This section looks at how Ericsson public telecommunications products supports network services for public networks including Intelligent Networks (IN), Centrex, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and subscriber mobility.
Contents:
Intelligent Networks
Operator services
Business Communications services
Subscriber and Terminal mobility
Information on service aspects of Ericsson systems is also given in other sections.
- - -
Ericsson's strategy in the fast-emerging area of Intelligent Networks (IN) is to offer a complete package including network elements, service creation and management, as well as customer support.
Ericsson is already involved in new service development projects with some 50 fixed and cellular network operators worldwide. The world's first commercial UPT (Universal Personal Telecommunications) service is one result.
The attractions of IN
The strong interest among fixed and mobile telecom network operators in Intelligent Networks stems from the potential of IN techniques to enhance the range, quality and flexibility of the services that can be offered to subscribers, and the speed with which new services can be developed and introduced.
With IN, network operators can create new business opportunities by offering new services that are popular among business and residential subscribers. These services can be used as a way of increasing the network operator's market share, or expanding it.
IN-developed services are a commercial reality
There is widespread interest in IN techniques for service development in fixed and mobile networks. The scale of the interest can be gauged from the fact that Ericsson is currently working with some 50 network operators, fixed and mobile, on IN-based service development.
From basic services like Freephone and Premium Rate, we are now moving on to enhanced services such as VPN and UPT. The world's first commercial Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT) service was launched in 1995, using Ericsson IN technology, following a successful one-year trial in Norway.
Creating services - a key issue
One of the driving forces for the application of IN service development techniques was the desire to reduce the times needed for service development and introduction.
From a technical viewpoint this is being achieved, through techniques such as the Service Independent Building Block (SIB) concept of the Ericsson IN service development platform. However, reaching the stage of service introduction to subscribers also calls for the development of accompanying processes for documentation, order handling, customer billing, staff training, marketing and other commercial aspects.
Ericsson has built considerable competence in this area, which combined with the company's long experience of telecommunications, is the key to the successful introduction of new services.
Ericsson offers an IN network solution and service creation/management solution
Ericsson offers a full range of switching, database, management and service creation platforms to allow services to be economically and flexibly delivered to customers anywhere in the network. Many of the functions needed for IN operation are implemented in AXE nodes: an attractive feature for network operators, with AXE already in service in over 110 countries.
In the design environment, a new service is built up by selecting and linking together different icons.
- - -
Ericsson offers all the network elements, Service Management System (SMS) and Service Creation Environment (SCE), required for Intelligent Networks.
The main building blocks of today's Intelligent Network architecture are: the Service Switching Point (SSP), the Service Control Point (SCP), the Service Creation Environment (SCE), the Service Data Point (SDP) and the Service Management System.
SSP: The SSP functionality is normally integrated into a local exchange. Its role is to recognise (from the number dialled) that a call is invoking an IN service, and then to communicate, using CCITT No. 7 signalling, with the SCP to receive instructions about how to handle the call.
SCP: The SCP is where the 'intelligence' itself resides: it contains the logic required to execute services, and communicates with a number of SSP nodes. The precise number of SSPs served by an SCP depends on the amount of traffic in the network.
In the Ericsson IN architecture, both SSP and SCP functionality are implemented within AXE switches. A 'hybrid' node, called a Service Switching and Control Point (SSCP) can also be created in a single AXE switch.
SCE: The SCE provides off-line resources for the design and customisation of services; and the SMS controls the deployment of services within SCPs in the network.
SDP: The Service Data Point is a database system that runs on an industry-standard UNIX platform, and is connected to the AXE SCPs in the network. It provides the data capacity needed for services that are data intensive, services that require access to other external databases, and services where several SCPs need access to the same data.
Flexible service deployment, according to demand
The Ericsson IN architecture allows new services to be deployed flexibly, according to demand.
When demand is fairly low, a single SCP can serve an entire national network, communicating through the CCITT No. 7 signalling network with every SSP. As service usage increases, further SCPs can be introduced (or SSPs can be upgraded to SSCP functionality), to cope with the increased loading.
