RE: Packet cable with CO
Mike, sorry for the late response- it's been busy.
Packet (typically a managed IP) voice is primarily used as an access mechanism in
cable today, and very likely tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow as well. That
means you use IP from the set top/teminal, through the DOCSIS/HFC network, until
you reach the head end. At the head end IP voice packets will go to a "media
gateway" (MG) that converts the IP voice packets into T1 circuit channels. Then it
goes to the Central Office.
The CO thinks these T1 circuits are rather like dumb PBX or digital subscriber line
group, and treats it as 'normal' subscriber line. Thus, you get the same features,
billing, management, etc. as with a normal subscriber line. That's good, since it exists
today. That's bad, because you only get the CO like features, not the nifty internet
integrated stuff we are all told we want.
In the future, the MG will go out into the PSTN network as if they were trunks, and a
piece of software on a workstation (called the Media Gateway Controller, or MGC)
will emulate the CO features, and be able to do more of the nifty features we are all
told we want. |
