ACTS answers to issues for Telecoms Network Operators and Internet Service Providers

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1 Presenting the results of ACTS is the world s largest set of interconnected research into advanced communications technologies and services. The programme is partly funded by the European Commission as a partnership with industry. info@actsline.infowin.org Website: ACTS answers to issues for Telecoms Network Operators and Internet Service Providers Prepared By: Wes Carter Date: 27 July 1999 Wes Carter, Martel GmbH, 36 Lark Rise, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich IP5 3SB, UK Tel: +44(0) wes.carter@dial.pipex.com

2 Executive summary Recent years have seen major changes in the way we use telecommunications and in the infrastructure that supports that use. New capabilities from technology have coupled with new demands from customers to drive the way that we communicate in directions which could not have been foreseen even five years ago. In a changing environment, it is very difficult to predict the future, but the more knowledge we have of what is possible, the more we can understand what might happen. The ACTS (Advanced Communications Technologies and Services) programme is the focus of the European Union's research effort in advanced communications. Its aim is to support the early deployment and effective use of advanced communications services. Experts from all over Europe are working together on around 200 projects covering a wide range of novel technologies, applications and services. The programme began at the end of 1994 and will continue until the end of Important messages are already emerging from its many trials, which test the technologies and services in the real world with real users. The programme has involved operators, equipment suppliers and academic institutions from across Europe in looking at the whole spectrum of network operator and internet service provider activity. Theoretical studies have been translated into the practical design and development of systems and standards. These have been proved by field trials, often involving real users, and commercial products are beginning to emerge. The projects involved in the programme have looked at all aspects of communication, from the usability of multimedia applications, through to network infrastructure and beyond to key technologies. ACTS projects have, for example, looked at the major problem of how we can best charge for ATM and IP services and networks. They have devised suitable approaches, tested them in real situations, and produced guidance on the way that charging mechanisms can be applied. ACTS has looked at the increasing interaction and integration between fixed and mobile communications. The projects have been heavily involved in testing 3 rd generation mobile technology, standards and applications and have moved on to develop architectures which will allow us to build completely integrated communications services. The move away from traditional circuit switched telecommunications to the less predictable world of IP and ATM causes problems in network dimensioning and design. This is especially true when we are trying to guarantee a particular Quality of Service. Projects in the programme have studied these problems in depth and have produced comprehensive guidelines as a result of testing their ideas in practical trials. Once we have a network or service designed and installed, it is important that we can manage it. This is becoming increasingly difficult as the variety of technologies, equipment designs and operating companies which have to interwork increases. Solutions to these problems have been developed and demonstrated. A basic infrastructure of versatile, manageable networks and services is essential if we are to meet the needs of users, but we still need to understand what makes an application useable and useful. Trials have taken place around Europe of a wide range of applications, from teleshopping to telesurgery. These have enabled an enormous amount of experience to be accumulated on the criteria needed for creating a successful application. Please browse through this briefing to get a taste of what ACTS can offer in response to the issues which face you. Pointers to more detailed information are given throughout the document but, if you cannot find what you need, ACTSLINE will be happy to try to answer your questions. Page 2 of 26

3 What issues are covered, and how to get more information This document describes the way in which ACTS can help network operators with some of the issues they face when looking at the future of their networks. It is not a comprehensive set of answers but has concentrated on those issues which network operators have told us they are most interested in. The document will be extended to cover more issues as time progresses but, if you have an issue which is of particular importance to you, please contact one of your ACTSLINE representatives Sid Mohan Wes Carter sid@telscom.ch wes.carter@dial.pipex.com They will also be pleased to help if you need more detail on any of the issues discussed below. The issues covered, and the page they are on, are: ISSUES... 4 How do we charge for ATM and IP services and networks?...4 What work is ACTS undertaking on fixedmobile interworking and integration?...4 Internet traffic can cause major problems with loading of the telephony network. There is a need to understand the benefits of moving internet traffic on to a separate network....5 How do we dimension ATM and IP networks?...5 Standard interfaces are needed for network management to enable interworking between equipment from different suppliers...6 We need to be able to guarantee the end-toend quality of a connection which involves a number of network operators and service providers...6 Are multi-media services really useable by ordinary customers?...7 How can video conferencing services be made most useful and useable for customers?...7 What has been learnt from the problems in setting up the trials?...9 APPENDIX 1 - SUMMARY OF RELEVANT GUIDELINES...11 APPENDIX 2 - SUMMARY OF RELEVANT TRIALS...16 Page 3 of 26

