ZTE NGN Total Solution

2004-08-31

ZTE has contributed greatly to the market initiation, standards creation, and technology
research and application promotion for the advancement and maturity of Softswitch
technology in domestic and international NGN and Softswitch industry since 1998.

As one of the key telecommunication vendors in the world, ZTE Corporation has been
invited to participate in the creation and review of national and international Softswitch
industry standards.

1. Introduction to ZTE NGN Solution

1.1 Overview

ZTE NGN solution includes a complete set of network elements covering every element
of the NGN, which guarantees the provision of comprehensive NGN solutions to meet
the market requirements of different functional layers such as Access, Core Transport,
Control and Service layers.

ZTE Softswitch system is designed for the Next Generation Network with layered and
open architecture, which consists of four functional layers: service/application, control,
transport and access layers. Standard interfaces are used to communicate between layers.
The system supports integrated media gateways, terminal devices, and can interwork with
the legacy PSTN/ISDN, PLMN and IN.

1.2 ZTE NGN Network Elements

Softswitch technology has developed into a mature stage with carrier grade reliability for
commercial application. Softswitch architecture usually includes the following
components:
 Fig.1-1 ZTE NGN Solution - Layered Architecture

• Softswitch
The Softswitch is the core controller of the whole Softswitch system. It performs
call handling, access protocol adapting, service delivering, OAM (Operation,
Administration and Maintenance), and authentication & accounting. It also can
interwork with other Softswitches to provide active/standby fault-tolerant
configuration.
• Media gateway
Softswitch can deliver all kinds of services on any network through different
kinds of media gateways, such as the Trunk Gateway for toll VoIP service,
Access Gateway for Class 5 services, multi-service Access Gateway for
integrated service and wireless gateway for voice mobile transport services, etc.
• Signaling gateway
The Signaling Gateway (SG) interfaces the SS7 signaling network with the PSTN
and ATM/IP networks for signaling message conversion between two networks.
• IP terminals
The IP terminals refer to IP phones, IP PBX, and software phones, which are
intelligent terminals based on either H.323 or SIP protocol. The difference
between IP terminals and media gateways is that there is no need to convert media
for IP terminals as the voice is already digitalized in IP terminals.
• Service creation environment
Differentiated services can be created and configured for customer requirements
via Service Creation Platform.
The flexible service creation environment allows carriers to deploy new services
without the expense of hardware upgrades. Intelligent Network´s Service Control
Point (SCP) and application server are supported by ZTE Softswitch system.
 • Network Management System
The Network Management System (NMS) manages all network elements in a
Softswitch network. It typically uses SNMP to communicate with the network
elements.

1.3 ZTE NGN Product Series

ZTE Corporation has developed a full range of standard-compliant Softswitch products to

deliver comprehensive solutions to the NGN. All the products are developed by ZTE
Corporation with proprietary intellectual property rights.

The major ZTE NGN products include:

• Softswitch:
ZXSS10 SS1 The ZXSS10 SS1 acts as the core control part in ZTE NGN
solution. The ZXSS10 SS1 carries out important functionalities such as call
control, media gateway access control, protocol processing, routing,
authentication, billing and accounting, etc.
Supported by application server and SCP in the service layer, the ZXSS10 SS1
can provide basic PSTN services, supplementary services, multimedia services,
traditional IN services and IP-based revenue-generating services for various
subscribers.
• Access Gateway:
ZXSS10 A200 The ZXSS10 A200 is an access gateway device that is located at
the access layer in the NGN to provide VoIP services for analog subscribers.
The ZXSS10 A200 converts analog media streams into packet data streams for
large-capacity and centralized access applications such as communities, schools,
governments, institutes and large enterprises.
• Trunk Gateway: ZXSS10 T200
The ZTE Trunk Gateway ZXSS10 T200 converts TDM voice/fax media into IP
packets and connects PSTN digital trunks with packet networks.
The T200 provides a variety of interfaces to PSTN, with large trunk capacity,
high density, high availability and low power consumption. The T200 also
provides diversified interfaces to IP and ATM networks.
• Media Gateway: ZXSS10 M100
The ZXSS10 M100 converts media streams between PSTN circuit switched
networks and IP packet data networks with carrier-grade efficiency, adaptability,
security and reliability.
ZTE´s media gateway ZXSS10 M100 enables subscribers in circuit switched
networks such as PSTN to communicate with each other via VoIP.
• Signaling Gateway: ZXSS10 S100
The signaling gateway ZXSS10 S100 is located at the access layer of a Softswitch
system for converting SS7 and IP network signaling messages between traditional
circuit switched signaling network and packet data network. The ZXSS10 S100
can be installed on the same type of rack as that for ZXSS10 M100.
 The ZXSS10 S100 converts signaling messages with carrier-grade efficiency,
adaptability, security and reliability.
• Integrated Access Devices: ZXSS10 I500/I600/I700 Series
The Integrated Access Device (IAD) provides voice or voice and data services for
individuals, and SOHO subscribers by connecting the subscribers´ terminal
equipment such as PC, telephone and fax machine into the packet network.
The ZXSS10 I500 series of products provide VoIP services for different numbers
of subscribers via twisted-pair lines. ZXSS10 I504 and I524 also support
hierarchy connection with other I504s or I524s via the downlink RJ45 interface.
The ZXSS10 I600 series of products provide subscribers with VoIP and data
services via twisted-pair lines and Ethernet cables.
The ZXSS10 I704 is a small-capacity access device for media stream conversion
between traditional PSTN network such as PBX and IP packet data network.

