NGN - Next Generation Networks



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Contact for this group:

Paul Smith paul.smith@energynetworks.org
NGN Secretary

NGN is an ETUG project established to monitor, investigate and report on identified concerns about Next Generation Networks being developed by BT and other Telecom & IT service providers to the Energy Industry.

Issues to be addressed by the NGN Group during 2009

Communications Providers (CPs) are introducing IP based technology in their core and local access networks. This presents a particular problem for member companies who rely on low latency services for their Operational Communications, particularly tele-protection applications. Furthermore there is a concern that older terminal equipment and applications used by member companies will not be compatible with IP based service offerings.

Activity Definition

To liaise with BT and other CPs to ensure that their 21CN plans are fully understood by all member companies and to ensure that the CPs fully understand the impact to the operational telecommunications services of member companies e.g. protection, SCADA, Control Telephony.

2009 Objectives and Deliverables

ETUG working groups, over the past 4 years, have highlighted the Utility Industries concerns about the impact NGN and other parallel activities being developed by BT and other CP’s could have on the security and resilience of the Energy Utility Networks.

Through the NGN working group during 2009 the ENA will continue to engage with Service Providers, Suppliers, Manufactures, POST, Regulators, Government bodies and members to secure a timely and cost effective solution.

During 2008 the BT Pathfinder initiative for NGN suffered significant problems.
The NGN groups monitoring of the activities being undertaken by BT, enabled the ENA to identify the paradigm shift, which was subtly introduced into the National Roll Out programme.

  • To continue liaison with BT and other CPs to ensure that their NGN plans are fully understood by all member companies and to ensure that any changes to programme or proposed technologies are understood.
  • Continue to secure closure of issues listed on the Action Log.
  • Engage with Openreach to help influence their provisioning and maintenance strategies.
  • To keep Members, Manufactures, POST, Government bodies and Regulators informed of concerns, and also of any progress made resolving technical issues or costs.
  • Track the success of member companies in their attempt to secure contracted agreements with CPs for the provision of leased line services compliant with TS 48_6_7.
  • Continue with the development of Gap analysis between the requirements specification and CP’s service offerings.
  • Continue with mitigation strategy – by CPs, Member Companies or both.
  • Work with CPs to develop a migration Plan for all service types, by local exchange area.
  • Continue to monitor product withdrawal notifications and timetables.
  • Facilitate further testing programmes to determine any incompatibilities between NGN products and Operational applications / terminal equipment.
  • Capture feedback of members’ experience of NGN migration.
  • Work with Suppliers and members to Identify suitable alternative solutions.


Benefits

  • Keeping members informed.
  • Support “price review” processes.
  • Engagement and participation in CPE phase testing.
  • Enabling of members, service providers and suppliers to share experiences and solutions therefore assisting other members to implement successful solutions within their organisation.
  • Ability to communicate ‘whole industry view’ challenges to Ofcom and CPs to help influence future solutions and costs.


Risks


  • Communications Providers (CPs) have now introduced IP based technology in their core and local access networks. The roll out of NGN over the next 5 years will continue to present particular problems for member companies who rely on low latency services for their Operational Communications, particularly tele-protection applications.
    Furthermore there is a concern that older terminal equipment and applications used by member companies will not be compatible with IP based service offerings.
  • The technical changes CPs are introducing will result in service disruption, increased costs and could in the worst case cause our operational telecommunications services to fail and in particular severely impact tele-protection applications causing unacceptable fault clearance times on the primary system. 

 

 

 




For further information on NGN / BT21stCN and the ENA seminars held on January 2005, February 2006 and March 2007, go to NGN / BT21stCN


Group Members: Login here for NGN documents and archive