NGN: Services & Opportunities

in
Access Provision

Rakesh Mehrotra
Chief Officer - Corporate Regulatory
Tata Teleservices Limited

1
 What is NGN?

• ITU definition
– A packet-based network able to provide telecommunication services and
able to make use of multiple broadband, QoS-enabled transport
technologies and in which service-related functions are independent
from underlying transport-related technologies
– Enables unfettered access for users to networks and to competing service
providers and/or services of their choice
– Supports generalized mobility which will allow consistent and
ubiquitous provision of services to users

2
 What is NGN?

• A multi-service Network able to support Voice, Data and Video.

• A Network with a control plane (Signaling, Control) separated from the
Transport/ Switching plane.
• A Network with open interfaces between transport, control and applications.
• A Network using packet mode technology to transport of all kind of
information.
• A network with guaranteed QoS for different traffic types and SLAs.

Migration towards the NGN appears to be inevitable

3
 Journey to NGN

•Digitisation had changed the complexion of telecom and IT

•Different networks were made to carry information in digital format.

•Individual service specific networks are developing into IP based

networks.

•Possibility to offer different services of Broadcasting, voice, data,

video on same service specific platform.

•Possibility of offering new innovative services to the subscribers

•NGN is IP based platform to offer every thing on IP

4
 Why NGN?
• Fusion of services and markets

• Common network for different services

• IP in back bone dramatically reduced carriage cost

• Split of different layers of network and thus ease of provisioning of

innovative services

• Short time to define and provision of services.

• Low Capex and Opex for provisioning of new services

5
 Why NGN has become important?

•This is march of technology –either adopt or parish

•Competition will provide innovative services and incumbent will have to

match

•Present day technology will become obsolete– will be costly to maintain

6
 Drivers for NGN deployment :
•Competition / Market forces

•Different revenue streams

•Convergence of services

•Voice and impact of VoIP.

•Services on mobile network – mobile internet etc.

7
 Benefits – NGN Migration
• NGN is capable of providing seamless converged services from Telecom, Internet and
Broadcasting infrastructure at any time, anywhere to anywhere from any device to any
device.
• Co-existence with PSTN.
• Access Technology Agnostic.
• Distributed Architecture – Call server at central location and MGWs at remote
location.
• Support Triple-play services. (Voice, Data and Video)
• Open standard architecture.
• Integrated users interface.
• Some of the applications which can be launched after migration to NGN networks.
– VoIP
– IP Centrex
– Instant messaging/Presence/PTT/Push to view
– Multimedia services
– xDSL
– Traditional Analog & ISDN Subscriber services
– IN Services (ex. Pre-paid & Toll-free etc.,.)
– IP Video
– Video on Demand 8
 Benefits – NGN Migration
• Improves cost effectiveness of data & voice transport
– Increased Call Capacity within a decreased footprint
– Reduce inter MSC / Switch trunking costs through IP network
• Opex Savings
– Space and Power saving.
– Control & Media functions separated (Distributed MGWs)
– Backhaul enhancement using IP /MPLS
• Software and provisioning costs
– Software /features implementation in all Switches involves cost and time
consumes. In case of soft switch only Call server upgrades required.
• Time to Market
– Feature development is faster and needs to be updated only on to
Application Server.

9
 NGN in Access:

•In old established networks prime deployment will be on copper, FTC and
FTH.

•In developing telecom networks prime deployment would be on mobile

networks.

•It is expected that new telecom networks will also concentrate on FTC and
FTH/FTB.

•Fixed mobile convergence for seamless rich experience to customers.

10
 Next Generation Networks –
Technology
Present Day Networks Next Generation Networks (NGN)

Internet
Workstation

Workstation

Integrated
Services
Gateways
Over IP
Wireless POTS

Evolving towards All IP Communications

11
 NGN v/s PSTN Components
PSTN Switch NGN Components

Application
Call Control & Service
Control Server

Switching IP Routing

Interfaces
Gateways

SDH
Transport
with Overlay
Common IP MPLS Transport
packets for
data

12
 Schematic view of NGN

WEB VoD MMS SIP E911

Services ASP ASP
Network Network IMS PSAP
Network

Core IP/MPLS Networks

Transport

Wi-Fi DSL DOCSIS GSM PSTN

Access

User

Source: ASTAP05/WS-IP&NGN/13
13
Typical NGN architecture

14
Challenges for incumbent and new entrants:
•Unpredictable regulatory and licencing environment

•Local loop unbundling

•No clarity on spectrum management policy

•Large investments.

