“As the telecoms industry moves towards greater adoption of next-generation networks (NGNs), questions are being raised regarding network interoperability between the various service providers. A fair commercial and regulatory regime for interconnect is critical to ensure NGNs meet their potential to deliver powerful new services.
Network interoperability is a key requirement to ensure smooth communication between operators’ networks and is essential for healthy competition and cooperation between operators. If we get interoperability right, it will result in the innovation and diversity that occurs in a competitive market and will provide more options for customers.
NGNs are based on an innovative set of technologies that are already changing the way businesses communicate today. THUS, one of the leading network providers in the UK, was the first UK operator to roll out an NGN. THUS is an executive and founding member of NGNUK (www.ngnuk.org.uk), an industry body created to achieve effective NGN interoperability, whereby operators will be able to exchange all levels of information across networks and offer customers an end-to-end NGN service.
One of the key goals of NGNUK is an implementation roadmap to deliver commercial and technical Interconnect agreements. THUS, along with other executive members of NGNUK, is working hard to create standards for seamless interoperation of NGNs run by multiple operators.
NGN interoperability has implications both nationally and globally, with full Interconnect resulting in the ultimate goal of invisible boundaries between networks and network-specific applications.”
Some of the initial benefits offered by NGNs in the UK include:
- Link intranets, extranets, sites, LANs and WANs into a single network for sharing information
- Move information rapidly between sites
- Share data and applications with extended enterprise
- Enable collaborative working
- Enhance productivity by deploying advanced business applications
- Enable real-time working
- Support effective mobile working