HELPING LECS
COMPLY WITH LOCAL REGULATIONS FOR E911
SERVICES
To take advantage of efficient
data deliveries and a wealth of new features
associated with revenue-generating voice
services, new local exchange carriers (LECs)are
building out IP data-centric networks.
Voice services are proving to be a continuing,
single source of revenue in the telecommunications
industry. But, to become an LEC, a service
provider must comply with local regulations
that ensure quality, fairness, competitiveness,
and safety. One such key regulation requires
LECs to offer 911/E911 emergency services
to all subscribers.
THE PROBLEM
While IP technology has
advanced to the point where it is now
routinely deployed in Voice-over-IP and
telephony voice networks, the unchanged
911/E911 tandems that handle emergency
calls have fallen years behind the current
technologies. Still widely in use, many
911/E911 tandems do not support SS7 or
IP-based protocols such as SGCP, MGCP,
and SIP, and continue to require trunking
via Multi-Frequency (MF) tones. Complicating
the matter is the protocol uniqueness
of the operator services that 911/E911
tandems supply.
THE SOLUTION
Encore Networks bridges
the gap with its SignalPath™ 230 Signaling
Gateway by enabling seamless call connection
control between the IP network and the
911 tandem.
The Signaling Gateway provides a rich
software library that supports SS7, C7,
ISDN, R1, R2, and MF. With its flexible,
DSP-based architecture, the SP230 can
match a network's native signaling protocol
to the local MF 911/E911 tandem.
TYPICAL
911 PROBLEM (1)
- The CLEC provides
local voice and data service over an
integrated access device (IAD).
- A caller
dials an emergency 911 call.
- The converged
call comes to the edge of the VoIP
gateway over a transport technology,
such as XDSL enabled IAD.
- The VoIP gateway,
MGC, and associated service control
platform plus protocol (i.e., MGCP)
directs the call to the legacy 911
tandem.
- The Media
Gateway converts and directs the bearer
traffic and associated MF call control
to the 911 tandem.
- Incompatibility occurs
between the media gateway and the 911
tandem.
The 911/E911 protocol features support
called-party control, selective transfer,
emergency ringback, forced disconnect,
route diversity, and calling-party switch
hook status, caller ID and home address
accuracy, and data base access. LECs
face the dilemma of how to comply with
mandatory regulations and satisfy 911/E911
requirements, without investing in expensive
network upgrades.
The SP230 MF 911/E911 features include:
- Scalable number of trunks for connection
to 911 tandems
- ANI parameter conversion
from the native network protocol
- Called
Party Hold tracing
- Emergency Ringback
after disconnection
- Forced Disconnect
as needed to make the line available
for other incoming emergency calls
- Calling
Party Switch Hook Indication to indicate
that the caller has hung up
TYPICAL
911 PROBLEM (2)
Sometimes the technical
shortcomings of VoIP and ATM equipment
impact business issues in a very severe
way. Supporting emergency 911 over a
converged application, such as VoIP (H.323
over DSL), has become a mission-critical
application. Packet-switched technology
limitations can prohibit a CLEC from
complying with local regulations. For
the new DLEC, CLEC, and converged service
provider offering local telephone service,
support for emergency 911 is a regulatory
mandate.
More and more telecom firms are choosing
the SP230 Signaling Gateway to solve
their signaling compatibility problems.
Encore Networks' SP230 Signaling Gateway
is already deployed commercially in 80
countries as the signaling interoperability
solution between incompatible TDM-based
networks, as well as connecting TDM-based
systems with next-generation packet networks.
We're helping CLECs, DLECs, and global
carriers think ahead to achieve timely
and successful roll-outs.
The following are some of the applications
the Signaling Gateway handles:
- SS7 to
ISDN (T1 PRI) conversion
- IP to SS7 conversion
- IP to MF conversion
- R2 to R2 (country
to country)
- In-band R1 to ITU-T SS7
conversion
- ANSI to ITU-T conversion
- ETSI PRI to NI2 ISDN conversion
- ANSI
SS7 to ITU-T SS7 conversion
- Multiple
conversions on single platform
- Rate
conversion: µ-law T1 to A-law E1
ENCORE NETWORKS: THE SIGNALING EXPERTS
Encore Networks' products address many
of the challenges facing next-generation
networks. A leader in SS7 signaling interworking,
Encore Networks designs signaling solutions
that aim for an efficient delivery of
converged services. The advanced Signaling
Gateway accomplishes this task by seamlessly
binding networks together.
The Encore Networks SignalPath interworks
the latest IP-based protocols with each
other and with legacy PSTN protocols,
such as SS7, ISDN, and CAS. Long-distance
carriers, international voice and data
bypass service providers, ISPs, CLECs,
and voice over packet long distance service
providers all stand to benefit from the
Encore Networks Signaling Gateway.
Whether you operate a circuit-switched
or packet network, and whether you operate
in the U.S. or abroad, Encore Networks
has the signaling solution for you. Our
equipment is deployed in over 80 countries
world-wide. |
