GR-303 Integrated Access Platforms
Become a Member of the Integrated Access System (GR-303) Interest Group and receive periodic announcements related to Telcordia Integrated Access System generic requirements activities.
What is GR-303?
Network providers are looking to deploy Next-Generation Integrated Digital Loop Carrier (NG-IDLC) systems that take advantage of leading edge technology. These systems can help reduce operating and capital equipment costs while delivering a full range of telecommunications services. Telcordia GR-303 family of requirements specifies a set of NG-IDLC generic criteria that creates an Integrated Access System, supporting multiple distribution technologies and architectures (e.g., DSL, HFC, Fiber-to-the-Curb, etc.), and a wide range of services (narrowband and broadband) on a single access platform.
Telcordia GR-303, Integrated Digital Loop Carrier System Generic Requirements, Objectives and Interface, defines a set of requirements for Next-Generation Integrated Digital Loop Carrier (NG-IDLC) systems that includes open interfaces for mix-and-match of Local Digital Switches (LDS) with Remote Digital Terminals (RDT).
As LDS/RDT/EMS (Element Management System) implement GR-303 requirements, and as network providers plan for wider deployment of NG-IDLC systems, technical and business issues are being identified that must be addressed. As these issues are identified, Telcordia will maintain the GR-303 requirements by updating them to reflect vendor design and network provider deployment experiences in a manner that continues to promote the mix-and-match environment. This work will include generating proposed modifications or additions to the existing generic requirements in GR-303-CORE. In addition, Telcordia will organize, plan, and participate in up to two GR-303 Industry Forums. Telcordia will work with funders to address and resolve implementation issues related to GR-303 NG-IDLC systems.
Integrated Access System Architecture Diagram (SONET Example)
GR-303-based Integrated Access Systems promote increased network architecture flexibility by providing a consistent approach to deploying a wide range of access system technologies in a consistent manner. Many vendors are developing NG-IDLC products that, although they use different distribution technologies and architectures (e.g., hybrid fiber coax and fiber in the loop), meet the open interfaces described in the GR-303 requirements. This allows network providers to tailor the access system technology deployed area-by-area while utilizing core network features such as the LDS interface and Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) operations capabilities.
GR-303-based Integrated Access Systems are intended to reduce capital costs through supplier competition. Integrated Access System products enable mix-and-match among LDS, RDT and EMS products from a wide variety of vendors. The open interfaces described in the GR-303 requirements will help enable the network providers to pursue competitive bids from multiple suppliers for Integrated Access Systems products, thereby potentially obtaining better prices. Network providers need not be dependent on a single vendor to provide a sub-optimal total network solution and can select the product(s) to match their business and technical needs.
The GR-303-based Integrated Access Systems will also reduce operating costs through a standards-based, Telecommunications Management Network (TMN) compatible operations environment that provides remote operations capabilities. Applying the layered approach to network management embodied in TMN to Integrated Access Systems provides remote operations capabilities, such as software downloading and configuration management, that will help to streamline the client's processes for operating and maintaining Integrated Access Systems. Further, by adopting a standards-based approach, vendors will potentially achieve lower costs for implementing operations capabilities since the same information models may be used to support multiple products in the vendors' portfolios.
Additionally, GR-303-based Integrated Access Systems will help increase revenues by providing an access platform for services such as Internet access.
GR-303 and Packet Access
A large in-flux of new access systems entering the market are based on distributed RDT architectures ("distributed access systems"). While distributed access systems have been on the market for many years (e.g., in the form of fiber-to-the-curb systems), the recent market demands for the delivery of integrated voice and high-speed data access has changed the focus of the recent market entries. Many distributed access systems now require an "edge" device on the customer premises that provides the voice-grade service interfaces (e.g., "POTS" lines), in addition to a high-speed data interface. In addition, some distributed access systems utilize packetized-voice transport to increase the access network bandwidth efficiencies, and to lay the foundation for the deployment of new ("next-generation") advance voice services, such as those promised in a soft-switch service environment.
Telcordia has completed the development of two new generic requirements (GR) documents addressing the use of Packet Voice technology in the Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) access network.
- GR-3109-CORE, Generic Criteria for Packet Voice Integrated Digital Loop Carrier (PV-IDLC) Systems
- GR-3110-CORE, Generic Criteria for Packet Voice Integrated Digital Loop Carrier (PV-IDLC) Systems Operation and Management
These documents are available for purchase from the Telcordia Information Superstore. More information on these two important Generic Requirements (GR) documents are provided here.
The GR-303 family of Integrated Access System requirements consists of:
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GR-303-CORE Issue 4, "IDLC Generic Requirements,
Objectives, and Interface", December 2000 and the associated Issues List
Report: GR-303-ILR Issue 4A, December 2000
Defines end-to-end functional requirements for Integrated Access system, and defines a generic (open) narrowband interface to a local digital switch in support of telephony services. -
GR-303-IMD, IDLC System Generic Operations Interface
(formerly TR-TSY-000303 Supplement 3), Issue 1, December 1998
This document replaces TR-TSY-000303, Supplement 3, and all its Revisions, and SR-NWT-002966 "Implementation Aid on Translation of IDLC TR303 Sup3 Macros to GDMO". Defines the requirements for operations communication using CMIS and ASN.1 over the EOC of GR-303-based access systems. These requirements include the management services, the managed objects of an information model that the services reference, and the ASN.1 descriptions of the information associated with the services and managed objects. These requirements are the basis of the EOC communications used by today's embedded GR-303-based switches. -
GR-2833-CORE Issue 3, Revision 2, "Generic Operations Interfaces Using OSI
Tools: Information Model for IDLC and FITL Systems", and the associated Issues
List Report: GR-2833-ILR Issue 3C, December 1998
Defines a set of managed objects for Integrated Access System Remote Digital Terminals (RDTs). These requirements are the basis for RDT<=>Element Management System (EMS) communications. -
GR-2905-CORE, Issue 2, October 1997, Revision 1, "Generic Requirements for
EML Applications for Management of IDLC Systems", and the associated Issues
List Report: GR-2905-ILR Issue 2B, December 1998
Defines the interface between an Element Management System (EMS) and an RDT, as well as the interface between and EMS and a Network Management System (NMS).
To purchase these GR documents, visit the Telcordia Information Superstore.
For More Information
Telcordia offers customized GR-303 training seminars, requirements/implementation consulting, deployment support, unit conformance and interoperability testing, as well as business consulting services. Please contact Scott Yeomans (732-699-3443) for general information on GR-303 access systems and related Telcordia services.