Personal communications services through the evolution of fixed andmobile communications and the intelligent network concept

New telecommunications services tend to consider fixed network subscribers' requirements as well as mobile network subscribers' requirements. On one hand, subscribers of fixed networks would like to benefit from the mobility offered in mobile networks. On the other hand, mobile subscribers would like to access to services inherent in fixed networks. Personal communications services (PCS) meet this trend while allowing fixed and mobile convergence. In this environment, the application of intelligent networks (INs) to fixed and mobile networks is very convenient to realize PCS. Thus, the natural advancement of telecommunications systems (fixed and mobile) consists in the definition of new telecommunications architectures which take into account technologies from both fixed and mobile environments. This article studies how the IN is used to support mobility and interworking for PCS. Although mobility management already exists in cellular networks like GSM, it is desirable to use the IN concept to introduce flexibility. In addition, the IN allows the introduction of new supplementary services in PCS. Furthermore, the IN concept can be utilized to provide necessary networking functions for the integration of fixed and mobile networks. This article also highlights the involvement of IN in the definition of the global communications systems such as Telecommunication Information Networking Architecture (TINA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), and International Mobile Telecommunications in the year 2000 (IMT2000)     

Network evolution in the context of the global informationinfrastructure

This article describes network evolution in the context of the global information infrastructure (GII), taking into consideration social and regulatory environments. It provides a GIIs vision for the evolution of wireless networks, which relies on the intelligent network (IN) to support the global and seamless introduction of services. It examines issues related to the Internet (e.g., resources, QoS, and security), which must be addressed properly before the Internet can be considered as the paradigm for the GII. In addition, this article discusses the software aspect of network evolution, equally applicable to all network paradigms. It focuses on the emergence of full network operating systems, which should transform networks into integrated programmable platforms supporting the development and execution of a wide range of services. Finally, this article suggests cooperation in standards definition among all players to effectively answer the technological challenges of future networks and provide both fair competition and regulated liberalization. The standardization of emerging network capabilities encompassing broadband, wireless/mobility, the Internet, and ultimately the GII, is presently ongoing in the ITU-T Study Group (SG) 13, the lead study group on the GII, and other standards organizations     

IN services for converged (Internet) telephony

Given the convergence of the PSTN and IP-based networks, it would be advantageous to transparently support access to the existing installed base of intelligent network services from packet endpoints, while simultaneously providing newer, more advanced services to said endpoints from within the IN infrastructure. In this article we describe the INSeCT (IN Services for Converged [Internet] Telephony) prototype, aimed at achieving these very goals in networks using H.323. It presents background material on VoIP and IN, then focuses on the prototype implementation     

Mobile agents - enabling technology for active intelligent networkimplementation

The emerging notion of active networks describes the general vision of communication network evolution, where the network nodes become active because they take part in the computation of applications and provision of customized services. In this context mobile agent technology and programmable switches are considered as enabling technologies. This article looks at the impact of mobile agent technology on telecommunication service environments, influenced by the intelligent network (IN) architecture. The authors illustrate how the integration of mobile agent platforms into IN elements, notably into the IN switches, will realize an active IN environment. This enables telecom services implemented through mobile service agents on a per user basis to be instantly deployed at programmable switching nodes, which results in better performance and fault tolerance compared to traditional IN service implementations     

Consideration on common channel signaling evolution for globalintelligent networking

With the evolution of digital networks and intelligent network (IN) capabilities, the role of common channel signaling has become more and more important. In respect to IN, common channel signaling would play a significant role not only inside one network but also over multiple networks. International credit card validation and internetworking for digital mobile services represented by GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) are examples which utilize internetwork signaling capabilities in the framework of the initial-phase IN. Enhanced service providers (ESPs) may access the public network through the common channel signaling interface to make use of the IN capabilities, as is being discussed in terms of ONA (open network architecture) or ONP (open network provision). This paper first identifies various scenarios where internetwork signaling interactions would take place in the framework of IN in the forthcoming era. It then identifies various requirements to cope with these scenarios. It finally discusses the directions for evolution of common channel signaling toward global intelligent networking     

Interactive digital video networks: lessons from a commercialdeployment

Broadband networks are now being used in numerous trials throughout the world to provide interactive video services for residential customers. These trials and small-scale commercial deployments lack novel applications and services that make effective use of network capabilities and attract users to experiment with them. The rapid explosion of the Internet has also played a role in the current lack of interest and investment in broadband video networks. This article examines the lessons learned from the commercial deployment of a switched fiber-coax video dial tone network in Dover Township, New Jersey, USA. Future broadband networks will have to combine the capabilities of video dial tone networks and the Internet at an attractive price. Innovative end-to-end applications that go beyond cable TV and movies on demand are needed to renew commercial interest in residential broadband networks     

