LR Sharpens Focus on VOIP

Light Reading today launched a couple of initiatives aimed at helping readers get a better understanding of the market for next-generation network equipment such as softswitches, media gateways, session border controllers, application servers, and so on.

The first initiative -- Who Makes What: VOIP Infrastructure Equipment -- proposes a taxonomy and lists vendors and products in 10 categories. It follows Light Reading's tried and true "Who Makes What" report formula, in inviting readers to comment on the taxonomy and point out omissions and corrections to the lists. As usual, Light Reading will update the report in response to readers' suggestions.

The report incorporates a downloadable questionnaire so that vendors can position their own products within the proposed taxonomy. The completed forms, which should be submitted by August 31, will be used to create an interactive online directory. It will dovetail with Light Reading's existing IP Services Software Directory which already lists 186 products from 115 companies.

For a quick understanding of what's covered in the report, check out these tables:

Download this questionnaire and follow the instructions for completing it and sending it in, to help us place products in the correct categories.

Light Reading's second initiative in this field is an update of a previous "Who Makes What" report covering multiservice access platforms (MSAPs) and IP DSLAMs (see Who Makes What: MSAPs & IP DSLAMs ). The update is a downloadable questionnaire enabling MSAP vendors to submit details of their products for a granular competitive analysis of equipment being undertaken by Graham Beniston, Heavy Reading analyst at large.

The questionnaire can be downloaded by clicking here: MSAP Questionnaire. MSAP vendors have until August 15 to complete and submit the form.

As noted, the goal of both of these initiatives is to help readers get a better understanding of product categories in this marketplace, which has been undergoing fairly rapid evolution. Evidence of this is seen in the different names that some pieces of equipment get called -- one example of this being MSAPs, which are also known as MSANs (multiservice access nodes), BLCs (broadband loop carriers), and other names. Take the quick poll below to give your opinion on which name you prefer.

— The Staff, Light Reading

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