Closer to the core

While some service providers may be tinkering with residential gateways and how to fit them into their business plans, many are always looking at broadband gateways that sit closer to the network core. With those devices, providers are more concerned with scalability and reliability than dishwashers and stereos.

“At the core of our network, we seek out gateways that are scalable, fully redundant, reliable and carrier grade,” says John Chapman, senior director of voice-over-IP services for Global Crossing.

Global Crossing is using broadband gateways to provide traditional long-distance services and new enhanced services on a global basis, Chapman says. But to differentiate from other providers, Global Crossing is taking a “managed care approach,” which will enable the company to tailor services.

When asked what equipment improvements the provider would like to see, Chapman says, “Increased interoperability in the SIP and MGCP arena to support a variety of application servers and IADs.”

And not many equipment vendors are delivering MGCP-aware end-point devices, says John Nevius, CPE product line manager for Copper Mountain.

Integrated access devices “are at the end of the line,” he says. “All [the elements] have to come together and operate flawlessly.”

Another equipment vendor, Rapid5 Networks, is trying to take a different approach to enable service providers to supplement, surround and supplant the public network.

“Everyone else is focusing [on] the core or trunk side of the switch,” says Fred Ellefson, vice president of marketing for Rapid5. “We sit in front of the Class 5 switch so that if a problem pops up we can offload.”