Call for membership

SINTESIO

 

Call for a partnership

Call: IST Call 5
Strategic Objective: 2.5.6 Research Networking Testbeds
Evaluation scheme: one-step
Deadline: 21/09/05
Type of project: STREP

ACRONYM & PROPOSAL NAME

Implementation of pan-european research testbed infrastructure, specializing on interoperability testing for a referenced1 NGN architecture.

SUBJECT

Setting up a distributed research testbed infrastructure, which will develop capability to prepare, coordinate and execute complex end-to-end inter-domain, cross-functional interoperability scenarios for referenced NGN architecture.

PROPOSER INFORMATION

Organization: Iskratel, d.o.o.
Department: IC (Information and Communication Services)
City: Kranj
Country: Slovenia

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Proposal Outline

With the growing complexity of NGN architecture, fixed and mobile convergence, the interoperability between functional entities of network elements become a major and decisive success factors for NGN deployments. Technical interoperability has been recognized in EC as a strategic issue [refs], and equally for standard delivery organizations, vendors, network operators and regulators. Traditionally, interoperability tests are carried out before rolling out new product or service between equipment vendors and/or network operators on a bilateral voluntary basis. The aim of such tests is to check the behaviour of a new product or service within the network from the point of view of the end users. Such, usually propriety test setups require substantial investments in test infrastructure, preparation of test environment, test scenarios or use cases. To a large extent, research institutions, SMEs and end users are not involved in test executions or have no access to such professional test environments. To bring together all stakeholders, i.e. equipment vendors, network operators, research institutions, SMEs and end users, to foster collaboration, sharing of experience and to increase the interoperability of the solutions, an open testing infrastructure is required, capable to conduct and execute structured, well prepared, to extend possible standardized interoperability tests.
The aim of the project is to setup open, inter-national networked test laboratories, which will primarily focus on testing the interoperability of functions that reside at service (PSTN/ISDN emulation and Core IMS subsystems) and application layers (OSA/Parlay applications) of the ITU-T/ETSI referenced NGN architecture. The interconnected testlabs will develop capabilities to prepare, execute and validate cross functional, inter-domain test scenarios, in particular:

  • Legacy (PSTN/ISDN) to NGN migration scenarios, including emulation, simulation and interworking scenarios;
  • End-to-end triple play (voice, video stream, and data) application-driven scenarios;
  • Interworking and interoperability scenarios between different NGN Core subsystems; primarily between PSTN/ISDN emulation subsystem and IMS Core subsystem.

To give a testing high value and applicability for a telecommunication industry, the test scenarios and test cases will be prepared under recommendations and supervision of standardization bodies (primarily ETSI TISPAN working groups, but also IETF and ITU-T).

Keywords

Interoperability testing, NGN, research testbed infrastructure

PARTNER PROFILE SOUGHT

Required Expertise(s)
We are looking for partners with the following profiles:
1. Network (fixed and mobile; voice and data) operators
2. NGN equipment vendors
3. Test equipment vendors
4. Research institutions, research foundation, universities

Description of the work to be carried out by the partner sought
Interoperability testing is the structured and formal testing of functions supported remotely by two or more items of equipment that are communicating by means of standardized protocols. It is not the detailed verification of protocol requirements specified in a conformance test suite, neither is it the less formal development testing often associated with plug-test. A well structured and comprehensive interoperability test suite must consider a network complexity and architecture, interfaces with signalling, control and data protocols, inter-working functions, and application and services that are used by end users. To capture a real network behaviour, it is often not possible to test interoperability of different functional entities of the network within a single laboratory environment, e.g. at a single test laboratory. Beside validation of the interoperability of functions, other real networks parameters, like performance measures (e.g. jitter, delays), quality of service (e.g. voice quality), numbering and security setups, must be monitored, captured and validated during the interoperability test.
The framework for interoperability testing is a “black box” approach with the network integration test (NIT) methodology. NIT is applicable to test and monitor the behaviour of a complex information and communication systems, typically based on distributed processing and distributed architecture. Figure bellow, shows the framework for interoperability testing with an indication of main elements of testing environment.

