Common-network interface ring
The Common Network Interface (CNI) Ring provides Common Channel Signaling (CCS) functionality on several Alcatel-Lucent SS7 products. It was introduced by Western Electric in the early 1980s but is still used today in all 1AESS and 4ESS offices, and most of the wireline 5ESS offices. It was designed and manufactured at the combined Bell Labs WECo location in Columbus Ohio.
References
Common channel signaling in the AT&T US 5ESS switch Brown, R.B., Jr.; Holmes, C.V.; Lanoux, M.D.; Marciani, T.P. Proceedings of the IEEE Volume 80, Issue 4, Apr 1992 Page(s):618 - 627