The telecommunication industry globally is transitioning from legacy Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) to the latest Internet Protocol (IP) technology for voice services. In some instances, following the transition to IP, multiple industry sectors have experienced service failures due to the continued use of a legacy method of transmitting data over Voice networks called Voice Band Data (VBD) rather than transitioning to native IP transmission of data.
Voice Band Data has been widely used for numerous applications. Industry sectors, such as, Fire Alarm, Security, Healthcare pendant and Point of Sale terminals are examples of sectors where services have failed and are continuing to fail due to this global transition.
Devices using pure DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) may continue to work in an IP environment, however, there is an increase likelihood of failure. Devices using any proprietary implementation of DTMF, such as STMF (Sequential Tone Multi Frequency), have proven to suffer a greater likelihood of failure in an IP environment. NICC has produced guidance on this issue in ND1444
NICC provides UK specific networks standards for both network equipment suppliers and communications providers seeking to minimise the impact of this transition. In addition, NICC is seeking to provide a forum for industry to share learning again seeking to minimise where possible any impacts. NICC has produced an information document on these issues – ND1445
See the current work of the All-IP Task Group.
Contact the secretary@niccstandards.org.uk to get involved!