a system and method for real - time exchange of customer information between telecommunications companies provides a significant reduction in the time required for completing a preferred inter - exchange carrier order . it also provides significant reductions in the time required for other applications of customer information exchange , such as messages from a local exchange carrier to an inter - exchange carrier and customer inquiries . the present invention is an application of systems , and is referred to as quick pic . quick pic utilizes a telecommunications gateway that transmits a customer account record exchange record , which format is defined by the ansi t1 . 246 standard , using an osi protocol stack that includes common management information protocol for the application layer . a care record can contain a pic order , customer information inquiry , or customer information .