• Application Server: ZXUP10 APP

The application server ZXSS10 APP is a commercial computer platform as well
as a service operation and development platform with standard API interface,
which provides various services and flexible service generation environment for
NGN.

Fig. 1-2 Long Distance VoIP Solution

1.4 ZTE NGN Networking Solutions

ZTE Softswitch system can provide NGN solutions with voice, data, multimedia services,
etc.

1.4.1 Delivering long distance VoIP service via backbone data network
 ZTE NGN solution provides toll VoIP services for PSTN subscribers via packet data
network and bypasses the PSTN switching and trunk facilities with Softswitch, Trunk
Gateway and Signaling Gateway.

ZTE NGN solution also can provide international toll VoIP services for VoIP and PSTN
subscribers between Country A and Country B, as long as the carriers between Country A
and Country B agree to process VoIP traffic via VoIP Gateway or Trunk Gateway located
in Country A and Country B.

The toll VoIP service provides value-added opportunities for traditional and new carriers
with voice over IP networks by bypassing expensive long distance toll voice trunks.

1.4.2 Delivering local VoIP and supplementary services via packet Metropolitan Area
Network (MAN)

Residential Scenario: "Softswitch + Access Gateway (AG)" solution. AG can be

deployed in the equipment room of a residential center, while the Softswitch system can
be deployed at the core node of MAN or together with the AG.

Corporate Scenario: "Softswitch + Integrated access devices (IAD)". The IAD provides
voice service or voice and data services via multiple twisted pairs and UTP5 interfaces
for business end users with device installed on the building floor. IP terminal is also
recommended for enterprise users requiring voice and multimedia services.

Fig. 1-3 Local VoIP Solution via MAN

Small Office or Home Office (SOHO) Scenario: "Softswitch + IAD" solution. The ZTE
IAD device provides both voice and data services via one twisted-pair line and one UTP5
interface for end users of one household.
 2. Services Enabled by ZTE NGN Solution

ZTE NGN solution provides voice, data and multi-media services for various types of
Customer Premise Equipment such as phones, PCs and multi-media phones, etc.

2.1 Basic and Supplementary PSTN Voice Services

The basic and supplementary voice services can be provided in ZTE NGN solution with
Softswitch ZXSS10 SS1 directly, involving simpler service logic and fewer network
entities.

The services in this category include:

Calling Log
•
• Instant Hot Line
• Malicious Call Tracing
• Call Trace Log Generation upon Called Number
• Bearer Capability Screening
• Recorded Announcement and External MusicSsource
• Calling Number Display and Delivery
• Calling Number Delivery Blocking/Unblocking
• Call Forwarding
• Call Forward Busy (CFB)
• Call Forward Don´t Answer (CFD)
• Call Forward Universal (CFU)
• Call Waiting (CWT)
• Call Restriction (COS)
• Conference
• Speed Calling (SC)
• Do Not Disturb (DND)
• Denied Termination (DTM)
• PayPhone CPC
• IP Centrex

IP Centrex, applicable to IP-based Softswitch architecture, is targeted at large factories,

large enterprises, stock companies and business corporations with geographically
scattered inhabitancies, offices and workshops. IP Centrex can combine a number of
individual Centrexes into a unified "large area Centrex" so as to provide a good
communication solution for large sized organizations with many branch offices at
different sites.

Point-to-point Video

Multimedia service on PC
 Soft digital assistant (Soft-DA) on PC, featuring such as Web voice conference, Web
digital white-board, Group Chat, Instant Messaging, Contacts Status and Application
Sharing.

2.2 Traditional Intelligent (IN) Services Delivered via Existing SCP

ZTE NGN solution allows the interconnection of ZTE Softswitch devices with existing
PSTN Service Control Points (SCP) via standard INAP interfaces to deliver intelligent
services.

The 800-Number service is a typical IN service. The 800-Number service has the
following features: Unique call number, Call forwarding on busy/no reply, Call barring,
Voice prompt function, Time-based translation, Traffic-based translation, Call location-
based translation and Simultaneous call/charge limiter.

Other supported traditional IN services include: Pre-paid call, Account Card (ACC),
Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Universal Personal Telecommunication (UPT).

2.3 Value-added Services Enabled by ZTE Application Server or Third-

party Application Servers

ZTE NGN solution provides standard open interfaces for external service servers (such as
ZTE Application Server ZXSS10 APP or ZXIN10-SCP) to create value-added services.
ZTE Softswitch is only responsible for executing corresponding commands of the service
logic instead of implementing the service logic itself.

The services in this category include:

• Voice Mail
• Account Card
• WEB 800
• ONLY ONE
• Unified Messaging
• Web Call
• Web Conference
• Short Message

3. Advantages of ZTE NGN Solution

• Carrier-grade solution with both internal and external redundancy

• Distributed architecture with high reliability
• Openness for interoperability
• Flexible and versatile integrated accesses
• Low operating cost and high scalability
• Flexible and quick service deployment
• Centralized, real-time and intelligent network management system
• Maximum protection of existing investment