How does a provider maintain NECA compliance with a 100% cloud based
solution and no physical gateways in each LATA?
Thanks,
Bob
On 2024-08-14 08:43, Mike Hammett via VoiceOps wrote:
> "Do rural operators WANT to keep running expensive local switches? Or, would
> cloud be more attractive if there was survivability? i.e., limited local
> hosting of services?"
>
> I would imagine the demographic is very anti-cloud. I can't imagine anything
> worse than running critical infrastructure in the cloud.
>
> -----
> Mike Hammett
> Intelligent Computing Solutions
> http://www.ics-il.com
>
> Midwest Internet Exchange
> http://www.midwest-ix.com
>
> -------------------------
>
> FROM: "Jawaid Bazyar via VoiceOps" <[email protected]>
> TO: "Ethan Clay" <[email protected]>
> CC: "Voiceops" <[email protected]>
> SENT: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:19:03 PM
> SUBJECT: Re: [VoiceOps] Acquire MetaSwitch
>
> "Pretty much the same, but everything is over SDWAN get to the meta. So if
> the CO loses Internet or experiences Internet packet loss, all voice services
> will be impacted.
>
> Very dystopian, but I think that's the future for rural ILECs"
>
> OK, so one thing I'm hearing here, is concern for "survivability" where you
> can at least still maintain local calling even if WAN goes down. (The
> internet never goes down does it? ;-)
>
> Of course 911 availability requirements are a key element of this, but, "the
> internet is down" is also bad news for any business in your town.
>
> Do rural operators WANT to keep running expensive local switches? Or, would
> cloud be more attractive if there was survivability? i.e., limited local
> hosting of services?
>
> Aside from internet outage taking out all phones, there is also cloud
> outages. Seems like a multi-cloud operation would be preferable to one that
> relies on a single cloud?
>
> Jawaid
>
> On Tue, Aug 13, 2024 at 4:10 PM Ethan Clay via VoiceOps
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I think the new model is going to be:
> TDM Trunk media gateway to IP
> FXS to IP
> ONT to IP
> SDWAN to Azure where logic is done
> Monthly subscription for switching
>
> Pretty much the same, but everything is over SDWAN get to the meta. So if the
> CO loses Internet or experiences Internet packet loss, all voice services
> will be impacted.
>
> Very dystopian, but I think that's the future for rural ILECs
>
> Best,
> Ethan Clay
>
> ---- On Tue, 13 Aug 2024 15:50:07 -0400
> [email protected]<[email protected]> wrote ----
>
> I don't think it's getting run over by AI. Peter R called it; it's about
> welding everyone to Azure and Teams.
> --
> Sent from mobile, apologies for brevity and errors.
>
> On Aug 13, 2024, at 3:46 PM, Jeff Brower via VoiceOps <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> "The telecommunications industry remains a priority industry for Microsoft"
>
> that is questionable. Like other areas getting run over by AI, priorities are
> shifting. Maybe they expect that if their AI gets smart enough, it can solve
> telecom use cases anyway :-)
>
> Quoting Jawaid Bazyar via VoiceOps <[email protected]>:
>
> "Azure for Operators" is what Microsoft was calling the Metaswitch products.
>
> This went out a couple months ago:
>
> ---
>
> We are reaching out to customers of our Azure for Operators portfolio, which
> includes products we acquired from Affirmed Networks and Metaswitch Networks,
> to explain recent updates to our portfolio.
>
> In 2020, we announced our Azure for Operators initiative. As part of this
> effort, we acquired Affirmed Networks, Metaswitch Networks, and IP from AT&T
> to acquire "Telco DNA" that would enhance our operational / technical
> engineering skills for building a carrier grade platform. As these
> acquisitions came together with Azure, we created Azure Operator Nexus - a
> carrier grade, hybrid cloud platform. We are moving Azure Operator Nexus
> into our broader Azure Edge and Platform portfolio and continue to service
> operators.
>
> Based on customer demand, the Azure for Operators initiative also focused on
> automation and analytics capabilities as early products. Given the
> acceleration of Microsoft's AI capabilities overall, we are now aligning
> these early efforts with Microsoft's broader portfolio.