4 Issues How do we charge for ATM and IP services and networks? ACTS answers to the issue Traditional approaches to charging are no longer appropriate in this environment. A variety of attributes need to be taken into account when devising charging strategies and mechanisms. ACTS has evaluated some of these and they are described in Guidelines. For example: The dependence of charging schemes on distance should be abandoned. A scheme is recommended which charges linearly for the duration of a connection and the volume transferred during the connection. An access charge should also be applied. The user should be rewarded for a good prediction of his usage during the connection because this information is valuable to the network operator. The service contract between the user and the network operator, as well as the negotiation of the tariff for individual connections, should occur in a transparent and auditable manner Any proposed mechanisms must be implimentable. This may be stating the obvious, but it is easy to consider an academically interesting charging scheme which may have serious practical problems. To validate the messages in the Guidelines, projects have trialled charging mechanisms. For example, CA$HMAN set out to study, verify and compare charging and accounting schemes for ATM networks. The charging schemes and accounting management have been demonstrated in an operational environment, where user-network interface issues and the use of intelligent agent software were investigated. The ACTS project CANCAN also found solutions for charging for ATM services in the form of technical and commercial recommendations and a practical implementation of these recommendations. The project has also developed charging models which can be used in designing a billing system for ATM services and comparing the different charging schemes. For further information see: Guidelines ACTS has produced Guidelines, which bring together the knowledge gathered by a group of projects working in this area. Relevant ones are: NIA-G1 NIA-G2 NIA-G3 NIA-G4 Trials Charging Models in ATM Networks ATM Connection Detail Records & Charging Parameters Customer Requirements for ATM Charging ATM Charging Strategies Another project which has carried out trials related to this issue is: SUSIE Charging for Premium IP Services in the European Information Infrastructures & Services Pilot What work is ACTS undertaking on fixed-mobile interworking and integration? ACTS answers to the issue ACTS trials are demonstrating the interoperability and convergence of fixed, UMTS and satellite networks. ACTS projects are also considering fixed-mobile evolution strategies. For example, the ACTS project DOLMEN has concentrated on the fact that synergy between mobile and fixed networks can be exploited to enhance the performance of the overall network. To achieve this, it has developed and validated an open service architecture for an integrated fixed and mobile environment (OSAM). Page 4 of 26

5 The project has also developed service access components supporting personal mobility; connection management components supporting terminal mobility; Quality of Service, traffic classes and handover supporting wireless networks; resources adapters for ATM switches; and TINA-oriented audio application components. The ACTS project OnTheMove has solved the problems of seamlessly integrating different bearers, carriers and terminal types. It brought together partners covering the crucial business and research sectors of information technology, communication provisioning and mobile network operation and developed a Mobile Application Support Environment (MASE) and a mobile-api for UMTS-compliant applications running on mobile devices. The main focus was on the transmission of images and animation data. AWACS EXODUS MEMO ATM Wireless Access Communication System (AWACS) in Virtual Office Environment Experiments On the Deployment of UMTS Multimedia Environment for Mobiles RAINBOW Radio Access Independent Broadband On Wireless SAMBA VITAL System for Advanced Mobile Broadband Applications Validation of Integrated Telecommunication Architectures for the Long term For further information see: Guidelines WAND Wireless ATM Network Demonstrator ACTS has also produced Guidelines, which bring together the knowledge gathered by a group of projects working in this area. Relevant ones are: BAM-G2 NIF-G1 Sharing the Access Network Infrastructure in Next Generation Communication Systems Interworking requirements for fixed and mobile networks Internet traffic can cause major problems with loading of the telephony network. There is a need to understand the benefits of moving internet traffic on to a separate network. How do we dimension ATM and IP networks? NIF-G2 NIF-G3 NIG-G4 Guidelines for the Integration of Fixed and Mobile Networks in a B-ISDN Environment Internet and ATM Coexistence Requirements on the Iu Interface between Access and Core Networks ACTS answers to the issue ATM and IP networks can no longer be viewed as separate entities serving different purposes. ACTS trials are investigating how multi-media services may be supported over a combination of ATM and IP networks. They are also demonstrating that IP can be carried over a wide variety of bearer networks. Trials Other projects which have carried out trials related to this issue are: ASPECT Advanced Security for Personal Communications Technologies As a result of studies and trials in ACTS, guidelines on Quality of Service have been produced. For example, these have shown that: Since multi-media services cover a wide range of flow related QoS requirements., redefinition / re-negotiation of QoS require- Page 5 of 26

