Alcatel 5020 SoftswitchOpen Call Control Engine for your Next Generation Service Offering

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch platform is the keystone of your next generation

network (NGN) migration. It supports call control functions for a vast range

of VoIP applications from simple long distance bypass to voice and multimedia

services. As a key component of the Alcatel OPEN Program, the Alcatel 5020

Softswitch is pre-integrated with a range of other Alcatel and third party components

into a rich set of communication solutions for your residential and enterprise

customers. Committed to proven openness, the Alcatel 5020 is in full commercial

operation in numerous networks as a key solution component for voice trunking,

local voice or new VoIP communication service packs.

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch is a scalable, carrier

grade platform that capitalizes on the popularity

of Internet applications by offering a wide range

of NGN, voice and multimedia features.

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch features an open

architecture, allowing easy integration into

any next generation application set. Through

adherence to a truly IMS compliant network

architecture consisting of a centralized Call

Session Controller and border node components

(Media Gateway Controller for class 4, Residential

Gateway Controller, Session Border Controller),

the solution is designed to dramatically exceed

the capacity of a single machine.

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch can be cost effec-

tively deployed in small configurations and later

expanded in functionality and size to almost any

capacity in response to demand. Support for a

wide range of open standards and an expanded

solution-dependent integration testing process,

covering Alcatel and numerous third party prod-

ucts, ensures that the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch

can be introduced into almost any network.

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch has been field

proven in many application contexts across the

world. To date, the product is commercially

deployed in over 35 projects and has been tested

very successfully by a wide variety of service

providers. Today, the product is at the heart of

the service evolution strategy of some of the

major service providers in the world.

Based on commercially available cluster

architectures and accompanied with security and

QoS capabilities, the Alcatel 5020 has been

designed to excel in terms of carrier grade

performance and service quality.

ALCATEL 1 >

AN OPEN AND PROVENSOFTSWITCH

Alcatel has identified a number of key applica-

tions for softswitches that will allow operators

to easily deploy new services in their existing

networks and help them to migrate to a next-

generation network infrastructure. They include:

> IP offload (IPO) provides service providers

with a solution to offload dial-in data traffic

from the PSTN network.

> IP telephony (IPT) provides IP-based telephony

(voice/video/data) services to both native IP

terminals and subscribers connected to the

IP network through IP gateways. When com-

plemented with IP gateways, local voice

services are provided focusing on supporting

frequently used voice calling features and

interfaces for optimal return on investment.

The IPT solution can be used both as a basis

for a regular POTS-like voice offering and as

a basis for a range of PC based personal com-

munication services.

> Long distance bypass (LDB) allows service

providers to use packet-based networks

for long distance voice traffic, bypassing

the traditional trunk, toll and international

exchanges.

For customers wishing to move beyond simple

voice services, the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch is

complemented by the applications running on

the Alcatel 8690 Open Services Platform. In this

way, the service provider is able to deploy a

range of attractive VoIP based communication

services for broadband consumer and enterprise

customers well beyond traditional voice. In this

scenario, the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch acts as the

call control and connectivity engine.

> 2 ALCATEL

FLEXIBLE SET OF APPLICATIONS

When investing in the Alcatel OPEN NGN solution

built around the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch you get

access to:

Fully Aligned Value Added Voice Services

The Alcatel 5020 IP Telephony application offers

a range of frequently used voice features and

interfaces. The list of features will evolve over

time but priority is given to defining the selection

of services most heavily demanded by your

end users.

When offering these voice features, a range

of protocols will be used to support end user

connectivity. That is to say, H.323, SIP and

Megaco at the access level and H.323, SIP,

Megaco and MGCP at the transit level. The

Alcatel 5020 Softswitch assures feature align-

ment so that feature selection is made available

consistently across all the mentioned interfaces.

Figure 1 provides a list of voice features

available on the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch at

the end of 2004. This is complemented by

a set of regulatory features.

ALCATEL 3 >

KEY VALUES

> Call Forwarding Family: Forwarding of all calls, of calls in areas of busy or in case of no reply (CFU, CFB, CFNR)

> Presentation Service Family: Presentation of calling or connected party number and the corresponding process

to restrict presentation (CLIP/CLIR/COLP/COLR/CLNP/CLNR)

> Call Restriction Services:

• Outgoing call barring of specific call types (long distance or international)

• Call screening based on black lists or white lists which receive special treatment

> Call Hold Services: call hold, call transfer (not for H.323)

> Call Waiting

> Malicious Call Identification, Emergency Call, Priority Call

> Line Hunting

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H.323 SIP Megaco/H.248

Figure 1 - A Coherent Set of Value Added Voice Services Across all Interfaces

An Open Solution

While some service providers select an end to

end solution for their initial NGN deployment,

others prefer to select best in class products for

each part of their network. Other customers might

decide to change their supplier for individual NGN

components over time or opt for a dual sourcing.

To address the requirements of these different

scenarios Alcatel has adopted a commitment to

openness and the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch is now

a leader in terms of interworking. The Alcatel

5020 architecture is aligned with the continually

evolving IMS standards, which identifies compo-

nents for serving CSCF (and PSTN simulation)

as well as for MGCF and interworking functions.

