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From: hayes!tnixon@uunet.uu.net (Toby Nixon)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Slick-96
Message-ID: <14832@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 19 Nov 90 18:39:06 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 834, Message 7 of 8


In article <14710@accuvax.nwu.edu>, KEVIN.GRIFFIN@ehpcb.wlk.com (KEVIN
GRIFFIN) writes:

> Can anyone tell me what a "Slick 96" switch is and what kind of
> services are available from it. One of my local (SWB) techs told me
> that one is about to be installed in my local exchange, but he didn't
> want to tell me anything about it.

As was noted in a previous reply, a Subscriber Loop Carrier system is
not a switch.  It provides a digital connection (often fiber optic)
from the switch out to a neighborhood, for example, and then standard
analog two-wire connections from the SLC to your residence.

Unfortunately, some SLCs (slicks) are decidedly NOT "slick".  Modem
manufacturers get complaints about modems not working, and often find
that the problem is a SLC having been installed.  The cause usually is
that the SLC is using ADPCM (compression), which doesn't work well
with high-speed modems (particularly V.29 [Group 3 fax]).  SLCs also
are known to introduce analog impairments in the loop that can cause
problems for modems, even though they're not audible to voice callers.

Most SLCs don't cause problems, however, so there should be no cause
for immediate concern.  But in response to your question -- there's no
"services" from a SLC; as far as you're concerned, it's a passive
device.


Toby Nixon, Principal Engineer    | Voice   +1-404-449-8791  Telex 151243420
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