Integration of intelligent network services into future GSMnetworks

This article introduces various difficulties and issues in the basic scenario of integrating intelligent networks (INs) and the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). As an example, implementation of Universal Personal Telecommunications (UPT) is considered. This article does not offer a comprehensive analysis, but rather a tutorial view. The separation of cellular networks and IN is not well suited to provide common mobility-related services. The present signaling systems do not enable transfer of mobility-related parameters, such as the cell identity and international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI). A call connection to the service switching point must be set up every time IN services are used from the GSM network. The same information is stored in several network elements, and service creation and management are complex. With those disabilities in mind, two integration scenarios are introduced and their characteristics are compared. However, the aim is not to give detailed guidance for implementation, but rather to introduce different options and describe their most significant characteristics. It is important to be able to provide mobility-based information directly to the IN. Flexible integration calls for changes both in mobile exchanges and signalling systems. Mobile exchanges will be built with additional IN functionality and, in fact, future signalling systems will better carry mobility-related information. Mobility can be implemented with a rather small investment, provided that there are digital exchanges and transmission systems and the basic infrastructure has already been built. The required intelligence can be offered by using the existing Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or IN architecture     

The intelligent network in France

The introduction of an intelligent network (IN) architecture in France by France Telecom is described. Two main technical issues of present IN architecture are discussed: the programming interface to be used for service creation and the control-resource interface such as the SSP/SCP interface. The long-term evolution of IN, including the application to networks other than public switched telephone networks (PSTN) and the development of operating systems to handle IN-supported services, is outlined. Major technical problems in implementing a global IN architecture are also discussed     

基于TMN的智能网网络管理

随着电信技术和业务的迅猛发展，智能网新业务不断投入运营，大量的ＩＮ设备进入了电信网络，因此迫切需要与之相拳ＩＮ网络管理技术。本文重点讨论了如何将计算机和电信方法用于ＩＮ的网络管理，并根据电信管理网络的结构和协议来实现ＩＮ的网络管理。     

Provision of unified IN functionality in the context of IMS

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) represents an attempt for networks convergence, allowing users of rich-content applications to communicate through any access network type. In the near future, IMS is expected to give operators and content providers the flexibility to exploit a multitude of new communication applications in a harmonized communication environment of heterogeneous IP networks. However, despite its merits, the standardization process of IMS networks is lagging behind, leaving harmonization issues of services provisioning, open. In this effort, main hindering factor is the existence of similar implementations customized per network technology. Particularly in what concerns the Intelligent Network (IN) services, these are provided in mobile networks by CAMEL (Customised Applications for Mobile networks Enhanced Logic) and in fixed networks by INAP (IN Application Part). With regard to this problem, the present work introduces a method for integrating into the context of IMS communications all types of IN logic that nowadays are available only in legacy networks. The key element of this method is a service interrogation logic, called IN-OAG (IN-Open Architecture Gateway), which can be integrated on the P-CSCF (Proxy-Call Service Control Function) component of IMS, as an enhancement for supporting IN interoperability. IN-OAG is dedicated to implementing interoperability between the core IMS and mobile, wireless or fixed networks. The functionality of the proposed architecture is shown through several example scenarios.     

Methods of addressing the interactions of intelligent networkservices with embedded switch services

A key factor in the transition of the existing network to an intelligent network (IN) environment is the need to partition the network intelligence and to ensure the coexistence of the embedded switch services with the externally controlled services. If the network intelligence can be defined by entities (e.g. access control and routing, connection control, basic call control, feature control, etc.), then the issue is how to manage their distribution over the evolving network elements (NEs). The authors focus on the early phases of the IN, during a 1991-2 time frame, when these features must interwork with the existing features (e.g. those within the Centrex service). They provide an overview of the features interactions and arbitration policies prevailing in today's network. They then describe the framework for both single- and multinode networked features models. The issues of call control distributed over the NEs of the IN are treated as extensions to the concepts and interfaces needed to provide networked services like areawide Centrex and private virtual networks. A model for offering IN/1+ services is described     

Building a signaling protocol architecture for future mobile networks

Third-generation mobile systems are emerging. These systems will support a unified user access to a variety of services, including the existing mobile and fixed network (PSTN, N-ISDN) services, the enhanced multimedia and multiparty services envisaged for broadband networks, and personal communication services as well. The role of signaling is predominant in building a flexible, efficient, and evolving system. The aim of this paper is to provide a framework for developing a signaling protocol architecture for future mobile networks. The study especially focuses on the universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS). Within this framework various design and operational requirements imposed on UMTS can be satisfied. A method to deal with the functional complexity of UMTS is provided. Mobile networks are viewed as integral parts of the broadband infrastructure and are built upon the IN principles.     

