The purpose of this site is to promote telecom convergence
and to describe how convergence can be achieved.
What Is Telecom Convergence?
Telecommunications (telecom) convergence means that a wide range of communication applications are supported by a common network using similar methods.
Information Theory - The Basis for Convergence
Information Theory, which was formulated by Claude Shannon in 1948, provides the theoretical basis for telecom convergence.
Benefits of Convergence
The key benefits of convergence are reduced cost and expanded coverage.
Convergence - Historical Perspective
Convergence is not a radical new idea. The roots of convergence go back to 1928.
Convergence Based on ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) refers to an attempts to upgrade the telephone networks to support convergence. Narrowband ISDN (N-ISDN) supported the convergence of voice and data communications. The Broadband ISDN (B-ISDN) initiative was an attempt at full convergence that employed Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) as the transport mechanism.
Convergence Based on IP/MPLS
Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a technique that enables IP packets to be transported with a guaranteed quality of service (QoS). IP/MPLS has become widely accepted as the basis for convergence.
Convergence Based on Fast Circuit Switching
With fast circuit switching, the capacity assigned to connections can be quickly varied, which makes fast circuit switching an efficient transport method even for bursty applications. Fast circuit switching is a viable alternative to IP/MPLS for telecom convergence.
Equivalence of Convergence Approaches
The IP/MPLS and fast circuit switching approaches are basically equivalent. IP/MPLS, which is more compatible with existing networks, is the favored approach for telecom convergence in the near term. Fast circuit switching, which has certain advantages compared to IP/MPLS, is a better approach for telecom convergence over the longer term.
Convergence Through the Access Networks
Access networks connect customer premises to central offices. Convergence can be supported by various types of access networks.
Convergence Through the Interoffice Network
The interoffice network is a backbone network that interconnects the central offices (COs). Convergence through the interoffice network involves a common transport method for different types of data.
Engineering Services
If you would like to discuss issues related to telecom convergence, please e-mail me at: [email protected]