According to project definition and scope, the following tasks in the project would be expected to carry out by partners:
1. Test infrastructure deployment, which include the setup of individual test laboratories, each of which will focus in particular interoperability issue. Indivudual laboratories will be connected together via European IP network (GEANT) into networked testbed infrastructure. A whole test infrastructure may consists of a set of “open and permanent” testbed installations, and “temporary” testbeds, which are connected to “open and permanent” test site during execution of interoperability tests to support particular interoperability scenario.
a. Each individual test lab will setup laboratory test environment, with local test network supporting different NGN access, switching, routing and data transport technologies (PSTN/ISDN legacy, xDSL, Wireless network access, GPRS/UMTS, cable network); test and monitoring equipment;
b. Contribution to requirement analyses and deployment of Core IP network between different testlabs, with the characteristics of real NGN network deployments (e.g. security, performance and QoS, numbering, etc.). For a particular interoperability scenario, interconnected testlabs will reflect the ITU/ETSI TISPAN NGN referenced architecture.
2. Test scenario definitions and test case development, for a particular interoperability issue: Legacy to NGN migration, inter-domain, cross-functional call control scenario based on PSTN/ISDN emulation subsystem and IMS core subsystem, mobility management, session control and session set-up, application driven enchanced multimedia services, QoS, charging, network management, etc. This work shall be synchronized with the standardization efforts carried out in European and worldwide SDOs (standard delivery organizations).
3. Implementation of interoperability test framework, for a distributed test infrastructure. Implemented middleware between multiple testlabs should support smooth execution of complex test scenarios, by supporting test management, management of distributed test coordination procedures (TCOs), execution control of distributed test cases, and will facilitate the use of formal test techniques and test automation.
4. Interoperability test execution and knowledge dissemination, which include the setup of testing infrastructure for a planned test scope and test scenarios, organization of interoperability event with wide pan-european participation of vendors, operators, research institutions, on-site logistic and expertise support, and generation of inconsistency test reports to standardization bodies, recommendations and implementation guidelines.

CONTACT PERSON COORDINATES

Name: Roman Kuznar
Organization: Iskratel
Address: Ljubljanska 24a, 4000 Kranj
Country: Slovenia
Phone: +386 4 207 3393
Fax: +386 4 207 39 393
e-mail: kuznar@iskratel.si
website : www.iskratel.com

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RCS/VoLTE Interoperability Event

Kranj, September 24 to October 12, 2012 – Second RCS/VoLTE Interoperability Event was hosted by the SINTESIO facility in Kranj, Slovenia, co-hosted by Telekom Slovenia and China Mobile Research Institute in Beijing, China.[dt_divider style=”double-gap”/]

The MultiService Forum (MSF), European Telecoms Standards Institute (ETSI) and GSM Association (GSMA) organized a RCS VoLTE Interoperability Event 2012 focused on validating core network interfaces to ensure multi-vendor deployment strategies for RCS and VoLTE technology. The event endorsed and tested a number of GSMA PRDs and validated the Testing Scenarios developed by MSF and ETSI to facilitate multi-vendor deployment of LTE./EPC/IMS technology for RCS and VoLTE services.

The event was hosted by the SINTESIO facility in Kranj, Slovenia, co-hosted by Telekom Slovenia and China Mobile Research Institute in Beijing, China. It took place over the period of September 24 to October 12, 2012 . Dates varied by location.

Please visit the event website for more detailed information:

 

IMG_7133IMG_7131IMG_7121

RCS/VoLTE Interoperability Event

Kranj, Slovenia

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Attention: Business and Technology Editors

For immediate release

Sintesio and Telekom Slovenia welcomes International Experts to Test VoLTE/RCS Multi-Vendor Interoperability

 

 

KRANJ, October 10th, 2012 — More than 60 VoLTE/RCS experts from around the world have gathered at the Sintesio interoperability laboratory in Kranj, Slovenia and at the China Mobile Research Institute (CMCC) in Beijing, China, for the RCS VoLTE (Voice over LTE) Interoperability Eventand operator’s workshop jointly organized by MSF, ETSI and GSMA.

 

Earlier this year, the MSF/ETSI/GSMA selected the Slovenian national telecom operator, Telekom Slovenia, and Sintesio, an ETSI endorsed NGN interoperability test lab located in Kranj, to host the event in Slovenia, and the China Mobile Research Institute to host the event in China. Telekom Slovenia and Sintesio provide test network infrastructure, supporting the interconnection to the China Mobile’s host location in Beijing, and to multiple remote participant’s test setups, 2G, 3G and 4G wireless technologies, making it possible to test VoLTE and RCS applications in a real network environment.

“Telekom Slovenije with Sintesio arranged an efficient testing environment. The plan was designed according to the rich experience we have with the latest mobile technologies. Telekom Slovenije supports the activities of MSF/ETSI/GSMA, as we realize the key role of interoperability in our economy sector,” says Zoran Vehovar, VP and Member of the management Board, responsible for Technology, Telekom Slovenije.

The scope of the event covers VoLTE/RCS in single network, roaming and inter-connect scenarios and tests both UE usability and functionality as well as the interaction between all underlying network components required for an end-end solution. This allows the participants to gain knowledge of real network deployments.

The facility is located in the newly established Research and Technology Park for Information and Communication Technologies (RC IKT) in Kranj. Sintesio has built a permanent Telco interoperability test environment providing different fixed and wireless access networks, managed Core IP network, and interconnections to multiple remote test sites. With the test infrastructure, additional technical support received from RC IKT, knowledge and experience gathered from similar interoperability events hosted in the past, Sintesio is able to quickly and competently respond to global testing initiatives.

“GSMA, MSF and ETSI are very pleased with the environment that Telekom Slovenia and Sintesio have provided and we are looking forward to a successful event in Kranj”, says Anthony Wiles, ETSI CTI director. “The professional manner in which Sintesio focuses on the interoperability of implementations helps define a benchmark for all those in the industry who strive for global interoperability across networks, devices, products and services.”

