Network Providers Research Articles

Consideration on common channel signaling evolution for global intelligent networking

With the evolution of digital networks and intelligent network (IN) capabilities, the role of common channel signaling has become more and more important. In respect to IN, common channel signaling would play a significant role not only inside one network but also over multiple networks. International credit card validation and internetworking for digital mobile services represented by GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) are examples which utilize internetwork signaling capabilities in the framework of the initial-phase IN. Enhanced service providers (ESPs) may access the public network through the common channel signaling interface to make use of the IN capabilities, as is being discussed in terms of ONA (open network architecture) or ONP (open network provision). This paper first identifies various scenarios where internetwork signaling interactions would take place in the framework of IN in the forthcoming era. It then identifies various requirements to cope with these scenarios. It finally discusses the directions for evolution of common channel signaling toward global intelligent networking.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Europe's ONP bargain: What's in it for the user?

Open Network Provision (ONP) is characterized as an institutionalized collective bargaining process in which the interests of the telecommunications user in Europe have often been overlooked. This article examines how the practical measures put in place by the ONP process have addressed user interests. Second, it asks how users have influenced the direction of the ONP process, particularly with regard to the proposed Voice Telephony Directive and, finally, it asks how ONP will meet the needs of the user in the future. It argues that the ONP bargain should be shifted from the Community level to the marketplace itself, allowing experience to necessitate regulation, rather than regulation to dictate experience.

Open network provision in the EC: A step-by-step approach to competition

The European vision of Open Network Provision (ONP) is clear and powerful: the existing public fixed networks are to become a kind of pan-European motorway system over which any operator can run telecommunication services in the knowledge that tolls and conditions of access and use would be the same for all. Making the vision a reality, however, is another matter. This article considers the step-by-step approach of the European Commission towards ONP.

European policies and regulation

This article describes the three main objectives of the European Community's programme of regulatory reform in the telecommunication sector: liberalization, the separation of regulatory and operational functions, and the realization of scale economies. Particular attention is paid to the new Directive on Open Network Provision.

Applying open network provision to ISDN and intelligent networks

Abstract The rapid evolution of network technologies and the opening up of public networks in Europe and world-wide have resulted in a variety of different concepts and models for the future telecommunication world. Looking for a functional model for the flexible and open provision of future telecommunication services, also referred to as value added services, a thorough analysis of the different proposed models is required in order to understand the implications of these models and their relationships. The relevant models identified are the Open Network Provision (ONP) framework, the Intelligent Network (IN) concept and the OSI Reference Model and related distributed processing standards. The paper proposes a compound functional model based on the afore-mentioned models forming a general framework for the development and provision of future telecommunication services. Focussing on ISDN as target network technology for the next decade and Intelligent Networks as key concept for the provision of future services, this paper identifies the alternatives of opening the network infrastructure to competiting service providers by means of the ONP concept.

HERBICIDE ADVISER: A decision support system to optimise atrazine and chlorsulfuron activity and crop safety

A decision support system to improve the safety and reliability of two residual herbicides atrazine and chlorsulfuron is described. HERBICIDE ADVISER is a modular system and consists of a herbicide simulation model, weather generator, and an expert system front and back end. Additional utilities link remote users in a national network. The user interface has been given a high priority in HERBICIDE ADVISER. Wherever possible, the interface was designed to emulate the dialogue process involved in a typical herbicide telephone inquiry or consultation. Inquiries such as: ‘Is it safe to sow a susceptible crop after applying atrazine or chlorsulfuron’, ‘What are the causes of herbicide failure’ and ‘Which herbicide rate should I select for optimum control of specific weeds’, invoke a site-specific recommendation. Only relevant information is requested from the inquirer. However, extensive on-line help and explanations are available if necessary. Recommendations are checked against the label to ensure that written advice does not conflict with advice on the label. Achievements to date include: (1) development of a central inexpensive multi-user decision support system based on a 80386 personal computer; (2) the availability of affordable and reliable communication software/hardware to support remote users via standard telephone connections; (3) development of userfriendly interfaces to provide agricultural consultants with efficient access to information necessary for ‘prescription’ herbicide applications; and (4) the provision of a communication network to coordinate herbicide-persistence research and extension across Australia. Remote users now have access to the system and validation is in progress.

