Next Generation Networks: Paradigm Shifts and their Effects

1. Next Generation Networks: Paradigm Shifts and their Effects Source: Rapporteur Q1/13 (Keith Knightson) Keith Knightson 1806 Lahey Court Kanata Ontario, K2W 1B2 CANADA Tel: +1 613 839 0404 E-mail: kgk@igs.net

2. Abstract: This presentation has two primary objectives: a) the formulation of a set of paradigm(s) to represent the holistic effects and major changes that will result from deployment of NGN technologies; b) identification the areas that will be impacted by effects and impacts of the NGN paradigm(s) on the telecommunications environment (including telecommunications industry and related infrastructures), and other relevant issues. The general challenges of converged networks to technical policy will be discussed.

3. Legacy: Vertically-Integrated Networks Pre-NGN Video Services (TV, movie, etc) Telephone Services Data Services (WWW, e-mail, etc) Video Services Network Telephone Services Network Data Services Network Policy Area 1 Policy Area 2 Policy Area 3

4. NGN: Horizontally-Integrated Network NGN - Convergence Video Services (TV, movie, etc) Data Services (WWW, e-mail, etc) Telephone Services Services Point to point, Point to multipoint, Multipoint to multipoint Transport Point to point, Point to multipoint, Multipoint to multipoint

5. Single point Or Distributed Application Application Server Application Server Switched Core Packet Network(s) Switched Access Network(s) Users Switched Access Network(s) Users Transport Protocol Interworking Transport Protocol Interworking Separation of Service from Network

6. Re-distribution of Service Intelligence Migration of Service Intelligence Access Domain Access Domain User Domain User Domain Core Domain

7. Impacts and Effects on Service Provision - 1 • The separation facilitates the unbundling of services and facilities (in both access and core). • Each vertical stratum of NGN has its own horizontal architecture. • The location of service platforms is not restricted. • Telecom industry will bifurcate to reflect the new NGN architecture. • NGN architecture will facilitate competition and innovation among service providers. • Service intelligence will migrate to the edges.

8. Impacts and Effects on Service Provision - 2 • Telephone service will not follow the traditional centrex, local or long distance approaches. • Policy frameworks designed for vertically-integrated networks are not transferable to a horizontally-integrated NGN. • In an NGN, two separate policy frameworks are required: • one applicable to transport networks, and • another applicable to content-based services.

9. NGN  Internet But NGN = Internet +  f(x) x = n x = 1 Internet is Basis for NGN?

10. NGN: Shape of things to come (Any/All Applications e.g. voice , data , video) Services Anything & Everything Scope Of “Internet” Internet Protocol (IP) Transport Everything (Any & All Network technologies) Two Policy Domains

11. Non-IP Services Applications Application Helpers (UDP, TCP, RTP, etc) IP MPLS or shim Ethernet (Optional) LAN or MAN Optical Bit Transport Simplified Protocol Architecture

12. Impacts and Effects of Internet as NGN - 1 • IP will become the networking protocol of choice. • Frame Relay and ATM will diminish in importance. • Optical networks will be a key component. • The power and influence of ITU-T will wane, unless operators act. • Operational and quality standards of networks may decline. • Whose standards will become the basis for international agreements?

13. Impacts and Effects of Internet as NGN - 2 • Theoretically, NGN promotes competitive service innovation. • Broadband brings more speed, but may restrict the user’s choice of services and service providers. • User’s life will become more complicated. • Services need to be unbundled from transport particularly in access network. • Policy vacuum exists for converged, horizontally-integrated NGN. • The “technical basis” for policy must be separated from policy itself.

14. Broadband: Equal Access Model SP2 SP4 SP5 SP1 SP3 Access or Backbone Access or Backbone User1 User2 SP = Service Provider

15. Broadband: Bottleneck Access Model SP4 SP3 SP5 SP6 SP7 Backbone Backbone SP1 SP2 Access Access User5 User6 User2 User3 User1 User4

16. Impacts and Effects on Broadband - 1 • The separation facilitates the unbundling of services and facilities. • Access should permit: • independent provision of terminal equipment, • user choice for service provision, and • use of multiple service providers. • Policy recognition of two access frameworks: • Equal Service Access Architecture, and • Bottlenecked Service Access Architecture. • Mass migration from dial-up access can be expected.

17. Impacts and Effects on Broadband - 2 • Standards need to be rationalized among access systems such as DSL, cable wireless, etc. • User lock-in is a common issue, due to proprietary and bundled systems. • No technical reason why all services (voice, data, video) cannot be supplied over a single physical medium, i.e. integrated services access. • Policy may be key to deployment of integrated services access and choice/competition. •

18. Impacts and Effects on Telephone Service • Traditional PSTN telco models not transferable to Internet. • The telephone service needs to be considered separately from the delivery systems (in line with models for the gas, electricity, railway sectors). • Maintenance of traditional telephone service functionality is an area for concern. • The Internet will become part of telecommunications, and vice-versa. • There is a need for a requirements definition for telephone service(s).

