the user through the task of specifying call plan parameters for individual or batch runs. This interface simplifies call plan selection and creation of an input database. Each subsequent choice presented to the user is based on previous selections, so the final results will be tailored to the user's specifications.

Users have the option to combine the output of a batch of calling area analyses into one output database, rather than an individual database for each Area Code and Exchange in the analysis.

Calling Area Parameter File Storage
This CallingAreaInfo option saves time by quickly and efficiently reloading, modifying (if necessary) and rerunning a saved run without having to re-enter all the parameters.

Create NPA/NXX parameter files for inbound and outbound analyses, and store for future runs. Users can save the properties of a run into a file, to be rerun at a later date -- for example, when receiving a data update, without having to reenter the parameters.

Command Line Executable
Using the command line interface, users can write a batch command program to efficiently rerun analyses on a regular basis after creating the parameter files for the NPA/NXXs they want to analyze. This option is for experienced users who will be saving and repeatedly running the same parameter files at different times.

Output: Database, Tables, File Formats
CallingAreaInfo creates a Microsoft Access 97 relational database, containing the analysis output. The software can also write, through the Export Wizard, to the following file formats: Comma Separated Values, dBase (III, IV, 5), Paradox (3.x, 4.x, 5.x), FoxPro (2.0, 2.5, 2.6), Microsoft Excel (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 95, 97) and HTML (write only).

Table Details
Includes more detailed and specific information about the origin and destination Area Codes and Exchanges.

Output Maps
Produce maps using MapInfo Professional software (version 5.5 or higher). These maps show the geography that corresponds with the NPA/NXX combinations in the local calling plan:

Reports
Generate hard copy inbound and outbound reports of a calling area analysis from a standard printer.

Database Contents
The CallingAreaInfo output database contains a great deal of information regarding the NPA/NXX combinations within a local calling plan, as well as the corresponding rate structure:

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