Traffic Service Position System

2025-10-16T15:46:35Z

2600:1700:77A0:B160:D43E:3ECC:6233:13A2: /* Features */ To clarify the number of operators per COG, and purpose of NIXIE tube displays.

{{Listen
|filename=Zip tone.ogg
|title=Zip tone
|description=Audible tone which alerts TSPS operator of a new call. 440 Hz 5 ms.
}}
The '''Traffic Service Position System''' ('''TSPS''') was developed by [[Bell Labs]] in [[Columbus, Ohio]] to replace traditional cord [[Telephone switchboard|switchboard]]s. The first TSPS was deployed in [[Morristown, New Jersey]] in 1969 and used the [[Stored Program Control exchange|Stored Program Control]]-1A CPU, "Piggyback" [[twistor memory]] (a proprietary technology developed by [[Bell Labs]] similar to core memory) and [[IGFET|Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor]] solid state memory devices similar to [[DRAM|dynamic random access memory]].<ref name="BSTJ 49">{{cite journal |last1=Jaeger |first1=R.J. Jr. |title=TSPS No.1: System Organization and Objectives |journal=Bell System Technical Journal |date=December 10, 1970 |volume=49 |issue=10 |pages=2417–2443 |doi=10.1002/j.1538-7305.1970.tb02488.x |url=https://archive.org/details/bstj49-10-2417/page/n7/mode/2up |access-date=26 February 2022 |ref=BSTJ 49}}</ref>

==Features==
The TSPS system utilized special [[analog transmission|analog]] trunks that originated at [[Class 5 telephone switch|Class 5]] end office circuit switch systems and [[Class 4 telephone switch|Class 4]] toll access circuit switch systems that were connected to Class 3 primary toll circuit switch systems such as the 4A-ETS/PBC and [[4ESS switch]] systems. The TSPS system did not perform switching between the originating end office switch and the toll switch for the subscriber voice path.

The TSPS system included the "Remote Trunking Arrangement" (RTA) feature that consolidated the trunk connection at the originating switch and provided a switched connection to a [[Switchboard operator|telephone operator]] only as required for a short duration at the beginning of a call to obtain billing information or at the end of a call in which the caller requested "time and charges".

The TSPS system provided a temporary switched connection to a toll operator who helped facilitate calls requiring human assistance such as person-to-person, collect, third-party-billed, and hotel billing. The TSPS system supported up to seven "Chief Operator Groups" (COGs) with each COG supporting up to 31 operator consoles, with two operators positions per console, for a total of 62 operators per COG. Operator consoles initially used [[nixie tubes]] to display phone numbers, that were quickly replaced by [[light-emitting diode]] displays due to reliability issues.

The TSPS system was replaced by the Operator Service Position System (OSPS) feature package developed for the [[5ESS switch]]ing system. During the era of TSPS systems, calls to mobile and marine radiotelephone customers were initially handled by operators at a Special Operator Service Treatment cord switchboard. Operator assisted calls to international destinations were handled by "Code 10" and "Code 11" operators generally co-located at special gateway international switching systems.

==Hotel Billing Information System==
The TSPS system included the ''Hotel Billing Information System'' (HoBIS) special feature to provide automated billing of [[long-distance call]]s from hotel front desks so guests could be charged for calls made almost immediately prior to their departure. Private [[Teleprinter|Teletype]] data links were provisioned to large [[hotel]]s that subscribed to this service.<ref name="Hobis1">{{cite journal |last1=Bikle |first1=David P. |title=1980-01: Vol 58 Iss 1 |journal=Bell Laboratories Record |date=January 1, 1980 |volume=58 |issue=1 |page=12 |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_record-at-t-bell-laboratories_1980-01_58_1/page/12/mode/2up?q=%22Hotel+Billing+System%22 |access-date=28 February 2022}}</ref>

==Automated Coin Toll System==
Debuted in [[Phoenix, Arizona]] in 1977, the ''Automated Coin Toll System'' (ACTS) was an addition to TSPS which provided an automated way to perform charge advisory and toll collection of coin paid calls, reducing the need for operator involvement. The ACTS sub-system handled the automated voice announcements, e.g. "Please deposit five cents for the next three minutes" (initially voiced by [[Jane Barbe]], and later [[Pat Fleet]]), and worked with TSPS for coin deposit (start of call) and coin collection/coin return (at end of call).<ref>{{cite web |title=Automated Coin Toll System (ACTS) |url=https://telephoneworld.org/pay-telephones/acts-automated-coin-toll-service/}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2012/1/16/AT&T-Archives-TSPS-Operator AT&T Archives - TSPS Operator Recruiting Film]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRRnA6YF4KU 1977 Bell System commercial ending with TSPS operator] From [[YouTube]].
* [http://www.atis.org/tg2k/_tsps.html ATIS definition]
* [https://telephoneworld.org/pay-telephones/acts-automated-coin-toll-service/ Telephone World - AT&T Automated Coin Toll System]
* [http://www.its.bldrdoc.gov/fs-1037/dir-037/_5534.htm TSPS definition 47CFR part 67 Appendix]
* {{US patent|3731000|US Patent #3,731,000 for "Equipment for Switching Calls from Remote Trunk Groups to Distant Centralized Operator Service Center"}}, [[Amos E. Joel, Jr.]], Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ
* {{US Patent|4,145,578|US Patent #4,145,578 for "Position Access Preference Method"}}, Richard Orriss, Bell Laboratories Columbus, OH
* {{US patent|4197430|US Patent #4,197,430 for "Operator Service Position System"}}, Douglas C. Dowden, Bell Laboratories, Columbus, OH

[[Category:History of the telephone]]

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Traffic Service Position System