BT, DGM & S Telecom, Microsoft, Nortel (Northern Telecom) and Siemens Form Working Group to Enable Open Access to Network Functionality
LONDON, May 27, 1998 — BT, DGM & S Telecom Inc., Microsoft Corp., Nortel (Northern Telecom) and Siemens AG have initiated a new working group focused on developing a specification for an open network interface designed to widen the horizons of the intelligence in networks. This will enable developers in the IT and telecommunications industries to generate a new range of applications that access and use functionality resident in public and/or private communications networks while maintaining the integrity, performance and security of those networks.
The working group plans to release the first version of the specification later in 1998. In the same time frame, the group plans to use a sample application to demonstrate the functionality and business value of the specification.
The working group intends to allow a wide range of new communications services to be built outside the traditional boundaries of the network. Until now, access to the functionality required for such services has been the exclusive domain of telephone network operators. The objective of the specification is to allow access to core network functionality while ensuring the network’s integrity.
The working group’s collaborative effort will accelerate the existing trend toward the convergence of traditional telecommunications and information technology businesses. Existing and new service providers will be able to produce a plethora of imaginative new applications. The specification will have the potential to significantly improve time-to-market and extend the range of communications applications.
Mike Carr of BT’s technology strategy unit said,
“As the specification is adopted and used by the industry, we will see significant whole market growth with a host of new service provider businesses being enabled to produce a wide range of new applications. This will have the effect of increasing network usage and will ultimately allow customers to buy a vast range of integrated communications and telephony applications.”
“This specification will be designed to help drive overall telecommunications services growth, increase demand for intelligent communications services and improve network utilisation,”
said Stephen Wu, director, international, Microsoft Internet customer unit.
“By making the world’s telecommunications networks more accessible while maintaining their integrity, and by allowing the more general creation of services, we hope to see an increase in opportunities, services and revenues for the telecom industry.”
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