ASSIGNMENT 5 EXPLAIN MEANING OF 3G?

3G is an ITU (International Telecommunications Union) specification for 3rd Gene ration mobile communication technologies. UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunicati ons System), generally refered as 3G, is broadband, packet-based transmission of text, digitized voice, video and multimedia at data rates up to or higher than 2 Mbps, offering a consistent set of services to mobile phone users no matter wh ere they are located in the world. Based on the GSM communication standard, UMTS , endorsed by major standards bodies and manufacturers, is the planned standard for mobile users around the world. Once UMTS is fully implemented, PDAs and mob ile phone users can be constantly attached to the Internet as they travel and ro am. Users will have access through a combination of terrestrial wireless and sat ellite transmissions. 3G services allow high-speed data connectivity on mobile phones which will enabl e users to watch a movie, play interactive games, download data from the World W ide Web on the move. 3G networks will enable operators to provide value-added se rvices and applications such as video-on-demand, unified messaging, mobile comme rce, etc. 3G is said to be the natural next step in the evolution of mobile services. Worl d's first launch of 3G was in Japan, by NTT DoCoMo, in October 2001. Today, Japa n has the largest 3G subscriber base, served by two 3G operators. Wide band Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) is the 3G technology choice, commercially avai lable on number of networks world wide. Europe has enjoyed the widest WCDMA 3G d eployment so far and networks in Asia Pacific region have already started implem enting 3G. In India, cellular operators are still on 2.75 G or 2.5 G with technologies such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) or EDGE (Enhanced Data rate for GSM Evo lution) but most of the operators are quietly upgrading their networks to be abl e to provide 3G services. Next year may see the commercial launches. Considerabl e infrastructure investment is required to ensure the service promised by third generation networks. For instance, cell density is to be increased to provide ad ditional bandwidth. New transaction-based billing methods will have to be introd uced in place of the time-based billing used today. However, the savings generat ed from a packet-network will more than negate the cost for the operator to lay the network. The State-owned MTNL floated Rs.1000-crore draft tender to roll out four million mobile lines on 3G technology. Almost all the GSM operators including Airtel, H utch and IDEA, have already applied for the radio frequency required to launch 3 G services. Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson believes that the rollout of 3G telecom networks in India will help operators reduce costs, offer an array of services to users, and connect millions in rural areas who have never used a phone. 3G as a technology is said to be more advanced and more efficient. Other equipment ve ndors such as Nokia and Motorola are also gearing up to meet the demands of the Indian market. Nokia, for instance, is developing a High Speed Downlink Packet A ccess (HSDPA), a natural evolution to 3G that will bring even higher data speeds with a simple software upgrade. Video on demand, high-speed multimedia and mobile Internet access are just a few of the possibilities for users. 3G services expand the possibilities of content rich information and communication. However, the main benefit of 3G systems is that they will offer substantially enhanced capacity, quality and data rates abo ve those that are available currently with 2G. APPLICATION OF 3G ? 3G will allow Applications more transactions m-payment

m-ticketing m-signature gaming/betting more data flows music video personal pictures personal data more protection privacy services to corporations copyrights openness 3G AND 3G CARD BENEFITS FOR END USERS 3G applications 3G card power Plastic Roaming Roaming between GSM and W-CDMA networks 3G behavior when inserted in a 3G mobile and bi-mode GSM behavior when inserted in a GSM only mobile. Corporate Services 3G will provide Virtual Wireless PBX (Private Branch Exchange): Unified messaging Welcome center Filtering of incoming calls by an assistant, Rerouting, Voice mailbox Corporate directory Number programming Multiple simultaneous and always on connections Virtual Enterprise More flexible modus operandi Virtual teams Virtual enterprises: will provide over-the-air services to their employees Virtual networks The card contains: All the user?s identification data The user?s PKI certificates It allows the user to: Access his applications and data Give orders Sign documents It guarantees Identity Privacy Integrity Non-repudiation Multimedia Real time: video phoning, video conferencing, 3G will provide enough bandwidth t o enable real time imaging Moving image not in real time: choose a product, select a film after viewing a t railer, download video clips Fixed images not in real time: add images or conversation like an electronic pos tcard. Possibility of downloading and listening to music in MP3 format. Electron ic books, reviews or daily newspapers. the ideal method of storing books, songs and clips on the user?s PC or at a remote data warehouse identifies the user as the regulated owner manages the different copyrights on books, music and video. will be synchronization-ready, which will allow the user to synchronize the diff erent data scattered on his different devices (PC, PDA etc.). Transactions

