With the merging of telecom carriers, cable operators and Internet service providers, most experts agree that convergence is not merely a trend; it is inevitable. The potential cost savings, consolidated billing, streamlined network management, and overall convenience are too compelling for service providers and consumers to ignore. With buried cable passing hundreds of millions of homes worldwide, it is logical to assume that cable will be front and center as convergence becomes mainstream.

The technical challenges will be overcome as innovation and experience combine to provide cable-based IP–telephony solutions that are the equal of the public telephone system. The software architecture presented here as a case study example has been field-tested in equipment using Texas Instruments' integrated microprocessor and programmable DSP chipsets. It is an architecture designed to provide equipment manufacturers with a repeatable, "core" starting point to help them develop unique, value-added telephony solutions and bring those solutions to market as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.