Biogeography and conservation of reptiles, mammals and birds across north-western Australia: an inventory and base for planning an ecological reserve system

The distributions of mammals (94 spp. =38% of the Australian total), land birds (252 spp. =52%), and terrestrial reptiles (269 spp. = 39%) in north-western Australia are analysed. Of these species, 133 (mostly reptiles) are restricted to this region. Reptiles (and especially endemic species) characteristically have small ranges in this area. For all three groups, diversity is highest in coastal, high rainfall areas (especially of Arnhem Land and the northern Kimberley). Such areas are relatively well represented in the existing nature reserve system. Assemblages of species are mapped, on the basis of classification of the 123 lo latitude by lo longitude cells in the region. For both mammal and bird species, four defined assemblages were distributed in high rainfall coastal areas, inland low rainfall areas and two transitional zones, all extending over a broad east-west span. Reptile assemblages show a similar initial (wet-dry) division, but then split into east and west subdivisions. For all three animal groups, transitional and inland assemblages are poorly reserved (&lt;0.25% of land area). A total of 58 reserves occur in the region. Most are small (median 24km*2) and concentrated around population centres. Biological information is lacking for most reserves. Largely because of the dispersion of existing reserves, almost one quarter of the species considered (and about the same proportion of endemic species) are not known to occur in any conservation reserve in the region. Priorities are assigned for the placement of future reserves. The most significant additions should be in the north Kimberley, south-west Kimberley, northern fringe of the Tanami Desert, Gulf of Carpentaria hinterland and eastern Arnhem Land. The conservation of this fauna is not dependent solely on the provision of a park network, but demands also informed management of reserves and adequate environmental protection of land outside reserves.

Key issues in Europe's open network provision: The case of the German VANS providers

The author sought the views of the largest German value-added network service (VANS) providers on the Council of the European Communities' framework directive on open network provision (ONP). He outlines several additions to the directive which would promote harmonization while preventing ONP from becoming a hindrance to competition in VANS.

Network competition and value-added services: What should follow ONP?

The current policy of open network provision will be of significant benefit in facilitating the development of value-added services in the European Community. However, argues the author of this Comment, its effectiveness in achieving this objective will be enhanced if some degree of network competition is permitted.

Open network architecture: Journey to an unknown destination?

Open network architecture (ONA) has been developed as a technological solution to the regulatory problems of a multi-user, multi-operator telecommunications environment. The USA has been the originator of this concept, which may be paradigmatic for similar developments elsewhere such as open network provision. Close inspection of the philosophy behind ONA reveals its essentially unsettled nature. Far from achieving an uncontestable solution to the problem of regulating enhanced network provision, it has in a sense encouraged an increased factionalism within the industry. This central lesson of the US experience is germane to parallel developments in Europe and elsewhere.

Intelligent Network OAM&amp;P Capabilities and Evolutions for Network Elements

The intelligent network (IN) gives telephone companies a timely way to create new services for their customers. For IN to succeed, the network operations, administration, maintenance, and provisioning (OAM&P) strategies for IN must be in place, evolvable, and workable. An operations platform with IN-specific OAM&P capabilities must be developed before new IN-based services are deployed. This operations platform must be flexible enough to provide the necessary OAM&P support for any IN services without additional development work from network element (NE) and operations system (OS) vendors. Once a new service is created, the IN network must be able to deliver and maintain the service by using the OAM&P capabilities available in the IN operations platform. This paper discusses the capabilities and evolutions of major network element's OAM&P for the United States IN in the areas of billing, service provisioning and verification, network engineering, network traffic management, and maintenance.

The role of the European Commission in telecommunications: The CEC Green paper and beyond

In June 1987 the Commussion of the European Communities issued a “Gree Paper” on the development of the common Market for Telecommunications Services and Equipment. Of particular importance is the liberalization of telecommunications services within the EEC and, by implication, in the whole of Western Europe. The current status of the “Green Paper” is outlined and special emphasis is given to the enhancement of current actions and to the current work on Open Network Provision in the Community.

Private network signalling

Signalling is one of the most important elements in the provision of private networks, and such systems have developed rapidly during the last ten years. This paper examines the DPNSS1 signalling standard in detail, highlighting its specifications and the supplementary services available. The system's structure is outlined, and the author gives a working example of the establishment of a simple call via DPNSS1. After considering the future of the system, and its relationship with other standards, the paper concludes with a summary of signalling at the present time.

