The process of migration to BTs next generation network

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The process of migration to BTs next generation
network

• Presentation for corporate businessesissue 2
  8 July 2009

Information correct at time of publication.
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Introduction

• The purpose of this presentation is to

Provide an overview of the process of migrating
to BTs next generation network known as 21CN.
Highlight how the impact of the migration can
affect your business and outline mitigating plans
in place.
Provide details on useful sources of additional
information.
The overall aim is to build awareness of the
process of migration to 21CN.
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What is 21CN?

• BT is upgrading its voice, broadband, and ISDN
  lines to a next generation network (NGN), known
  as 21CN.
• An NGN is an intelligent, future-proof network
  capable of delivering communications services
  that will meet customer requirements in the
  coming decades. It offers users access to
  different service providers and supports
  generalised mobility, allowing for consistent,
  all-over service provision to users.
• Switched-on is the name of the programme of
  public information to communicate about the
  process of migration to BTs next generation
  network.
• This communication is being managed by a working
  group of representatives from service providers,
  resellers, industry associations and Ofcom.

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Why is BT building a new network?

• Corporate and public sector customers and their
  customers too are demanding more advanced
  communications services. They want greater
  choice, greater control, richer services and the
  opportunity to be more productive and to expand
  their customer base.
• As a result, the communications industry needs a
  software-driven customer network to enable the
  delivery of a new, simpler portfolio of next
  generation services that will meet customer
  requirements in the coming decades.
• In 2008 BT began to introduce a range of next
  generation services to the industry including
  broadband and Ethernet.
• Existing services will see minimal changes in
  functionality, although new features may be
  available as a result of being switched-on. 21CN
  will enable enterprises to rapidly customise
  software applications to meet their specific
  business needs.

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Who will be affected by this migration?

• BT delivers network services to over 700 telecoms
  suppliers that provide services to customers
  across the UK. So even though you may not be a
  direct customer of BT, your services may still be
  carried over the BT network, and therefore you
  may be affected by these changes.
• All customers whose products and services run
  over the BT network will be affected by a short
  interruption on the night of migration at a point
  in the next few years. There will also be other
  short breaks as we prepare for switched on,
  similar to current essential maintenance
  interruptions to service on the existing network.
  Where these service interruptions are material BT
  has provided a planning window to ensure
  disruption is minimised.

Cable networks, plus customers of Kingston
Communications in East Yorkshire will not be
affected. Mobile networks are not affected by the
migration to 21CN.
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Massive network simplification
Multiservice access
Converged core
Copper
Call Control
WWW
IP / MPLS
Ethernet Backhaul
Fibre
Copper
MSAN
Content
ISP
I/connects
Other service providers
21CN
Represents current thinking

• By collapsing 17 of BTs existing networks into
  one global platform and reusing capabilities and
  removing complexity, 21CN will deliver services
  to customers more quickly and more securely.

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Voice migrations progress to date

• Working in collaboration with the Industry, BT
  has implemented initial voice line migrations in
  the South Wales area to test all processes before
  rolling out to other areas of the UK.
• Aprox 75,000 voice lines across 15 sites,
  covering two Digital Local Exchanges (DLEs) in
  the South Wales area have been successfully
  migrated to 21CN.
• The network has been stable and call quality as
  good as, or better than, the current network.
• During 2010 a further 275,000 customers will be
  migrated to test on an industrial scale and
  prepare for voice migration activities outside
  the South Wales area.
• Dates for future voice line migrations, outside
  the South Wales area, will be shared with the
  communications industry when available. Your
  service provider will be in touch with you when
  migration activities are happening in your area.

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Broadband and ISDN migrations

• Broadband
• Broadband migrations to 21CN are dependant on the
  broadband service provider in terms of if and
  when they offer next generation broadband
  services in an area once the local exchange has
  been enabled.
• ISDN
• Pilot migration activity to date has not included
  ISDN lines. We are currently waiting for dates
  when BT will carry out a similar pilot in
  Northern Ireland to test ISDN migrations prior to
  rollout.

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Reliability, continuity and resilience
A secure, safe network.
A well designed, highly resilient network.
A private IP network.
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Preparations and progress
Re-build of BTs 21CN core and transmission
networks completed
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Building a robust network

• BT is working closely with service providers,
  manufacturers and industry bodies to test
  systems, services and customer equipment to
  ensure full interoperability with BTs next
  generation network.
• World class testing facilities at Adastral Park
  and Swansea undertake an extensive range of
  system and process testing and technology
  proving activities.
• BT completes its operational readiness and
  service introduction proving with activities in
  the wider network prior to full service launch.
• This is performed in conjunction with other
  service providers to ensure full interoperability.

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Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) compatibility
testing

• Testing to date shows that the vast majority of
  customer equipment connected to current telephone
  lines and broadband services will work normally
  on the network once it has been switched-on.
• A comprehensive and rigorous testing programme is
  ongoing.
• The approach taken is to test a representative
  sample of each type of equipment.
• Where any issues are noted, more exhaustive
  testing within a category is undertaken.
• To view the latest list of tested equipment,
  visit
• www.switchedonuk.org/corporate/how/compatibility/

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Will my products be affected?