6 ments may be necessary, even during the lifetime of a session. Switched telecom networks are capable of providing a guaranteed, or a near-guaranteed, flow related QoS - provided the applications and service users are able to indicate their QoS requirements ahead of time. Within an IPv4 only based application network, the QoS management will be restricted to best effort. Any attempt to use facilities in the bearer network other than in an averaged way is excluded. One project looking at how the Internet can provide services with guaranteed quality is the ACTS project DIANA. This was launched to develop four main schemes for providing Quality of Service to IP applications, namely: RSVP (IP-over-ATM) RSVP (IP-peering-with-ATM) DiffServ (Simple Integrated Media Access variant) DiffServ (Scalable Reservation Protocol variant) Partners developed modifications to IP applications to make them QoS-aware, and defined a set of test cases to enable the schemes to be compared. The IthACI project has focused on IP switching technologies for ATM-based networks with new features. It has demonstrated the applicability, as well as the interoperability, of different IP switching techniques. It has also enhanced these techniques in several areas, namely Multicast, Quality of Service, Resource Management and Mobility. Multimedia applications need a service architecture able to guarantee quality, which implies that the best effort approach offered by the Internet is no longer sufficient. The PeterPan project is addressing efficient use of ATM infrastructures to support QoS-sensitive Internet applications. ATM technology can combine legacy (IP or ATM) services with IP flows from QoS-aware applications over the same backbone. In other words, different types of traffic can coexist: native ATM, Best Effort IP, IP traffic requiring coarse QoS guarantees corresponding to customised profiles, and other types of non-ip traffic. PeterPan is not trying to invent a new service architecture, but to exploit features already available in ATM to support different approaches. This will protect investments already made by public network operators, end users and private or access network operators. Integration of IP and ATM services, avoiding duplication of (possibly even contending) traffic control capabilities, will offer a significant network cost reduction. For further information see: Guidelines ACTS has produced Guidelines, which bring together the knowledge gathered by a group of projects working in this area. Relevant ones are: NIG-G3 SII-G5 SII-G10 Trials Internet and ATM Coexistence Internet in the Multimedia scenario Provision of Internet services through telecom networks Other projects which have carried out trials related to this issue are: ELISA MULTICUBE European Experiment on the Linkage between Internet Integrated Services and ATM Efficient Multipoint to Multipoint Broadband Switched Network Services for Distributed Multimedia Applications Standard interfaces are needed for network management to enable interworking between equipment from different suppliers We need to be able to guarantee the end-to-end quality of a connection which involves a number of network operators and service providers. Page 6 of 26

7 ACTS answers to the issue ACTS projects are validating network and service management techniques particularly in multi-domain, multi-provider environments. NIM-G2 NIM-G4 A Generic Information Model for Access Networks TMN and TINA coexistence One project, MISA, demonstrates the automatic exchange of management information between network operators for management of public broadband networks and services. This is a mandatory prerequisite to offering international broadband services which span multiple administrative domains (both operator and customer). In addition, integration of the management systems for the different levels involved (eg. SDH and ATM) in a broadband network promotes efficient use of the related public broadband network resources :- improving the overall reliability of the network and reducing overall costs. The management systems designed and developed by MISA enable effective competition and co-operation by public broadband network operators in an openly competitive European telecoms marketplace. PROSPECT, another ACTS project, has trials demonstrating the use of new concepts (TINA, ODP-RM, CORBA, interworking between CORBA and the TMN world) for service management purposes. The trials demonstrated integrated inter-domain service management for the open service market, using a tele-educational service scenario, made up of a number of multimedia tele-services from independent service providers. This is an example of how a pragmatic approach is being taking to working between traditional TMN and TINA environments. ACTS projects are also doing pioneering work in the use of intelligent agent technologies for service brokerage. For further information see: Guidelines ACTS has produced Guidelines, which bring together the knowledge gathered by a group of projects working in this area. Relevant ones are: NIM-G1 A Design Process for the Development of Multi Domain Service Management Systems Trials Other projects which have carried out trials related to this issue are: SPECIAL, TRUMPET Service Provisioning Environment for Consumers' Interactive Applications TMN s Regulations and Multiple Providers Environment Are multi-media services really useable by ordinary customers? How can video conferencing services be made most useful and useable for customers? ACTS answers to the issue ACTS has evaluated the use of a whole range of multi-media services against a number of criteria such as network requirements and usability. A whole raft of issues have been raised in the process of this evaluation. Some of these have been solved, others are outside the scope of the ACTS programme (eg privacy legislation). These trials have proved that multi-media services are useable but need careful design. The trials cover many different types of users, but examples are: The DIVINE project, which developed a high quality, multi-point video-conferencing system and implemented it within real industrial usage environments. The equipment can be used to set up a multi-point videoconference across any ATM network or switched LAN, without the need for a Multipoint Control Unit. This is because every terminal "multicasts" all of its media streams to each of the other connected terminals. Page 7 of 26

