PDF of this tutorialDefinition
Telecommunications convergence is the merger of legacy-based time division multiplexing (TDM) architecture with today’s packet-switching technology and call-control intelligence, which allows commercial carriers and service providers to consolidate voice and data networks to provide integrated communications services.
Overview
Convergence technologies are changing the way telecommunications companies will provide voice and data traffic. The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is one of the most reliable communications networks in existence. Using traditional PSTN services as an access point to the Internet has significantly encouraged the growth of data over costly Class-5 facilities, resulting in the need to reengineer this traditional TDM architecture. Convergence technologies will provide a packet-based architecture that combines the speed and efficiency of broadband with the full-featured signaling system 7 (SS7) architecture to create a hybrid network in which carriers and service providers can choose route options based on cost, efficiency, and fault management.
However, convergence is not accomplished by acquiring a single box. Those who intend to compete in the converged market space face significant challenges in choosing the correct equipment and software, configured to provide them with the capabilities required to compete in today’s Internet economy. Investors, entrepreneurs, and existing vendors must appreciate the complexities of convergence or risk the delays and unnecessary expense of adopting the wrong strategy.
Just as the Internet has predicated this shift to convergence, it has also provided the most compelling means of dominating in the converged market space. This tutorial will discuss how an Internet model is one that can provide the bridge to convergence by handling call-control functionality, while offering a variety of new Web-enabled services.
