Stored Program ControI exchange (SPC) is the technical name used for telephone

exchanges controlled by a computer program stored in the memory of the system. Early exchanges such
asStrowger, panel, rotary, and crossbar switches were electromechanical and had no software control.
SPC was introduced on a small scale in so called electronic switching systems in the 1960s (the 101ESS
PBX was a minor Bell System example) and on a large scale in the 1970s (1ESS switch from Bell
System, AXE telephone exchange from Ericsson).
SPC allowed more sophisticated calling features. As SPC exchanges evolved, reliability and versatility
increased. n the 1980s SPC completely took over the industry, making the term redundant except for
historical interest. SPC allowed more sophisticated Calling features. As SPC exchanges evolved,
reliability and versatility increased. n stored program control, a program or a set of instructions to the
computer is stored in its memory and the instructions are executed automatically one by one by the
processor. An immediate consequence of program control is full scale automation of exchange functions
and introduction of a variety of new functions to users.
ntroducing a computer to carry out control functions of a telephone exchange is not as simple as using
computer for commercial data processing. A telephone exchange must run without interruption 24 hrs a
day, 365 days a year, 3040 years. This means the exchange must be tolerant to faults. Attempts to
introduce electronics and computers in the control sub system of an exchange were encouraging enough
to spur the development of full- fledged electronic system, in which switching network is also electronic,
and the world's first electronic switching system, known as No.1 ESS, was commissioned by AT&T
at Succasunna, New Jersey, in May 1965. SPC systems grew rapidly. n the 1980s SPC completely took
over the industry, hence the term lost all except historical interest. Today SPC is a standard feature in all
electronic exchanges. However the attempts to replace the space division electromechanical switching
matrices by semiconductor cross print were not immediately successful, particularly in large exchanges.
As a result many space division electromechanical switching systems used electromechanical switching
networks with SPC. Nonetheless, private automatic branch exchanges (PABX) and smaller exchanges do
use electronic switching devices. The two types of space division electronic switching systems are using
electromechanical switching network and the other using electronic switching network. The second one is
fully electronic.
[edit]Types of SPC
There are basically two approaches to organizing stored program control: centralized and distributed.
Early electronic switching systems (ESS) developed during the period 1970-75 almost invariably used
centralized control. Although many present day exchange design continue to use centralized SPC, with
advent of low cost powerful microprocessors and VLS chips such as programmable logic array (PLA)
and programmable logic controllers (PLC), distributed SPC became widespread by the early 21st centu

electronic exchange capable of controlling call reception from and call transmission to other electronic exchanges is
provided. The electronic exchange comprises means for receiving a request for a forwarding from the other electronic
exchanges, and prohibiting means for setting a telephone of forwarding destination connected to the own electronic
exchange to be in a state of prohibiting the call reception except for the forwarding or the call transmission at the time
to make the telephone shift to a standby state for the forwarding in response to the request for the forwarding.