The device and the card will be used: for e-commerce transactions on line to pay for all the more traditional purchases replacing money and credit cards i n shops. The best media in which to store the user?s different payment pr otocols, PKI certificates and electronic signature As the 3G card is multi-task, the UICC platform supports the USIM application an d is open to others like EMV. Gaming Traditional games available on a virtual network (horse racing, gambling etc.) Network gaming (chess parties, Formula 1 racing) Will keep the user? tings Allow him to pick up where he left off on many different devices (PC, PDA and Ph one) Used for mutual authentication, synchronization and integrity checks. Personal Area Network (PAN) The user?s personal device will identify him to his computer, his garage door, h is car and his home, his company?s access control system and his data warehouse. It will provide him with a virtual home environment when on the move. In of loss or theft, the information stored on the card is perfectly secure. Only the owner of the card can be identified in all the applications due to the high levels of security and authentication features. The Ultimate Personal Assistant Fractional devices which will enable the user to wear his computer Bluetooth technology will link all parts of the devices with no need for cables. It will allow the user to create his personal environment: the PAN (Personal Ar ea Network). The card will securely store all the user s keys, subscriptions an d signature. It gives the user the freedom to change devices and make repairs without jeopard izing his data. Secure local links The allocation of new frequencies for 3G is likely to attract many end users in the business segment wanting: Basic services (voice) A premium network without congestion Data connection using the phone as a modem 3G AND 3G CARD BENEFITS FOR OPERATORS The users will increasingly look for accurate information. Thanks to 3G, operators can build up customer profiles based on age, location, i nterests etc. By analyzing their customers? behaviors and providing 3G compliant cards to 2G u sers, operators can propose tailor-made services, thus manage the risk of churn. Moreover, new services can be delivered virtually using an Over-The-Air platform , which provides the users with a more flexible service. 3G application 3G card power Proposing pertinent information Building up users? profiles Tailor-made offer Risk of churn management Push marketing More storage space for data and synchronization mechanisms Users? profiles management DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CDMA AND GSM The Origins of CDMA and GSM CDMA: Code Division Multiple Access is a technology developed by Qualcomm in the United States, and it is currently the dominant network standard in North Ameri

ca. GSM: Global System for Mobile communications was invented in 1987 by the GSM Ass ociation, an international organization dedicated to developing this standard wo rldwide. CDMA was established earlier in North America and thus has a bit more coverage t han GSM. GSM on the other hand is an international standard backed by an interna tional organization and the protocol is a more mature and thus more robust. Coverage of CDMA vs. GSM CDMA: It is mostly used in America and some parts of Asia. It is currently makin g progress in other parts of the world, but the coverage is still limited compar ed to the GSM technology. Its support is currently non-existent in Europe becaus e the European Union mandates the sole use of GSM. In North America however, CDM A generally offers a better coverage than GSM in some rural areas because it was deployed earlier. Its network reaches over 270 million users worldwide. GSM: Being an international standard, it is better suited for international roam ing, provided you own a quad-band cell phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz). The GSM ne twork is also well established in North America, but not as much as the CDMA net work yet. Its network reaches over a billion users worldwide. CDMA is prominent in North America, but GSM reaches a lot more users worldwide ( about 1 billion vs 270 million). In the CDMA vs. GSM debate, GSM wins if you pla n to travel to foreign countries but CDMA might have a better coverage in your a rea. Data transfer CDMA: The best data transfer technology it has to offer is the EVDO technology, allowing for a maximum download speed of about 2mb/s (about 700kbps in practice) , which is similar to what a DSL line has to offer. EVDO is not available everyw here yet and requires a cell phone that is EVDO ready. GSM: Offers EDGE, allowing for a maximum download speed of 384kbps (around 140kb ps in practice). More technologies are being developed on top of EDGE such as HS DPA to boost the transfer rate to over 384kbps in practice. This technology requ ires an EDGE-ready cell phone. CDMA offers faster data download and would therefore be the favored choice for d ata transfer. GSM is catching up fast however, but its EDGE technology is subjec t to interferences. Phone Identification (SIM cards) CDMA: Your account information is programmed into your cellular phone. If you wa nt to change your phone, you have to contact your carrier and have them reprogra m your new phone. You will also need to re-enter your contact list and calendar information into your new phone. If you have a lot of contacts, your carrier mig ht be able to help you perform this task. Some CDMA2000 cell phones support R-UI M cards (Removable User Identity Module) which are used to store account informa tion and contact lists, but these are not very common in North America yet. GSM: Your account information along with your contact list and other personal da ta are stored on a SIM card (Subscriber Identity Module). It is a small chip you can freely remove from your phone. When you get a new mobile device, you can si mply insert your SIM card into it and it will work with your current account inf ormation and contact list. If you travel to another country, it might even be po ssible to purchase a prepaid SIM card which you can use to avoid roaming fees. GSM is a clear winner here. The SIM card technology offers many advantages if yo u plan to travel or switch phone often. CDMA phones are slowly catching up with R-UIM cards, but cell phones that make use of this technology as still rare.

