ETSI NGN Interconnect Workshop

VoIP has been deployed for years, but VoIP is still just emerging as a viable alternative to replace the PSTN completely. The challenges of technical interconnection between networks are being solved as the standards mature and as VoIP equipment vendors improve their platforms. However, the challenge of solving the business problem of interconnect between carriers is just beginning. To replace the PSTN, the VoIP model must provide an economic incentive for ubiquitous interconnection among all VoIP networks - this requires intercarrier settlement.

Finding a solution for Next Generation Network (NGN) interconnect and settlement is becoming a relevant and popular topic. This week ETSI TISPAN is hosting a Workshop on Interconnection. The scope of the workshop will cover all aspects of the creation of a global standard for the IP interconnection of NGN services. It will aim to address interconnection requirements elaborated by GSMA and other organizations and how they could be taken to standardization in 3GPP and TISPAN, toward the timely creation of standards for the interconnection of next generation of IP services.

At TransNexus, we believe that the ETSI Open Settlement Protocol (OSP) has already defined a technical solution for the cascading settlement requirements defined by the GSMA. To learn more about how OSP can be used for NGN interconnect and settlement see: www.transnexus.com/White%20Papers/NGN_Settlement_using_OSP.pdf.