Packet Telephony Feature Article

Veraz Networks is delivering on the promise of IMS. With its layered and distributed subsystem design and multi-protocol signaling mediation, the various Veraz ControlSwitch modules map easily to the leading NGN groups. Groups such as ETSI TISPAN, MSF, ITU, ATIS are evaluating adoption of the core IMS within their reference architectures to provide mobility and simplify service delivery to any access network.

The ControlSwitch enables carriers to achieve a graceful migration path that exploits full network and subscriber service convergence across wireless and wireline networks. The advanced ControlSwitch architecture provides a path for service providers interested in enhanced business models, such as Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). These networks will then leverage the power of the core IMS-ready softswitch to deliver voice and/or multimedia services to subscribers across any available access network, including over broadband access media such as DSL, cable, metro Ethernet or wireless broadband, in addition to mobile networks and existing narrowband digital loop systems.

Carriers will deploy IMS in stages; initially wireline operators will use the technology in order to upgrade their switching architecture to facilitate value added voice services to curb decreasing voice revenues. Many wireline operators are already assessing softswitch architectures that migrate to IMS, with short term investment timelines at hand. As true wireless multimedia applications will become a main factor in the business case of mobile operators, IMS implementations will reach increased volume deployments. This will happen in the next three years. Therefore, the vendors that enable the evolution from softswitch to IMS based architecture will be able to meet the immediate demands of network operators, said Bettina Tratz-Ryan, Principal Analyst at Gartner, Inc.

With its latest softswitch and service delivery platform, ControlSwitch Release 6.0, Veraz moves further along in its quest to enable any application across any network and any device consistent with IMS. At Supercomm and CommunicAsia, Veraz will be demonstrating a variety of network and service subscriber solutions that leverage the ControlSwitch and third-party applications including Voice over Broadband, IP Call Center, IP Centrex, messaging and prepaid.

Verazs platforms have always embraced standards-based interoperability, modularity and distributed environments while delivering the same principles that IMS is putting forth, said Doug Sabella, CEO of Veraz Networks. We see IMS as a natural evolution and, as its specs solidify, Veraz will continue to move our customers forward on this roadmap.

At the core of the ControlSwitch are numerous IMS-functional equivalent software elements. Existing signaling and control elements include: Call Control Element (CCE), IP Control Element (ICE), Signaling Gateway (SG), and Access Signaling Element (ASE) together deliver multi-protocol support and mobility for any to any interworking. The ControlSwitch also leverages a programmable policy layer in its Policy Engine (PE) and Subscriber Data Access Point (SDAP) enabling unlimited subscriber service scalability in addition to unlimited network service scalability. The programmable service logic of the Service Execution Element (SEE), enable coordination of complex services from any number of service delivery platforms including SIP based application servers, traditional PSTN SCPs, and ControlSwitch based services (both network services and subscriber services). Verazs I-Gate 4000 family of media gateways, in addition to third party media devices, encompass the media layer. The long-standing layered, modular, distributed and programmable design and investment in interoperability has enabled the ControlSwitch to easily evolve to incorporate new functional subsystems and IMS is only the latest.