>
> As we advance our platform and AI capabilities, we are shifting our focus
> from the Network Function layer to partnerships with industry leaders of
> these capabilities. We will fulfill all our contractual obligations to
> existing customers and we will be consistent with published end-of-life
> policies. We will not expand our customer base for Microsoft's Network
> Functions, including the former Metaswitch and Affirmed Networks software
> products.
>
> The telecommunications industry remains a priority industry for Microsoft.
> We will continue to empower telecommunications organizations to achieve more
> through a trusted and secure platform built to elevate customer experiences,
> streamline enterprise operations and business support systems, accelerate
> network transformation, reinvent product innovation and monetization, and
> build a secure data-driven business.
>
> We appreciate the importance our products provide in supporting your network.
> We also appreciate the long-term planning that network development requires,
> so we will communicate our roadmap plans at the earliest opportunity. It is
> important to note that these changes do not require immediate action from you
> today, nor do they change any agreement that you have in place with
> Microsoft. We will continue to meet all customer contractual commitments.
>
> If you have any questions, please contact: AFO Sales Questions
> [email protected].
>
> Thank you.
>
> FAQ
>
> Q: IS THERE ANY ACTION I NEED TO TAKE TODAY? WHEN WILL YOU HAVE MORE
> DETAILS TO SHARE ABOUT RETIREMENT DATES (AZURE SERVICES) OR END OF LIFE DATES
> (METASWITCH NETWORKS & AFFIRMED NETWORKS PRODUCTS)?
>
> A: We will continue to meet all customer contractual commitments and be
> consistent with published end-of-life policies. We also appreciate the
> long-term planning that network development requires, so we will communicate
> our roadmap plans at the earliest opportunity.
>
> Q: WILL YOU STILL SUPPORT OUR CLOUD AND AI TRANSFORMATION?
>
> A: Yes, Microsoft is refining the offers we provide to operators to reflect
> the strong demand for cloud and AI based solutions.
>
> Q: IF YOU ARE ANNOUNCING AN END OF SALE FOR THE AFFIRMED NETWORK AND
> METASWITCH NETWORK PRODUCTS FOR NEW CUSTOMERS AND NET NEW DEPLOYMENTS, WHAT
> DOES THIS MEAN FOR MY EXISTING SERVICE?
>
> * We will meet all existing customer contractual obligations.
> * We will continue to maintain the software to provide security patches and
> bug fixes. We highly recommend that customers follow standard security
> practices and upgrade to the latest releases.
> * We will provide support consistent with existing contracts.
> * We will continue to offer project level support / maintenance services on a
> case-by-case basis (as we do today).
> * We will support the expansion of volumes of current deployments.
> * We will not expand the customer base / add new customers.
> * We will not expand to entirely new deployments for existing customers
> (e.g., launching for a new OpCo or OpCo not currently deployed) where the new
> deployment is not already contractually committed.
> * We will not expand or offer new feature sets beyond those that have already
> been committed.
>
> Q: WHAT ARE YOU ANNOUNCING FOR THE AZURE FOR OPERATORS PRODUCTS?
>
> A: Here is a summary of these changes:
>
> * We promoted Azure Operator Nexus to Azure's Edge and Platform portfolio and
> will continue to sell it.
> * We will continue to support Azure Programmable Connectivity.
> * We will support existing customers of Azure Operator Insights / AIOps
> Copilot, but we will not accept new customers. Microsoft Fabric will address
> this functionality.
> * We will no longer add new customers for: Azure Communication Gateway (ACG),
> Azure Operator Insights (AOI), Azure Private 5G Core (AP5GC), Affirmed Mobile
> Content Cloud (MCC), Affirmed UnityCloud (UC), Metaswitch Rhino TAS, and
> Metaswitch Perimeta SBC. If you have a customer who is in the process of
> onboarding, please contact the appropriate In-flight Projects contact:
> [email protected] (APAC and EMEA) or [email protected]
> (Americas).
> * We will not accept more preview candidates for: Azure Operator Call
> Protection (AOCP) and Azure Operator 5G Core (AO5GC), and we will not move
> these services to General Availability.