• Some products will remain on the current network
  and will be withdrawn over time examples are
  Private Access Broadband, IPstream and DataStream
  circuits.
• If your employees have broadband services that
  are used for home working their service could be
  affected by a short interruption when they are
  upgraded should their service provider choose to
  introduce next generation broadband products.
  Please note that whilst the Broadband service is
  being migrated there will be a voice service
  outage.
• BT has already withdrawn some products such as
  ISDN 2DASS and ISDN 30 1.421 and provided
  replacement options. More products may be
  withdrawn as part of portfolio management. More
  information can be found on the switched-on
  website or by talking to your service provider.

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Product portfolio impact

• MIGRATING Migration of existing products to
  21CN. Includes
• PSTN (includes, for example, Carrier Pre Select
  (CPS), Least-Cost Routing)
• ISDN2e, ISDN30e, WLR

• NEW New products enabled by 21CN. Includes
• Ethernet private circuits
• Next generation Broadband

• RETAININGProducts retained on existing platform
  for the time being. Includes
• Analogue PCs, KiloStream, MegaStream, IPstream,
  DataStream

• RETIRINGProducts that have reached the end of
  their life-cycle or that have a replacement in
  the new portfolio.
• Already withdrawn
• Pre-ETSI ISDN, Meter Pulse Facility, Telex,
  Business Highway

• Note The BT product retirements programme is
  complementary but managed and run independently
  of the 21CN implementation programme. Following
  input from Ofcom and the industry, the presence
  of or reference to this retirements information
  with other 21CN materials is provided for a
  customers convenience and does not imply
  interdependence between the two programmes.

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Emergency and Critical services

• Special measures will be taken by service
  providers who provide blue light services to
  minimise the impact on providers of emergency and
  critical services at the final point of migration
  (from 2010 onwards)
• Migration will not be attempted if
  emergency/essential calls are in progress.
• 21CN migration plans already take into account
  existing resilience arrangements to protect these
  services.
• Detailed local operational plans will be
  developed.
• Migrations impacting on 999 primary, secondary
  and alternative routings will not coincide.
• Priority will be given to migrating blue light
  control centres on Tuesday/Wednesday and
  Wednesday/Thursday nights where possible.
• To aid planning, emergency services will be told
• The week of their migration nine months before.
• The night of their transfer three months before.

Unfortunately emergency services cannot be
detected on a VoIP phone.
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How will my business be affected by the
voice/ISDN migration activities?

• Your voice/ISDN services will experience a small
  number of very short interruptions due to
  pre-migration activities. These will prepare
  your lines for migration to 21CN.
• Customers may experience some minor service
  interruptions at the final point of migration to
  21CN.
• This only applies to a range of services that are
  provided over the BT network.
• If you have multiple sites in different locations
  these sites will probably not be migrated at the
  same time.
• Your service provider will contact you to discuss
  when the migrations will occur.

We do not currently have dates for further
migrations in the UK but will update the
telecommunications industry when a schedule is
available. You will not be affected until then
unless you have a business based in the South
Wales area.
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How will my business be affected by the
voice/ISDN migration activities?

• All voice/ISDN migration activities will take
  place out of hours (0001 0600 unless
  otherwise stated) from Monday to Thursday.
• On the night of migration voice services will
  have an interruption of up to 3 minutes for
  outgoing calls and up to 10 minutes for incoming
  calls.
• BT will take all reasonable steps to protect any
  calls that are in progress on the night of
  migration.
• From 10pm on the night of migration to 9am at the
  latest the following morning, no further changes
  can be made to your services. For example,
  diverts cannot be amended. This is known as the
  network services freeze.

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What will I need to do?

• Your service provider will keep in touch with you
  to plan your migration activities and implement
  any alternative routing plans if required for the
  final night of migration.
• Review the switched-on website to understand if
  any incompatible CPE is being used on your
  network.
• If any of your services are blue light
  services, please contact your service provider to
  discuss how migrations will impact you.
• Build awareness of this forthcoming activity with
  colleagues who need to know about this programme.

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What is switched-on?

• Switched-on is the name of the programme of
  public information to communicate BTs migration
  to a NGN.
• Switched-on is not commercial in any way and is
  not designed to give any single provider a
  competitive advantage.
• Switched-on will not communicate any new services
  or benefits enabled by the new network for BT or
  any other service provider.

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General sources of further information for you
to access
The independent public information website
covering the process of migration http//www.swi
tchedonuk.org
For general information about BTs 21CN programme
go to http//www.btplc.com/21CN/
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• If you have any feedback about the contents of
  this presentation, for instance if you feel more
  information would be helpful or if something
  needs further clarification, please let your
  service provider know.

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Questions and Answers
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Back up slides
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Back up slide next generation
servicesBroadband voice progress March 2009
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Back up slide next generation servicesEthernet
progress March 2009
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