Cisco Cisco Customer Voice Portal 8.0(1)

This chapter contains an overview of Internet Service Node (ISN) features and benefits.

The ISN is a Web-based, AVVID-compatible platform that provides carrier-class Interactive Voice 
Response (IVR) and IP switching services over Voice Over IP (VoIP) networks. The ISN feature set 
includes:

IP-based switching. ISN can transfer calls over an IP network.

IP-based Takeback. ISN can take back a transferred call for further IVR treatment or transfer.

IP-based IVR services. The classic prompt-and-collect functions: “Press 1 for Sales, 2 for service,” 
etc. 

IP-based queuing. Calls can be “parked” on the ISN for prompting, music on hold, etc., while 
waiting for a call center agent to be available.

Compatibility with other Cisco Call Routing and VoIP products. Specifically, the Network 
Application Manager (NAM) or Intelligent Contact Manager (ICM), Cisco Gatekeeper, Cisco 
Gateways, and Cisco IP Contact Center (IPCC).

Compatibility with the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). Calls can be moved onto an 
IP-based network for ISN treatment and then moved back out to a PSTN for further call routing to 
a call center.

Carrier-class platform. ISN’s reliability, redundancy, and scalability allows it to work with Service 
Provider and large Enterprise networks.

For many years, IVRs were the primary technology base for automated user transactions for businesses. 
Much of that role has been passed to the Web, but the IVR has remained its own “backwater” of 
proprietary technology. 

The Internet Service Node implements an IVR using Web technology. To the ISN, an IVR is just a Web 
application with a special browser—called the Voice Browser—that delivers Web pages as voice.