Approximations for the Random Minimal Spanning Tree with Application to Network Provisioning

This paper considers the problem of determining the mean and distribution of the length of a minimal spanning tree (MST) on an undirected graph whose arc lengths are independently distributed random variables. We obtain bounds and approximations for the MST length and show that our upper bound is much tighter than the naive bound obtained by computing the MST length of the deterministic graph with the respective means as arc lengths. We analyze the asymptotic properties of our approximations and establish conditions under which our bounds are asymptotically optimal. We apply these results to a network provisioning problem and show that the relative error induced by using our approximations tends to zero as the graph grows large.

Potential for competition and the role of PTTs

The author considers the potential benefits and problems of deregulation in the telecommunications sector. He discusses competition (a) in terminal equipment supply and (b) in network provision. Assessing both areas in the light of US experience, he draws up recommendations for liberalized policies in European countries.

Project Impact: Identification and Replication of Exemplary Gifted Programs in Illinois

Equity in the context of education requires that schools provide programs which are appropriate to the needs of exceptional students. Through PROJECT IMPACT and other programs, Illinois is moving toward provision of a complete network of services which are differentiated in relation to gifted students' needs.

SPACE-TIME PARAMETERS OF THE LOGGING INDUSTRY

The relationship between the seasonality of the logging industry, transport conditions and production costs is analyzed with particular reference to Irkutsk Oblast. Month-by-month logging volumes are found to be most regular in large new logging enterprises that are provided with modern equipment and permanent loggers' settlements; seasonal differences are more pronounced in smaller and older enterprises. Logging volumes tend to be highest in winter when frozen roads help improve transport conditions and provide access to remote felling areas that cannot be reached in summer. Since production costs tend to be lower in winter because of improved transport conditions, seasonality of logging operations is found to be economically justified. However, future development of the industry should be aimed at maintaining high logging volumes all year round through the provision of a wider network of year-round logging roads or extending the life of winter roads through the spring season by a variety of techniques now under development.

The impact of public health services on mortality: A study of mortality differentials in a rural area of Nigeria

Summary An attempt was made to measure the effect of providing health services in rural Nigeria by selecting two communities matched so as to be as similar as possible in culture, socio-economic characteristics, the supply of water and the disposal of human wastes, but contrasting in the provision of health services. One centre had enjoyed the services of a doctor and a well-staffed hospital for over a decade, while the other was over ten kilometres from even the nearest maternal health centre or shop selling pharmaceutical products. A sample of households in each village was interviewed about morbidity, mortality and the treatment employed for sickness. A substantial difference in the use of modern medical services was reflected in a wide mortality differential largely explained by very great differences in mortality under five years of age. It was concluded that mortality decline during the last half century may be almost wholly explained by introduced modern health services, and that the mortality decline even in areas far from health centres has probably resulted largely from campaigns against infectious disease, some employment of the distant health facilities together with the use of certain Pharmaceuticals and perhaps mosquito nets. Continued mortality decline depends primarily on the provision of a denser network of medical facilities.

Methadone maintenance--is it enough?

Greenwich House Counseling Center is a psychiatric clinic providing outpatient treatment and services solely to drug addicts and their families. During its more than six year existence, the Counseling Center has made use of both individual and group treatment methods, supplemented by prescribed medication. The philosophy of the Center places value on staff efforts to meet the addict's concrete needs on the basis of his entitlements, and responsive intervention at the point of crisis and stress. This is effected via the provision of a wide network of supportive services offered in as nonformal a manner as is professionally possible

Non-linear distortion in transmission systems

The problem of the distortion noise generated by a signal in its transmission through one or more non-linear devices is analysed. This subject has become of increasing importance in connection with the development of the transmission of different types of signals on a multi-channel basis through a common network, e.g. modulator, amplifier or transmitter. The provision of such networks is now of frequent occurrence, and in order that economic and satisfactory designs may be obtained it is essential to be able to determine precisely the effect of non-linearity and also the limiting linearity requirements, preferably in a form which can be readily comprehended and applied by designers. The problem has been considered to be very complex, and existing literature is both scanty and involved. This paper presents a simple solution, which is capable, in general, of immediate application to any type of complex signal (e.g. speech, music, television, voice-frequency telegraphy or thermal noise) covering any frequency band or frequency allocation. The results are presented to the designer in the form of the limiting levels of the various harmonics of a single tone, which levels must not be exceeded if the noise power from the non-linear device in any specified frequency band is not to exceed a predetermined value. The differences in the linearity requirements of a single amplifier and of a repeatered system are demonstrated. Provided the input/output characteristic of the network can be expressed as a single-valued power series independent of the frequency in the working band, the results obtained should cover with adequate accuracy the design of all types of transmission systems.