Elk,
Here is a partial list of BIG companies which make hardware that facilitates phone to phone conversation via Internet. And there are at least 6-10 small to medium size companies making only hardware for gateways/routers for the same application. Franklin Telecom is one amongst the small sized companies. Many are not waaaay behind our IT leader - Franklin Telecommunications, but pretty close to delivering these products to customers as you will find reading the following few press releases. Hopefully you get the an idea of competition Franklin will have to face! I am not saying that it is not impossible for our Franklin Telecommunications to out pace all these companies in selling gateways, but I think you are smart enough to guess the odds for which to happen. Happy investing.
Gunther.
Big Companies:
IBM
Dialogic Corp.
Lucent
Motorola.
Rockwell
Siemens
Ericsson
Cisco
3Com
Ericsson:
ERICSSON GSM ON THE NET INTRODUCES POWERFUL NEW ALLIANCE OF GSM AND INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES Date: Jun 30, 1998
Ericsson GSM on the Net will bring together the world's most
successful digital wireless standard and the world's most popular
data networking technology
Ericsson announces 'GSM on the Net', the powerful new business
communications system that will integrate GSM wireless
communications and Internet Protocol (IP) technology.
Ericsson GSM on the Net provides a total business communications
solution built on one, standards-based infrastructure for all
communications: voice, datacom and video. Users can move between
terminals such as PC phones, multimedia terminals, or fixed IP
phones, depending on their communications needs. With a GSM
terminal, both local and global mobility is achieved.
The basic principle behind Ericsson GSM on the Net is the
integration of GSM wireless communications into a LAN/intranet
environment, in effect giving companies their own mini GSM network.
The solution makes use of an existing LAN infrastructure and
administration resources, with traditional mobile telecoms switching
and subscriber administration functions being handled within the
office. Because the system's IP network infrastructure is based on
standard network servers, rather than on telecoms equipment,
installation, transport and equipment costs are all reduced.
A prototype system of GSM on the Net has been developed and
demonstrated for GSM operators.
Ericsson GSM on the Net is based on the H.323 standard for
multimedia, packet-based transport. Call control (signaling at call
set-up) is logically separated from the connection (data flow
between servers, gateways and terminals), paving the way for true
multimedia communications. Ericsson GSM on the Net offers a safe
migration from circuit-switched to IP infrastructure, through staged
addition, upgrade and replacement of equipment.
Ericsson GSM on the Net is built around a number of components,
based on GSM and Internet technology, which are all connected via an
enterprise network using the IP network layer protocol:
- Base Transceiver Station (BTS) with IP interface, to provide
in-building coverage
- Service Node to handle call processing, user administration,
address translation and call services, implemented as an H.323
compatible server
- Gateway node for transcoding, protocol coversion and signal
translation between the internal intranet, applications and PBX
(if used) and external PSTN/ISDN, GSM and Internet networks
- Wireless Access Node to handle GSM signaling and location
register functions, implemented as an application on a server
- Application Node to provide application specific services,
implemented on a server
- Optional IP/LAN telephones and PC telephony application
software.
Lucent:
The Internet Telephony Server - E (ITS-E), offered by Lucent
Technologies, is an Microsoft Windows NT* server-based solution that
places voice and fax calls over IP (TCP/IP) networks (like the Internet or
Intranets) using voice compression software developed by elemediaTM,
a division of Bell Labs. ITS-E works with the DEFINITYr ECS and most
existing telephone systems and is connected to the PBX via a T1/E1 Tie
Line or analog line interface. On the IP network side, the ITS-E is
connected via a standard 10/100BaseT Ethernet interface. ITS-E
supports calling between two standard telephone sets or two fax
machines. ITS-E also supports calls between a telephone and an H.323
standard Voice over IP PC program, such as Microsoft NetMeeting*.
Some of the key benefits of the ITS-E are:
Reducing long distance voice and fax expenses
Facilitating global communications
Supporting new applications and new ways to communicate
Providing data and voice convergence - one full function network
Leveraging current telephone systems
Optimizing networks and resources
Overview of Internet Telephony Server - E
Calls at one location, e.g., New York, are routed by the PBX to the ITS-E
instead of the Public Switched Telephone Network. The ITS-E either
compresses the voice signal or demodulates the fax information,
packetizes the resulting information and sends it out over the IP network.
The ITS-E at the far-end, e.g., Tokyo, reverses the process and sends
the signal to the PBX which routes it to the destination phone or fax
machine. The primary advantage is that presently calls can be made
without incurring the costs associated with using the PSTN. ITS-E also
supports a PC client on the IP network initiating a voice call to any of the
phones via one of the ITS-Es. The ITS-E converts the call from
compressed IP information to standard telephony format and also
indicates to the PBX the phone number of the called party.
