SASS TEST NUMBER ACCESS

                                Lineside

        SASS test numbers can be interesting to find and play with. If you've
ever heard of DATU's (Direct Access Test Unit) or have played with one, you'd
find that SASS numbers are very similar to them. (If you want to know more
about DATU's, there are a couple of texts on them out there.)

        For comparison, here are the test functions of a DATU:
-Audio Monitor (busy, idle line, intercept)
-Short ring to ground (tip open)
-Ring Ground
-Short tip to ground (ring open)
-High level tone on tip and ring
-High level tone on ring (tip grounded)
-High level tone on tip (ring grounded)
-Low level tone
-Open line
-Short line
-Permanent signal release
(taken from NPA DATU text)

        When calling a SASS number, instead of having to directly enter a
security code it will first of all respond with an ANAC (meaning it gives
you the number you are calling from.) It will do so twice. The time during
the second ANAC is when you enter your 4-digit security code (BellSouth
seems to love using 1111 and 1122 for a lot of their stuff, including
their SASS and DATU). After doing so, you get to the menu.

        The menu consists of the following functions and tests which you
select using different DTMF keys:

        4- Busy line verification (for deluxe call waiting/ memory call)
        5- A DTMF keypad test
        6- Number identification
        7- Ringback test
        8- Transmission measurement tests:

                        1- Single tone: choose between 03(304Hz) and
                           32 (3204Hz)
                        3- Three tone slope (400Hz,1004Hz, 2804Hz)
                        5- Quiet termination
                        6- Milliwatt tone
                        7- Tone sweep: choose start and end tone between
                           03(304Hz) to 32 (3204Hz). For a full tone
                           sweep you enter *
                        8- Number identification sweep: 1200HZ- 2200HZ
                           (for caller id)
                        9- Data sweep (900Hz- 2800Hz)
                        0- 10 tone slope (304Hz- 3204Hz)
                        *- return to main menu

Instead of forcing a disconnect with ## as you would with a DATU, after
using the SASS you can just hangup.

        SASS functions such as the ANAC, ringback and DTMF test (for finding
out those stored #'s in butt-sets???) can pretty usefull. As for finding
SASS numbers in your area, the telco may or may not have a designated or
often used prefix.
In my area the DATU and SASS numbers seem to be pretty mixed up
and spread out while regular test numbers such as ANAC usually
share their prefix with lots of other interesting telco numbers.
Again, this could be different in your area.

If you have any questions, especially if you are in the south-east area,
please contact me with any questions or comments.

Lineside
lineside@telehack.net