w4ch11

Data Network and Applications

• Data network is an assembly of routers responsible for forwarding information from one end to another.
• Various applications of data networks include E-commerce, online banking, online gaming, E-shopping, IPTV Video on demand, and more.

Current Generation of Networks

• The current generation of networks has been developed during different time zones, resulting in separate network infrastructures with no sharing of infrastructure among them.
• Gateways are available for inter-network communication, but each network has its own service platforms, leading to tightly coupled services with their networks.

Disadvantages of Current Scenario

• Carrier or operators have to introduce services separately for separate networks, resulting in increased Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Operational Expenditure (OPEX).
• Service providers need to invest in multiple networks, and maintenance of three different networks increases operational costs.
• Manpower requires knowledge of multiple technologies.

Next Generation Network (NGN) Vision

• NGN is a framework where operators have a common transport network based on Internet Protocol for providing all kinds of telecommunication services.
• NGN allows for a single network installation and maintenance, reducing CAPEX and OPEX significantly.
• Service provisioning becomes easier with the introduction of new and intelligent servers.

Access Layer

• Access Layer is responsible for direct subscriber attachment function and supports all kinds of existing access as well as upcoming access.
• NGN does not matter about the type of access, and protocol conversion and/or media conversion may be required at the NGN Gateways.
• Access Layer consists of Gateways, including Media Gateway, Access Gateway, and Signalling Gateway.

Transport Layer

• Transport Layer of NGN is based on IP and can utilize the advantage of MPLS.
• It forms the core of the Network and consists of Routers, which are responsible for carrying traffic originated by the Access Layer.

Messaging Services

• NGN supports both real-time and non-real-time messaging services for fixed and mobile networks.
• Messaging services include Unified Messaging, Instant Messaging (IM), Chat, MMS, and SMS.
• Push-to-Talk over NGN (PoN) is a wireless service that turns mobile phones into long-range walkie-talkies.

Third-Party/OSA-based Services

• NGN provides open API interface for third-party or person to develop personalized services.
• Third-party/OSA-based services are applications developed and provided by vendors outside the service provider's domain using IT technology and tools.

Services Provided by Softswitch

• Abbreviation Dialling: use of short telephone numbers to reach public services.
• Absent Subscriber Service: diverts calls to an announcement when a subscriber is absent.
• Advice of Charge: provides information about the costs of a call and accumulated charges.
• Anonymous Call Rejection: enables users to reject calls from anonymous parties.
• Auto Call back: allows users to register for auto call back when a called party is engaged.
• FAX Call: supports point-to-point and multi-point FAX services.
• Immediate and Timed hot line: sets up a connection to a predetermined telephone number immediately or after a specified delay period.
• Incoming Call only: restricts users to receive incoming calls only.
• Malicious Call Trace: enables users to request call tracing by dialling a feature access code.
• Missed Call Notification (MCN): provides subscribers with details of missed calls or messages received.
• Non Metered Call: enables certain numbers as toll-free numbers, and calls made to these numbers are not charged.
• Outgoing Call only: restricts users to make outgoing calls only.
• O/G Call Restriction Service or Subscriber controlled dynamic STD/ISD: enables subscribers to bar certain O/G directions from their telephone line.

Pay Phone/Coin Collecting Box Service

• Allows O/G calls after inserting adequate coins, tokens, or coded cards
• Permits I/C calls without payment
• O/G calls to certain services (e.g. emergency services) may be admitted without payment

Priority Lines

• Marks certain lines in the exchange as priority lines
• Gives preference to these lines when originating calls in abnormal conditions (e.g. switch overload or network congestion)
• Useful for individuals or services responsible for maintaining law and order and citizen security under emergency conditions

Selective Call Services

• Allows end-users to give special treatment to calls from a pre-defined list of subscriber numbers
• Results in differentiated ringing (for different family members) or rejection of non-expected calls

Voice Mailbox Service

• Implements all functionality needed to complete call answer service
• Redirects unanswered incoming calls to a voice mailbox where callers can leave a message
• Informs end-users of waiting messages and allows them to retrieve messages

