Transaction Network, Telephones, and Terminals: Transaction Network Service

Transaction Network Service By W. G. HEFFRON, Jr. and N. E. SNOW (Manuscript received June 6, 1978) Transaction Network Service is provided by a message-switched communication system especially designed for short formatted data messages. The Transaction Network system carries messages between Customer Service Centers (customer-owned data processing centers) and polled terminals or dial-in Transaction telephones, as well as between Customer Service Centers. It does this quickly and economically, with high reliability and maintainability of service. This paper discusses first the need for Transaction Network Service and the system design goals set for it. Then the elements of the system are discussed, including how they work together in providing service. % Short data messages of the inquiry/response type have in the past been carried by two types of available telecommunications service offerings. One is the Public Switched Telecommunications network using either simple voice conversations, data and automatic voice response units, or full two-way data exchange. The other is the use of multipoint private line networks between terminals and computers in full two-way data exchange. Issues of cost, response time, reliability, engineering, and administration all arise and become more serious as greater volumes of transactions occur and as more locations are served. Inward Wide Area Telecommunications Service--INWATS--is the common way of using the dial network. It puts no toll charges on the calling party, and is cost-effective for low volume/high value messages.