INFORMATION ON IEEE 802.11 In 1997, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) created th e first WLAN standard. They called it 802.11 after the name of the group formed to oversee its development. Unfortunately, 802.11 only supported a maximum netwo rk bandwidth of 2 Mbps - too slow for most applications. For this reason, ordina

ry 802.11 wireless products are no longer manufactured. 802.11b IEEE expanded on the original 802.11 standard in July 1999, creating the 802.11b specification. 802.11b supports bandwidth up to 11 Mbps, comparable to traditio nal Ethernet. 802.11b uses the same unregulated radio signaling frequency (2.4 GHz) as the ori ginal 802.11 standard. Vendors often prefer using these frequencies to lower the ir production costs. Being unregulated, 802.11b gear can incur interference from microwave ovens, cordless phones, and other appliances using the same 2.4 GHz r ange. However, by installing 802.11b gear a reasonable distance from other appli ances, interference can easily be avoided. Pros of 802.11b - lowest cost; signal range is good and not easily obstructed Cons of 802.11b - slowest maximum speed; home appliances may interfere on the un regulated frequency band 802.11a While 802.11b was in development, IEEE created a second extension to the origina l 802.11 standard called 802.11a. Because 802.11b gained in popularity much fast er than did 802.11a, some folks believe that 802.11a was created after 802.11b. In fact, 802.11a was created at the same time. Due to its higher cost, 802.11a i s usually found on business networks whereas 802.11b better serves the home mark et. 802.11a supports bandwidth up to 54 Mbps and signals in a regulated frequency sp ectrum around 5 GHz. This higher frequency compared to 802.11b shortens the rang e of 802.11a networks. The higher frequency also means 802.11a signals have more difficulty penetrating walls and other obstructions. Because 802.11a and 802.11b utilize different frequencies, the two technologies are incompatible with each other. Some vendors offer hybrid 802.11a/b network ge ar, but these products merely implement the two standards side by side (each con nected devices must use one or the other). Pros of 802.11a - fast maximum speed; regulated frequencies prevent signal inter ference from other devices Cons of 802.11a - highest cost; shorter range signal that is more easily obstruc ted 802.11g In 2002 and 2003, WLAN products supporting a newer standard called 802.11g emerg ed on the market. 802.11g attempts to combine the best of both 802.11a and 802.1 1b. 802.11g supports bandwidth up to 54 Mbps, and it uses the 2.4 Ghz frequency for greater range. 802.11g is backwards compatible with 802.11b, meaning that 80 2.11g access points will work with 802.11b wireless network adapters and vice ve rsa. Pros of 802.11g - fast maximum speed; signal range is good and not easily obstru cted Cons of 802.11g - costs more than 802.11b; appliances may interfere on the unreg ulated signal frequency 802.11n The newest IEEE standard in the Wi-Fi category is 802.11n. It was designed to im prove on 802.11g in the amount of bandwidth supported by utilizing multiple wire less signals and antennas (called MIMO technology) instead of one. When this standard is finalized, 802.11n connections should support data rates o f over 100 Mbps. 802.11n also offers somewhat better range over earlier Wi-Fi st andards due to its increased signal intensity. 802.11n equipment will be backwar d compatible with 802.11g gear. Pros of 802.11n - fastest maximum speed and best signal range; more resistant to signal interference from outside sources Cons of 802.11n - standard is not yet finalized; costs more than 802.11g; the us e of multiple signals may greatly interfere with nearby 802.11b/g based networks . The following IEEE 802.11 standards exist or are in development to support the c reation of technologies for wireless local area networking: 802.11a - 54 Mbps standard, 5 GHz signaling (ratified 1999)