Fax Call

• Supports point-to-point and multi-point fax services

Immediate and Timed Hotline

• Sets up a connection to a predetermined telephone number immediately or after a specified delay period
• Allows subscribers to initiate a normal call during the delay period
• Number registration can be done by the subscriber or administration

Incoming Call Only

• Restricts users to receive incoming calls only

Malicious Call Trace

• Enables users to request tracing of received calls by dialling a feature access code after the call

Missed Call Notification (MCN)

• Provides subscribers with details of missed calls or messages received
• Uses calling line identification presentation (CLIP) and short message service (SMS)

Non Metered Call

• Enables certain numbers as toll-free numbers
• Calls made to these numbers are not charged

Outgoing Call Only

• Restricts users to make outgoing calls only

O/G Call Restriction Service or Subscriber Controlled Dynamic STD/ISD

• Enables subscribers to bar certain O/G directions from their telephone line
• Types of barred directions are prescribed by the administration
• Subscribers can activate and deactivate the service using a secret password

Third-Party/OSA-Based Services

• Provides open API interface for third-party or person to develop personalized services
• Uses IT technology and tools
• Facilitates easier access to core network capabilities from outside the network

Services Provided by Softswitch

Abbreviation Dialling

• Uses short telephone numbers to reach public services (typically two or three digits)

Absent Subscriber Service

• Diverts calls to an announcement when a subscriber is absent

Advice of Charge

• Provides end-users with information about call costs and accumulated charges on their call meter counters

Anonymous Call Rejection

• Enables users to reject calls from anonymous parties who have explicitly restricted their caller ID

Auto Call Back

• Allows calling parties to register for auto call back when the called party is engaged
• Users control the service via an interface that sets the forwarding destination address and criteria for determining which calls require forwarding

Call Hold

• Enables users to place a caller on hold and make another call to another number

Call Intercept

• Records call contents and identity and gives several options for handling the call

Call Return

• Enables users to call the last party that called, whether or not the call was answered

Call Waiting

• Enables users to answer a call while already engaged in another call
• Informs users via a call waiting tone
• Users can activate/deactivate the Call Waiting service for all incoming calls via their web interface

NGN Architecture

• The core network is shared among various subscribers using different real-time and non-real-time services, requiring bandwidth policies and QoS policies.
• The operator must manage the network for its subscribers.
• The NGN architecture consists of routers connected through an optical network, which route traffic from gateways.

Control Layer

• The Control Layer is responsible for call setup, routing, charging policies, and other controls in the NGN environment.
• It consists of call servers that store all network information.
• Call servers set up, modify, charge, and tear down calls.
• NGN may work on soft switch principle, with MGC (Media Gateway Controller) as the overall controller and MGs (Media Gateways) for traffic termination.
• MGC instructs MGs to establish calls, and MGs perform call-related tasks under MGC's control.

Application Layer

• The Application Layer is responsible for OSS/BSS (Operations Support System/Business Support System).
• Enhanced services are provided to subscribers through application servers, such as prepaid servers, announcement servers, and service servers.
• NGN enables service separation from the network, allowing new services to be introduced without modifying the control, transport, or access layers.

Messaging Services

• NGN supports both real-time and non-real-time messaging services for fixed and mobile networks.
• Messaging services include unified messaging, instant messaging, chat, MMS, and SMS.

Unified Messaging

• Unified messaging facilitates the delivery of voice mail, email, fax mail, etc. through common interfaces.
• Users can access and be notified of various message types (voice mail, email, fax mail, etc.) through these interfaces, independent of the means of access.

Instant Messaging (IM)

• IM is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on typed text.
• IM is supported across fixed and mobile networks, with features like low latency, security, mobility, group management, and message filtering.

Chat

• Chat facilitates real-time communication by means of text between two terminal users who have already logged on.

MMS and SMS

• MMS and SMS facilitate near-real-time communication by sending and receiving multimedia messages or text messages.
• Examples include video greetings sent using MMS.

Push to Talk over NGN (PoN)

• PoN is a wireless service that turns mobile phones into long-range walkie-talkies by connecting to other phones without dialling.
• The speech is one-way-at-a-time instead of a two-way conversational mode.