IP: Intelligent Peripherals provide special resources for customisation of services and supports flexible information interaction between a user and the network. Ericsson provides IPfunctionality as a standard integrated Special Resource Function (SRF) in every IN exchange. Ericsson also supports open interfaces for connecting external IP's, as ISAP.
Speech-based application platform gives subscribers voice-control of network services
With the Ericsson ISAP platform, services in fixed and mobile telephone networks are controlled by the subscriber's voice rather than a telephone keypad.
The Ericsson ISAP (Interactive Speech and Applications Platform) is a flexible network-based signal processing platform that lets subscribers request services and information by simply speaking into the telephone, rather than by using the keypad.
ISAP can be integrated into fixed or mobile telephone networks to provide messaging, information and other voice and narrowband data services. It allows a natural, spoken, two-way dialogue between the caller and the service.
A very powerful voice recognition system has a vocabulary of up to 10,000 words - many more than most people use in normal conversation. This capability is not affected by accents. It can also synthesise natural-sounding speech from text.
The range of languages available in ISAP started with English English, American English and German, and is being expanded.
The applications for ISAP range from simple voice messaging services to sophisticated user-configurable services for over a million customers.
Examples are:
- Network-embedded call answering and storage services
- Telemetry and data collection services where utilities can introduce cost effective remote meter reading
- Operator and directory services, which can be largely automated
- Call Centre applications where customer services in a private network can be voice-controlled.
- As an Intelligent Peripheral (IP) to add extra announcement and information gathering facilities to an Intelligent Network (IN)
- - -
A brief introduction to some of the new generation of services that are supported by IN resources.
Freephone: the earliest, and best-known, IN service, this is a relatively simple service involving number translation and charging transfer. Freephone services can be enhanced by, for instance, varying the destination of calls according to the time of day, and according to the place where the call originates. Courtesy announcements can also be made to customers while calls are queued; and statistics on usage levels can also be provided.
Premium Rate Services: Callers can access information or entertainment, or take part in interactive dialogues such as games or quiz shows. For ISDN users, the information can be provided as text messages, on e-mail or fax. Charges are incurred according to the length of the call, and the call revenues can be shared between network operator and service provider.
Universal Access Number: with a Universal Access Number a company can use the same phone number throughout a country. Calls can be directed to the regional office corresponding to the region from which a call originates.
Account Card Calling: This service allows a caller to make calls from any terminal in the network, and have the costs levied on the caller's personal account. The call can use any PSTN or ISDN teleservices including voice, fax and data.
Televoting: Varying levels of sophistication can be built into a televoting service, ranging from a simple counting of the number of calls to a specific number, to more interactive participation where the caller can take part in a contest or conversation.
Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT): This service allows users to make and receive calls absolutely anywhere in the world, and via different networks, using one single, personal UPT number. Further more, outgoing calls (from anywhere in the world) could be automatically charged to the UPT account.
Virtual Private Network (VPN): This service will develop to meet the increasingly flexible communication needs of businesses. It will link staff in to what seems to be a private network, changing to suit the movement of staff around the office (or around the world), and supporting the changing shape of the organisation. Mobility, accessibility and ease of use are the three key elements of the service.
Ericsson IN solutions (including both the service-development tools and the AXE-based network service points) are backed by a consultancy service for network operators and service providers, to help analyse business opportunities and develop new IN services.
- - -
Ericsson offers an operator system that extends the scope of traditional operator services, through improved operator efficiency and the creation of new revenue generation opportunities.
Ericsson operator services help the operator deliver high-quality services by giving fast access to a vast source of information for subscibers, automating many operator procedures and allowing customised services to be created.
There are Toll Operator Services, for calls that require operator assistance, including special Automatic Alternate Billing Services (AABS) for credit card and account card calling, caller-collect and third-party billing.