TMN and new network architectures

The impact of telecommunication management network (TMN) concepts when applied to the management of newly emerging network architectures is illustrated using the example of intelligent networks (INs). An in-depth comparison of TMN and IN architectural aspects leads to a number of conclusions showing a significant degree of commonality between the two networks. The IN is analyzed as a telecommunication network architecture aimed at reducing service creation and modification development costs and delays. This approach unifies the processing techniques for a number of highly diversified network services. Similarly, the TMN, which covers a wide range of management resources organized into a unique architecture, tends to unify operation, administration, and maintenance (OAM) for complex and evolving communication networks, despite their highly diverse network components     

The intelligent network concept

The intelligent network (IN) concept evolved from the networks which are planned or in existence in 1988 to provide network services such as the 800 service. The IN architecture will require an expansion of the capabilities which recognize the need for specialized processing and formulate a query to a database system. The expanded capabilities, along with an expected increase in the number of calls requiring special processing, place greater demands on system resources. The distributed nature of service implementation, along with the complex interactions among services, requires advanced, highly efficient operations. The authors describe the IN architecture and the process of creating a service in that environment. An illustrative example is include     

Advanced intelligent networks: now a reality

This paper looks first at the background to the development of intelligent networking concepts and then tracks this development to the advanced intelligent networks (AINs) of today. The network architecture and basic nodal functions are explained, and a brief review given of the essential intelligent network building blocks, namely the IN (intelligent network) call model and the enhanced CCITT No.7 signalling system. Typical intelligent network services are examined and the tutorial finishes with a review of the latest IN standards     

中国发展智能网的设想

智能网(IN)是90年代电信网的主要发展方向之一。本文就智能网的定义、概念模型、构成及业务种类作了详细介绍,探讨了我国智能网的发展方向,并提出若干建议。     

IBIS: a testbed for the evolution of intelligent broadband networkstoward TINA

This article analyzes a possible path for the evolution of telecommunication networks toward open distributed architectures like the TINA-C architecture. The results of a research project called IBIS carried out within the CoRiTeL Laboratory are presented. The IBIS project starts from the activities of the ACTS project INSIGNIA, which has proposed and demonstrated an architecture for the integration of the intelligent network concept over B-ISDN platforms (the so-called intelligent broadband network, IBN). In the IBIS approach, TINA service components replace the traditional IN service logic, providing the intelligence needed to control broadband services in a very flexible and open environment. The handling of the transport connections is performed in a more traditional way, exploiting the capability offered by the IBN. This article focuses on how the TINA and IBN paradigms can profitably interact, providing the intelligence to support advanced multimedia services     

Evolutionary trends in intelligent networks

A number of groups are currently developing technologies aimed at evolving and enhancing the capabilities of intelligent networks. In this article we discuss three of these initiatives: PINT, Parlay, and IN/CORBA interworking. The IETF PINT work addresses how Internet applications can request and enrich telecommunications services. The Parlay consortium is specifying an object-oriented service control API that facilitates the access, control, and configuration of IN services by enterprise IT systems. The OMG's IN/CORBA interworking specification enables CORBA-based systems to interwork with existing IN infrastructure, thereby promoting the adoption of CORBA for the realization of IN functional entities. We address how all three of these technologies could be deployed together in order to provide a basis for a more flexible and open IN architecture. We also identify a number of common trends and potential pitfalls highlighted by current work on the evolution of IN     

Using TINA concepts for IN evolution

This article proposes solutions that use TINA concepts for the future evolution of IN. It focuses on the specific need to provide a software architecture for the IN service control function which controls the transport network through INAP. After giving an overview of the TINA architecture, the article examines how it can be applied to IN. Several aspects are considered, such as architectural modeling, application of software technology and methodology, and definition of sets of standard open interfaces. The article concludes with a view on related activities in industrial fora     

Effects on TCP of routing strategies in satellite constellations

A broadband satellite network uses a constellation of a number of similar satellites to provide wireless networking services to the Earth. A number of these constellation networks are under development. This article introduces the types of satellite constellation networks, and examines how overall performance of TCP communications carried across such a network can be affected by the choice of routing strategies used within the network. Constellations utilizing direct intersatellite links are capable of using multiple paths between satellites simultaneously as a strategy to spread network load. This allows more general routing strategies than shortest-path routing, but we show these strategies to be detrimental to the performance of individual TCP connections