The TCF completed the draft Technical Standard for IP Interconnection for Voice (Technical Standard) and issued this document for public consultation in July.
The purpose of the Technical Standard is to provide a baseline Network-to-Network Interconnection (NNI) standard that enables New Zealand network operators to interconnect IP networks, primarily for the carriage of VoIP calls. Although interconnecting carriers are free to build additional requirements above the Technical Standard, they should permit any carrier conforming to the Technical Standard to be confident in their ability to interconnect with other conforming carriers, without any need for customisation.
Three of the IP Interconnection Working Party members are about to commence an IP interconnect technical trial, which will inform the draft Standard. Although it is recognised that the trial outcomes may result in the Working Party agreeing changes to the draft Standards, the changes are unlikely to be significant, and so in the interest of progressing the project, the TCF agreed the public consultation phase should commence in parallel to the technical trial.
