Calix and MetaSwitch Roll Out Any Network/Any Infrastructure Service Delivery Capabilities

H.248 Cooperation Clears Pathway for Converged IP Networks and Services

 

COMPTEL SPRING 2007, Las Vegas, NV: February 27, 2007. MetaSwitch and Calix announced today the successful completion of joint H.248 interoperability testing, providing carriers a compelling combined solution for advanced IP-based services on copper and fiber networks, and a smooth and cost effective migration to converged packet-based access networks based on IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) standards. The integrated solution has been welcomed by joint Calix and MetaSwitch customers such as innovative service providers PCS1 and MNSi.

Focused on the small to medium business market, Southern California-based PCS1 is one of the country's leading competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). The company is leveraging the combined solution from MetaSwitch and Calix to streamline the transformation of its core network to voice over IP (VoIP) while continuing to provide traditional telephony service.

"MetaSwitch and Calix individually provide state-of-the-art solutions that address key pain points for PCS1 as our customers migrate to IP-based communications services," said Devin Semler, CEO of PCS1. "Together, the combination of Calix and MetaSwitch has greatly improved the reliability of our network and rapidly decreased the time it takes to turn up a new central office compared with the previous generation of access technologies. With more than 75 central office conversions now under our belt, we feel very comfortable with this technology."

Based in Windsor, Ontario, MNSi services nine communities in southwest Ontario. Founded in 1995, MNSi has grown to serve 15,000 business and residential customers. "The market is moving quickly toward an all IP service infrastructure and we view our ability to rapidly respond to evolving market opportunities as a key advantage for MNSi," said Clayton Zekelman, CEO and President of MNSi. "MetaSwitch and Calix continue to demonstrate a strong commitment, backed up by highly responsive expert support, to ensure we are successful with our service objectives."

A MetaSwitch softswitch deployed with ultra-broadband fiber- or copper-based access infrastructure from Calix provides a fast and simple migration to a pure IP network. The combined solution is fully interoperable using either traditional time division multiplexed (TDM) or H.248-based voice signaling, offering carriers a smooth transition from legacy networks to IP-based services. H.248 is the international standard for media gateway control published jointly by the ITU and the IETF, and is the media gateway control protocol specified by the emerging IMS architecture.

"The value of IMS is that it decouples the service from the traditional stove pipe networking infrastructure, enabling carriers to pick the equipment that best serves their specific needs as they roll out advanced IP services," said Chris Mairs, MetaSwitch CTO and senior vice president of business development. "Our successful demonstration of H.248 interoperability with Calix is part of our on-going efforts to ensure our customers have the greatest flexibility and choice as they look to deploy advanced voice, video and data services to all of their customers."

The MetaSwitch product line includes a range of options for carriers to deploy packet and/or TDM-based services, either as a replacement for, or alongside, existing Class 5 and Class 4 switches. An open distributed softswitch architecture, including session control, application server, media gateway and signaling gateway components, ensures network flexibility and scalability. MetaSwitch exclusively employs industry standard protocols such as SIP and H.248 for maximum interoperability with a range of next generation devices including IP-based access equipment such as the Calix C7.

"Our customers have two goals: deploy new services for additional revenue, and reduce the costs of delivering POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service)," said Ray Savona, Calix vice president of field marketing. "Through our partnership with MetaSwitch, Calix has demonstrated our commitment to ensuring our customers can best leverage advanced IP communication services quickly and cost effectively with world class networking partners."

Calix provides a range of packet-based, high-capacity access solutions that allow service providers to deliver a full suite of information, communication, and entertainment services over fiber and copper access networks. Carrier customers of Calix, by working with MetaSwitch, are able to transition their TDM access network and voice switching infrastructure to VoIP through the simple addition of a VoIP gateway processor in existing systems.

Please visit MetaSwitch at CompTel Spring 2007 at booth 719, and Calix at booth 411.

About MetaSwitch

MetaSwitch is an industry-leading vendor of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) switching and applications solutions for both packet and circuit-switched networks. Its widely deployed call agent, media/signaling gateway and application server platform supports a full range of legacy Class 4/5 capabilities and hosted unified communications services, and scales from a few hundred to millions of subscribers in both integrated and distributed configurations. Customers include incumbent and competitive local exchange carriers, as well as operators of broadband wireless, cable and fiber networks. MetaSwitch is a division of established telecom technology provider Data Connection. The company is consistently profitable and privately held, with main US offices in California and Virginia, and European headquarters in London, UK. For more information: www.metaswitch.com.

About Calix

Calix is the largest telecom equipment supplier focused solely on access solutions for broadband service delivery. Service providers deploy Calix access systems to enable a rich set of information, communication, and entertainment services and to expand their revenue base beyond connectivity. Calix access innovation helps service providers transform their networks from circuit to packet, narrowband to broadband, and copper to fiber. Calix has deployed millions of ports and tens of thousands of systems into hundreds of service provider networks throughout North America. For more information, visit the Calix website at www.calix.com.