Furthermore, proven interworking with third

party products has resulted in a full end to end

architecture compliant with current IMS standards

as depicted in Figure 5.

Figure 2 below gives an impression of the

scope of this interworking but is by no means

an exhaustive list.

Alcatel has implemented a program to identify

and pre-test interworking of the OPEN portfolio

with the most commonly deployed NGN network

elements in the market. Extensive integration

testing of the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch with other

Alcatel and third party products in real life

scenarios is an integral ingredient of the product

evolution. This gives our customers easy access to

regular upgrades for their VoIP based solutions.

> 4 ALCATEL

Gateways

> Trunking Gateways Alcatel, Cisco, Lucent, UTStarCom, Clarent, Sonus, Igate ...

> Business Gateways Alcatel, Vegastream, OKI, RadCom, Cisco ...

> IP PBX Alcatel, Avaya, Cisco ...

> Integrated Access Devices AccessMedia, Fastlink, Ambit, Comtrend ...

> Residential Gateways Alcatel, Audiocodes, Pirelli, Vegastream, Telsey, Askey ...

Hardphones

> SIP: PingTel Xpressa, SpeedTouch 280/282, Cisco 7960 (SIP), Snomag snom 100, iPAQ Communicator ...

> H.323: Polycom SoundPoint IP500, OpenPhone

Softphones

> SIP: Microsoft SIP Messenger, PingTel Xpressa, France Telecom eConf, Ubiquity UA, Alcatel Client ...

> H.323: Microsoft Netmeeting, France Telecom eConf ...

Applications Servers

> Alcatel, Ubiquity AS B, MINDiphonex, Genesys, Sylantro, Broadsoft ...

Media Servers

> Alcatel, RadVision VialP, Convedia, SnowShore ...

Figure 2 - Leaders in Terms of Openess

Field Proven

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch has been deployed

in many customer accounts covering all appli-

cation areas. Figure 3 provides a view of the

Alcatel 5020 Softswitch installations worldwide.

Best in Class Management and Provisioning

Easy service provisioning and web based cus-

tomer self service are increasingly important

to service providers that need to ensure fast

market penetration while keeping operational

costs under control. By its distributed nature,

any NGN architecture will rely on real time data

distributed over different components at the appli-

cation and control/softswitch level. To ensure

best in class service provisioning, Alcatel is

accompanying its OPEN offering with a robust

Common Service Provisioning solution that is

currently deployed with several customers both

for first voice line replacement and for multimedia

services. Relying on the concept of federated

data, or logically merging the data, the solution,

allows service providers to make use of a unique

customer profile in the form of federated data

for bulk provisioning, customer self service and

GUI support. The Northbound interface on the

CPS is based on SOAP/XML to further facilitate

integration into your OSS/BSS.

Figure 4 illustrates the concept of common pro-

visioning using a PSTN replacement example.

ALCATEL 5 >

Consumer

Residential VoIP Entel, China Netcom, China Telecom, China Unicom, BT,Operator in Russia

Residential MultimediaBT, Entel, Nextra, China Netcom,China Telecom, China Unicom,Operator in Taiwan

Videophony FT, Orange, China Telecom, China Unicom, H3G Austria, Operatorin Brazil

Business

Corporate VoIP China Telecom, Telenor, Singtel, APTG in Taiwan

IP CentrexChina Telecom, Operatorin Singapore

Multimedia Instant Conferencing China Netcom

Service Provider

IPOTurk Telcom, Operators in: Mexico, Kuwait, Russia, Chile

LDBFT, Nextra,Avantel, Combellga,Operators in: El Salvador, Russia, Colombia

Class5 Sloval Telecom, China Telecom,China Netcom

Class4 China Telecom, China Netcom,Operator in Belgium

Figure 3 - Customer References, Field Proven in all Segments

Figure 4 - Best-in-Class One Click Provisioning

FederatedData

OSS/BSSFrontend

WebAccess

SOAP

Other ApplicationPlatforms

Data

GUIs

ProvisioningInterface

End User Download ClientSubscribes to Service

Data

Data

5020 CSC

5020 RGC

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch also has a powerful

intuitive element management solution allowing

it to be configured through a Windows-based

central agent, or Web-based applications, for easy

management, monitoring and troubleshooting. Far

beyond a simple command line interface, this highly

graphical user interface allows service providers

to efficiently manage their installed base of

Alcatel 5020 Softswitches.

In addition, the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch can provide

real time statistics such as call duration, total

number of rejected or accepted calls, and total

number of inbound or outbound calls, giving

service providers insight into traffic patterns,

call anomalies and other strategic data. This infor-

mation can be used to put in place revenue-

generating service level agreements and to fine-

tune the network by adding resources only when

and where they are needed.

A Distributed IMS Compliant Architecture

In line with the IMS architecture, the Alcatel

5020 Softswitch provides a modular software

architecture with open interfaces.