Following the pre-test setup week, which started September 24th, the RCS VoLTE interoperability event will run continuously from October 1st till October 12th. A two day workshop Next Generation Services – RCS, VoLTE and Beyond, will be held on the 10th & 11th October at RC IK in Kranj, focusing on interoperability, integration and interworking, and in particular on the potential for testing standards. The workshop is intended for carriers to exchange experiences from trials and early rollout projects and to learn from the findings of the VoLTE/RCS interoperability event.

 

About RCS VoLTE IOT Event 2012

The MSF, ETSI and GSMA are working in partnership to host the RCS VoLTE 2012 Event, to be held in the Fall 2012. The event builds on the major success of the previous MSF VoLTE Interoperability Event that took place during September 2011 and reflects the MSF’s, ETSI’s and GSMA’s drive to continue to deliver major carrier driven events that benefit all its members in their quest to keep pace with an ever faster moving industry. The MSF/ETSI/GSMA VoLTE Interoperability test event will focus on validating core network interfaces to ensure multi-vendor deployment strategies for VoLTE and RCS technology and will validate the MSF/ETSI testing scenarios developed to incorporate 3GPP LTE/EPC technology and GSMA technical recommendations, focusing on Voice over LTE and RCS, with the support of hosts China Mobile in Beijing and Telecom Slovenia Group at the Sintesio lab in Kranj, Slovenia.

http://www.msforum.org/interoperability/RCSVoLTE.shtml 

 

About the MSF

The MultiService Forum (www.msforum.org) is a global association of service providers, system suppliers and test equipment vendors committed to developing and promoting open‐architecture, multiservice Next Generation Networks. Founded in 1998, the MSF is an open‐membership organization comprised of the world’s leading telecommunications companies. The MSF’s activities include developing Implementation Agreements, promoting worldwide compatibility and interoperability of network elements, and encouraging input to appropriate national and international standards bodies.

 

About GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry‐leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com.

 

About ETSI

ETSI produces globally‐applicable standards for Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), including fixed, mobile, radio, converged, aeronautical, broadcast and internet technologies and is officially recognized by the European Union as a European Standards Organization. ETSI is an independent, not‐for‐profit association whose more than 700 member companies and organizations, drawn from 62 countries across 5 continents worldwide, determine its work programme and participate directly in its work. For more information please visit: www.etsi.org ETSI Plugtests are interoperability test events that cover a wide range of telecommunications, Internet, broadcasting and multimedia converging standards. For more information, please visit: www.etsi.org/plugtests.

 

About Sintesio

Sintesio is an open, not-for-profit foundation, co-founded by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Slovenian Institute for Standardization (SIST), and Iskratel, a Slovenian telecommunication vendor. The aim of the Foundation is to promote open standards, interoperability in multi-vendor/multioperator environments, to support standardization efforts and to facilitate vendors collaboration in the area of NGN telecommunication technologies and standardization. The Foundation set up the interoperability test lab, located in Kranj, Slovenia, with the purpose to test and validate interoperability of multi-vendor ICT products, as well as to validate the quality of open ICT standards, especially in the NGN and IMS domain. For more information, please visit: www.sintesio.org.

 

About Telekom Slovenia

The Telekom Slovenije Group is Slovenia`s leading and most advanced telecommunications operator in all key segments of the well-developed and highly competitive Slovenian market, delivering a comprehensive portfolio of fixed, mobile, Internet and state-of-the-art integrated telecommunication solutions via its modern proprietary network. Beyond its clear number of presence in Slovenia, Telekom Slovenije Group is present in several high growth markets in Southeast Europe, in Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. The Group’s acquisition of 50% stake in Gibtelecom, Gibraltar’s dominant fixed, mobile and Internet operator, represents further steps in the strategy to extend Telekom Slovenije’s geographic footprint into selected Southeast European and Mediterranean markets.

 

Source:

Dr. Roman Kuznar

Sintesio, Foundation

Phone. +386 4 207 3393

e-mail

Preparation process of conformity assessment of digital receivers

See Digi TVSintesio Foundation announces uder the 30th article (paragraph 7) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA-2C) contract after a call for low-value contracts:

Preparation process of conformity assessment of digital receivers

1. Preparation of a proposal regional model or certification attesting the conformity of digital receivers. Product  must include and process at least the following topics:

  • General description of the topic,
  • The basic legal and technical framework for the successful establishment of a process,
  • Definition of support processes for the successful establishment of the conformity assessment process,
  • The process of checking the conformity of devices,
  • Types and issue certificates,
  • Marking coherent receivers and outlets,
  • Promotion in the media – information campaign,
  • Examples of good practice amongst member states of project SEE Digi TV,
  •  Concrete proposal for the establishment of a certification process.

Product: Regional certification model of DVB-T and DVB-T2 receivers

2. Delivery of training and presentations on the content of products prepared at the headquarters of the project client. Duration of training: two (2) working days.

Product: Training of client

All products must be prepared in English and delivered to the contractor in electronic form. Client will actively participate in the preparation of documents and directing the implementation of activities in order to achieve consistency with the objectives of the project within the SEE DIGI.TV.