•Market power regulation.

15
 Security
Security
Regulation
Regulationof
of
“Plain
“PlainOld
OldTelephone
Telephone Privacy
Privacy
Service
Service(POTS)”
(POTS)”

Consumer Quality
Numbering
Numbering
Consumer Qualityof
of
protection
protection Service
Service

Interconnection
Interconnection Emergency
Emergency
Access
Access

Competition
Competition
Interconnection
Interconnection

“Next Generation” Long

term issues
Core policy areas:
•Competition (level-playing
field), Interconnection
•Consumer (QOS, privacy,
emergency access)
Regulatory implications of NGN •Security & legal interception
Source: ASTAP05_WS.IP&NGN-09 Scope for self-regulation 16
 NGN regulatory and Licencing challenges:
•Licencing--Should there be separate regime for core and access

•Numbering –ENUM or some other scheme

•Interconnection – Present mesh or interconnect exchange

•Security Related Issues—No geographical boundaries, LI, Network security

etc.

•Spectrum—A big question?

•Universal services access.

•Consumer protection.

17
Interconnection- Traditional (Mesh)

18
Interconnect Exchange

BSO 1 MSO

IE

BSO 3

BSO 2

19
 NGN for better access
Broadband penetration : Large difference between developed and developing
region- Developing countries have penetration below 1%
•Digital Subscriber Line(DSL)
•Limited local loop
•Local Loop unbundling not done by many countries
•Optical Fiber Cable (OFC)
•Penetration of Optical fiber in local areas is very low
• Right of Way (RoW) is costly
•Cable Network
•Cable TV Networks is generally one way and are not able to
support broadband
•Wireless
•Limited availability of spectrum
•End user devices able to support BB are very costly
•Unless last mile is upgraded, fruits of NGN will not reach to masses

20
NGN for better access- challenges in India
• Bridging the digital divide
• NGN migration in Access network will depend on
•success of alternate access technologies (DSL, Cable TV, 3G and
WiMAX)
•Cost reduction of user end devices (WiMAX, 3G etc)
•Unbundling of Local Loop (LLU)
•Market success to provide triple play services (video, IP voice and
data)
• 3G technologies particularly HSDPA, & EVDO Rev A have good potential
to provide high data speed.
• WiMAX can be another option to provide high speed data access and
Multi-play services to rural areas.
• In urban environments Fixed-WiMAX can be used more in backhaul for
providing connectivity to Wi-Fi and other WLAN technologies.
• Cost of the end device can be a roadblock.
• Spectrum Management will become highly crucial.

21
NGN for better access- challenges in India
•Wireless Broadband technologies will be useful for vast access coverage
• Passive infrastructure such as mobile towers will play crucial role for faster
rollout of these services
• Sharing of passive infrastructure will be good enabler for broadband
growth
• Infrastructure sharing needs to be mandated between operators
• NGN will require lot of standardization & may face Interoperability
Challenge

22
 Challenges in NGN Access

•The installation of new generation access networks requires heavier and

less flexible investments than those needed for transport networks.

•The return on the investment is directly related to the customers response to

the introduction of new services as VoD, video calls, gaming online, etc.

•The operators have a strong need for a clear and stable regulatory
framework for access networks.

23
 Opportunities in NGN Access

Next generation access network

Next generation core network

Next Generation Access Network

•Next Generation Access would provide much higher bandwidths to consumers
•This would enable the supply of rich (but currently unspecified) multimedia
content
•Disruptive change to existing services and existing business models
•Investment risk driven by uncertainty as to consumers’ willingness to pay

24
Thank You

25