SIEMENS DEMONSTRATES INTERXPRESS -- THE INDUSTRY'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE IP TELEPHONY SOLUTION - AT VON
CONFERENCE
Leading edge solution is versatile, scalable and complete
BOCA RATON, Fla., March 25, 1998 - Siemens Telecom Networks has introduced and will demonstrate the InterXpress family of solutions for Internet Protocol (IP) telephony, the most
comprehensive suite of products available for large-scale IP telephony deployments.
Following an international demonstration at CeBit '98 in Hannover, Germany (the world's largest computer show), the versatile, carrier-grade solution will be demonstrated at the Siemens exhibit
at the Voice on the Net (VON) Conference, March 30 - April 2 in San Jos‚, Calif. The InterXpress solution is being evaluated in international and domestic trials with multiple telecom service
providers.
Siemens is the first equipment vendor to provide a complete global solution of carrier-class hardware and software that meets the needs of new and existing service providers for IP telephony.
The Siemens InterXpress solution consists of client software; interworking units (gateways and gatekeepers) that mediate traffic between the IP network and the public switched telephone
network (PSTN); network services servers that authorize, authenticate, route and rate IP telephony calls; and management and customer care servers to provision, bill and operate the service.
Capitalizing upon its expertise in voice communications and central office platforms, Siemens has built the InterXpress product line to enable the highest levels of service quality. It integrates the
PSTN with the Internet and IP-based networks by enabling phone-to-phone, phone-to-PC, PC-to-phone and PC-to-PC communications over the Internet. The client software provides telephone
quality, real-time, full-duplex, point-to-multipoint voice communication. In addition, InterXpress customers can expand their revenue opportunities by offering high-quality fax services to end
users.
The InterXpress solution differentiates itself from existing IP telephony solutions by delivering true carrier-grade functionality. It is standards-based (H.323, SNMP) and provides open application
programming interfaces for value-added applications and integration with legacy systems. The InterXpress family is universally deployable and supports a wide variety of services, interface
types and a multitude of users in hierarchical scalable service domains. The InterXpress solution is software upgradable and provides near real-time billing, integration with legacy billing
systems and settlement functions for inter-carrier accounting. It also provides secure account information and management access.
InterXpress features scalability and redundancies that are prerequisites for any carrier-class application. The open interface and standards-based architecture provides our global customers
an unprecedented amount of flexibility in adding new features as the market evolves.
Siemens Telecom Networks' Internet Solutions Business Unit has worldwide responsibility for Internet products and applications for carriers providing public telecommunications services,
bringing to bear the full strength of Siemens' innovation and market know-how and offering a complete Internet package enabling existing and potential network operators to offer a full range of
Internet services. This includes ISP solutions, carrier-grade, voice-over-IP solutions, integration services, applications development and customer support services. Home page:
www.internet.siemens.com.
Siemens Telecom Networks is a leading provider of solutions to the public network service providers in North America. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., the company designs and
manufactures digital central office switching equipment, access network solutions, broadband switching systems, wireless solutions, end-to-end multimedia solutions, Internet solutions, network
management products and transmission products. Siemens Telecom Networks is a subsidiary of Siemens AG, which has annual revenues of $63.7 billion (FY 96-97) and has operations in 193
countries. Home page: www.stn.siemens.com.
Clarent:
Clarent Gateway TechnicalSpecifications
General Description
Internet telephony gateway for connecting telephone voice calls and
FAX over the Internet or a TCP/IP intranet.
Product Highlights
Voice Quality: Patent pending technology improves packet loss recovery, reduces
latency and delivers the best sound quality within the lowest bandwidth.
FAX: Clarent provides flexible, real-time fax.
Growth: 4-port to 24-port gateways can be "mixed and matched". Gateways are
stackable. SS7/C7 and PRI-ISDN. T1,E1, Analog and PBX connections
support worldwide networks.
Management: Service Editor and IVR toolbox allow flexible customization of
voice prompts. Account and billing information is RSA encrypted to keep it
safe. SNMP support. Interacts with billing, call routing and network
administration in the Clarent Command Center software package.
CPU
Single or Dual 200MHz IntelrPentiumr
Pro processors, 64MB RAM
Telephony Interface
T1/E1: Framing - D4, ESF, CEPT,
LineCode - AMI, B8ZS, HDB3
Analog: POTS lines (RJ-11)
Signaling Protocol
SS7/C7: ITU, ANSI
PRI-ISDN: USNational-2, INS 1500,
EuroISDN
Chassis
Heavy-duty steel with locking front panel
Rack mountable (some additional equipment required)
19" W x 26" D x 8 3/4" (5u) H, weight approx. 55 lbs.
