Voice Services Consolidation

Transcription

1 White Paper Voice Services Consolidation November 2011 ISO 9001 No. FS 28117

2 Voice Services Consolidation Introduction 3 Legacy IVR Services 3 Market Evolution 4 IMS 4 VoiceXML 4 Long Tail Market Segmentation 5 Consolidation Solution Requirements 5 Cost Reduction Through Harmonisation and Separation 5 Agile Future Service Development 6 Key Technologies 6 VoiceXML 6 ASR and TTS 7 Data Connectors 7 IVR Service Creation 7 Conclusion 9

3 3 Introduction Legacy Voic and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems suffer from the disadvantages of slow service changes, inefficient resource allocation, awkward scaling and the inability to accommodate 3rd and 4th generation networks. These issues can be resolved by using futureproof media server based architectures. Media servers are media processing platforms that are connected to the core network and provide open interfaces for application servers. Operators can establish a front end media server that connect end users to a wide range of interactive voice and video response services, which may include voic , prepaid IVR, and ringback tone. Media server based architectures streamline operator networks, while facilitating reliable and responsive service development with a minimum of capital and operational expenditure. This white paper aims to illuminate how operators may optimise their system architectures by consolidating the voice access of voic and IVR services into a common media server, resulting in increased cost efficiency. Legacy IVR Services IVR is traditionally defined as the interface through which end users interact with voice and DTMF guided services. The term IVR has grown to encompass all services that employ interactive voice or video response functionality. These services include but are not limited to voic , self-administration IVRs, call-centre IVRs, and ringback tone services.

4 4 Operators typically maintain a multitude of IVR black boxes in their networks, and may use several boxes for a single service. If an operator requires voic , then the operator must install a voic IVR black box system into their network. If at a later date they discover their market demands ringback tones, they must then acquire an additional ringback tone IVR as well. This process continues with necessary services such as prepaid voucher management, self-administration IVRs, and so on until the operator has a small forest of discrete IVR silos residing on its network, each with its own unique network access and media processing platform. Legacy IVR services bundle the interface, application logic, media processing and telephony interface into a single proprietary system. These black boxes are inadequate for several reasons. The first is that as these are proprietary, each application requires a different type of specific knowledge regarding service creation and maintenance. Another reason is that within these black boxes, software builds tend to be tightly coupled with its access layer. It is often not possible to separate the access layer from the application layer making service distribution extremely difficult. These black boxes are costly, monolithic silos - inflexible to change and unresponsive to new environments. In addition to these and other drawbacks, legacy IVR solutions are difficult to upgrade to new networks. This creates problems for operators who want to offer capabilities such as video to their users. The advent of IMS (Internet Media Subsystems) underscores the inflexibility of legacy IVR solutions in adjusting to evolving market conditions and changing architectures. Market Evolution The nature of telecommunications networks has evolved from supporting voice-based services to encompass a variety of data and video based applications. The basis of this progression of network architecture is commonly referred to as IMS.

5 5 IMS The trend towards IMS based networks has been due to the clear advantages offered its distributed, IP-based structure results in high efficiency sharing of common application resources and more efficient transmissions. Simply put, IMS facilitates extremely scalable, redundant systems. IMS compliant systems easily bear the heavy loads incurred by smartphones, which extensively run data and video based applications. These applications require much higher bandwidth than traditional voice applications, thus demanding more from both handsets and networks. VoiceXML The acceptance of VoiceXML (Voice extensible Markup Language) as an industry standard and the consequent high demand for VoiceXML based services are another reason IMS architectures are widespread. VoiceXML employs the browser concept for delivering telco services. VoiceXML is used in the telecommunications context to create and deploy applications in a manner similar to web pages. Exactly as a web browser retrieves any HTML page from any web server with a public address, a media server accesses a VoiceXML service anywhere without any prior integration. Deploying and updating services is as simple as editing VoiceXML pages, which are structured very much like HTML. A common application of VoiceXML is to provide services that subscribers already frequently use and expect such as voic . Using VoiceXML, extant services traditionally delivered via legacy IVRs are ported to VoiceXML without interruption. Service providers benefit greatly from the fact that touchstone services stem from an open standard instead of proprietary sources. Applications built with VoiceXML facilitate rapid development of diverse and highly appealing new services consumers are eager to explore and adopt. For example, the ability of handsets to record and play video has contributed significantly to the growth of user-generated content worldwide in conjunction with social services such as YouTube, Facebook and individual blogs. In addition, the conversion of television content