There are special facilities for assisting subscribers with their paging, voice messaging, Universal Personal Telephone (UPT) or Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, for example. Using these the operator can even act as a round-the-clock 'secretary' for smaller business subscribers who regularly need to leave messages for colleagues and so forth.
The Directory Assistance services allow the operator to access phone and fax number databases from a workstation using a number of search criteria and offer automatic call completion to the requested number.
The Front Desk services help the operator: deal with requests for information, for example during network faults or overloads; update subscriber details; take new subscriptions; and handle telemarketing campaigns. Again, information in a number of external databases can be retrieved and saved from a single workstation.
- - -
Two important public business communication services are available in AXE: BGS, an advanced centrex-like service, and a Virtual Private Network service.
To help network operators exploit new revenue-earning opportunities in the business community, two public business communication services are available as part of the AXE switching platform. They can both be integrated into any AXE exchange.
One, called Business Group Services (BGS), provides an advanced, digital, centrex-like service to handle a customer's internal as well as external communication needs.
This virtual PBX function will often address the needs of small businesses and organisations needing up to 50 lines or so. This functionality can be added to any AXE exchange as a software upgrade.
The other, Virtual Private Network Services (VPN), offers private network capabilities within the public network, as and when needed, without the need to set up costly leased lines.
Used together, these two new services enable flexible and dynamic business communication networks to be created, linking geographically-dispersed sites into a single, unified 'private' communication system.
BGS centrex services
With BGS, the network operator can offer customers a comprehensive and flexible 'PBX' functionality without capital cost on the customers' part.
Combining increased network revenues with strong end-user attractions, this service is handled entirely within the AXE local exchange. Any standard telephone instruments can be used, including cordless telephones from the Ericsson Freeset business cordless telephone family.
The service can be combined with existing PBXs to create a hybrid multi-site network with a mix of PBX and BGS-served sites. It is a cost-effective approach to bringing branch offices into an organisation's main corporate network. All services can be uniformly distributed over this hybrid network.
Selecting from a range of standard functions and features, the AXE business communications service can be quickly set up to suit each customer's needs.
Features and facilities can be specified on an extension-by-extension basis, and easily changed as the organisation's requirements change.
The customer can specify how the service is configured. Service features available include abbreviated dialling (common or by individual extension), outgoing call restrictions per extension, multi-line group hunting, billing by extension, calling number display and emergency over-ride.
As additional business services are introduced in AXE in future, they can be offered immediately to customers, helping them stay more competitive. If the customer's business grows, or moves to new premises, the communication services can easily keep pace; and the customer's communications resources will always be up to date.
Summary of main functions and features of BGS
Extension dialling
Members of staff can telephone other members of staff simply by keying in the required extension number. The fact that the call actually goes through the public network and is switched within the local AXE exchange is transparent to users.
Direct dialling in
Where appropriate, extension numbers of staff can be published, so that incoming calls via the public network can be routed directly and automatically to the appropriate extension, with no need for operator intervention.
Direct dialling out
Members of staff can make calls via the public network from their extension. Outgoing call barring can be applied on a per-extension basis by the customer management; and each member of staff can also set up a call barring function to ensure the telephone is not subject to unauthorised use.
Emergency over-ride
The user (or attendant) can over-ride services that have been activated on an extension. For example, if a member of staff has activated the 'do-not-disturb' service, the attendant can over-ride this so the extension rings.
Call completion to busy subscriber
On extension-to-extension calls, if the called party's extension is busy, the caller can put down the phone, and the system will automatically connect both parties when the called extension becomes free.
Calling number display
The BGS service is particularly strong in the information users receive about incoming calls, both from within the organisation and from the public network.
The calling party's number, or the diverted-from number, are shown.
This can be suppressed in cases where public numbers are not allowed
to be transferred for display on the called extension.
Distinctive ringing
Different incoming call ring tones are applied, depending on whether the call is internal or external.
Customer control of line relocation
Small-scale alterations to the numbering sequence when, for example, staff move offices, can be made by the customer, without the need to involve the network operator.