Call Forwarding

• Call Forwarding Immediate enables a user to redirect all calls to another destination.
• Call Forwarding No Answer enables a user to redirect calls to another destination when an incoming call is not answered within a specified number of rings.
• Call Forward on Not Reachable (CFNR) enables a user to redirect calls to another destination when an incoming call encounters a not reachable condition.
• Call Forwarding Remote Access enables users to activate, deactivate, and program their Call Forwarding service from any phone.
• Call Forwarding Selective enables a user to define criteria that causes certain incoming calls to be redirected to another destination.

Other Services

• Call Hold allows a user to place a caller on hold and make another call to another number.
• Call Intercept records the call contents and identity and gives several options for handling the call.
• Call Return enables a user to call the last party that called, whether or not the call was answered.
• Call Waiting enables a user to answer a call while already engaged in another call.
• Calling Line ID Delivery enables the delivery of a caller's identity, including their phone number and name.
• Carrier pre-selection allows end-users to select alternative Service Providers to carry their calls without having to dial a prefix or install special equipment.
• Centrex Facility provides a virtual PABX facility for a group of subscribers.
• Closed User Group is a logical group within the operator's network, where users are permitted to communicate with each other but not with users outside the group.
• Dial-up Call connects a network connection, such as the Internet, which requires a telephone number to be dialled.
• Direct Inward/Outward Dialling allows Centrex or PABX users to place/receive calls directly from/to their phone without accessing via a central number.

NGN Definition

• A Next Generation Network (NGN) is a packet-based network that provides telecommunication services to users.
• It supports multiple broadband, QoS-enabled transport technologies, and service-related functions are independent of the underlying transport-related technologies.
• NGN enables unfettered access for users to networks and competing service providers and services of their choice.
• It supports generalized mobility, allowing consistent and ubiquitous provision of services to users.

Generalised Mobility

• In NGN, each individual has their own network identity in the form of "SIPURL: xyz@domain name.com".
• Users register their devices against the given URL, and registrar servers maintain bindings with URL and physical location of registered devices.
• Users can register for more than one device at a time, and with generalized mobility, they are not dependent on a specific terminal.

NGN Architecture

• NGN has a layered architecture consisting of transport, access, control, and application layers.
• All layers are independent of each other, and a change in one layer does not affect other layers.

Access Layer

• The access layer is responsible for direct subscriber attachment functions.
• NGN supports all kinds of existing and upcoming access types, including PSTN, GSM, CDMA, xDSL, and WiMAX.
• Protocol conversion and/or media conversion may be required at the NGN Gateways, depending on the type of access.
• Examples of gateways are media gateways, access gateways, and signaling gateways.
• Media gateways terminate media coming from PSTN/PLMN, packetize information, and throw packets to the transport network.
• Access gateways are nearer to subscribers and are responsible for subscriber configuration.
• Signaling gateways carry signaling generated by PSTN and inform the control layer in the required format.

Transport Layer

• The transport layer of NGN is based on IP and can utilize the advantages of MPLS.
• The transport layer forms the core of the network and consists of routers responsible for carrying traffic originated by the access layer.
• NGN uses Internet Protocol (IP) based transport for all services, including voice, thereby reducing service provider's CAPEX and OPEX.

NGN Services

• NGN supports voice telephone services, including call forwarding, call waiting, 3-way calling, and calling number and name identification presentation.
• Multimedia services allow customers to converse with each other while displaying visual information.
• Data services establish real-time connectivity between endpoints along with various data-related value-added features.
• Content delivery services provide content-based services like music and video on demand, radio streaming, and gaming.
• Global mobility services provide global roaming and other location-based services for all types of wireless and wireline subscribers.
• Number portability allows end-users to retain existing directory numbers while moving from one physical location to another or from one service provider to another.
• Virtual private networks (VPNs) improve multiple location networking capabilities for businesses.
• Call forwarding services include call forwarding immediate, call forwarding no answer, call forwarding on not reachable, call forwarding remote access, and call forwarding selective.