6 6 from broadcast format into handset compatible formats has led to the perception of handsets being a key lifestyle accessory essential for not only keeping up with and sharing daily life but also for consumption of published and branded video and movie media. Long Tail Market Segmentation In tandem with the exponential increase in content available by and from handsets, there is growth in and demand for applications targeted at specific subsets of mobile consumers. This is partly reflective of the Long Tail evolution of the consumer market today, wherein large streams of revenue can be gained by inexpensively catering to small subsets of subscribers, instead of offering one size fits all solutions, and partly a reflection of the speed at which new services and applications are innovated and brought into markets by individual developers worldwide. The Long Tail or service bundles, rather based business model is extremely flexible and granular. For instance, a specific service can be built to serve the interests of a particular community in the operator s region, or a complete service may be quickly established for a short period of time in synergy with a particular festival or marketing campaign. Consolidation Solution Requirements What should a service provider look for when replacing end of life legacy systems? First and foremost, the service provider needs to find a solution that significantly reduces costs. Adoption of media servers accomplishes this in several different and significant ways. First of all, when operators

7 7 find it necessary to change technologies, the chief concern is a clear reduction in current operational and future capital expenditures as compared to current systems in place. Consolidation of media servers achieves immediate and dramatic cost savings due to lower data transmission and call termination in the core network, capacity sharing between various applications, power consumption, personnel, and maintenance costs. Cost Reduction Through Harmonisation and Separation An example of a reduction in costs relating to IVR migration becomes clear when we examine one of the elements that are reduced in this case, maintenance. A common open platform allows the service provider to orchestrate and consolidate the media access segments of IVRs to a single horizontal media access layer shared by several applications. A solid solution will have a clear separation between specific elements: for instance, a separation between voice/video interfaces from application software builds, as well as a separation of application and service logics from underlying media services. The new IVR service platforms become telecom resource independent application servers that can be maintained similarly to web servers within the operators infrastructure. Element independence and openness also translates into ease of call flow change and service upgrades on the network with a minimum of service disruption. Similarly, adding new services and scaling capacity becomes a more transparent process due to the exposure of the architecture tiers. Complementary to consolidation of media resources is convergence of access and openness of interfaces. A media server that provides IN, 2G, PSTN, 3G, Video and SIP access in a solution is more desirable than those that are more limited in breadth, and a server with open interfaces ultimately provides more flexibility. Service providers are able to use existing IVR applications, initially developed and introduced for SS7/ E1 access, now in IMS networks with minor media server configuration changes, as the media server and VoiceXML layer hides and abstracts network access from applications.

8 8 Agile Future Service Development Effective future service creation is another key reason service providers require open media servers when planning network architectures. A delineated media server using VoiceXML means it is remarkably easy for operators to either create new services themselves or partner with appropriate third party developers. In conjunction with the aforementioned separation between application layers and media resources, a media server employing VoiceXML means that service creators are able to concentrate on building effective call flows, and not be distracted by details regarding network access or the complexities of network signalling. Open service creation coupled with an effective development programme gives operators the ability to build more effective relationships with third party content providers, as third parties need not be versed in the details of accesses and networks in regards to services and can concentrate on pure development. A concrete example of this would be an operator changing the business model for premium rate numbers. Instead of merely selling the premium rate number and accompanying primary rate access, the operator is now able to offer a premium rate number bundled with network access, media processing capabilities and a true web based development interface. When adopting new architecture elements, the operator must consider both IP and circuit switched networks. In addition to remaining on par with IMS development, the operator needs to maintain existing Intelligent Network services that were developed with Intelligent Peripherals using INAP or CAP signalling. These extant services may be hard coded to the software in SCPs and the need for call flow changes results in slow and costly change requests to the IN supplier. As in other IVR services however, IN services benefit from an open media server s VoiceXML service creation and customization capabilities. Call flows can be changed simply by editing VoiceXML pages instead of creating an entirely new SCP software release. A media server that is capable of supporting this will contain both SRF and MRF functionality as a matter of course.