8 The TELESHOPPE project which has created and tested tele-presence shopping applications using virtual reality and advanced multimedia technology in four large scale usability trials. The project conducted a number of controlled experiments, where users were to carry out specific tasks in the virtual shop, to test the effectiveness of the various illusions and the tools used to generate them. The project s experiences provide a blueprint for designing a virtual shopping mall that will be as much fun as a real one for the dedicated shopper. The MIDSTEP project has demonstrated how telematics applications can be applied in medicine. It used high speed communications links to exchange medical images and patient records to support remote diagnosis. It also demonstrated using telematics to support surgical procedures through teleconsulting, teleassistance and telemanipulation. The first of these is more or less the same as remote diagnosis, where videoconferencing and collaborative working tools are used to involve a remote expert in discussing a case. The other two go further and use telemanipulation techniques to allow the remote expert to take part in the surgical procedures, e.g. guiding an endoscope or even surgical instruments. Associated processes, such as watermarking of content, have been developed and validated. (eg OCTALIS). Without these processes, users may be reluctant to abandon traditional approaches (eg the post) in favour of multi-media communications. The usability of multi-media for people with special needs has been investigated. This may be a minority market but is very important.. The projects UMPTIDUMPTI and MULTIPORT set out to determine how current and future mobile communications services could be used to help people with various kinds of disabilities Residential videotelephony is a potentially interesting opportunity if it is designed as a consumer product, with user-centred design rather than adapting the user s behaviour to fit the product. The VISAVIS project asked how good videotelephony quality had to be for consistent and accurate communication. It used a range of technical and psychological tests to measure the fitness-for purpose of videotelephony for a range of tasks and to determine how particular videotelephony solutions compare with face-to-face communication. The results showed that surveillance applications can cope with relatively jerky lowresolution pictures but conversations need pictures which are clear enough to recognise the other person. The pictures also have to move at a minimum of 16 frames per second. The sound needs to be at least telephony quality (3.1kHz bandwidth) and be synchronised with the picture to within at least 150 milliseconds. The effectiveness of communication continues to improve up to full TV quality pictures with digital stereo audio, but the rate of improvement depends very much on the task. The ability to use many types of networks to support multi-media has been also proven and is described in earlier sections of this briefing. For further information see: Guidelines ACTS has also produced Guidelines, which bring together the knowledge gathered by a group of projects working in this area. Relevant ones are: GAD-B3 Impact of ICT for the Empowerment of People with Special Needs GAM-G2 GAM-G3 GAM-G7 SII-G2 SII-G3 SII-G4 Recommendations for Adaptation of GSM Devices for use by People with Special Needs Videotelephony For Residential Users Intelligent Agents and Support for Browsing and Navigation in Complex Shopping Scenarios Interactivity support on alternative delivery platforms - Evaluation of networks Multimedia in the context of the evolution towards B-ISDN Organisation of advanced communication trials with residential users Page 8 of 26

9 SII-G5 SII-G8 SII-G10 SII-G11 Trials Internet in the Multimedia scenario User aspects for Mobility Provision of Internet services through telecom networks Requirements for Set Top Boxes Other projects which have carried out trials related to this issue are: AMUSE Advanced Multimedia Services for Residential Users ATHOC ATM Applications over Hybrid Optical Fibre Coax ATMAN COVEN DICEMAN Digital Audio-Visual Work- Trading by ATM Collaborative Virtual Environments Distributed Internet Content Exchange with MPEG-7 and Agent Negotiations IBCoBN Integrated Broadband Communications on Broadcast Networks IMMP ISIS MUSICIAN MUSIST PANORAMA, RENAISSANCE Integrated Multimedia Project Interactive Satellite multimedia Information System Multimedia Services Integration Chain in Advanced Networks Multimedia User Interface for Interactive Services and TV Package for New Operational Autostereoscopic Multiview systems and Applications Integration of High Performance Services for Interactive Vocational Training RESOLV Reconstruction using Scanned Laser and Video What has been learnt from the problems in setting up the trials? ACTS answers to the issue Networks Many trials have commented that the main problem with setting up the trial was the lack of suitable cross-european ATM networks at a commercially sensible price. Networks have not yet implemented features for testing the connectivity over ATM networks from end to end. TCP/IP standards are not fully implemented and compatible. TCP/IP is not optimised for ATM. Standards Switches still come with proprietary network management interfaces as the default. It is very expensive to get TMN interfaces on switches De facto standards are very important in multi-media when setting up a trial even if real standards are the ultimate goal.. PCs A number of trials have experienced major incompatibility problems with commercial PC boards and software. Many of these work well in isolation but refuse to work with other boards and software. Some trials have experienced delays because the number of bugs in commercial software is still unacceptably high. Home systems The cost of producing systems for use in homes has been a challenge It is important that any equipment for use in the home is visually acceptable and is as small as possible. Privacy Unexpected privacy issues surfaced with applications in some trials eg medical images being carried over a public network. Page 9 of 26

10 Legislation and regulation has not yet caught up with the potential for these applications Management of development Any product development spread across a number of partners or locations needs a single, very strong, system designer to give overall leadership and control The successful management of a large project requires very clear definition of roles, together with good progress tracking. If the project organisation is good, a basic engineering cycle can be used. Guidelines ACTS has produced Guidelines, which bring together the knowledge gathered by a group of projects working in this area. A particularly relevant one is: SII-G4 Organisation of advanced communication trials with residential users Page 10 of 26

