TCAST Communications Inc. (Booth 1514), a facilities-based CLEC and long-distance service provider to both wholesale and retail customers, has expanded its product set with the introduction of three new products.

The company now offers a carrier access product that enables TCASTs carrier customers to make use of TCASTs extensive Feature Group D network throughout Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Carriers simply assign TCASTs carrier indentification code (CIC) or the carriers own code if they prefer to their customers lines. TCAST then routes to the carrier all calls placed by their customers to their platform for termination.

TCAST President Mark Jordan stated, This allows the small carrier the ability to offer a long-distance product that does not require toll-free numbers or codes to be entered. Their customers simply pick up the phone and dial. To do this themselves would require a huge capitol investment in infrastructure and network buildout. TCAST, over its 10-year history, has built it for them.

Also at COMPTEL PLUS, TCAST, working with its technology partner Equinox Information Systems (Booth 1317), has announced the development of a clearinghouse-type service designed for customers who have payphone originated traffic. This product will offer a one-stop-shop for those customers needing to comply with a new FCC order requiring them to give payphone owners remuneration for toll-free calls made on their phones. TCAST will be able to process all aspects of the FCC requirements, and, in some cases, include SAS 70 certification.

This is a clearinghouse service, but at this point were not a neutral clearinghouse, said Jordan. Were offering this only to our LD/800 customers.

The third new product from TCAST is a third-party RespOrg service through which the company will offer to handle all RespOrg duties required in the routing of toll-free numbers.

All products currently are available; the latter two are offered throughout the United States. For more details and pricing for these services, visit TCASTs booth for a pricing sheet.