Bay Networks Delivers SS7 Voice/Switch Data Integration
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 1, 1998--
Versalar(TM) SS7 Gateway enables Service Providers to overcome the
limitations of the PSTN and deliver high-revenue IP services
Bay Networks, Inc. (NYSE:BAY) today introduced its Versalar SS7 Gateway enabling Service Providers worldwide to offload data from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), combine data and voice billing management, and enable long distance toll bypass.
Bay Networks Versalar SS7 Gateway is the first solution to market with the creation of an Intelligent Access Port that links the Versalar Remote Access Concentrator (RAC) to the SS7 signaling network. Acting as a signaling interface between Versalar RACs and Class 4 and 5 voice switches, the gateway transports commands across IP networks to the RACs, scaling to individual ILEC and CLEC requirements.
As part of Bay Networks commitment to the delivery of carrier class solutions, the introduction of the Versalar SS7 Gateway represents the industry's first offering to address carrier customization, including the ability for service providers to offer high-margin intelligent IP services that comprise V/FoIP, VPNs and triple 56K support.
"It is promising to see Bay Networks deliver so efficiently against their SS7 strategy," said Dan Taylor, managing director of telecommunications at Aberdeen Group, an industry analyst firm located in Boston, MA. "The introduction of the Versalar SS7 Gateway represents the ideal implementation for Service Providers, enabling them to offer new services, maximize revenues and reduce costs through the use of SS7."
Strengthening Bay Networks strategy in delivering an SS7 gateway, the company teamed with development partner ADC NewNet, Inc., a business unit of ADC Telecommunications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADCT). ADC NewNet is a leading provider of open system based telecom software products that conform to global standards. With experience in converting ISUP signaling to the Q.931 signaling used by Versalar, ADC NewNet's AccessMANAGER(TM) architecture provides efficient API access for customization. ADC NewNet's AccessMANAGER platform also supports both simplex architectures and fault-resilient configurations, and is compliant with major specifications including ANSI, ITU, and over 20 country variants.
"ADC NewNet is pleased to provide the Signaling System 7 (SS7) solution in support of Bay Networks Versalar SS7 Gateway product," said Pat Donnelly, ADC NewNet Product Line Director Signaling Platforms. "The explosion of internet traffic in public networks demands a solution based on SS7. ADC NewNet's AccessMANAGER provides a perfect fit with its global SS7 solution. The Application Programming Interfaces (API) provided by AccessMANAGER allow us to quickly develop an open application that can be rapidly adapted to a variety of network configurations and performance levels. The use of Bay Networks defined Access Signaling Protocol (ASP) provides network operators with an open solution that immediately addresses current needs while providing flexibility for future application growth - this is exactly what our customers are telling us they need."
Features of ADC NewNet's AccessMANAGER include global SS7 implementation including real-time telecom kernel with registration, general purpose messaging and timer facilities, distribution of SS7 and application processing, advanced log and trace capabilities, and multiple signaling points.
The Bay Networks Versalar SS7 Gateway is supported on the Sun Solaris platform, with migration possibilities to AIX, Unix and NT. The SS7 Gateway platform delivers an open Application Optimized Network in which SS7 and Network APIs are supported to enable further development of advanced multivendor applications and services. It is also capable of supporting policy integration for advanced IP services features including Radius, LDAP and Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which Bay Networks will be offering in future phases. The Bay Networks' Gateway is expected to be certified in 80 countries and support multiple variants of the SS7 protocol.
"Clearly one of the biggest problems to overcome in managing the Internet is being able to move data traffic off of the PSTN," said Dave Van Allen, CEO of FASTNET, one of the country's first regional Internet providers with a concentration on business data communications. "The tight integration required of an SS7 gateway will be paramount to its success and implementation. We are banking on Bay Networks to produce an SS7 gateway that allows FASTNET to benefit from SS7 bypass in a short span of time."
In addition to helping carriers increase their network efficiency by redirecting data traffic off of the PSTN, the Versalar SS7 Gateway allows carriers to leverage future Bay Networks enhancements including Port Reservation, Call Routing and Radius integration.
"The Bay Networks Versalar SS7 Gateway gives service providers the ability to leverage their existing voice and signaling facilities," said Shyam Jha, director of product management, Bay Networks Access Division. "Carriers can now cost effectively offer new services such as Internet wholesaling, Voice/Fax over IP, Virtual Private Networks and more. Bay's release of this SS7 gateway means that service providers can deploy our leading data solutions while retaining the voice infrastructures they have invested in for the past 20 years. It is further proof of our commitment to carrier-class remote access."
As part of Bay Networks charter to introduce the Versalar SS7 Gateway, and to continue to make the Access Signaling Protocol available to its partners, Bay Networks also released an informational Request for Comment (iRFC) to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) earlier this month. The iRFC outlines a methodology describing the need for an open industry standard protocol that provides a scalable means to support interworking between SS7 network elements and Internet elements such as remote access servers. The informational RFC is available online at ietf.org draft-ong-ss7-internet-gateway-00.txt
Pricing and Availability
The Versalar SS7 Gateway is available for trials immediately. Pricing includes a per port SS7 charge of $99 on the Versalar 5000 access switch. The Versalar SS7 Gateway Software for Solaris 2.6 lists at $59,000 for the Simplex version and $99,000 for the Duplex Fault Resilient version.
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