What’s next for VoIP Media Gateways?

Since the introduction of VoIP back in the mid 1990s, VoIP Media Gateways have been deployed to make the transition between VoIP and PSTN networks. After exploring this seemingly mature technology I discovered that the VoIP media gateways of tomorrow are not your Grampa’s gateway. While cost remains at the top of the product selection criteria, more and more functionality is being poured into the media gateway’s hardware and software features.

The standard gateway features list used to include things like voice, video, and fax decompression, call routing, signaling control, and packetization. More recently, we now see added features such as integrated SS7 inside the gateway and “any-to-any” signaling.

The Dialogic IMG 1010 Integrated Media Gateway includes integrated SS7 ISUP signaling which can be mapped to SIP, SIP-T or H.323 to meet a carrier’s requirements for SS7 connectivity into a VoIP network. The IMG 1010 can terminate SS7 ISUP A-links or F-links, and supports a full DS3 of bearer traffic (CICs). This is all provided in cost effective 1U, single box solution, which can reduce capital and operational expenses for carriers.

The IMG 1010 is able to translate between multiple signaling protocols when meeting a carrier’s media gateway needs. Supported signaling includes SS7 ISUP, ISDN PRI and CAS for circuit networks and SIP, SIP-T and H.323 for IP networks. Signaling conversion can take place between TDM-IP, IP-IP or TDM-TDM network configurations.

“The Dialogic IMG Integrated Media Gateway product family provides an excellent value proposition for carriers who are building converged VoIP networks due to its robust suite of signaling options,” says James Rafferty, Product Line Director for Integrated Media Gateways at Dialogic Corporation. “The IMG 1010 is installed at over 50 carriers for a variety of applications which include Wholesale VoIP, Retail VoIP and enhanced services. The IMG 1004 has recently been introduced and offers a low-density gateway solution for carriers that need to support small POPs or for Call Center applications.”

“Carriers have selected the IMG 1010 based on factors that include integrated SS7 ISUP signaling, any-to-any network connectivity and IP-IP transcoding,” Rafferty says. “The compact 1U size of the IMG products is well-suited for racking and stacking multiple IMGs. A network can be configured using Dialogic’s server-based Gate Control Element Management System.”

Final Score

We will continue to see enhanced services inside future VoIP Media Gateways that will offer Carriers faster time-to-revenue at a lower cost of ownership. It is clear that the Dialogic IMG is setting the pace. IT

Jeff Hudgins is VP of Engineering at Alliance Systems (http://www.alliancesystems.com).

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