The discussions
throughout this chapter are based on what the author has witnessed from the world??™s
leading carriers.
Migrating the Backbone to an IP-Based Network
There are stark differences between wireline and wireless in terms of migration plans
to an all IP??“based network. The wireline operators of the world began in the 1960s with
plans to convert the backbone of their networks to packet-based rather than circuitswitched,
to address the growing issue of maintaining many different levels of network
for different traffic types.
28 Chapter 2
Moving from Legacy to Convergence 29
Their migration has been more chaotic than wireless, often choosing new technologies
as they came along, rather than crafting a long-term migration and implementation
plan with a common goal in the end. Many times it appears as if the wireline operators
are simply choosing the technology of the day to meet their packet requirements.
The wireless operators, on the other hand, have an orchestrated, laid-out plan and
strategy for moving the world??™s wireless networks to packet. Consider the work of the
3GPP and the evolution of the GSM specifications. In reality, both are probably about
the same when it comes to choosing the latest technology, but the 3GPP has certainly
chosen an orderly migration path.
The migration from TDM-based networks to packet-based networks began some time
ago.
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