Cisco:
The Cisco 3600 voice/fax network modules enable voice and fax traffic to be routed over IP networks. Integrating voice applications onto IP networks is a natural
extension of Cisco's IP networking expertise. This effort also leverages Cisco's proven track record in effectively handling time-sensitive traffic such as Systems
Network Architecture (SNA) over IP networks. Cisco IOSTM software, with its built-in quality-of-service (QoS) features, is the primary enabler of business-quality
voice and fax, even over low-bandwidth WAN connections. With the ubiquity of IP networks, many customers will benefit from the attractive economics of IP-based
voice/fax solutions, including companies that use a mix of WAN technologies such as Frame Relay, leased lines, and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and
companies that intend to extend voice capabilities to desktop applications.
The Cisco 3600 voice/fax network modules slide into Cisco 3620 and 3640 chassis slots and contain either one or two voice interface card (VIC) slots. The VICs are
daughter cards that slide into the voice/fax network modules. Just as the Cisco 3600 WAN interface cards can be swapped with other WAN interface cards, the Cisco
3600 VICs can be deployed interchangeably with other VICs in the voice/fax network modules. These built-in flexibility and investment protection features are key
reasons for the increasing popularity of the Cisco 3600 platform.
Key Features at a Glance
Voice/fax over IP
Router-based, modular design
High-performance digital signal processing (DSP) architecture
Cisco IOS QoS features (Resource Reservation Protocol [RSVP], Weighted Fair Queuing [WFQ], fragmentation and interleave)
Compatibility with H.323 standard for audio- and videoconferencing
Works with existing phone and fax equipment
Applications
Intracompany Phone Calling and Faxing
The most common applications for the new Cisco 3600 voice/fax network modules are likely to be intracompany phone calling and faxing. Using the Cisco 3600 with
voice/fax network modules, companies can significantly reduce their long-distance telephone and fax charges by routing their intracompany voice and fax traffic over
their existing IP network, without compromising voice or fax quality. In intracompany IP networks, administrators can more readily monitor and control service levels
and, therefore, achieve and maintain toll-quality voice and fax transmissions on their data networks by using the Cisco 3600 and its voice/fax network modules.
Since the Cisco 3600 with voice/fax network modules works with standard phone and fax equipment, companies can shift their intracompany voice and fax traffic from
their voice network to their data network without needing to retrain users. Transparent to the user, the Cisco 3600 seamlessly routes calls or faxes to the IP network or
out to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), depending on settings established by the network administrator. Cost savings from deploying the Cisco 3600
voice/fax network modules to handle intracompany phone calls and faxes will typically cover the up-front equipment investment in a few months.
Some common configurations for intracompany phone calling and faxing follow:
Phone to Phone
A phone connected directly to a Cisco 3600 voice port in a branch office calls over a WAN connection to a phone in another branch office connected directly to a Cisco
3600 router.
Phone to Phone through PBXs and Key Systems
A phone connected through a key system to a voice port on the Cisco 3600 in a branch office calls over a WAN connection to a phone connected to a private branch
exchange (PBX) that is connected to the Cisco 3600 in another office.
Real-Time Fax to Fax
A standard fax machine connected to a PBX or directly to the Cisco 3600 can send real-time faxes to another fax machine on the IP network. In addition, companies
who have a high volume of fax traffic with partners or suppliers can route fax traffic across an extranet managed by a service provider.
Off-Net Calling/Faxing
Another impressive cost-saving application for the Cisco 3600 voice/fax network modules is off-net calling/faxing. For calls or faxes that need to be routed over the
PSTN, the Cisco 3600 with voice/fax network modules can first route them over the IP network to a local branch office, from which they enter the PSTN. This
rerouting of phone and fax traffic turns a long-distance PSTN call into a local PSTN call, resulting in significantly lower rates.
Inter-Tel/Motorola
Motorola and Inter-Tel To Coordinate IP Telephony Development
PHOENIX, ARIZONA, and AUSTIN, TEXAS, February 17, 1998 - Inter-Tel, Incorporated (NASDAQ NNM-INTL) and Motorola, Inc. (NYSE MOT) Internet Product Operations, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining the companies' intentions to develop standards-based interoperability among their IP Telephony products and to distribute each company's IP Telephony products. As part of the agreement, Inter-Tel and Motorola intend to jointly develop interfaces for Motorola's VIPR family of gateways, Inter-Tel Vocal'Net gateways and the Inter-Tel Vocal'Net Call Accounting System (CAS) that will inter-operate through mutual support of the H.323 standards.
PS: The gateways exist as a product; Go to their website at www.inter-tel.com |
