Why this new forum? Telecom Firms Form Multiservice Switching Forum
November 27, 1998
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.,: A group of
telecommunications companies have
formed a not-for-profit coalition called the
Multiservice Switching Forum (MSF).
The aim of the MSF -- whose members
include MCI WorldCom, Cisco Systems,
Bellcore, AT&T, Alcatel, Ascend
Communications, British Telecom, Fujitsu
Network Communications, Lucent
Technologies, Nortel Networks, Siemens,
Telecom Italia, Telia AB, and US West -- is
to accelerate the industry's deployment of
multiservice switch technology.
While the aims of the coalition are not all
altruistic, the firms are
clearly hoping customers will rush out and
upgrade their network hardware once they
learn of the technology from the MSF --
membership is open to all comers who
share the aim of reaching a consensus on
the implementation of ATM (asynchronous
transfer mode -capable multiservice
switching systems.
These systems support
voice, video, private line, and data such as
ATM, frame relay, and Internet Protocol
(IP) services, running across architectures
such as DSL (digital subscriber line), cable
modems, and older technologies such as
time division multiplex (TDM) systems.
Dave Hinshaw, senior US vice president of
Alcatel, said that he believes the MFS has
a key role to play in the deployment of
networks providing voice and data
conversions.
"Alcatel has always provided strong
support for industry forums and standards
organizations that promote interoperability
and open standards," he explained.
Plans call for the MSF to encourage
carriers to deploy open switching systems
with components from multiple vendors.
This will, the forum says, accelerate
deployment of next generation networks
supporting advanced, integrated broadband
communications services.
Interestingly, the MSF appears to have
been created along the lines of the
International Telecommunications Union
(ITU), Newsbytes notes, with several
working groups on the drawing board. Plans
call for several working groups, covering
issues such as architecture, switch
control, and voice, to be created.
The MSF's Web site is at
msforum.org .
[Copyright 1998, NewsBytes] |