802.11b 802.11c 802.11d rum (2001) 802.11e 802.11F ccess points to 802.11g 802.11h s (2003) 802.11i 802.11j ts (2004) 802.11k 802.11l 802.11m 802.11n 802.11o 802.11p 802.11q 802.11r 802.11s 802.11T and metrics 802.11u s 802.11v 802.11w 802.11x 802.11y

- 11 Mbps standard, 2.4 GHz signaling (1999) - operation of bridge connections (moved to 802.1D) - worldwide compliance with regulations for use of wireless signal spect - Quality of Service (QoS) support (not yet ratified) - Inter-Access Point Protocol recommendation for communication between a support roaming clients (2003) - 54 Mbps standard, 2.4 GHz signaling (2003) - enhanced version of 802.11a to support European regulatory requirement - security improvements for the 802.11 family (2004) - enhancements to 5 GHz signaling to support Japan regulatory requiremen WLAN system management (in progress) skipped to avoid confusion with 802.11i maintenance of 802.11 family documentation 100+ Mbps standard improvements over 802.11g (in progress) skipped Wireless Access for the Vehicular Environment skipped fast roaming support via Basic Service Set transitions ESS mesh networking for access points Wireless Performance Prediction - recommendation for testing standards

- internetworking with 3G / cellular and other forms of external network wireless network management / device configuration Protected Management Frames security enhancement skipped (generic name for the 802.11 family) Contention Based Protocol for interference avoidance

SHORT NOTE ON WIFI The name of a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to pr ovide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. The Wi-Fi Alliance, the organization that owns the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) term specifically de fines Wi-Fi as any "wireless local area network (WLAN) products that are based o n the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards ." Initially, Wi-Fi was used in place of only the 2.4GHz 802.11b standard, however the Wi-Fi Alliance has expanded the generic use of the Wi-Fi term to include an y type of network or WLAN product based on any of the 802.11 standards, includin g 802.11b, 802.11a, dual-band, and so on, in an attempt to stop confusion about wireless LAN interoperability. Wi-Fi works with no physical wired connection between sender and receiver by usi ng radio frequency (RF) technology, a frequency within the electromagnetic spect rum associated with radio wave propagation. When an RF current is supplied to an antenna, an electromagnetic field is created that then is able to propagate thr ough space. The cornerstone of any wireless network is an access point (AP). The primary job of an access point is to broadcast a wireless signal that computer s can detect and "tune" into. In order to connect to an access point and join a wireless network, computers and devices must be equipped with wireless network Wi-Fi is supported by many applications and devices including video game consol es, home networks, PDAs, mobile phones, major operating systems, and other types of consumer electronics. Any products that are tested and approved as "Wi-Fi C ertified" (a registered trademark) by the Wi-Fi Alliance are certified as intero perable with each other, even if they are from different manufacturers. For exam ple, a user with a Wi-Fi Certified product can use any brand of access point wit h any other brand of client hardware that also is also "Wi-Fi Certified". Produc ts that pass this certification are required to carry an identifying seal on the ir packaging that states "Wi-Fi Certified" and indicates the radio frequency ban