Call pick-up services
Calls ringing on an unmanned extension can be picked up from any other extension. There are several versions of the call pick-up service, which can be chosen to suit the style of business: group call pick-up, directed call pick-up and call pick-up (all).
Multi-party services
Calls can be transferred from one extension to another within the BGS; calls can be put on hold while a third party is consulted; and three-party conferences can be set up.
Multi-line group services with hunting
This is a service of most potential benefit to sales, service and customer support departments handling incoming calls. Any extensions can be assigned to function as part of a Multi-line group. Incoming calls are automatically distributed according to a pre-defined procedure. Usually, this means to a free line within the group.
Private networking services
Using the BGS Networking package, a number of sites served by the BGS service, or by conventional PBX systems, can be networked together to create what seems to users like a single unified BGS. It is not necessary to set up leased private lines through the public network: the system allocates 'private' circuits according to need, from second to second.
Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
With the AXE VPN package, network operators can offer customers an alternative to leased lines for connecting multiple sites. VPN creates a private network within the public network, operating in parallel with the fixed leased line network where it exists.
The VPN package offers the capacity, the routes and the services, as and when they are needed - all integrated in the public network.
VPN services are more cost-effective than leased lines or switched PSTN services. They provide flexible charging mechanisms to support customised tariffs for corporate national or international traffic, with a private numbering plan.
In addition, the Ericsson switched VPN service will allow emulation of a transit PBX in the public network, so it can serve as a transit PBX offering PBX feature transparency between corporate PBX nodes at different sites.
This will permit a fully-fledged alternative to traditional leased
line solutions, and allow centralised attendant and other services
to be handled at all sites in the corporate private network environment.
This feature includes VPN access as defined by ETSI/ECMA.
With the combination of BGS and VPN, the customer can be given a nationwide private network linking sites with a mixture of PBX systems or key telephone systems, and AXE-supported business communication services.
- - -
A refresher on centrex, and its relevance to today's business communications needs
The concept of centrex is not new. In the USA, business organisations have for many years been able to use resources provided by the public network operator for their internal as well as external telephone calls.
When centrex services are available, businesses have a choice: either they select, purchase and operate their own telecomunications system (PBX or key system), or they rent the equivalent telecommunications services from the public network operator.
With centrex, the public network operator takes responsibility for the provision of all the customer's telephone services, whether they are from desk to desk across the office, or across the country.
All the switching and service generation is carried out in the local exchange, and the individual extensions on peoples' desks are connected directly to the local exchange, rather than to an in-house PBX.
Make a call to a colleague at another desk, and the call is switched by the local exchange, effectively blurring the dividing line between what are considered 'private' and 'public' communications networks.
Leave it to the experts
The real appeal of the centrex concept is that instead of worrying about the selection, funding, accommodation, operation and maintenance of a PBX, business managers can concentrate on what they are best at - running the business.
When an organisation's internal and external communication services are handled by the public network operator, there are no worries about technological progress outdating the customer's communications system. New services and features can be introduced as soon as they become available.
And in a dynamic business environment, as a company opens or closes offices and relocates staff, the centrex concept removes from the organisation the worry of reconfiguring a communication system.
The trend towards telecommuting may also stimulate greater interest in centrex services, since they will make it easier for companies to bring employees and sub-contractors into the main corporate communications system.
Outside the US, centrex has not been widely applied. Yet right now, with rapid changes in technology and legislation, the trends towards decentralised business organisations, and the pivotal role communications plays in business efficiency and profitability, the case for centrex has become even stronger.
And new functionality such as the BGS in Ericsson's AXE system meets the needs of a much wider range of companies; from very small companies and even the self-employed, to large, dynamic companies with many sites.
- - -
The rapid growth of cellular mobile telephone networks has highlighted the way the market responds to attractive new telecommunication services. The industry has entered an era in which the services delivered by the public telecommunications network is increasingly viewed as separate entities from the underlying network infrastructure. This article looks at some of the main issues.
