>establish a out-of-band communication system [...] connected via
>nationwide system which doesn't rely on IP, ATM, or SS7I'm not sure where you'd find such a beast anymore. Maybe an SS7 and
an Iridium system, side-by-side, would do the trick.HF radio, more likely. Those of you without roof-rights, you better
ask building management about getting same for the triband beam....
Actually I was thinking of a combination of 'order wires' with a combination
of VSAT and in-band network conference bridges for backup. However several
people of indicated that level of backup was too expensive.
This problem isn't really unique to the Internet. I was looking at the
backup communications network for SS7 providers and noticed a couple
of major SS7 network providers don't give out their direct contact
information even to other SS7 network operators anymore. They changed
their listings in the emergency directory to general customer service
numbers.