2010

Antreas Artemiou
Techical Uneversity of Kosice
doc. Ing. ubomr Dobo, PhD.

Table of Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................................3
1

NGN Description ................................................................................................................4

1.1

Basic Definition ............................................................................................................4

1.2

Developing Direction ....................................................................................................4

NGN Structure and Protocols............................................................................................5

2.1

NGN Structure System..................................................................................................5

2.2

Four Function Layers ....................................................................................................5

2.2.1

Advanced Services Layer .......................................................................................5

2.2.2

Control Layer .........................................................................................................5

2.2.3

Media / Transport Layer .........................................................................................6

2.2.4

Access Layer .........................................................................................................6

2.3

Protocols Supported by NGN ........................................................................................6

2.3.1

Require Control Protocol .......................................................................................6

2.3.2

Media Gateway Controlling Protocol .....................................................................6

2.3.3

Others Protocols.....................................................................................................7

Technologies Supported by NGN ......................................................................................8

3.1

SoftSwitch ....................................................................................................................8

3.2

High Speed Route/Switch .............................................................................................8

3.3

Fiber Optic Transmission ..............................................................................................9

3.4

Broad Band Access .......................................................................................................9

NGN Services Applications .............................................................................................. 10

4.1

NGN Applications Platform ........................................................................................ 10

4.2

Services Applications .................................................................................................. 10

4.3

NGN Terminals........................................................................................................... 11

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 12

Introduction
Next-generation networks are based on a genuinely innovative set of technologies that are
already transforming the way businesses communicate today, and will ultimately revolutionize
how communication services are delivered in the future.
The key to this lies in the difference between what existing networks and next-generation
networks have to offer. The majority of traditional voice and data networks are underpinned by
multiple network platforms that employ a variety of different transmission protocols. Each of
these platforms dedicates itself to supplying a single type of traffic, such as voice, data or
Internet access. This mix and match approach is complex to support and expensive to scale.

1 NGN Description
1.1 Basic Definition
Next generation network (Next Generation Network, is called NGN) is one kind of
emerging technology. So far, there is not a standardized organization or the authoritative
organization proposes a strict definition for the NGN. So-called NGN is extremely loose
definition, makes a general reference to be different with a present generation, and takes the data
as the central amalgamation. NGN is extensive concept, it contained the network which occurred
to construct by multi-change ways. Believed generally that, NGN may provide the services
including the pronunciation, the data and multimedia and so on.

1.2 Developing Direction

NGN should be a better network than today, it will have high speed rate, support the more
services applications, and support many kinds of services application by the more comprehensive
ways, it will support the different levels QoS, Movement/Maintenance/Management in NGN are
simpler and more economical. The NGN network technology and the service applications, will
have many and varied access and core network to serve the society; As a result of the network
technology multiplicity, exchange by operating mutually becomes the main problem in future;
NGN (IPv6, 3G and WDM) will use widely to provide the wide band, high grade, the safe
service applications; The new communications software will drive the development of the
personalization increment service; Protocols in NGN will act an important role. In brief, NGN is
a very big concept, what it discusses will be correlative with everything of the future network, it
doesnt only contain Internet, Mobile, IPv6, the light or the service applications, but will be all
these total.

2 NGN Structure and Protocols

2.1 NGN Structure System
NGN separates the switch function into many specially network modules, each part may
develops according to the corresponding function; Interfaces between connection parts bases on
corresponding protocols. Its network skeleton shows like chart:

Figure 1 NGN Network Skeleton

2.2 Four Function Layers

2.2.1 Advanced Services Layer
To process service logic, its functions includes IN (intelligent network) logic, AAA
(Authorization, Authentication, Accounting) and the address analysis, also develops the service
applications through protocols and API.
2.2.2 Control Layer
Calling the logic, and process call request, and establish loading connection by transport
layer. The core equipment of the control layer is the soft switch, the soft switch needs to support
the multitudinous protocols interfaces to realize the switching with different type networks.

2.2.3 Media / Transport Layer

It's the loading network of NGN. It is responsible to establish and manage connection to
switch and route for these connections. And it needs to respond control commands from control
layer. It may be the IP network or the ATM network.
2.2.4 Access Layer
It is composed of different media gateways and Integrated Access Device (IAD), and it
makes different kinds of users to connect the network through various access methods, and
transforms the information format into one which can be transmitted in the packaged network.

2.3 Protocols Supported by NGN

The application objects of NGN needs the standard protocols which make by ITU-T, IETF
and such as these International Standard Organization. The protocols refer NGN systems are
following:
2.3.1 Require Control Protocol
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is made by the IETF, it is used for establishing,
modification and ending the application protocols for the multimedia session, it also has the good
ability for expansion.
SIP-T (SIP for Telephones) makes the traditional telephone network signal (present only to
the ISUP message) into the SIP through encapsulating and translating, and it provides an interconnection system between the traditional PSTN and the SIP. In NGN, the SIP protocol runs
between the SIP terminal and the SoftSwitch or SoftSwitch and Application Server. At the same
time SIP (SIP-T) has been accepted to the interface standard and used for realizing SoftSwitch
inter-connection.
2.3.2 Media Gateway Controlling Protocol
MGCP (media gateway controlling agreement) is most popular media gateway controlling
protocol. Megaco/The H.248 protocol is developed by IETF and ITU-T. it bases MGCP
protocol, it has provided to check media's establishment, connection, the release and guarante
these signals executing system, and also carry some require signals.