11 Appendix 1 - Summary of Relevant Guidelines In Word 97 or HTML versions, clicking on the Guideline number will open up a link to the Guideline index on the ACTS InfoWin web site Number Title Summary BAM-G2 GAD-B3 GAM-G2 Sharing the Access Network Infrastructure in Next Generation Communication Systems Impact of ICT for the Empowerment of People with Special Needs: Recommendations for Adaptation of GSM Devices for use by People with Special Needs The guideline explores how Passive Optical Networks (PON) and Mobile Networks (UMTS/MBS) can profitably share common infrastructure at the feeder level of the access network. This extends the Full Service Access Network concept by allowing mobile and fixed services to co-exist on the same physical backbone. The planning and dimensioning of such a network are discussed with particular reference to: the wide variety of third generation mobile services that require more bandwidth than is provided by current second generation systems; the deployment costs, especially the civil works, involved in an access network in a highly populated metropolitan area. Computer tools to support this planning activity are also discussed. The guideline explores the ways in which Information and Communications Technologies can help people with various kinds of handicap or disability to participate more fully in various kinds of social or economic activity. It emphasises the new role of information as the key to empowerment and highlighting the benefits of "investing in autonomy.". The guideline reviews the problems experienced by people with special needs using GSM services in the pilot trials of the Umpti Dumpti project and highlights possible solutions. The pilot trials identified problems at the terminal, network and service levels when different user groups with special needs used existing mobile communications equipment for a variety of purposes. The users were motor impaired, elderly, non-speaking, hearing impaired and deaf persons. The services tested were pure conversational communication, a security service, WWW services, and communication assistance services for non-speaking, deaf and hearing impaired users.. GAM-G3 Videotelephony For Residential Users The guideline argues that videotelephony for residential users should be regarded as a consumer product and designed accordingly, using the principles of user centred design. It also presents a set of detailed requirements for residential videotelephony, where it is assumed the principal display mechanism will be the domestic TV set. These requirements cover audio and video quality, call set up and control, and the user interface. Subjective assessment techniques for the evaluation of user performance and satisfaction are also discussed.. Page 11 of 26

12 Number Title Summary GAM-G7 Intelligent Agents and Support for Browsing and Navigation in Complex Shopping Scenarios NIA-G1 Charging Models in ATM Networks The guideline characterises the requirements for user support in on-line shopping (tele-retail), and recommends generic strategies for support of end-user browsing and navigation in complex shopping scenarios. The scope of this Guideline, entitled Charging Models in ATM Networks and referred to as NIAG1, is to offer recommendations for the structure of feasible and applicable charging models which satisfy both user and network operator requirements. The recommendations include The dependence of charging schemes on distance should be abandoned. A scheme is recommended which charges linearly for duration of a connection and volume transferred during the connection. An access charge should also be applied. The user should be rewarded for a good prediction of his usage during the connection because this information is valuable to the network operator. The service contract between the user and the network operator as well as the negotiation of the tariff for individual connections should occur in transparent and auditable manner NIA-G2 ATM Connection Detail Records & Charging Parameters This guideline suggests groups of charging parameters deemed essential in charging for ATM. It also illustrates how such parameter are made available in present day network elements, and how they are included in the billing process. NIA-G3 Customer Requirements for ATM Charging This guideline has been prepared by the Network Interoperability Accounting Chain of the DGXIII ACTS projects. The guideline contains information which may be of use to marketing departments of networks operators. The guideline presents views of large corporate users on the topic of charging for ATM. Providers of ATM services may find positive reception in the market from the point of view of their ATM charging schemes if the issues covered by the guideline are addressed.. NIA-G4 ATM Charging Strategies The guideline explores a variety of charging schemes suitable for ATM services examining their strengths and weaknesses for the different types of service. This evaluation includes consideration of how easy the scheme is for the user to understand, the predictability, auditability of the charge and the problems of implementation.. NIF-G1 Interworking requirements for fixed and mobile networks This guideline outlines a short to middle-term scenario for fixed and mobile network interworking and provides guidance for the definition and structuring of the appropriate interfaces. The approach taken is that of evolution and widest possible reuse of existing resources in order to ensure the feasibility of the process. Migration paths from existing networks towards a common structure for easy interworking are described. Investigations about the service integration of interworking networks are performed. Page 12 of 26

13 Number Title Summary The actual guideline contains recommendations for fixed and mobile interworking and some supporting technical details. NIF-G2 Guidelines for the Integration of Fixed and Mobile Networks in a B-ISDN Environment This guideline describes a long term scenario for the integration of fixed and mobile networks. It provides guidance for the identification of the affected interfaces for the HW structure and the protocols running across these physical layers. Similar to the re-use recommendations in guideline NIF-G1, the integration of systems strongly requires the re-use of existing resources, components, protocols and services as far as possible. NIG-G3 Internet and ATM Coexistence The scope of this guideline is restricted to IP and ATM integration and three levels of integration have been identified : level 1 : use of IP over an intermediate layer over ATM (e.g. IP over LAN Emulation over ATM), level 2 : use of IP directly over ATM (e.g. Classical IP, MARS, NHRP, MPOA), level 3 : IP merged with ATM (e.g. MPLS). NIG-G4 NIM-G1 NIM-G2 Requirements on the Iu Interface between Access and Core Networks A Design Process for the Development of Multi Domain Service Management Systems A Generic Information Model for Access Networks The guideline introduces the Iu Interface, which is under development for connecting UMTS access networks to UMTS and other core networks, and which has the potential for connecting all possible access and core networks. A series of requirements for the interface are presented and are supported by detailed justification based on the results of ACTS projects. This guideline presents a methodology for designing service management systems which are capable of cooperating across different administrations, organisations and technologies. In particular the methodology provides support when designing management services which have to integrate & co-operate with management services from different service providers. The methodology uses enterprise modelling and object oriented design techniques for requirements capture and description, system development, implementation and deployment. It also facilitates the generation of service management system specifications based on ODP viewpoints. The methodology supports the reuse of pre-existing computational components and architectures in developing and implementing management solutions.. In this guideline, the issue of defining a Generic Model for Access Networks is addressed, showing how it is related to the standardisation process. Work being carried out in this field, with particular regard to ATM based Access Networks, is depicted and put into perspective by considering possible evolution. The result of the present work is that an information model can be designed describing an access system in a technology independent way, compliant with standardised functional specifications for B-ISDN equipment and TMN management architectures) Page 13 of 26

