3Com & Siemens ICN extend relationship in IP Telephony, announce jointly developed SS7 solution

Global networking leader 3Com Corporation and Siemens Information and Communication Networks (ICN) have extended their relationship with the announcement of a joint SS7 signaling gateway product offering. The universal signaling solution delivers flexible Signaling System 7 (SS7) features and Internet protocol (IP) connectivity to allow carriers and service providers to seamlessly integrate IP networks with the public switched telephone network (PSTN).

The 3Com/Siemens solution consists of a media gateway and a universal signaling platform to provide more cost-effective access for service providers using the SS7 signaling system. It will accommodate a full range of cost-saving signaling applications such as Internet access dial-traffic offload, universal signaling for voice-over-IP and Internet supplementary services, explains 3Com SA`s carrier systems account manager, Sue Dagge. The media gateway is based on 3Com`s Total Control multiservice access platform, while the SS7 signaling platform is a further development of Siemens` EWSD (Elektronisches Wahlsystem Digital) platform.

"Universal signaling and an open service creation environment across disparate network infrastructures are essential requirements for service providers who are migrating to next generation converged networks," says Irfan Ali, Senior Vice President and General Manager, 3Com Carrier Systems. "With Siemens` expertise in the signaling arena and 3Com`s leadership in converged networking solutions, we can offer our customers a carrier-class solution that seamlessly integrates the PSTN with IP networks, while enabling transparent delivery of new and enhanced services."

With the 3Com/Siemens universal signaling solution, carriers and Internet service providers can realise cost savings by utilising trunk connections between switches and multiservice access platforms rather than using more expensive ISDN-based PRI lines. Service providers also can use their IP-based networks to deliver a broad range of traditional telephony services as well as new, innovative applications, such as "1+" single-stage dialing, local number portability and Internet supplementary services.

The universal signaling platform developed jointly by 3Com and Siemens consists of a Media Gateway Controller and a Signaling Gateway. It is a universal signaling node at the edge of the network, providing protocol mediation and advanced signaling in a multi-protocol, converged network environment.

Integrated administration of Internet connections is another important feature of this solution.

To provide greater flexibility, scalability and an open standards-based architecture, the communication between the universal signaling platform and the media gateway is closely related to the Megaco Protocol (Media Gateway Control Protocol) being standardized by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

The universal signaling platform acts as the interface between the IP network and the telephone network in accordance with SS7 and MGCP standards and controls the required data stream conversion and link monitoring.

The jointly developed universal signaling platform is an integral part of 3Com`s CommWorks IP telephony architecture. The CommWorks solution is a service creation engine that enables service providers to generate new revenue while smoothly migrating to an IP telephony platform. It takes a multi-phased approach, enabling universal connectivity to voice, data and video on a converged network.