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June 02, 2006
Feature Interaction
A few years ago we had a great deal of controversy in the pulver report when we were discussing the threat of feature interaction when managing call control. A noted IETF friend was of the opinion, that the world wide web model was an accurate portrayal of the future. That call control would find its way to the appropriate application server (by proxy ;<) ) . From there features and functions would be available.
In the interview with Aswath Rao http://pulvervblog.pulver.com/ , we discussed the misleading statements that VoIP and IMS had changed the rules and may it so that anyone can control the call. When looking at the world wide web. The web servers are incredibly good at getting the information processed locally, importing external resources and pushing to the end point features that are desired. So the question is, “Can call control work on the same model as the web?”
I am sure that many are saying yes, right now but look at some basic issues. Call Transfer has been a problem for SIP, and a sticking point for Skype’s API. For all the talk about new features, all too often truth is the phone gets the sizzle from bells and whistles and less from actually call processing. Don’t believe me? Consider Phone “Pimping” Ringtones! I rest my case.
Long ago I suggested that Intelligent Networks had some nice breakpoints for feature interactions to be managed effectively. It was a starting point that they call (0.0) which also was the market acceptance of the idea. It would be nice if the circuit world and the internet world could meet at these points and do some features that truly take us by surprise. Like forking “find me - follow me” features. Or making call transfer a network catch and release feature. Best yet Disaster Recovery features that enabled redirection in case of an emergency.
Like Instant Messaging, we maybe heading for a Skype network, and a world of SIP networks that maintain their island status. If someone told me ten years ago, we would be still using the PSTN for interoperability in 2006 I would have laughed in their face. Yet Peer is not a term I would associate yet with interoperability, only self discovery within a given network. We may be heading to the equivalent of an Internet full of closed networks. The traffic indicates this is our future. It will be sad to say that I remember when I could reach anyone, anywhere on the PSTN and did not have to belong to their network to find them in a directory and call them.
I expect some flames and would love to hear from everyone. But don’t expect a quick response. I will be available for a group lunch at Fall VON on Wednesday to listen to the community.
Posted by carl at 07:58 AM | Comments (0)