When carriers began to deploy softswitches and media gateways back in the 1990s, they probably hoped and assumed those network elements would carry them through a longer-term, more comprehensive network transition from TDM to IP.

But that transition has taken much longer than anyone suspected. Though convergence began to drive these network elements not only into wireline networks, but into wireless networks, most carriers deploying them have settled into more gradual IP strategies. At the same time, carriers have started to look for greater capabilities, better cost efficiencies and more interoperability between softswitches and media gateways from different vendors.

And these are the primary reasons why Genband wanted to announce, in advance of NXTcomm next week, two new wireline/wireless media gateways, the G9 Converged Media Gateway and the G2 Compact Media Gateway. Jody Bennett, vice president of marketing at Genband, said, of the new G9 Converged Media Gateway, "This is a true second-generation media gateway, and true IP centric." He said most first-generation media gateways were more ATM centric.

"Carriers still handle a lot of TDM calls, but they want lower cost and higher density out of media gateways now," Bennett said. He added that the G9 also handles transcoding for wireline-wireless call on a single chip rather than four DSPs. Genband has relationships with several different DSP vendors at this point, so it can also plan upgrades around whichever DSP vendor is managing the best cost proposition.

Bennett also said that the new gateways, unlike those of a previous generation, do not have to be mated to softswitches of the same make for deployment. He said carriers want more flexibility in their media gateways as the success of broadband services, and interest in deploying many news services, is driving them to deploy more media gateways.