Industry Forum to Accelerate Deployment of Open Multiservice Switching Systems
FREMONT, Calif. -- November 23, 1998 -- A group of leading telecom firms announced today the formation of the Multiservice Switching Forum (MSF). The founding members from the carrier and equipment community include technology leaders such as 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.
The new forum is an open membership organization committed to reaching and promoting consensus on implementation of ATM-capable multiservice switching systems. These systems support voice, video, private line, and data such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Frame Relay, and Internet Protocol (IP) services. Multiservice systems may use a broad range of access technologies, including traditional Time Divisional Multiplexed (TDM) access lines, Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL), wireless data, and cable modems.
The MSF will enable carriers to deploy open switching systems with components from multiple vendors. This will accelerate deployment of next generation networks supporting advanced, integrated broadband communications services.
"The MSF is dedicated to an open systems model that will expedite the delivery of new integrated broadband communications services to the marketplace," said Charles Corbalis, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco's Multiservice Switching Business Unit. "Multiservice switching systems will benefit from the same innovation and cost reductions that open systems in the computing world have achieved. The MSF is a clear win-win for the industry."
The transition of traditional TDM networks to a packet/cell network model, which supports voice, data and video services, is already underway with the growth of the Internet. The MSF will complement the scope and activities of existing associations by enabling the integration of leading components from multiple vendors into a single multiservice switching system. The MSF will focus on protocols and interfaces used within switching systems and will use specifications of the ATM Forum, Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Frame Relay Forum, Bellcore Generic Requirements process, and other industry associations.
"Bringing industry leaders together is critical to achieving the open systems goals of the MSF Forum," said John Boese, Vice President and General Manager of Advanced Network Solutions at Bellcore. "We also plan to work in conjunction with other public forums and standards bodies, including reflecting the work of the MSF in Bellcore's Generic Requirements process for voice over packet networks."
The initial working groups proposed by the MSF include Architecture, Switch Control, and Voice. The founding members have proposed provisional Implementation Agreements for the Architecture and the Virtual Switch Interface (VSI) protocol for Switch Control. The MSF endorses and is contributing to the IETF activity to standardize the Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) for supporting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Voice over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (VoATM) services. Additional working groups will be created by the forum's membership as necessary.
"Our goal is to speed the arrival of an open switching platform that will enable us to deliver new and better services at a lower cost to our customers," said Fred Briggs, Chief Technology Officer of MCI WorldCom. "The MSF is an important step toward this goal and our strategy to develop ATM-capable networks for access aggregation, enhanced quality of service features, and to separate network intelligence from switching and routing."
For information about Multiservice Switching Forum membership, please contact the MSF office at info@msforum.org, or (510) 608-3990.
About Bellcore
Bellcore, an SAIC company, is a leading provider of communications software, engineering, consulting and training services based on world-class research. Bellcore creates business solutions that make information technology work for telecommunications carriers, businesses and governments worldwide.About MCI WorldCom
MCI WorldCom (NASDAQ:WCOM) is a global telecommunications company with revenue of more than $30 billion and established operations in over 65 countries encompassing the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. MCI WorldCom is a premier provider of facilities-based and fully integrated local, long distance, international and Internet services. MCI WorldCom's global networks, including its state-of-the-art pan-European network and transoceanic cable systems, provide end-to-end high-capacity connectivity to more than 35,000 buildings worldwide.About Other MSF Founding Companies
- AT&T: http://www.att.com
- Alcatel: http://www.alcatel.com
- Ascend Communications: http://www.ascend.com
- Bellcore http://www.bellcore.com
- British Telecom: http://www.bt.com
- Fujitsu Network Communications: http://www.fujitsu.com
- Lucent Technologies: http://www.lucent.com
- MCI WorldCom: http://www.mciworldcom.com
- Nortel Networks: http://www.nortel.com
- Siemens: http://www.siemens.de/en/
- Telecom Italia: http://www.telecomitalia.it
- Telia AB: http://www.telia.se
- US West: http://www.uswest.com
About Multiservice Switching Forum
The Multiservice Switching Forum is an open membership organization committed to developing and promoting implementation agreements for ATM-capable multiservice switching systems.Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