d used (2.5GHz for 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n, and 5GHz for 802.11a). A common misconception is that the term Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity," however this is not the case. Wi-Fi is simply a trademarked term meaning IEEE 80 2.11x. Wireless Speed & Range Performance figures (i.e., how fast it can transmit data) based on the type of w ireless networking standard it uses, plus any added technological enhancements. While the official speeds of 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n networks are 11, 54, and 270 megabits per second (Mbps) respectively, these figures represent a scena rio that.s simply not attainable in the real world. It's also worth noting that a wireless network is by definition a shared network , so the more computers you have connected to a wireless access point the less d ata each will be able to send and receive. Just as a wireless network's speed ca n vary greatly, so too can the range. As you might expect, the closer you are to an access point, the stronger the sig nal and the faster the connection speed. The range and speed you get out of wire less network will also depend on the kind of environment in which it operates. Wireless Interference Interference is an issue with any form of radio communication, and a wireless ne twork is no exception. The potential for interference is especially great indoor s, where different types of building materials (concrete, wood, drywall, metal, glass and so on) can absorb or reflect radio waves, affecting the strength and c onsistency of a wireless network's signal. Similarly, devices like microwave ove ns and some cordless phones can cause interference because they operate in the s ame 2.4 frequency range as 802.11b/g/n networks. You can't avoid interference en tirely, but in most cases it's not significant enough to affect the usability of the network. When it does, you can usually minimize the interference by relocat ing wireless networking hardware or using specialized antennas. Data Security on Wireless Networks In the same way that all you need to pick up a local radio station is a radio, a ll anyone needs to detect a wireless network within nearby range is a wireless-e quipped computer. There's no way to selectively hide the presence of your networ k from strangers, but you can prevent unauthorized people from connecting to it, and you can protect the data traveling across the network from prying eyes. By turning on a wireless network's encryption feature, you can scramble the data an d control access to the network. Wireless network hardware supports several standard encryption schemes, but the most common are Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP), Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), an d Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2). WEP is the oldest and least secure method and should be avoided. WPA and WPA2 are good choices, but provide better protection when you use longer and more complex passwords (all devices on a wireless netwo rk must use the same kind of encryption and be configured with the same password ). Unless you intend to provide public access to your wireless network and put your business data or your own personal data at risk you should consider encryption mandatory. 3G vs WiFi - The Differences 3G vs WiFi - Functioning As mentioned above, 3G is a service that is completely provided by the service p rovider, whereas WiFi access can be controlled by a WiFi router located in a spe cific range from the access point. For availing the WiFi facility, you will have to visit a hotspot which provides a WiFi zone. Today, most malls, cafes, and ma jor streets have WiFi routers for quick Internet access. For availing 3G, you ne ed to get in touch with your service provider.

3G vs WiFi - Range and Signal The 3G technology scores well over WiFi with regards to range and signal. Since it depends on the mobile service provider, you will receive signal reception as long as you are in the network range. In case of WiFi, you will be able to recei ve reception as long as you are within the range of the router situated in the h otspot. Therefore, while traveling, using 3G access is more appropriate. However , 3G signals may drop if you are traveling away from metropolitan cities. 3G vs WiFi - Speed When it comes to the speed of both these technologies, WiFi is faster as compare d to 3G. The maximum speed of the 'N' standard of the latest WiFi technology is reported to be 600 mbps. The data transfer speeds in 3G technology differs accor ding to the kind of device and also whether it is stationary or in motion. The m aximum speed on 3G network is considered to be about 2.05 mbps. However, if the reception is to be initiated on a cell phone in a moving vehicle, the speed can drop down to 128 kbps. 3G vs WiFi - Cost The cost of 3G access depends on the plan you have chosen from your service prov ider. When it is regarding availing WiFi facilities, you might have to pay the o wners of the hotspots. WiFi at some hotspots is free, while others may charge a certain amount. Users of the WiFi facility at hotels and cafes can either pay us ing a credit card on a payment page hosted by the appropriate authorities, or ca n pay in cash for getting the network access code. Some hotspots are even code f ree, and you can directly access the web without the access password. This is some general information on 3G vs WiFi. If you want to know more about 3 G vs WiFi, battery life is also an important factor to be considered. It is beli eved that 3G consumes more battery than WiFi access. VoIP (voice over IP) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology that allows you to make voi ce calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line. Some VoIP services may only allow you to call other people using the same service, but others may allow you to call anyone who has a telephone numbe r - including local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers. Also, whi le some VoIP services only work over your computer or a special VoIP phone, othe r services allow you to use a traditional phone connected to a VoIP adapter.

How VoIP / Internet Voice Works VoIP services convert your voice into a digital signal that travels over the Int ernet. If you are calling a regular phone number, the signal is converted to a r egular telephone signal before it reaches the destination. VoIP can allow you to make a call directly from a computer, a special VoIP phone, or a traditional ph one connected to a special adapter. In addition, wireless "hot spots" in locatio ns such as airports, parks, and cafes allow you to connect to the Internet and m ay enable you to use VoIP service wirelessly. What Kind of Equipment Do I Need? A broadband (high speed Internet) connection is required. This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services such as DSL or a local area network. A compu ter, adaptor, or specialized phone is required. Some VoIP services only work ove r your computer or a special VoIP phone, while other services allow you to use a traditional phone connected to a VoIP adapter. If you use your computer, you wi ll need some software and an inexpensive microphone. Special VoIP phones plug di rectly into your broadband connection and operate largely like a traditional tel ephone. If you use a telephone with a VoIP adapter, you'll be able to dial just as you always have, and the service provider may also provide a dial tone.

