The most permanent method of identifying
subscriber services and other field activity:

For example, the premium services that a
subscriber is to receive can be permanently
indicated by punching out the buttons that
reference the services that are not to be
available to that subscriber. This provides an
effective method of controlling services, since
the buttons that have been punched out
cannot be replaced.

The most versatile method of indicating drop
information:

Activity Control Tags offer field personnel the
flexibility of adding to the information indicated
by the color of the tag and the punch-out
buttons. The date of the service call, for
example, can be indicated on the write-on
portion of the tag. The audit activity, identity
of the service technician, et cetera can be
evidenced by the combination of punched out
buttons. Activity Control Tags can also be
utilized as a convenient maintenance tag
monitoring repeated non-pay and
tampering problems.

The most evident method of coding a drop is by the color of the tag:

Combining the information conveyed by the
status of the punch-out buttons, the write-on
panel, and the color of the tag produces a
three-way system of identification for an
unlimited number of coding possiblities
utilizing one tag.