and virtual private networks, and the most usual migration paths ability to pass records and customer calls between operators, in between them. order to deal with specialised services or queries. The advantages of CSTA are: 11.5.2.6 Saving in customer's and operator's time, due to the simulta- neous transfer of the call and all relevant data. In CSTA or Computer Supported Telephony Applications (Piggott, Reduced telephone call time, which is important if the company 1991; Walters, 1992) the computer is used to help in the telephony is paying for the customer's call via a toll-free service. services. A popular example is illustrated in Figure 11.13. Client 3. Personal service provided to the customer, enhancing cus- information is held on a computer database which can be accessed tomer-vendor relationship. by the PABX. On an incoming call which is recognised by the Use of voice processing techniques to save on operator's time. PABX, the relevant data is sent to the operator's terminal (usually a 5. Apart from client details, the operating software can also be VDU) at the same time that the call is put through to the operator. changed relatively quickly so as to provide different servics. Therefore the operator can see details of the customer whilst speak- ing to him. Orders can be taken, or queries answered, and entered into the database in real time. 11.5.3 Service values Outgoing calls can also be made by the PABX automatically, by dialling out to more customers than there are sales operators. This Changing consumer life styles are providing opportunities to the is done on the assumption that not all calls will be answered telecommunication service provider, who needs to support enter- (predictive calling). When a client answers he is routed to a free tainment, leisure, learning, hobbies, home automation, etc. sales operator. The system therefore avoids the sales operator hav- Businesses are also operating globally, and demand global ser- ing to wait for a successful connection, and is therefore more vices. They