ATIS Interoperability

1. ATIS Interoperability James McEachern, NA Standards Director, GENBAND Global Standards Collaboration (GSC) GSC-15

2. Highlight of Current Activities (1) • Technical standards development including contributions to the ITU-T and other global standards groups • ATIS’ Next Generation Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NGIIF) focuses on Next Gen network interconnection and interoperability • network architecture, • management, • testing, • operations, and • facilitates the exchange of information concerning these topics.

3. Highlight of Current Activities (2) • ATIS’ IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF) • Currently working on Use and Test Cases for joint MSF/IIF IPTV Interoperability test event in Q1/2011 • ATIS’ PTSC Next Generation-Carrier Interconnection (NG-CI) Task Force • Phase 1 IP network to network interconnection guidelines have been completed. These provide physical configuration, protocol suite profile, operational information to be exchanged between carriers, and test suites in order to support conformance and interoperability testing. • Currently working to complete Phase 2 IP network to network interconnection guidelines, including defining approaches for validating these guidelines. • ATIS’ Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF) • Developed Request for Assistance Interface (RFAI) standard (for transition to Next Gen Emergency Services) and collaborated with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) for interop testing during its Industry Collaboration Event in May 2010.

4. Strategic Direction • Since 1984, ATIS has frequently reviewed the range of options to assess how it could most effectively promote interoperability, e.g.: • Develop technical standards, and programs to inform industry about these standards • Provide guidelines to facilitate interconnection • Conduct Interoperability tests • Develop test suites • The rapid pace of technology development, the desire to promote innovation and to address user needs responsively have led ATIS to focus primarily on the development of technical standards and increasing industry knowledge of these standards • Complementing this, ATIS provides guidance related to interconnection (e.g., templates, testing) and occasionally sponsors targeted testing programs. • Validates that standards are “interoperable”

5. Strategic Direction • In parallel with its standards development activities, ATIS provides an open forum to facilitate discussion and resolution of the operational and interoperability issues necessary to effectively interconnect multiple service provider businesses • The NGIIF, in general, developed guidelines and templates for interoperability and, where deemed appropriate, testing • In several very special cases, ATIS has sponsored one-time, interoperability testing programs to meet targeted, national needs, e.g. • Stress testing of Signaling System 7 Note: ATIS and its members have played prominent roles in FCC Advisory Committees on the topics of interoperability and interconnection. • With the pace of change and the complexity of user needs and demands, ATIS will continue to actively evaluate how to best address interoperability.

6. Challenges • Standards processes, while promoting interoperability, should also foster innovation, competition and infrastructure development that address user needs on a timely and cost-effective basis. • The inclusion of options, ambiguities, etc., in standards make interoperability more difficult, but reflect the realities of consensus-development and the need for users to decide what features and capabilities meet their needs. • Compliance with technical standards does not guarantee interoperability. • Innovations in user applications and in network capabilities to support them are driving the development of standards. • These challenges can be mitigated through interop “profiles” backed by detailed test specifications for the profile • IIF Test specs • PTSC NG-CI guidelines

7. Next Steps/Actions • ATIS groups are continuing to develop standards that can be used to promote interoperability and facilitate interconnection negotiations. This includes contributing to the ITU and global standards efforts. • ATIS will continue to outreach to others to inform them regarding technologies, applications and their standards. • ATIS will continue to partner with other PSOs and the ITU on efforts that effectively promote interoperability, innovation, competition, and cost-effective infrastructure deployment to address market needs on a timely basis. • As it has in the past, where appropriate, ATIS will host specific interoperability testing programs that address targeted industry needs (e.g., MSF/IIF IPTV Interop Event).

8. Proposed Resolution No changes proposed to existing Resolution (GSC-14/28) at this time.

9. Supplemental Slides

10. Additional Current Activities (1) • Technical standards development including contributions to the ITU-T and other global standards groups: • ATIS’ Packet Technologies and Systems Committee (PTSC) • ATIS’ Network Performance Reliability and Quality of Service Committee (PRQC) • ATIS’ Telecom Management and Operations Committee (TMOC) • ATIS’ IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF) • ATIS’ 3GPP effort

11. Additional Current Activities (2) • ATIS members continue to work with colleagues around the world to progress NGN interoperability through the development of interface and performance standards including in the ITU-T and 3GPP. • The focus is on specifications on topics such as: • Services • Architecture • Signaling • Quality of Service • Security • Network Management • Emergency Communications • Identity Management

12. Additional Current Activities (3) • ATIS’ Next Generation Interconnection Interoperability Forum (NGIIF) • addresses next-generation network interconnection and interoperability issues associated with emerging technologies. Specifically, it develops operational procedures which involve the network aspects of architecture, disaster preparedness, installation, maintenance, management, reliability, routing, security, and testing between network operators. • addresses issues which impact the interconnection of existing and next generation networks and facilitate the transition to emerging technologies.

13. Additional Current Activities (4) • ATIS’ IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF) Testing and Interoperability Committee • develops the necessary test scripting and test planning for the interoperability of ATIS IIF standards and addresses IPTV interoperability issues, providing recommended courses of action for mitigation of the identified issues.

14. Additional Current Activities (5) • PTSC Next Generation-Carrier Interconnection (NG-CI) Task Force • Mission - develop an IP network to network interconnection guideline that will provide physical configuration, protocol suite profile, operational information to be exchanged between carriers, and test suites in order to support conformance and interoperability testing. • Scope - A testing environment and tests will be defined that can be used to perform interoperability testing of various services between two carriers. Initial focus of the NG-CI TF will be voice and VoIP services Interconnection over IP-based links/networks.