14 Number Title Summary NIM-G4 TMN and TINA coexistence This guideline presents a set of recommendations on migration and architectural issues and discusses in detail the TMN and TINA coexistence options. Specifically the guideline details how to organise the coexistence of TMN and TINA, identifying the needed components. Issues of gateways and architectures are addressed.. NIM-G5 Towards Resilient Networks and Services The guideline presents a structured methodology for defining and implementing security for management services which span organisational and administrative boundaries. The individual management systems must be viewed as independent security domains, sharing common inter-domain security measures in order to communicate securely. Inter-domain security must be standardised, ideally through a small set of alternatives to handle security requirements of varying severity. Negotiation of alternatives should be possible, although at present only negotiation of security context is possible, not negotiation of the security profile Available alternatives for realising security depend on the underlying management technology, and on the possibility for additions or modifications to, especially, the communications protocol stack SII-G10 Provision of Internet services through telecom networks The guideline looks at the provision of services, including multimedia services, over an IP based application network, supported by switched telecom networks. The services are classified according to their IP dependency, and their ability to express Quality of Service requirements to entities involved in a communication. The relationship between an IP based application network and a telecom network used as a bearer network is discussed and a functional model is presented for the boundary between them. Important aspects for an application network, such as charging/billing and security, are addressed. SII-G11 Requirements for Set Top Boxes The guideline aims to help service providers and network operators integrate future oriented specifications in their requirements for set top boxes. These requirements must take into account not only the present user requirements but also the possible evolution, including the complex context where the STB might have to handle diversified access to various types of networks and a great variety of applications. It is therefore of great importance to integrate, at the design stage, the maximum number of features which could help support the future evolution of the services on offer. The requirements presented cover user interfaces, storage, communication handling, content handling, interfaces to external devices, security and the support of multiple applications. SII-G2 SII-G3 Interactivity support on alternative delivery platforms - Evaluation of networks Multimedia in the context of the evolution towards B-ISDN The guideline reviews the ways in which a variety of delivery platforms, including Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC), Passive Optical Networks (PON), Satellite Master Antenna TV (SMATV), Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Loops (ADSL) and coaxial drop cables, could evolve to meet the requirements of interactive multimedia services.. This guideline summarises the international standards concerning multimedia services in the core network, and presents the State of the Art technologies, concerning the core network, used in different ACTS projects and tested in European trials. It identifies evolutionary paths for the core network, so that it can efficiently support the provision of advanced multimedia services to residential users.. Page 14 of 26

15 Number Title Summary SII-G4 Organisation of advanced communication trials with residential users This guideline is based on the results of the ACTS SII Chain, which includes the majority of ACTS projects carrying out trials with residential users. This guideline, as established by the Chain itself, thus aims to identify the critical success factors of implementation of residential users trials of multimedia services and applications. In order to do so, it presents a model of the process of definition, test and development of new services in the path towards commercial exploitation. This helps to identify the role of users trials, the output which can be realistically expected from them and the methodological approach best suited at different services and market development stages. SII-G5 Internet in the Multimedia scenario The scope of this guideline is to provide recommendations for the integrated evolution of Internet based Multimedia Services. Recommendations here proposed are elaborated focusing on the following set of services, assumed as reference benchmark for the evolution of residential communication. news on demand or news report TV program on demand movie on demand teleshopping home banking tourist information an support telegames educational services (tele-teaching, tele-training,...) SII-G8 User aspects for Mobility The guideline presents an overview of user requirements for future mobile systems, together with observations on core network evolution and terminal enhancements to support mobility in a broadband multimedia environment. It begins by examining the primary concepts and requirements regarding mobility from the user's viewpoint. A list of user requirements for future mobile systems is then presented, followed by an analysis of network capabilities and service provision limitations of current mobile networks. A number of enabling technologies and scenarios for mobility support are discussed, namely Intelligent Networking, Satellite Mobility and Multi-Mode Terminals. The guideline concludes with a detailed presentation of enhancements required both to the backbone and the access network towards UMTS. Page 15 of 26

