SONET Facility Digital Cross-Connect Systems

Bell Operating Companies and other communications providers are beginning to deploy digital cross-connect systems providing electronic cross-connect functionality at the DS1 and DS3 levels. These products provide increased network capabilities and responsiveness while having the potential to save both equipment and operations costs. This paper examines the capabilities required of DCS 3/3 and DCS 3/1 cross-connect products to serve the needs of today's asynchronous network and support migration of the network to SONET compatibility. Specific applications of both DCS 3/3s and DCS 3/1s are examined, and product features and operations support requirements determined, including network-level control of the electronic cross-connect functionality. Initial application of the DCS 3/3 and DCS 3/1 products will be in an asynchronous transport network environment. It is expected that the transport network of the early 1990s will be a hybrid asynchronous/SONET environment.