Is there a difference between making a Local Call and a Long Distance Call? Some VoIP providers offer their services for free, normally only for calls to ot her subscribers to the service. Your VoIP provider may permit you to select an a rea code different from the area in which you live. It also means that people wh o call you may incur long distance charges depending on their area code and serv ice. Some VoIP providers charge for a long distance call to a number outside your cal ling area, similar to existing, traditional wireline telephone service. Other Vo IP providers permit you to call anywhere at a flat rate for a fixed number of mi nutes. With VoIP service, whom we can call? Depending upon your service, you might be limited only to other subscribers to t he service, or you may be able to call anyone who has a telephone number - inclu ding local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers. If you are calling someone who has a regular analog phone, that person does not need any special e quipment to talk to you. Some VoIP services may allow you to speak with more tha n one person at a time. Advantages of VoIP Some VoIP services offer features and services that are not available with a tra ditional phone, or are available but only for an additional fee. You may also be able to avoid paying for both a broadband connection and a traditional telephon e line. Disadvantages of VoIP If you're considering replacing your traditional telephone service with VoIP, th ere are some possible differences: Some VoIP services don't work during power outages and the service provider may not offer backup power. Not all VoIP services connect directly to emergency services through 9-1-1. VoIP providers may or may not offer directory assistance/white page listings. H.323 H.323 is a standard that specifies the components, protocols and procedures that provide multimedia communication services: real-time audio, video, and data com munications over packet networks, including Internet protocol (IP) based network s. H.323 is part of a family of ITU-T recommendations called H.32x that provides multimedia communication services over a variety of networks. H.323 was originally created to provide a mechanism for transporting multimedia applications over LANs but it has rapidly evolved to address the growing needs o f VoIP networks. One strength of H.323 was the relatively early availability of a set of standards, not only defining the basic call model, but in addition the supplementary services, needed to address business communication expectations. H .323 was the first VoIP standard to adopt the IETF standard RTP to transport aud io and video over IP networks. The H.323 standard specifies four kinds of components, which, when networked tog ether, provide the point-to-point and point-to-multipoint multimedia-communicati on services: Terminals: Used for real-time bidirectional multimedia communications, an H.323 terminal can either be a personal computer (PC) or a stand-alone device, running an H.323 and the multimedia applications. It supports audio communications and can optionally support video or data communications. Because the basic service p rovided by an H.323 terminal is audio communications, an H.323 terminal plays a key role in IP telephony services. An H.323 terminal can either be a PC or a stand -alone device, running an H.323 stack and multimedia applications. The primary g oal of H.323 is to interwork with other multimedia terminals. H.323 terminals ar e compatible with H.324 terminals on SCN and wireless networks, H.310 terminals on B ISDN, H.320 terminals on ISDN, H.321 terminals on B ISDN, and H.322 terminals o n guaranteed QoS LANs. H.323 terminals may be used in multipoint conferences. Gateways: A gateway connects two dissimilar networks. An H.323 gateway provides connectivity between an H.323 network and a non H.323 network. For example, a gate way can connect and provide communication between an H.323 terminal and SCN netw orks (SCN networks include all switched telephony networks, e.g., public switche