16 Appendix 2 - Summary of Relevant Trials In Word 97 or HTML versions, clicking on the trial title will open up a link to project information on the ACTS InfoWin web site Trial title AMUSE Advanced Multimedia Services for Residential Users ASPeCT Advanced Security for Personal Communications Technologies ATHOC ATM Applications over Hybrid Optical Fibre Coax Summary of trial The AMUSE project is carrying out experiments on the provision of interactive and distributive multimedia services to real residential users. Services are demonstrated in field trials carried out in different islands of users, using a state-of-the-art end-to-end ATM infrastructure (from terminal equipment to multimedia server), through various types of access network. A number of experiments are assessing both service and technology aspects related to the adopted delivery platforms. The ASPeCT trials are establishing the feasibility and acceptability of advanced security mechanisms, applied in real time, on an environment containing many expected UMTS characteristics, accessed by project-independent users. The trials are testing the equipment developed by ATHOC under various conditions, in a real user environment. Additionally services, either newly developed in the project or adapted from those already existing, are being evaluated with regard to user needs. In this context, the focus is on bi-directional high speed Internet access via a hybrid fibre-coax (HFC) network. ATHOC's target is largely private residential users, typically co-located with existing users of a CaTV infrastructure. However, in one of the trial sites two of the implemented services are aimed at professional users such as medical doctors and smaller engineering offices. These types of user also typically located in residential areas. The ATHOC experiments demonstrate advanced network technologies, services and applications to network operators, service providers and users. ATMAN Digital Audio-Visual Work-Trading by ATM AWACS ATM Wireless Access Communication The trial is assessing the efficiency of the ATMAN trading model, particularly the possibilities of effectively browsing, accessing and transferring audio-visual content in a co-ordinated fashion while taking into proper account the legal and commercial issues related to such activities. User trials are being conducted to show the benefits of wireless ATM by providing a demonstration which is implemented by making a two-way wireless audio/video link between production facilities and designers' PCs using NTT's pre-prototype AWA equipment and Elektrobit's (EKB) existing ATM network. This is being conducted in the context of a location-independent working environment via multimedia services. The link is a point-to-point type with a fixed site. Page 16 of 26

17 Trial title System (AWACS) in Virtual Office Environment CA$HMAN Charging and Accounting Trials in Multi- Service ATM Networks CANCAN Contract Negotiation and Charging in ATM Networks COVEN Collaborative Virtual Environments Summary of trial A set of experiments which are concerned with the charging interface between the user and the network. The first part of the experiment involves the development of a platform in which this interface is provided by a tariffing agent and a purchasing agent, and the use of this platform in user trials and demonstrations of the charging interface. The second part of the experiment is aimed at user trials of a renegotiation capability. CANCAN is providing research and technology development (RTD) in the area of ATM charging and broadband service contracts. The key objective of this project is to explore the nature of such contracts, as regards both long-term (service level agreements) and short-term aspects (how aspects of the contract can be negotiated during connection establishment). The project s experiments provide initial experience with real traffic and currently deployed equipment, to help in the design of basic ATM charging schemes, and in the assessment of user behaviour in response to these. COVEN is developing a computational service for teleworking and virtual presence. The overall objective of the project is to provide the facilities needed to support future co-operative teleworking systems and to demonstrate the added value of networked Virtual Reality for both professional users and home users. COVEN is developing a general platform for Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs), providing the application-level services needed to support the implementation of these CVEs. The development of the COVEN platform is driven by the needs of two CVE applications addressing professional and home users DIANA Demonstration of IP and ATM Networking for Real Time Applications DICEMAN Distributed Internet Content Exchange with MPEG-7 and Agent Negotiations DIANA is developing, integrating, validating and demonstrating resource reservation and traffic control functionalities which seamlessly interoperate between ATM and IP networks to achieve QoS. At the boundary between the ATM and IP domains, DIANA aims to translate between RSVP and ATM signalling, thereby supporting the different QoS specifications of IP and ATM. The developments in DIANA allow the investigation of different approaches for the convergence of RSVP/IP and ATM, as well as providing an insight into the feasibility and efficiency of this topology and the optimum sizes of the two domains. Fast topology changes can be achieved by adapting the prototype implementation and moving end systems from one domain to the other. DICEMAN intends to provide a solution to what is probably the single biggest problem facing the archive content industry and its consumers today. Content holders have vast quantities of material which they would like to sell. Content consumers have a growing need to access and purchase this content. In this era of digital content and global digital networks, it is time a digital solution to this problem revolutionised the industry. DICEMAN aims to do this by: 1. Opening up valuable databases of multimedia content by making them easier to search, using: Page 17 of 26

18 Trial title Summary of trial advanced forms of descriptions and indexing advanced forms of user interfaces 2. Enabling the location of the best content for a given purpose, both locally and globally, over electronic networks, using agent-based assistants to users and provider. 3. Enabling the exchange and trading of multimedia content over electronic networks using standardised interfaces to electronic databases. DIVINE Deployment of Interpersonal Videoconferencing Systems on IBC Networks DOLMEN Service Machine Development for an Open Long-term Mobile and Fixed Network Environment ELISA European Experiment on the Linkage between Internet Integrated Services and ATM The DIVINE project is developing and implementing an ATM based high quality multi-point conference system in real end-user environments. Interoperability with already existing H.320 compliant equipment on N-ISDN is one of the major targets of the Project. The project is developing, validating and promoting a Service Architecture (called Open Service Architecture for an integrated fixed and Mobile environment - OSAM) that meets open provision requirements for communication services over both fixed and mobile heterogeneous and multi-provider telecommunications networks. The project is investigating the technical feasibility of an "Integrated Services Architecture which is based on Internet technology, but uses specific features of ATM networks; in particular switched connections with guaranteed Quality of Service. The key activities are: practical experimentation on an Internet Integrated Services architecture; usage of existing wide-area ATM networks to support QoS guarantees through ATM switched connections (signalling); integration of a trial testbed which makes realistic assumptions about the way how terminals are connected to the network (i.e. through a LAN or ISDN using an edge device connected to the wide-area ATM backbone); study and prototype implementation of charging and admission control mechanisms which apply to individual QoS requests issued by a user s terminal; Page 18 of 26

