IPCC Announces Technical White Papers on VoIP Interconnection, Session Border Controllers, Wireline and Wireless Convergence, and Voice Quality Evaluation Process for VoIP Calls.

FREMONT, Calif. -- The International Packet Communications Consortium (IPCC), the industry's technology forum working to advance Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) over broadband cable, wireless, and wireline, announced today the completion of several technical white paper drafts that cover a variety of critical issues affecting VoIP today and in the future. Paper topics include interconnection, session border controllers, wireless and wireline convergence, and a process for evaluating voice quality for VoIP calls.

Michael Khalilian, chairman of IPCC, said, "As part of our effort to accelerate VoIP deployments, we try to drive common methodologies and metrics for VoIP, such as interconnecting VoIP networks with traditional networks, and connecting IP networks together. Our technical Working Groups, which are comprised of IPCC member companies who represent all aspects of VoIP technology, products and services, have worked hard to ensure each document is company and vendor-neutral, and represents an unbiased view of solutions to critical VoIP issues," Khalilian added.

"Interconnection Considerations for VoIP"

The IPCC Service Provider Interconnectivity Working Group's technical paper titled, "Interconnection Considerations for VoIP," is the first of a series of documents intended for use by carriers, vendors and system integrators delivering VoIP services. As the title indicates, it is a discussion paper, which provides a service provider's perspective on the issues of interconnecting VoIP networks and interconnecting traditional networks to VoIP networks. Included in the document are several example network interconnection scenarios of interest to the service provider community.

"Session Border Controllers"

The IPCC Network Boundary Working Group's technical paper focuses on session border controllers (SBCs), a new category of network equipment that plays a vital role in connecting IP networks to one another - - from business, residential and mobile, wireline, wireless and cable. In examining the roles and requirements of SBCs, the IPCC engaged many of its members in putting together, for the first time, a common view of the roles and requirements for SBCs. Also, consistent with the IPCC's mission, the white paper remains protocol neutral, and focuses on how to create revenue-generating services for wireless, wireline and cable operators.

"Transparent Voice Services between Wireless and Wireline Networks"

The IPCC's Wireless Wireline Convergence Working Group draft document titled, "Transparent Voice Services between Wireless and Wireline Networks," provides technical consideration to carriers and service providers interested in seamlessly providing VoIP services across mobile and fixed networks. The white paper examines specific scenarios, such as the case of a seamless voice call handoff from a mobile network to a VoIP network, in which a subscriber initiating a voice call on a wireless network can transparently hand over this call to a wireline VoIP network without interruption or loss of features. Instead of the limited handset controlled approach, IPCC members have decided to adopt a network controlled approach in which service providers can offer complete feature transparency and portability so that features such as text message and presence will also continue to work following the handoff.

"Voice Quality Evaluation of VoIP Calls over Broadband Access Networks"

The IPCC recognizes the work of Mr. L. Ding and Prof. Goubran from the Department of Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University, who have created a reliable evaluation process for voice quality in broadband networks. Their white paper shows how one-way delays in DSL or cable networks impact call experience. The paper also provides the methodology for creating a controlled measurement environment, where voice quality results can be validated and calibrated. The IPCC encourages vendors and service providers to adopt this methodology for voice quality measurements.

Technical White Paper Summaries Available

Summaries of the technical white papers are available on the IPCC website at http://www.packetcomm.org. Full copies of the white papers are available to IPCC members only. For information about joining the IPCC, contact Debbie Hetland at [e-mail].

About the IPCC

The International Packet Communications Consortium (IPCC) is an international industry association dedicated to accelerating the deployment of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video over IP technologies and services over converged wireless, wireline, and cable broadband networks. IPCC and its working groups are focused on the deployment and promotion of real-time services through educational forums, technical working groups, and industry conferences. For additional information, visit http://www.packetcomm.org.