What
are the objectives of the Project?
- Describe the gains and obstacles of Open Source Software in telecom platforms
- Identify and evaluate possible areas for Open Source Software in telecom systems
- Identify promising Open Source candidates and evaluate the possible utilisation
of these candidates
- Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages regarding the introduction of Open
Source Software in telecom platforms to the Shareholders
- Analyse the legal aspects
- Propose further activities, e.g. follow up EURESCOM projects
What is the background for this Project?
The boom of new and cheap Internet services imposes new
questions to TelCos. The driving force behind the Internet growth is the joint interest
and co-operation of individuals and companies to further the network and enhance the
services and content provided. To some extend this is further supported by Open Source
Software, available to everybody at low costs, contributed sometimes jointly by
universities, companies and individuals.
The forming question for this Study is:
Is it feasible at this point in time and with toady’s
technology to introduce Open Source Software to telecom platforms to stimulate the
creation of a European object-oriented, distributed service platform?
What is the focus of the work?
The Study can be summarised as follows:
- The focus is on the evaluation of the feasibility and trade-off of Open Source
Software in telecom platforms generally focusing on telecom middleware and services
platforms in particular. The Study will analyse and evaluate technical and operational
areas for use of Open Source Software. Promising Open Source Software candidates will be
identified. Possible impacts on evolving concepts like PARLAY, Third Party Service
Providers will be evaluated. Further activities will be recommended.
- The telecom middleware infrastructure is not an area of TelCo competition and
should not be an area for vendor competition. On the contrary the focus here lies in the
provisioning of an open, reliable, secure and controllable infrastructure that is needed
for the provisioning of distributed services. Interconnection between the different
middleware platforms is necessary and should not be hindered by specific vendor interests.
Several Open Source Software projects have shown that interoperability, reliability and
security can compete with or even be better than commercially available products. Every
user of Open Source Software has access to the broad knowledge and experience of other
users, getting even direct support from experts and developers.
- The introduction of Open Source Software in telecom platforms is at this point in
time a long-term strategic issue, which still needs further clarification and exploration.
If the idea proves realistic and desirable for TelCos, EURESCOM could initiate the
creation of a telecom middleware Open Source Community that might be comparable to the
very successful Linux community.
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