Compliant with IMS, the Alcatel 5020 archi-

tecture is SIP centric and built around:

> The Alcatel 5020 Call Session Controller

supporting CSCF such as AAA and service

selection as well as PSTN simulation functions.

> The Alcatel 5020 Media Gateway Controller

for class 4 supporting media gateway control

for transit interconnection.

> The Alcatel 5020 Residential Gateway

Controller: housing the H.248 interworking

which enables support of appropriate access

gateways.

> 6 ALCATEL

A SIP Centric Architecture — IMS Compliant

ControlLayer

MediaLayer

ApplicationLayer

Third Party Apps. (Parlay, XML, J2EE, ...)

8690 OSP 5950 OMP

5020 Softswitch

VoiceServices

MMServices

ContentServices

SBC

PSTN(Class 5)

Litespan AGW7670 MG

75xx MG

BB Access(SIP)

PSTN/PLMNClass 4

5020RGC

5020MGC-24

5020CSC

SIP

Figure 5 - Alcatel OPEN IMS Compliant Architecture

The architecture interoperates with best in class

commercially available Session Border Controller

functions resulting in a fully IMS-compliant fixed

public network architecture.

Figure 5 illustrates the Alcatel OPEN IMS

compliant architecture.

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch has been designed

with the ability to start small, but easily scale

beyond the capacity of a single machine. To this

end, a further function will be introduced into

the architecture in the next release referred to

as the Alcatel 5020 Subscription Location Service.

This product represents part of the function set

which is being standardized as the Home

Subscriber Server (HSS). As standards evolve,

Alcatel is committed to enhance/ align the SLS

function to a full HSS function. Figure 6

introduces this concept of large distributed

architectures and SLS.

The basic functions of the different Alcatel 5020

Softswitch components are summarized in table 1.

ALCATEL 7 >

Table 1 - Functions of the PSTN Border Node, IP Border Node and Serving Node

Node

Media Gateway Controller for Class 4

Call Session Controller

Residential Gateway Controller

Subscription Location Service

Common Provisioning Service

Element Manager

Session Border Control

Function Summary

• Interfacing to the PSTN network both at communication and CCS7 signalling level

• Interworking with the CSC when needed• Routing calls between end-user-aware networks• Trunking end user service information, not delivering

end user services

• AAA• Call control including supplementary services

(PSTN simulation)• Service brokerage• Network routing

• Interworking to support H.248 access devices • Interworking includes basic call as well

as supplementary service set

• Enable growth beyond the capacity of a single CSC • Selection of appropriate CSC at both originating

and/or terminating side of the call

• Optimized bulk and end user self provisioning based on federated data concept

• Optimized, coherent GUI interface across your applications

• GUI based element management of Alcatel 5020

• Access security• Network Address Translation• Based on best in class third party products

As the voice telecom supplier with the world’s

largest installed switching base, Alcatel is fully

committed to next generation networks. The

Alcatel Open Path to Enhanced Networking

(OPEN) program represents the optimization

and evolution of voice toward more global

communications. The OPEN program meets

all of your next generation network needs through

our vast portfolio of services, applications, solu-

tions, and products including softswitches, media

gateways, application and media servers, session

border controllers, and more.

The Alcatel 5020 Softswitch is the flagship

of the OPEN program, supporting a variety

of applications from basic IP offload and long

distance bypass to much more advanced service

packages, for which the Alcatel 5020 Softswitch

is often accompanied by the applications on the

Alcatel 8690 Open Services Platform.

> 8 ALCATEL

PART OF THE OPEN PROGRAM

Figure 6 - Large Distributed Architectures and SLS

5020 Softswitch

SIP

Subscription Location Service toEnable Distributed Configurations

5020 Softswitch

SIP

> In a distributed architecture multiple CSCs

can be used for:• Load sharing• Redundancy

> The SLS is introduced to select

the appropriate CSC

SLS, First Step Towards HSS

5020RGC

5020MGC-24

5020CSC

5020SLS

5020RGC

5020CSC

5020MGC-24

Contact us to find out more about how Alcatel

can provider you with a carrier grade solution

for your communications evolution.We provide

end to end solutions built upon Alcatel products

complemented with best in class CPE and third

party products, fully tested as part of our product

development cycle. Our solutions are designed to

meet your business and network evolution needs.

With a leading position in broadband access, serv-

ice aware quality core data infrastructure and

voice communications, we are ideally placed to

help you develop your personal service evolution.

Alcatel provides communications solutions to

telecommunication carriers, Internet service

providers and enterprises for delivery of voice,

data and video applications to their customers

or employees. Alcatel brings its leading position

in fixed and mobile broadband networks, appli-

cations and services, to help its partners and

customers build a user-centric broadband world.

With sales of EURO 12.5 billion in 2003, Alcatel

operates in more than 130 countries.

ALCATEL 9 >

THE ALCATEL SOLUTION

Alcatel and the Alcatel logo are registered trademarks of Alcatel. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Alcatel assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information presented, which is subject to change without notice. © 01 2005 Alcatel. All rights reserved. 3CL 00469 0758 TQZZA Ed.01 18875