Mathematical Formula for Erlang c

Date: 7/26/96 at 16:23:41
From: Anonymous
Subject: Erlang c (mathamatical formula)

My question is simple yet complex. I would like to know the formula 
for erlang c. This is used to calculate the number of agents required 
to answer randomly delivered calls into a call centre. I have looked 
in libraries, the entire web and also contacted many call centre 
companies. There are computer programs out there which calculate the 
agents required automatically but I wish to program my spreadsheet to 
simplify things a lot. 

A.K. Erlang invented this fantastic formula as a means of 
understanding incoming calls. I need the formula with the variable of 
service level (i.e. 80% of calls in 30 seconds), calls received 
(number of incoming calls), Average Handle Time (the length it takes 
an agent to handle a call and the sample period (i.e. half an hour). 
Work load is calculated in erlangs. 

Please help - I'm totally stumped. I am a business student at the 
University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. Thanks for your time. 
Good luck. You'll need it. 

Date: 8/2/96 at 20:21:13
From: Doctor Jodi
Subject: Re: Erlang c (mathamatical formula)

Hi there!  We're not going to be of terribly much help, but I thought 
I would pass on a lead that I found. Apparently, Erlang is a computer 
programming language which is mostly used in answering the sorts of 
questions you're interested in.

However, my search also turned up another person working on Erlang B 
problems; he has written some java applets which approximate Erlang C.  
You can find them at 

  http://hubbabubba.nomius.com/~sagetele/     

Best luck with your project; I hope that this info helps and am sorry 
we couldn't help more.

-Doctor Jodi,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/   

Editor's Note: the web page previously mentioned seems to have 
vanished.  Other related sites are:

http://felix.unife.it/Root/d-Mathematics/d-Statistics/t-Erlang-distributions   
 (includes a discussion of the Erlang models)

http://www.anao.gov.au/bpg_telecentres/telehbk4.html   
 (contains Java)

http://www.kaval.com/erl2.htm   
 (Erlang calculator in English)

http://www.micronet.fr/~hilleret/erlangc.html   
 (Erlang calculator in French)