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freitasm

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#213925 19-Apr-2017 12:09
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Just received:

 

 

Voice communications in New Zealand is in for a massive upgrade with Spark New Zealand announcing this morning it is switching from the ageing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to a next generation IP-based network.

 

The new network, to be progressively phased in over the next five years, will provide the foundation for Spark’s voice services into the future and will bring together all voice communications – be it landline, mobile, video or data-based.

 

It will enable richer, better customer experiences with voice, video, and collaboration features over whatever Spark service is available to them at the time, and provides the platform for new voice products and services into the future.

 

“This is a significant and essential upgrade of our oldest network, providing us with a future-proof platform for the latest voice technology, and allowing us to develop and deploy new services. We’ve been talking about doing this for over a decade now, and many other countries are also in the process of retiring their PSTNs, so it’s great to finally be able to get on with it here,” says Spark’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Beder.

 

“The PSTN has served New Zealanders extremely well for many decades, but it’s now nearing end of life and the clock is ticking. Its last big upgrade, to a digital switching platform, was over 30 years ago. Maintaining the network is becoming harder and harder – components are no longer manufactured, we’ve bought every second-hand part we can source from around the world, and people with the skills to maintain the technology are harder to find.

 

“Increasingly, customers are choosing alternatives to the old copper-based PSTN as their use of digital voice applications increase. Already, around 50% of New Zealand homes and businesses are using other technologies like Voice over Fibre, Voice over Wireless, using their mobile for voice communications or relying on messaging applications. It’s time to make the switch.” 

 

Beder says although the upgrade is a massive technical and logistical undertaking, it will be largely invisible to customers with minimal disruption to services. The vast majority of customers won’t need to do anything and their existing phones and devices will continue to work normally when they switch over from the PSTN to the new IP-based network, which Spark is dubbing the “Converged Communications Network” (CCN).

 

Spark has already been successfully trialling the transition by consolidating and decommissioning 10 of the smaller, more remote exchanges – out of the 482 PSTN exchanges scattered around the country. Another four exchanges will be decommissioned shortly.

 

Beder says “These trials have been very successful. All the changes take place behind the scenes and disruption to customers has been minimal. The migration entails a small outage of a few minutes, scheduled during off-peak times for residential customers.”

 

Most customer devices being used today will be compatible with the CCN, but there may be some rare exceptions with legacy low-speed dial up services such as older medical and house alarms, EFTPOS terminals and PABX systems. Newer IP-based digital products with more and better functionality can replace these services and Spark will be working with vendors and customers to help make the transition as easy as possible for customers as the upgrade rolls out in coming years.

 





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chevrolux
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  #1767269 19-Apr-2017 12:23
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Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!




old3eyes
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  #1767326 19-Apr-2017 13:49
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chevrolux:

 

Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!

 

 

Not unless you're in the market for selling IP base PSTN  stuff.

 

Heard that this was to be switched  off in 2022  so as where I live we're going to get fiber about then  so I guess I'll be one of the last with an analog landline. 





Regards,

Old3eyes


sbiddle
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  #1767331 19-Apr-2017 13:59
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old3eyes:

 

chevrolux:

 

Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!

 

 

Not unless you're in the market for selling IP base PSTN  stuff.

 

Heard that this was to be switched  off in 2022  so as where I live we're going to get fiber about then  so I guess I'll be one of the last with an analog landline. 

 

 

Plenty of customers will still have "analogue lines| even after the NEAX's are shut down. Voice will be from the ISAM-V cards from the cabinet or exchange just as it does now for a growing number of customers.

 

This announcement feels like 2005ish all over again when Telecom announced their plans for their NGN.

 

Remember back to 2009 whey then had their first VoIP call and planned to start migrating customers by the od of the year? http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/telecoms-it-media/2258421/Telecom-rolls-out-VoIP-network

 

I guess now the technology actually works..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




ubergeeknz
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  #1767338 19-Apr-2017 14:01
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It's a pretty exciting announcement for the industry.  Well done Spark for committing to the future (even if it's been a long time coming!)


old3eyes
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  #1767343 19-Apr-2017 14:08
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sbiddle:

 

old3eyes:

 

chevrolux:

 

Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!

 

 

Not unless you're in the market for selling IP base PSTN  stuff.

 

Heard that this was to be switched  off in 2022  so as where I live we're going to get fiber about then  so I guess I'll be one of the last with an analog landline. 

 

 

Plenty of customers will still have "analogue lines| even after the NEAX's are shut down. Voice will be from the ISAM-V cards from the cabinet or exchange just as it does now for a growing number of customers.

