Abstract: A peripheral platform, such as an Intelligent Peripheral (IP), is provided in a Common Channel Interoffice Signaling (CCIS) network having a Services Control Point (SCP) and intelligent network capabilities. The IP or similar platform provides alternate service activation (ASA) and obviates the necessity for the SCP to store a large number of subscriber service profiles. The IP has a call channel link to central office switches of the telephone network and has a data link to the SCP. On receiving a request for activation of alternate service the IP communicates with the SCP and the SCP communicates with the switching offices to retrieve a subscriber service profile from one central office switch and downloads and double assigns that profile to a second central office switch which may thereafter implement the features in that downloaded profile.