2694 Bishop Drive, Suite 275 San Ramon, CA 94583 925.277.8110

1. Presentation to ETSI Tiphon 21Kyoto, Japan ~ Dec 5, 2000 www.softswitch.org 2694 Bishop Drive, Suite 275 San Ramon, CA 94583 925.277.8110

2. Agenda • What is a “Softswitch”? • The International Softswitch Consortium (ISC) • Mission • Working Groups • Membership • Questions & Answers

3. What is a “Softswitch”? A softswitch (a.k.a. call agent, call server or media gateway controller) is a device that provides, at a minimum: • Intelligence that controls connection services for a media gateway, and/or native IP endpoints. • The ability to select processes that can be applied to a call. • Routing for a call within the network based on signaling and customer database information. • The ability to transfer control of the call to another network element. • Interfaces to and supports management functions such as provisioning, fault, billing, etc.

4. Application Servers SS7 Gateway SIP SS7 CPL Digital Cross Connect Q.931/Q.2931 Softswitch MGCP Cellular Station MEGACO MGCP H.323 SIP IAD with DSL/Cable Modem Media Gateways The Softswitch at Work The softswitch will play a strategic role in the next-generation public network infrastructure for voice, video and data communications

5. International Softswitch Consortium • Non-profit industry organization • Formed in May 1999 • Promotes an open architecture and multivendor interoperability for next-generation voice/video/data solutions • Financed and operated by its members • Membership now includes over 140 system suppliers and service providers • Already one of the largest consortium in the “voice-over” arena

6. The ISC Mission The International Softswitch Consortium (ISC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting a worldwide, distributed architecture enabling networks to support voice, data and multimedia communications from customer premise to the core. ISC will promote worldwide compatibility and interoperability of Softswitch through an open membership policy, a commitment to open standards and protocols, ISC sponsored interoperability events, and by maintaining a forum for the identification, discussion, and definition of Softswitch components and functions.

7. Board of Directors Technical Advisory Council Working Groups Executive Director ISC’s Organizational Structure 12 Directors (elected from and by the ISC’s membership to terms of one year) who serve as the chief architects for all specifications produced by the ISC Application Architecture Carriers Device Control Marketing Session Management SIP Legal Intercept Appointed by the Board to handle the organization’s daily business

8. Terminate SS7 A/F-links • SS7/IP to other devices • Provisioning • Services • Routing • Call Control Softswitch SCP SS7 Gateway SS7 Gateway Switch Packet Circuit Open • Circuit/packet conversion • Echo cancellation • Audio processing AS AS AS Application Servers Application Working Group • Adopts interfaces for access and control of the basic and enhanced services functions of a softswitch, • Evaluates existing APIs and protocols to determine a suitable starting point for an extensible softswitch services interface • Goal is multi-vendor interoperability of services and softswitches

9. Data Plane Database Function Database Function Service Logic Function I 4 5 G Application Plane Session Control Function 3 H Leg Control Function D 6 E F Control Plane Connection/Bearer Control Function Management Plane 2 Signaling G/W Function Media Gateway Control Function 7 Gatekeeper/Proxy Function Switching Function Logical Port Function Adaptation Function A C B Transport Plane 1 8 Architecture Working Group • Advances an overall architecture for a softswitch that encompasses all functions and interfaces • Interacts with others ISC working groups to identify architectural requirements and strategies • Objective is softswitch independence from the underlying transport

10. Packet Packet Circuit Circuit Carrier Working Group • Facilitates the development of a Service Level Interface that permitsend-to-end management of QoS parameters, call connection, billing and settlement costs, and other essential functions • Identifies necessary test processes and measurements • Selects network/protocol analyzers that meet measurement requirements • Goal is multi-carrier and multi-vendor interoperability of softswitches

11. Device Control Working Group • Continuously reviews advancement of the MGCP draft specification for providing input to the IETF to identify ambiguities and desired enhancements • May submit other proposed standards for consideration by the IETF • Objective is interoperability of independently developed softswitch devices through a single, well-recognized and clear standard

12. Marketing Working Group • Increases general market awareness and acceptance of next-generation softswitch-based networking capabilities • Objective is to pursue on-going promotional and educational activities that complement the marketing efforts of ISC’s member organizations

13. Session Management Working Group • Effort includes set of requirements and potential protocol tensions, long with "Best Current Practices" documents outlining a proposed architecture, data format and transport protocol for session-specific information • Goal is to promote interoperability of network management and mediation across independently developed switching, gateway and border element devices

14. SIP Working Group • Addresses the collaboration of multiple softswitches, during the setup and teardown of calls, using the Session Initiation Protocol • Scope of work involves two essential areas: • Signaling of packet-based IP networks • Interworking of IP-based network signaling with PSTN signaling

15. Legal Intercept Working Group • Focuses on requirements for Legal Intercept. • Scope of work involves areas: • Requirements Definition for Legal Intercept • Impacts of LI in the ISC architecture • This group functions as a forum for obtaining and distributing information to members regarding interfacing with legal and regulatory agencies. This group will have open channels with various legal and regulatory agencies world-wide.

16. ISC’s Membership as of 7/2000

17. Value to ISC’s Members • Attendance at developers’ conferences and events • Exposure to market requirements and available offerings • A chance to leverage developments on related fronts • Early awareness of advancements in standards activity • A convenient means to help establish strategic partnerships • A chance promote vendor/provider-led initiatives • Risk reduction through “market smart” decisions • Ability to shape short- and long-term directions • Opportunity to influence implementors’ agreements • Use of industry-leading reference implementations • Access to the multi-vendor interoperability test lab • Formation of diverse set of best-in-class solutions

18. ISC Membership Options • Full Membership • Large Company (gross revenues exceeding 50M USD)Annual dues of 50,000 USD • Small CompanyAnnual dues of 5,000 USD • Affiliate Membership • Non-commercial organizations (e.g. educational institutions) • Annual dues of 5,000 USD All levels of membership enjoy the same voting rights and privileges

19. Conclusion • The softswitch opportunity is HUGE for both system suppliers and service providers • Success—for both the industry and individual players—requires navigation of uncharted waters • Enter the International Softswitch Consortium • The ISC is helping its members design, develop and deploy the next-generation network • The ISC is already the industry’s largest and most powerful driving force—and growing • If voice-over-packet/frame/cell is in your future, then the ISC is for you!

20. Questions & Answers