2.3.3 Others Protocols

Services Layer protocols and API include SIP, PARLAY, JAIN. In order to implement the
traditional intelligence network service, the SoftSwitch devices also should support the INAP
protocol, and the transmit protocols based on the IP & PSTN, which have IUA, M3UA, M2PA,
these signal protocols based on SCTP/IP transmission. And SNMP, COPS, RADIUS, NTP.

3 Technologies Supported by NGN

NGN needs many new technologies to support. At present, NGN relating technology is:
Use the Soft Switch technology to realize the end-to-end service exchange; Use IP technology to
realize amalgamation of three networks; Use the IPv6 technology for solving address problem to
increase the network throughout; Use MPLS (multi- Protocols Label Switch) to realize
integrating between the IP layer and many kinds of link layer protocols (ATM/FR, PPP,
Ethernet, SDH, light wave),and use OTN (optical transmission network) and the optical switch
network to transmit. So Soft Switch technology becomes the NGN core technology.

3.1 SoftSwitch
As the NGN core technology, the SoftSwitch is a kind distributional platform basing
software. Its concept based on the new network function model (the Four Layers Module). It
integrates or separates some functions. And through each kind of interface protocol the service
are possible to combine services transmission and control protocols. It is suitable to exchange in
the different networks and introduce expediently into a lot of new services applications, such as
the voice network to the multi- services/Multimedia network. So the SoftSwitch is also called
Require Server.

3.2 High Speed Route/Switch

The high speed router is in NGN transport layer to accomplish high speed route and switch
for the multimedia data stream. It is the NGN transport hinge. The NGN doesnt only do these,
but also provide better QoS than IP network presently. IPv6 and MPLS have provided this
contingency. As network protocols, NGN will base on IPv6. IPv6 can expand the address space,
enhance the network throughput, and improve the service quality. And the security has a better
guarantee for mobility and better broadcasting. MPLS is a new technology that combines IP
routing/addressing of the third layer and high speed data switching of the second layer over
network. It takes the advantage of circuit switch and exist route ways to solve many problems
which exists in the current network, especially QoS and security problems.

3.3 Fiber Optic Transmission

NGN needs higher speed, greater capacity. But so far, the best medium still is the light.
Because only light can bring the abundant bandwidth by the spectrum. The optical fiber high
speed transmission technology has been developing towards three directions: expanded
transmission capacity of sole wave length, long distance transmission and DWDM.
Light switch and intelligence optic network: Only the high speed transmission is
insufficient, the NGN needs more flexible, the more valid light transmission network. The
network now develops from light - electricity - light switch to entire light switch. The intelligent
optic network has more superiority in the capacity flexibility, the cost validity, extending of the
network, and so on, compared to the point to point transmission system and the optic networking.

3.4 Broad Band Access

NGN must have the broad band technical to support, because only bottleneck of the
network the bandwidth is settled, each kind of broad band service and application can develop,
and potential of the network capacity can display truly. There are too many technologies
developing for this. Such as VDSL, based on Ethernet Passive Optic Network (EPON&FTTH),
Free Space Optical system (FSO), wireless local area network (WLAN).

4 NGN Services Applications

NGN not only provides the existing telephone business and the intelligent network service,
but also may provide with the Internet applications, the multimedia service and so on. Moreover,
through providing the opening connection, the service developer and the network provider may
defer to the standard protocols or interfaces to provide various services. So the new services can
develop rapidly.

4.1 NGN Applications Platform

The unified NGN service platform provides the Centrex service, and manages all groups
users. Three levels business management control model: the WAC administrative center, the
enterprise Centrex synthesis manage platform and the subscriber's business management. The
service surmounts the NGN domain, the PSTN domain and the Mobile domain. To provide the
custom-made services for each user group. As following chart:

Figure 2 NGN service platform provides the Centrex service

4.2 Services Applications

1. PSTN/ISDN voice service, standard supplement service, CENTREX service and
intelligence service.

2. Based Internet service: Click to dial, WEB 800, Instant Messaging, Synchronized
browsing, the personal communication management.
3. Multimedia desktop video calling/Conference services, coordination application,
stream media service.

4.3 NGN Terminals

NGN can exchange with existing networks such as PSTN, ISDN and GSM and so on. NGN
may interconnect the existing networks and keep exist investment safely through some devices
such as the gateway. At the same time, NGN also supports the exist terminals and the IP
intelligence terminal, including the simulated telephone, electrograph, the ISDN terminal, the
mobile phone, the GPRS terminal, the SIP terminal, the H248 terminal, the MGCP terminal,
Ethernet telephone through the PC, the video phone, the cable modem and so on. You can see
them in picture following:

Figure 3 NGN exchange with existing networks

5 Conclusion
With the development and maturation of the technologies, the protocols, the products, the
network operation, the network switching for simplex data has not been able to reach people's
need. 3G integration becomes the mainstream of the network development. Believe that in the
near future, NGN can become the network construction mainstream inevitably.