 

This announcement feels like 2005ish all over again when Telecom announced their plans for their NGN.

 

Remember back to 2009 whey then had their first VoIP call and planned to start migrating customers by the od of the year? http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/telecoms-it-media/2258421/Telecom-rolls-out-VoIP-network

 

I guess now the technology actually works.. 

 

 

Yep it feels like 2005  when they told NEC about 2001  that the Alcatel NGN  would replace the NEC  switches and no need to make anymore spares.  They did rather fall in there on that one..





Regards,

Old3eyes


hio77
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  #1767345 19-Apr-2017 14:15
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sbiddle:

 

old3eyes:

 

chevrolux:

 

Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!

 

 

Not unless you're in the market for selling IP base PSTN  stuff.

 

Heard that this was to be switched  off in 2022  so as where I live we're going to get fiber about then  so I guess I'll be one of the last with an analog landline. 

 

 

Plenty of customers will still have "analogue lines| even after the NEAX's are shut down. Voice will be from the ISAM-V cards from the cabinet or exchange just as it does now for a growing number of customers.

 

This announcement feels like 2005ish all over again when Telecom announced their plans for their NGN.

 

Remember back to 2009 whey then had their first VoIP call and planned to start migrating customers by the od of the year? http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/telecoms-it-media/2258421/Telecom-rolls-out-VoIP-network

 

I guess now the technology actually works..

 

 

 

 

as above, we (spark) have been doing Baseband IP for voice services in some remote areas for awhile now.

 

in terms of the customers, they are none the wiser. you still plugin a phone like normal. It simply does not go to a NEAX.

 

 

 

The one downside being, in my role i do love the testing functionality the NEAX's can provide..





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


old3eyes
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  #1767346 19-Apr-2017 14:17
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hio77:

 

 

 

 as above, we (spark) have been doing Baseband IP for voice services in some remote areas for awhile now.

 

in terms of the customers, they are none the wiser. you still plugin a phone like normal. It simply does not go to a NEAX.

 

 

 

The one downside being, in my role i do love the testing functionality the NEAX's can provide..

 

 

I guess it  will be a bit like saying goodbye to an old family friend..





Regards,

Old3eyes


 
 
 

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hio77
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  #1767349 19-Apr-2017 14:22
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old3eyes:

 

I guess it  will be a bit like saying goodbye to an old family friend..

 

 

There is something to be said to be able to test the physical copper aside from the connection itself.

 

 

 

I'm always slightly disappointed when an obvious line fault is at play, I want to provide full details to chorus to get the case actually raised properly...

 

 

 

Then the neax says... no. :/





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


ubergeeknz
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  #1767358 19-Apr-2017 14:38
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hio77:

 

 

 

<line testing>

 

 

The BBIP gear doesn't allow you to test the lines?


sbiddle
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  #1767398 19-Apr-2017 15:13
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old3eyes:

 

sbiddle:

 

old3eyes:

 

chevrolux:

 

Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!

 

 

Not unless you're in the market for selling IP base PSTN  stuff.

 

Heard that this was to be switched  off in 2022  so as where I live we're going to get fiber about then  so I guess I'll be one of the last with an analog landline. 

 

 

Plenty of customers will still have "analogue lines| even after the NEAX's are shut down. Voice will be from the ISAM-V cards from the cabinet or exchange just as it does now for a growing number of customers.

 

This announcement feels like 2005ish all over again when Telecom announced their plans for their NGN.

 

Remember back to 2009 whey then had their first VoIP call and planned to start migrating customers by the od of the year? http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/telecoms-it-media/2258421/Telecom-rolls-out-VoIP-network

 

I guess now the technology actually works.. 

 

 

Yep it feels like 2005  when they told NEC about 2001  that the Alcatel NGN  would replace the NEC  switches and no need to make anymore spares.  They did rather fall in there on that one..

 

 

After the 1st Alcatel PLV solution went belly up probably around 2012ish and was canned (resulting in a massive writedown) one of the replacement solutions that was dreamt up and reached the test phase were newly engineered SIP line cards for the NEAX - these could talk back to the ISAM-V card or ONT and would deliver voice from the NEAX still.

 

 


old3eyes
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  #1767409 19-Apr-2017 15:33
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sbiddle:

 

old3eyes:

 

sbiddle:

 

old3eyes:

 

chevrolux:

 

Fantastic news! Better get my selling shoes on!

 

 

Not unless you're in the market for selling IP base PSTN  stuff.

 

Heard that this was to be switched  off in 2022  so as where I live we're going to get fiber about then  so I guess I'll be one of the last with an analog landline. 