19 Trial title Summary of trial provision of a sample application to demonstrate the manifold possibilities for using the enhanced network features in multimedia services. EXODUS Experiments On the Deployment of UMTS IBCoBN Integrated Broadband Communications on Broadcast Networks IMMP Integrated Multimedia Project The project is identifying a smooth transition path from disparate and second generation mobile systems towards UMTS, focusing on evolution of Core Network capabilities supporting both terminal and personal mobility for a number of services provisioned to selected sectors (e.g. health care, business travellers). The project is: Identifying the broadband communication needs of residential and SME users. Identifying key residential applications. Initiating longer term R&D into the IBC needs of the cable sector and creating a centre of excellence (EuroCableLabs) to take over the identification of future requirements for local and regional cable networks The Integrated Multimedia Project (IMMP) is studying the integration of interactive multimedia services and system architectures addressing both residential and business users and focusing on the overlaps and synergy between the two. The main focus is on investigating and using IP/ATM connections and using applications relevant to the business sector. The evolution towards new multimedia applications will take place in a step by step fashion with successful services developed only after extensive end-user evaluations. This process is being followed in the project, emphasising end-user trials and the feedback from them. IMMP is conducting focused trials with selected services to understand the key issues (technical, human and commercial) which will affect the successful deployment and end user acceptance of such services. Of particular relevance will be common new services that can be utilised in both business and residential areas. INSIGNIA IN and B-ISDN Signalling Integration on ATM Platforms ISIS Interactive Satellite multimedia Information System Using available equipment, the project is researching and developing prototypes of Broadband Service Switching Points (B-SSPs), Broadband Service Control Points (B-SCPs) and Broadband Intelligent Peripherals (B-IPs). This equipment is being deployed in the context of different ACTS National Hosts, interconnected and exposed to real users. The ISIS Project is demonstrating the technical and economical feasibility of interactive services via satellite in the framework of the future European multimedia scenario. Specific emphasis is placed on the critical issues associated with a dual-band satellite link concept, namely Ku band (12-14 GHz) on the forward path and Ka band (20-30 GHz) on the return interactive path. The project is not only defining the suitability of such a technology choice but also pointing out the applications and services which can be better exploited on the defined system architecture. Page 19 of 26

20 Trial title IthACI Internet and the ATM: Experiments & Enhancements for Convergence and Integration MEMO Multimedia Environment for Mobiles Summary of trial The project is setting up technology islands and integrating IP over ATM networks based on different (existing and new) IP switching solutions. On these it will develop and demonstrate enhancements to IP-switching solutions with support for specific added value features in the areas of: Multicast Services; Quality of Service (QoS) demand and provisioning; Host Mobility in a multicast environment; and Resource Management. MEMO is developing a generic architecture for the provision of interactive multimedia services to mobile and portable terminals. The system provides an asymmetrical bi-directional link combining a broadband downlink (based on DAB) and a low bitrate interactive link (based on GSM) Two types of example services are implemented: applications from electronic publishing (newspaper, videotext), based on the HTML format, with strong interactive functionalities. applications from the construction industries, featuring on-demand downloading of large amounts of data to user groups and collaborative work on the data. Based on the experience with two generations of prototypes, user requirements studies and evaluation of user trials, MEMO is developing a generalised service model and both hardware and software platforms to implement a wide variety of interactive datacasting services where mobility is the key issue. MIDSTEP Multimedia Interactive Demonstrator Telepresence MISA Management of Integrated SDH and ATM Networks MIDSTEP is realising demonstrators for Telesurgery - one for Interventional Ultrasound demonstrator (Telescanning) and one for Minimal Invasive Surgery ( Laparoscopy). With the Telescanning demonstrator, the remote clinician can serve a number of facilities to take a biopsy with the help of an ultrasound system. The Laparoscopic demonstrator allows the performance of ultrasound with surgeons in the operation room and a remote ultrasound radiologist. MISA demonstrates automatic exchange of management information between Network Operators for management of public broadband networks and services. This is a mandatory prerequisite in order to offer international broadband services which span multiple administrative domains (both operator and customer). In addition, the integration of the management systems for the different levels involved (i.e. SDH and ATM), in a broadband network promotes efficient use of the related public broadband network resources :- improving the overall reliability of the network and reducing overall costs. The management systems designed and developed by MISA enable both effective competition and co-operation by public broadband network operators in an openly competitive European telecoms marketplace. Page 20 of 26