9 9 Key Technologies VoiceXML VoiceXML 2.0 was adopted as a standard by the World Wide Web Consortium in March 2004 and has since been the primary choice in application development, with more than 10,000 VoiceXML applications developed to date. VoiceXML allows voice applications to be developed and deployed similarly to the way HTML is used for web applications. Just as any web browser can retrieve any HTML page from any web server with a public address, a VoiceXML application can access a particular service from anywhere without any prior media integration. Developing, deploying and updating services is as simple as updating the VoiceXML files. No compiling, building, or downtime is required. Voice and DTMF HTTP TCP/IP END USER BROWSER Various types of interaction HTTP MEDIA SERVER APPLICATION SERVER TCP/IP Figure 1: Similarities between HTML and VoiceXML HTML VXML DATA Figure 1 illustrates the similarities in structure between VoiceXML and HTML in regards to service architecture. As in HTML, services created with VoiceXML are in open code and housed within a web or application server that can be separated from a variety of databases by an access layer. The VoiceXML and HTML pages on the server are interpreted by the browser, which presents the application to the end user. ASR and TTS Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) together with Text to Speech (TTS) technologies leverage the open development environment provided by VoiceXML into a highly functional end user interface. ASR recognises

10 10 human speech and creates a deeper dimension of interaction with voice applications, when previously interaction would have been primarily via DTMF tones. TTS allows service creators to quickly hone and refine call flows without having to concern themselves with time- consuming commissioning of appropriate voice talent information is smoothly conveyed back to end users via dynamically generated voice. Data Connectors Data connectors provide the means to access various data sources and back end systems and are thus a logical extension point to the IVR system. Data connectors can be created for a wide variety of inputs and databases, including for example RSS, SOAP, SQL and a wide library of proprietary interfaces. This means that IVR developers can easily take advantage of pre-existing information stores to create and augment powerful new services. IVR Service Creation IVR in conjunction with an open media server can be used for providing existing services that end users demand today. Standard call completion services including voic and videomail can be offered, as well as content services such as ringback tones. Consolidated services are also available, including IN Service and IP Centrex announcements, televoting, conferencing, auto attendants, and interactive television return channels. IVR services including prepaid voucher top up, customer care and self-administration can also be supported with this solution. The openness available in the media server and IVR combination allows service providers to branch out in entirely new directions when introducing future essentials to end users. As new services built with IVR can be inexpensive to develop and deploy, service providers are able to cater to entirely new market segments in regards to new service

11 DB DB DB APPLICATION SERVERS OTHER SERVICES VOIC IVR SELF ADMINISTRATION SERVICES MEDIA SERVER MRF SRF PSTN/GSM APPLICATION & DATA LAYER MEDIA PROCESSING & ACCESS LAYER Figure 2 illustrates how a well-considered media server is able to consolidate several media servers found in several different IVR services onto a single server that serves different networks simultaneously, thus saving operators significant operational costs 11 IMS IN CORE NETWORK LAYER Figure 2: Media Server Consolidation development. For example, an operator may wish to build a narrow service catering to the needs of a particular region in its primary city, or create a complete service in conjunction with a single large sport or entertainment event. Using the tools at hand, operators are agile enough to move further down the demand curve and down the long tail, thus acquiring revenue from a larger pool of potential end users. Flexibility is also gained in the manner in which services are developed. Using the solution, service providers are now free to develop services themselves, or if they wish, with the assistance of third party developers. Responsible vendors who provide truly open consolidation media servers offer Development Programmes, facilitating fruitful partnerships that responsively fill any VoiceXML and related technical needs service providers may have. This can be very useful when the service provider wishes to work with particular third parties within the scope of a specific region and wishes to build a local network, or if the service provider intends to build services in conjunction with a particular marketing campaign. The variety of carrier grade services that can be built using an open media server with IVR is limited only by the market itself especially when one takes into account the possibilities opened by using data connectors to tap into preexisting sources of data.

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