Editing Telecommunications in India (section)

==Next-generation networks (NGN)==
Historically, the role of telecommunication has evolved from that of plain information exchange to a multi-service field, with ''Value Added Services (VAS)'' integrated with various discrete networks like [[Public switched telephone network|PSTN]], [[Public land mobile network|PLMN]], Internet Backbone etc. However, with decreasing [[average revenue per user]] and increasing demand for VAS has become a compelling reason for the service providers to think of the convergence of these parallel networks into a single core network with service layers separated from network layer.<ref name="TRAINGN">{{cite web |title=Consultation paper on NGN licensing |url=http://trai.gov.in/WriteReaddata/ConsultationPaper/Document/NGN.pdf |publisher=TRAI |access-date=12 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130310010236/http://trai.gov.in/WriteReaddata/ConsultationPaper/Document/NGN.pdf |archive-date=10 March 2013 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Next-generation network]]ing is such a convergence concept which according to [[ITU-T]] is:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/studygroups/com13/ngn2004/working_definition.html |title=NGN Definition |publisher=ITU |access-date=12 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050911234206/http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/studygroups/com13/ngn2004/working_definition.html |archive-date=11 September 2005 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref>{{blockquote |A next-generation network (NGN) is a [[Network packet|packet]]-based [[computer network|network]] which can provide services including Telecommunication Services and able to make use of multiple broadband, [[quality of service]]-enabled transport technologies and in which service-related functions are independent from underlying transport-related technologies. It offers unrestricted access by users to different service providers. It supports generalised mobility which will allow the consistent and ubiquitous provision of services to users.}}

Access network: The user can connect to the IP-core of NGN in various ways, most of which use the standard Internet Protocol (IP). User terminals such as mobile phones, [[personal digital assistant]]s (PDAs) and computers can register directly on NGN-core, even when they are [[roaming]] in another network or country. The only requirement is that they can use IP and [[Session Initiation Protocol]] (SIP). Fixed access (e.g., [[digital subscriber line]] (DSL), [[cable modem]]s, [[Ethernet]]), mobile access (e.g. [[UMTS]], [[CDMA2000]], GSM, [[General Packet Radio Service|GPRS]]) and wireless access (e.g.[[Wireless LAN|WLAN]], [[WiMAX]]) are all supported. Other phone systems like [[plain old telephone service]] and non-compatible [[Voice over IP|VoIP]] systems, are supported through [[gateway (telecommunications)|gateways]]. With the deployment of the NGN, users may subscribe to many simultaneous access-providers providing telephony, internet or entertainment services. This may provide end-users with virtually unlimited options to choose between service providers for these services in NGN environment.<ref name="TRAINGN"/>

The hyper-competition in the telecom market, which was effectively caused by the introduction of ''Universal Access Service (UAS)'' licence in 2003 became much tougher after 3G and 4G [[Indian Telecom Spectrum Auction|competitive auction]]. About {{Convert|670000|km|mi|adj=pre|route-}} of [[Optical fiber|optical fibre]] has been laid in India by the major operators, including in the financially nonviable rural areas and the process continues.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}} Keeping in mind the viability of providing services in rural areas, the government of India also took a proactive role to promote the NGN implementation in the country; an expert committee called ''NGN eCO'' was constituted in order to deliberate on the licensing, interconnection and quality of service (QoS) issues related to NGN and it submitted its report on 24 August 2007. Telecom operators found the NGN model advantageous, but huge investment requirements have prompted them to adopt a multi-phase migration and they have already started the migration process to NGN with the implementation of IP-based core-network.<ref name="TRAINGN"/>