Telecommunication Information Systems Ltd, TISL, a telecommunications peripheral company based in Slough, Berkshire, has launched an automatic operator system for switchboards, which can take tone-dial and pulse-dial calls. The system is designed to support or even replace switchboard operators – for example, after office hours. When a human operator is not available the system will answer the call, ask who is calling and route the caller to the required extension number. Options include trying a different line if the original extension is busy, asking for a human operator to get more help or if all else fails, leaving a message. The caller can also be routed to a spoken directory, if he doesn’t know the extensions he needs. Roger Denny, TISL’s managing director, says the system adresses the call sequencing and direct dial-in markets. Its advantage over direct dial-in is its the screening capacity. Before you take a call, the system tells you who is calling, and lets you decide whether to speak to them. TISL is targeting the system at companies with at least 50 extensions and a private branch exchange. Because it can handle tone-dial phones used by businesses and the pulse-dial phones still widespread in homes, TSIL believes it will interest government bodies and public utilities. An entry-level system costs UKP10,000, consists of four lines and comes with the required hardware of a 80386 personal computer with two voice boards and two 80286 processor boards. Messages of up to 20 hours can be stored on the 20Mb hard disk. Up to 32 lines can be installed, each extra line costs UKP1,000, although it’s UKP500 extra per line, if you want it to include the decoder for taking pulse-dial calls as well as tone-dial. Bigger systems would also require extra disk capacity. The most that can be stored is 72 hours of messages. TISL has also launched its Call Management system for monitoring telephone traffic in trading rooms. Statistics can be collected about trunk traffic, call costs, duration and destination, and alarm reporting – when a call is made to a restricted number; prices for the system start at UKP7,500 for 20 dealing positions.