>
> Q: WHAT IS NEXT AFTER YOU STOP SELLING A PRODUCT, AND HOW WILL YOU MANAGE
> THESE PRODUCTS?
>
> A: We will continue to support these products in accordance with our
> existing customer commitments. We will eventually retire these services in
> accordance with our lifecycle policies. In advance of retirement, we will
> provide notification as well as details on transition recommendations. We
> are committed to supporting you through this transition.
>
> Here are the current plans for each product, but plans may evolve as we work
> with customers:
>
> * AZURE COMMUNICATION GATEWAY (ACG) - We will publish a transition roadmap to
> recommend options to migrate off these services to partner solutions when the
> service is retired.
> * AZURE OPERATOR INSIGHTS (AOI) - We will work with customers to align this
> service to Microsoft Fabric before the service is retired.
> * AZURE OPERATOR 5G CORE (AO5GC) - We will not move this product from Public
> Preview to GA
> * AZURE PRIVATE 5G CORE (AP5GC) - We will provide options to adopt services
> using partner solutions before the service is retired.
> * AZURE OPERATOR CALL PROTECTION (AOCP) - We will not move this product from
> Private Preview to GA. Operators may still use existing Microsoft tooling
> and partner solutions to create a similar solution.
> * AFFIRMED MOBILE CONTENT CLOUD (MCC) - We will meet obligations as defined
> above until product End of Life.
> * AFFIRMED UNITYCLOUD (UC) - We will meet obligations as defined above and
> move to product End of Life.
> * METASWITCH RHINO TAS - We will meet obligations as defined above until
> product End of Life.
> * METASWITCH PERIMETA SBC - We will meet obligations as defined above until
> product End of Life.
>
> Q: IS MICROSOFT EXITING THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY?
>
> A: No. Microsoft remains fully committed to supporting the
> telecommunications industry by empowering them to achieve more with the power
> of Cloud and AI. The changes to the Azure for Operator portfolio reflect
> customer demand and enable us to focus on the technologies that drive the
> most value for our customers and partners.
>
> Q: IF THESE CHANGES IMPACTED MY CONTACTS AT MICROSOFT, WHO CAN I CONTACT?
>
> A: We apologize for any inconvenience personnel changes have caused you.
> Please reach out to your assigned Microsoft Account Executive. For issues
> requiring escalation, you may contact the following:
>
> Questions / inquiries:
> [email protected]
>
> Industry Lead Sponsor:
> [email protected]
>
> Support Issues:
> [email protected]
>
> In-flight Projects (APAC and EMEA)
> [email protected]
>
> In-flight Projects (Americas):
> [email protected]
>
> Purchase Orders:
> [email protected]
>
> Executive Escalation:
> [email protected]
>
> On Tue, Aug 13, 2024 at 8:41 AM Mike Hammett <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> "Given the MetaSwitch products are no longer sold, and Microsoft is EOLing
> them, and not taking new support contracts..."
>
> That's news to me.
>
> -----
> Mike Hammett
> Intelligent Computing Solutions
> http://www.ics-il.com
>
> Midwest Internet Exchange
> http://www.midwest-ix.com
>
> -------------------------
>
> FROM: "Jawaid Bazyar via VoiceOps" <[email protected]>
> TO: "voiceops" <[email protected]>
> SENT: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 7:23:05 AM
> SUBJECT: [VoiceOps] Acquire MetaSwitch
>
> Hello,
>
> We are in the market to acquire / take over a MetaSwitch CFS. In particular,
> we're looking for the virtual edition that runs purely in VMWare.
>
> The components we'd need are:
> CFS
> MRS (Media Resource Server)
> Perimeta
> SAS (Service Assurance Server)
> MetaView Server
>
> These are fairly common components.
>
> Given the MetaSwitch products are no longer sold, and Microsoft is EOLing
> them, and not taking new support contracts, we're not talking about a big
> cash up front kind of deal, but, instead a revenue share kind of arrangement.
>
> Anyone that has one and is interested, contact me directly off-list.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jawaid
>
> _______________________________________________
> VoiceOps mailing list
> [email protected]
> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/voiceops
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