19. Impacts and Effects on Telephone Service • Telecommunications should be regarded as a generic term covering all forms of communication. • The role of the Internet in the provision of telecommunications services needs to be recognized. • Policy designed for one kind of vertically-integrated network will not be transposable to another kind, and particularly not to a converged NGN. • No adequate technical model exists for a converged NGN, which can be used for consistent consideration of areas and issues where policy might or might not be required. • A new technical framework is required to identify technical areas for policy consideration.

20. What means what? • When we speak of Internet what exactly do we mean? IP? DNS? NAS? E-mail? Web-sites? Voice Servers? • When we speak of Telecommunications what exactly do we mean? PSTN, PSTN plus voice services? Cable-TV systems? Ethernet? Huge terminology problem No consistent basis for policy determination

21. Impacts and Effects on Policy - 1 • Telecommunications should be regarded as a generic term covering all forms of communication. • The role of the Internet in the provision of telecommunications services needs to be recognized. • Policy designed for one kind of vertically-integrated network will not be transposable to another kind, and particularly not to a converged NGN. • No adequate technical model exists for a converged NGN, which can be used for consistent consideration of areas and issues where policy might or might not be required.

22. Impacts and Effects on Policy - 2 • A new technical framework is needed to deal with the convergent environment provided by an NGN to: • provide a consistent set of terms and definitions, • illustrate NGN environment, • identify areas and issues where policy may be required, and • Generally illustrate the challenges of convergence.

23. Impacts and Effects on Broadband - 1 • Standards need to be rationalized among access systems such as DSL, cable wireless, etc. • User lock-in is a common issue, due to proprietary and bundled systems. • No technical reason why all services (voice, data, video) cannot be supplied over a single physical medium, i.e. integrated services access. • Policy may be key to deployment of integrated services access and choice/competition. •

24. Point-to-multipoint Switched services Point-to-point Analogue Cable Ethernet ATM TDM FR Spectrum Wires & Cables DSL Possible Way Forward? Content Services T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S I N T E R N E T E-mail TV programming Web-based services Policy Domain 2 Movies Radio programming Telephony Other Network Connectivity Services Wireline Wireless Policy Domain 1 Internet Transport

25. Conclusions Need for: • Tools to assist policy-makers to meet the challenges of convergence and converged networks. • Tools to position technologies into appropriate policy domains. • Appropriate terms and definitions. Why: • Things ain’t what they used to be. • Technology has overtaken policy. • A new overarching approach has to be taken. • Potential policy impacts of converged networks have to be articulated. Not about: • Policy itself, just the technical underpinnings.

26. Next Generation Networks: The Challenges of Convergence Supplementary Information

27. Telephone Service(s) • Certain expectations/requirements wrt PSTN: • 911 capabilities • Lawful interception • Number portability • Local/long distance differentiation • Good QoS • Reliability • Calling/Called party identification • Disaster Relief • Points of Interconnection and standards • Internet-based Telephone Service (over cable, etc) • ? Service is separate from delivery system

28. Radio/Video Service(s) Trends • Internet-based Radio programming • Internet-based TV programming • Broadcast is a technical “mechanism” not a content service. • Programming is content Again: Service is separate from delivery system

29. Terminology Examples - 1 • US FCC - Policy Paper no. 36 • Basic Service networks - no network processing (i.e telephony technology). • Enhanced Service networks - network processing (i.e. packet technology) with PSTN access model, and viewed as Enhanced over Basic. • Telephony over IP becomes Basic over Enhanced! • Definitions of Basic and Enhanced Services conflict with Voice Services over IP, and with Broadband Access. Flawed technical framework = Flawed Policy

30. Old technical basis New technical basis Terminology Examples - 2 • EU Green Paper on Convergence • Policies cannot be assumed to be 1:1 transposable from one vertical network to another, nor to a single network. • EU Directive 21* New definitions being proposed: Electronic Communications Network (ECN) Electronic Communications Service (ECS)

31. Typical questions to be answered - 1 • What constitutes a public telephone service? • Is the telephone service tied to the PSTN? • Should the telephone service have a set of defined minimum requirements/characteristics (and what should they be)? • Should telephone services be categorized, i.e. Minimum, Basic, Supplementary, Enhanced, etc? • Is the Internet a public service? • What effect does separation of services and network have on policy? • If services and transport are to be technically separated, should policies also be so separated? • What is the technical scope and extent of telecommunications?

32. Typical questions to be answered - 2 • Is there a distinction between the Internet a telecommunications network? If so what? • What is the meaning universal service in the context of a converged NGN? • What services are deemed essential in the context of a converged NGN? • Do the following technical provisions apply equally well to NGNs: • Emergency services (data, voice, or both)? • Disaster Relief capabilities (data, voice, or both)? • Lawful interception (data, voice, or both)? • How would national numbering be affected by Internet Telephony:

33. Typical questions to be answered - 3 • How would national numbering be affected by Internet Telephony: • What is the technical scope of E.164 numbers? • User issues (number portability from PSTN to Internet)? • Allocation issues (e.g. telco versus ISPs)? • Rights and ownership of numbers?