ATIS Releases Industry’s First IP-NNI Standard for VoIP

Standard Addresses Need as Carriers Migrate from TDM to IP

June 13, 2006, Washington – ATIS announces the release of a new American National Standard that provides a standardized intercarrier interface that can be utilized as telecom companies migrate the network-to-network interface (NNI) from TDM circuit switched to Internet Protocol (IP) networks.

IP Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) Standard for VoIP (ATIS-PP-1000009.2006) is the first standard to address the interface between IP networks and focuses particularly on supporting voice services. It includes definitions for interconnection architecture; SIP call/session control signaling; signaling and media transport; quality of service (QoS); the association between call control and media control; and mandatory SIP URIs to be supported.

“The ability to migrate the traditional phone system to IP networks has taken a significant step forward with the development of this standard,” said Susan Miller, president and CEO of ATIS. “This new standard fills a real need in the industry as the networks face an expansion of VoIP services. ATIS will continue to address IP-NNI needs to assure a completely interoperable IP-based Next Generation Network.”

The standard includes Call Flow illustrations for a variety of call situations in which the IP backbone infrastructure of two carriers are traversed and one or both ends of the call exist in the PSTN or on an IP network.

The IP Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) Standard for VoIP was developed by the ATIS Packet Systems and Technologies Committee’s subcommittee for Signaling, Architecture and Control (PTSC-SAC). It has been balloted and approved as an American National Standard. It currently is available for purchase in the ATIS Document Center (www.atis.org/docstore) as a pre-published document pending final editorial work.

The current document defines the IP NNI for call servers and fulfills a key requirement for the ATIS Technology and Operations (TOPS) Council’s VoIP Work Plan. A future version will focus on the NNI for IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS), which is an integral component of the Next Generation Network.

About ATIS

ATIS is a technical planning and standards development organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach. Participants from more than 350 communications companies are active in ATIS’ 23 industry committees and Incubator Solutions Program. www.atis.org

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