Softswitch system also provides a brand-new operation mode. At first, it can be carried out in multiple areas at the same time, using unified soft switch core control equipment. When the number of users in a certain area reaches a certain level, the corresponding control equipment and operation support system can be separately configured to form an independent operation system. Some regional operators and enterprise users are also interested in the characteristics of unified services such as voice, data and multimedia provided by softswitch networks. In particular, local broadband operators can only provide data services when building broadband networks in the past, while traditional voice telecommunications services are provided by telecommunications bureaus, which greatly reduces their market competitiveness. The new broadband network based on softswitch can provide users with all the telecom services they need at the same time.
At the same time, Svante Bjorklund and other experts also pointed out that under the current business situation, there are still some challenges in the evolution to the soft switch environment. Nowadays, most operators are most concerned about ensuring the security of their existing services. In the near future, voice and dial-up services will remain their main sources of income, and the traffic will continue to grow. Any alternative technology must be able to handle applications like existing solutions, or be more advantageous in terms of functionality and/or price. In addition, the new business model must prove that it can meet the service requirements supported by existing technologies.
Svante Bjorklund said: "Deregulation and competition will both lead to lower prices and erode operators' profits. These factors, coupled with limited funds, will force operators to reduce their operations and capital expenditures. It is not enough just to reduce costs. Although reducing the cost by providing traditional services can protect the profits of operators, creating and deploying new services that can increase revenue is the key to the survival of fixed telephone service providers. It is obviously better for operators to invest in future technologies than to optimize networks with existing technologies. "
He believes: "The development direction of network operators will be multi-service network environment based on packet switching, and soft switch will provide call and session control."
transit
Based on the above point of view, Svante Bjorklund believes that the softswitch system will form two branches and develop along two different tracks: one is to handle new multimedia services; The other handles and controls the whole PSTN service. In his view, the truly distinctive feature of softswitch service is the management function, which allows users to control themselves through softswitch system and easily use all communication services. He said: "Because the new functions are rarely used at the beginning and the services are familiar to most users, users are more likely to accept the new system. As time goes by, users will find more and more new functions, and they will soon be inseparable from these functions. "
"Open APIs (such as SIP plug-ins and Parlay) have opened up new markets and brought huge business opportunities for application service providers and third-party application developers. Large-scale application development industry can ensure the rapid and cost-effective development of applications and provide more innovative applications for the market. This will help operators to enrich their business products, reduce customer churn, attract more users, improve utilization rate and increase revenue, "said Svante Bjorklund. "With the development of new services and the deployment of user groups, operators can obtain additional income on the basis of traditional telephone business income."
He believes that the development of softswitch is to balance the early market share and the adoption rate of new and old services. Combining the "reaching the limit" traditional telephone service with the platform supporting narrowband and broadband SIP services will help to optimize the revenue structure of operators from beginning to end. However, he also pointed out that it is necessary to recognize and take into account the slow growth of the utilization rate of innovative new businesses.
6.3.4. Soft Switch and PHS
A survey conducted by international softswitch organizations shows that softswitch technology has successfully replaced long-distance telephone switching services, but it is difficult for operators to replace local telephone access services and intelligent services. Yang Jing said, "UT Starcom has been doing soft switching since 1998. Many manufacturers use softswitch to make long-distance calls, but we didn't do so at that time. " He thinks this is a way of "suicide".
Yang Jing said: "UT Starcom focuses on the performance of soft switch access, completely moves the mobile network architecture to the fixed network, and provides services such as network conference, unified information, VPN and prepayment through the multi-service soft switch platform based on mSwitch." Utstarcom PHS (iPAS) is a local mobile communication service based on softswitch platform. Yang Jing introduced that mSwitch soft switching system can support multiple access modes, providing a perfect and unified platform for NGN from wired to wireless, narrowband to broadband, PSTN line switching to IP soft switching.