Austin, Texas -- General Bandwidth, a leading provider of Voice over IP (VoIP) infrastructure solutions enabling rapid deployment and new service revenue generation over broadband networks, announces a comprehensive Class 5 migration to Class 5 replacement solution with an integrated emergency standalone capability for service providers seeking to enable softswitch control of their circuit-based access networks while providing the unique ability to maintain local and emergency services when communications are lost with the regional softswitches.

Proven interoperable with the leading digital C5 switches, softswitches, SIP feature servers, digital loop carriers (DLCs), and customer premise equipment (CPE), General Bandwidth's G6® Universal Media Gateway (MG) uniquely enables service providers to accelerate VoIP services leveraging their existing and next generation network assets.   Today, there are approximately 180 million telephone lines in the United States, many of which are serviced by more than 220,000 digital loop carriers (DLC).   With the G6 platform’s ability to enable packet-based softswitch control of circuit-based DLC networks, service providers can immediately migrate legacy telephony customers from Class 5 switches to next generation softswitches, creating capital and operational savings without the expense of upgrading their legacy access network.  As the access network evolves to deliver broadband services, the same G6 platform can simultaneously perform as a trunking media gateway, further reducing the cost and complexity of additional networks elements while avoiding stranded investment in the network.

“VoIP is an opportunity as well as a challenge for many service providers,” said Charles Vogt, General Bandwidth's president and chief executive officer.  “It is easy to get excited about the many new revenue generating applications that next generation networks deliver.  The challenge is how to economically, efficiently and operationally migrate today’s legacy networks to tomorrow’s next generation networks. General Bandwidth’s G6 Universal MG uniquely leverages today’s legacy assets and becomes an integral part of tomorrow’s next generation assets.”

Today’s next generation networks use centrally-located softswitches for call control and features along with distributed media gateways at the edge of the network that trunk VoIP traffic to the PSTN.  As the next generation network scales, service providers need assurances that when communications between the centralized softswitch and distributed media gateways are disrupted, reliable emergency and local calling services can still occur. The G6 platform's new integrated Emergency Services Module (ESM) provides this added benefit by ensuring that if communications to the softswitch are severed, local and emergency calling continues on the G6 platforms until softswitch communications are restored.

The G6 Universal MG interoperates with leading softswitches using standards-based interfaces and scales easily to meet the needs of any distributed softswitch trunking deployments, including support for CALEA, E911, and security.  The G6 platform allows softswitch control of legacy, circuit-based access plant and ESM control when softswitch communications are severed.  The G6 platform also provides reverse and trunking gateway functions simultaneously within the same chassis allowing, for example, a softswitch-controlled call from legacy access plant to traverse through the IP network or be trunked to the PSTN.

About The G6 Universal Media Gateway Platform
The G6 Universal Media Gateway Platform is the architectural basis for the multiple media gateway solutions offered by General Bandwidth.  The G6 platform is a true carrier class VoIP services platform with the capability to simultaneously support multiple service architectures including legacy Class 5 switches, next generation softswitches, and SIP-based feature servers.  The platform supports a variety of packet and PSTN interfaces, scaling from 240 to 16,128 simultaneous DS0s in a single chassis.

About General Bandwidth
General Bandwidth is a leading provider of Voice over IP (VoIP) infrastructure solutions spanning more than 50 service providers worldwide. General Bandwidth delivers broadband solutions addressing a full range of applications, including residential and business access, trunking and enhanced VoIP solutions.  With nine patents issued and nine pending, General Bandwidth’s flagship G6 Universal Media Gateway and network management system are OSMINE, RUS, PacketCable™, NEBS-3 and TL 9000 certified and deployed in RBOCs, CLECs, RLECs and Cable service provider networks worldwide. General Bandwidth was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.   Additional information on General Bandwidth is available at www.genband.com.

Contacts:
Noah Sessions
GENBAND Inc.
+1.972.265.3664 (office)
noah.sessions@genband.com

Trademark notes:  G6 and General Bandwidth are registered trademarks of General Bandwidth Inc.