The background to the interest in new services such as IN, ISDN, broadband, mobility etc lies in the recognition that in public telecommunications, the 1990s belong to the customer.
High-quality new services has changed the way people view the telephone network. For the business community, the new services continues to make a major impact on company efficiency and profitability, and stimulates the creation of completely new business opportunities.
For the network operator, there are tremendous revenue-earning opportunities from these new services, since in most countries the business community generates some 80 percent of public network revenues.
Yet in the competitive, deregulated markets that are being created in more and more countries, there are also risks. Miss the window of opportunity, and the network operator could find customers turning to a competitor.
Customers stay loyal to the network operators that provide the service they want, when they want it, and at the right price.
The priority is therefore to put in place networks with the flexibility and power to adapt dynamically to changing customer requirements, and permit the rapid introduction of new, high-quality services.
The driving forces
In order to meet these changing customer expectations, and profit from new service opportunities, network planners base their investment decisions on four key factors:
Increased revenue: New opportunities for profitable new services must be identified early, and the new services brought to market quickly.
Operational cost reduction: Network costs must be minimised, and the maximum flexibility and utilisation achieved from the network infrastructure, so that the services can be marketed at competitive prices.
Evolution, not revolution: The new network architectures of the future, such as the Intelligent Network (IN), does not arrive overnight. At any particular time, it is inevitable that the bulk of a network consists of older equipment. This existing investment in equipment must be protected, so the network can evolve easily, absorbing new technology, new concepts, and new services, without rendering existing equipment obsolete.
Quality: Quality of service is an important differentiator between network operators. The ability to offer services with various guaranteed quality levels, and appropriate price levels, is necessary.
Rising customer expectations
Telecommunications is increasingly seen by the business community as a strategic business weapon, so the hunt is on to find other new services, and to evolve existing services.
These customers expect services to be tailored to their individual needs, and they also want some degree of control over them.
In order to deliver these new services quickly and flexibly, new types of network infrastructure is needed, combining new bearer services, distributed intelligence and advanced new network management concepts.
- - -
Techniques developed for today's cellular mobile telephone networks will assume a greater importance in future, when new levels of mobility within the public telecommunications network will have to be supported.
Mobility is emerging as one of the most important factors that is helping reshape public networks.
Not simply the kind of mobility made possible by cellular mobile telephone networks, but the more generalised mobility that will allow subscribers to make and receive calls wherever they are, via whatever fixed or radio connection is most appropriate.
The ultimate goal in subscriber mobility is Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT), where everyone will have a personalised number. This single number will be used to reach the person whether he or she is in the office, at home, or on the move. This will call for sophisticated network management techniques to track the subscriber and validate calls.
These new mobility issues have major implications for all aspects of public network operation: particularly the switching platforms, network and service management, and subscriber access technologies.
AXE exchanges have powerful functions such as the Home Location Register (HLR) and Visiting Location Register (VLR) developed and well-proven in cellular networks. Added to these are the Intelligent Network (IN) functions of AXE, that will support the more complex services associated with subscriber mobility.
Ericsson's TMOS family of network management systems will allow new generations of mobility services to be developed and managed cost-effectively.
Another part of Ericsson's building blocks for generalised mobility is the company's range of radio access systems. These include analogue and digital cellular systems conforming to all major world standards, and also the newer field of cordless telephony. The Ericsson Freeset cordless telephone system supports mobility in the working environment, and will also be used for Cordless Terminal Mobility and personal communications services within the public telecommunications network environment.
The Ericsson ATM broadband system, developed for widespread use in the next generation of higher-bandwidth networks, has been designed from the start on the basis that all subscribers will be mobile.
Cordless Terminal Mobility (CTM) addresses the aspects of terminal mobility in the public fixed network. CTM enables the subscriber to use one and the same cordless portable in many different environments and applications like cordless office, public telezone and neighbourhood mobility. The utilization of micro cellular radio access technology makes DECT well suited for in- and outdoor low speed applications in highly populated areas.