Ken, I'm looking for better descriptions of what the two carriers actually did, i.e., how and what they configured from NT. Sometimes these releases are way too vague. I posted what I 'surmised' was taking place, and feel pretty confident about it, but I'll post more if I get better information. On the surface, however, the moves appear to to be positive ones.
I noticed that you posted about this same release on the NT thread. You made mention of LU's similar intentions at one time and asked whatever happened to it.
What I recall, and this held true for NT at the time as well, was that both were attempting to retrofit their Class 5s - the LU 5E and NT DMS - with new line card interfaces to subscriber loops that would accommodate both VoIP and DSL for carriers and users who elected to take the plunge, at the time. I'm fairly certain that both vendors released products to do this, and maybe some have been deployed. I seem to recall LU's modified line cards being deployed for some limited applications. But, apparently, this earlier approach to convergence, which preceded softswitch technology by about two years, is now being viewed for the band aid that it was.
Having said that, LU has made a substantial investment in softswitch technology, too. And if that is what you were referring to, I only know of one or two large deployments of their release, and those are suited more to the Class 4 replacement space than to end offices, for long haul voip applications. This is not to suggest that they couldn't also be used for dialup modem handling, too, managing Internet call traffic to ISPs (the way others do).
If someone with more authority in this area can correct, or comment on, this, I'd appreciate it.
FAC |
