PacketCable™ Media Gateway Among Three New Certified/Qualified Devices
Two other devices received qualifications: a call management server (CMS) from Nortel and a cable modem termination system (CMTS) from ADC.
The media gateway is a critical element in the PacketCable network architecture. It serves as an interconnection point where IP voice calls originating from a cable subscriber are terminated and handed off to the public telephone network.
The CMS functions as a “soft-switch” in the PacketCable architecture and performs many critical functions necessary for voice communications, including connection management, implementation of subscriber features, and call accounting.
Glenn Russell, Director of PacketCable and project leader, said: “It’s great news for our suppliers and for our members that we have in consecutive waves now qualified new, key elements in the PacketCable network. We look forward to continuing to provide suppliers and our members with an efficient path to the cable telecommunications marketplace.”
PacketCable is a CableLabs-led initiative to define a common platform to deliver advanced real-time communication services, such as VoIP, over two-way cable plant. Built on top of the industry’s DOCSIS® 1.1 (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications) cable modem infrastructure, PacketCable networks use IP technology as the basis for a multimedia architecture. A DOCSIS 1.1 network with PacketCable extensions enables cable operators to deliver data and voice traffic efficiently and economically using a single high-speed, quality-of-service (QoS)-enabled broadband architecture.
The PacketCable initiative has followed a similar process to that employed in the successful DOCSIS program. Manufacturers that receive CableLabs certification or qualification for their CMTS, CMS, or MG, have successfully completed an extensive series of interoperability tests supported by CableLabs membership. These PacketCable components were tested for interoperability in combination with other PacketCable headend components.
As part of the certification test process, vendors were asked to work in CableLabs facilities in pre-market, pre-competitive testing and evaluation in order to demonstrate compliance with the industry-supported program and technology.
CableLabs® Certified™ or CableLabs Qualified means that the device has passed a series of tests for compliance with the indicated version of PacketCable and has thus demonstrated interoperable functionality with any other "CableLabs certified/qualified" device. Many of these devices provide other functions or are designed to comply with other specifications, in each case tailored by the manufacturer to meet the growing needs of consumers or cable operators in an evolving communication/entertainment sector. While CableLabs encourages such innovation and diversity, the phrase CableLabs certified/qualified should not be understood as an endorsement of these other attributes (or that the product is certified to other specifications or versions), which are solely the responsibility of the company making the additional claims.