 

 

Plenty of customers will still have "analogue lines| even after the NEAX's are shut down. Voice will be from the ISAM-V cards from the cabinet or exchange just as it does now for a growing number of customers.

 

This announcement feels like 2005ish all over again when Telecom announced their plans for their NGN.

 

Remember back to 2009 whey then had their first VoIP call and planned to start migrating customers by the od of the year? http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/telecoms-it-media/2258421/Telecom-rolls-out-VoIP-network

 

I guess now the technology actually works.. 

 

 

Yep it feels like 2005  when they told NEC about 2001  that the Alcatel NGN  would replace the NEC  switches and no need to make anymore spares.  They did rather fall in there on that one..

 

 

After the 1st Alcatel PLV solution went belly up probably around 2012ish and was canned (resulting in a massive writedown) one of the replacement solutions that was dreamt up and reached the test phase were newly engineered SIP line cards for the NEAX - these could talk back to the ISAM-V card or ONT and would deliver voice from the NEAX still.

 

 

 

 

Yep I remember the SIP linecard solution but was it ever going to go anywhere  due to the age of the NEAX systems and lack of spare common control parts parts  etc??





Regards,

Old3eyes


robjg63
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  #1767418 19-Apr-2017 15:55
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My elderly parents got a call from Spark out of the blue a couple of weeks back where they offered them a 4G router to replace their copper landline. They had it up and running when I visited at Easter. It was pretty much plug it in and the landline number moved - no hassles - no difference in the monthly bill.

 

My folks live in Timaru, a town that has been UFB'd for a couple of years now.

 

I imagine it is cheaper for Spark to provide a phone service over 4G IP than pay for copper line access - the gear is getting old and no point maintaining copper and fiber.

 

 





Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler


hio77
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  #1767430 19-Apr-2017 16:23
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robjg63:

 

My elderly parents got a call from Spark out of the blue a couple of weeks back where they offered them a 4G router to replace their copper landline. They had it up and running when I visited at Easter. It was pretty much plug it in and the landline number moved - no hassles - no difference in the monthly bill.

 

My folks live in Timaru, a town that has been UFB'd for a couple of years now.

 

I imagine it is cheaper for Spark to provide a phone service over 4G IP than pay for copper line access - the gear is getting old and no point maintaining copper and fiber.

 

 

 

 

Sparks 4G service differs from what is announced here.

 

 

 

Call would have been on the basis of

 

1. an Outbound campaign (i'm not aware of any of these running right now)

 

2. a lead generated after a conversation with faults on the products being offered

 

3. Proactive assurance following up on a detected fault and offering the best option (which is not always wireless at all, PA is not a sales team but a solutions team)

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely 4G is cheaper than copper service.

 

 





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


Behodar
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  #1767431 19-Apr-2017 16:30
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robjg63: My elderly parents got a call from Spark out of the blue a couple of weeks back where they offered them a 4G router to replace their copper landline. They had it up and running when I visited at Easter. It was pretty much plug it in and the landline number moved - no hassles - no difference in the monthly bill.

 

One of the guys at work got that a couple of weeks ago too. He changed back to copper after a couple of days because the new connection was so much slower!


atomeara
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  #1767558 19-Apr-2017 20:33
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This is great news but I am wondering what is happening to ISDN BRA, ISDN PRA and customers stuck on Baseband PCM / Baseband Remote 

 

(I have not included Cabinets/Exchanges that have 0 working lines - There are 120 sites that fit into this)

 

There are about 6000 ISAM cabinets / exchanges, all of these should be able to support Baseband IP and it looks like most of them do
(my maths has the variance about 20, and this could be due to the month gap between Baseband and Broadband reports - they are continuing to upgrade broadband cabinets)

 


There are about 400 older cabinets that only support ADSL 1 (Conklin and the like that I am sure Chorus want to try upgrade) that can not support Baseband IP

In total are 7712 Cabinets/Exchanges with working lines (and 7832 in total), so around 1300 that support voice but not DSL.

 

There are 21 Cabinets or Exchanges with Baseband Copper only, mostly remote Exchanges such as Glen Murray, Awhitu and Dunback with no fibre near

 

About are 767 Baseband Remote sites, these tend to be small and remote

 

About 1144 Baseband PCM sites that do not support Baseband Copper, Baseband IP or Baseband IP Extended

 

 

 

Many of the remote sites are currently not in mobile coverage, I am some what skeptical that RBI stage 2 will cover many of the remote areas with mobile coverage.

 

Depending how RBI Stage 2 funding gets allocated I think it could see a number of Chorus cabinets get upgraded but I am sure there will still be many 100's left.


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