d telephone network [PSTN]). This connectivity of dissimilar networks is achieve d by translating protocols for call setup and release, converting media formats between different networks, and transferring information between the networks co nnected by the gateway. A gateway is not required, however, for communication be tween two terminals on an H.323 network. Gatekeepers: A gatekeeper can be considered the brain of the H.323 network. It i s the focal point for all calls within the H.323 network. Although they are not required, gatekeepers provide important services such as addressing, authorizati on and authentication of terminals and gateways; bandwidth management; accountin g; billing; and charging. Gatekeepers may also provide call-routing services. Multipoint Control Units: MCUs provide support for conferences of three or more H.323 terminals. All terminals participating in the conference establish a conne ction with the MCU. The MCU manages conference resources, negotiates between ter minals for the purpose of determining the audio or video coder/decoder (CODEC) t o use, and may handle the media stream. The gatekeepers, gateways, and MCUs are logically separate components of the H.323 standard but can be implemented as a single physical device. Key Benefits of H.323 : Codec Standards: H.323 establishes standards for compression and decompression o f audio and video data streams, ensuring that equipment from different vendors w ill have some area of common support. Interoperability: Users want to conference without worrying about compatibility at the receiving point. Besides ensuring that the receiver can decompress the in formation, H.323 establishes methods for receiving clients to communicate capabi lities to the sender. The standard also establishes common call setup and contro l protocols. Network Independence: H.323 is designed to run on top of common network architec tures. As network technology evolves, and as bandwidth-management techniques imp rove, H.323-based solutions will be able to take advantage of those enhanced cap abilities. Platform and Application Independence:H.323 is not tied to any hardware or opera ting system. H.323-compliant platforms will be available in many sizes and shape s, including video-enabled personal computers, dedicated platforms, IP-enabled t elephone handsets, cable TV set-top boxes and turnkey boxes. Multipoint Support: Although H.323 can support conferences of three or more endp oints without requiring a specialized multipoint control unit, MCU?s provide a m ore powerful and flexible architecture for hosting multipoint conferences. Multi point capabilities can be included in other components of an H.323 system. Bandwidth Management: Video and audio traffic is bandwidth-intensive and could c log the corporate network. H.323 addresses this issue by providing bandwidth man agement. Network managers can limit the number of simultaneous H.323 connections within their network or the amount of bandwidth available to H.323 applications . These limits ensure that critical traffic will not be disrupted. Multicast Support: H.323 supports multicast transport in multipoint conferences. Multicast sends a single packet to a subset of destinations on the network with out replication. In contrast, unicast sends multiple point-to-point transmission s, while broadcast sends to all destinations. In unicast or broadcast, the netwo rk is used inefficiently as packets are replicated throughout the network. Multi cast transmission uses bandwidth more efficiently since all stations in the mult icast group read a single data stream. Flexibility: An H.323 conference can include endpoints with different capabiliti es. For example, a terminal with audio-only capabilities can participate in a co nference with terminals that have video and/or data capabilities. Furthermore, a n H.323 multimedia terminal can share the data portion of a video conference wit h a T.120 data-only terminal, while sharing voice, video, and data with other H. 323 terminals. Inter-Network Conferencing: Many users want to conference from a LAN to a remote site. For example, H.323 establishes a means of linking LAN-based desktop syste ms with ISDN-based group systems. H.323 uses common codec technology from differ ent videoconferencing standards to minimize transcoding delays and to provide op

timum performance.

SIP

H.323

Standards Body IETF. ITU. Relationship Peer-to-Peer. Peer-to-Peer. Origins Internet based and web centric. Borrows syntax and messages from HTTP. Telephony based. Borrows call signaling protocol from ISDN Q.SIG. Client Intelligent user agents. Intelligent H.323 terminals. Core servers SIP proxy, redirect, location, and registration servers. H.323 Gatekeeper. Current Deployment Interoperability testing between various vendor s products is ongoing at S IP bakeoffs. SIP is gaining interest. Widespread. Capabilities Exchange SIP uses SDP protocol for capabilities exchange. SIP does not provide a s extensive capabilities exchange as H.323 Supported by H.245 protocol. H.245 provides structure for detailed and p recise information on terminal capabilities. Control Channel Encoding Type Text based UTF-8 encoding. Binary ASN.1 PER encoding Server Processing Stateless or stateful. Version 1 or 2 Stateful. Version 3 or 4 Stateless or stateful. Quality of Service SIP relies on other protocols such as RSVP, COPS, OSP to implement or en force quality of service. Bandwidth management/control and admission control is managed by the H.3 23 gatekeeper. The H323 specification recommends using RSVP for resource reservation. Security Registration - User agent registers with a proxy server. Authentication - User agent authentication uses HTTP digest or basic authenticat ion. Encryption - The SIP RFC defines three methods of encryption for data privacy. Registration - If a gatekeeper is present, endpoints register and reques t admission with the gatekeeper. Authentication and Encryption -H.235 provides recommendations for authentication and encryption in H.323 systems. Endpoint Location and Call Routing Uses SIP URL for addressing.

Redirect or location servers provide routing information. Uses E.164 or H323ID alias and a address mapping mechanism if gatekeeper s are present in the H.323 system. Gatekeeper provides routing information. Conferencing Basic conferencing without conference or floor control. Comprehensive audiovisual conferencing support. Data conferencing or collaboration defined by T.120 specification. Service or Feature Creation Supports flexible and intuitive feature creation with SIP using SIP-CGI and CPL. Some example features include presence, unified messaging, or find me/follow me. H.450.1 defines a framework for supplementary service creation.