Delivering QoS in the next generation network — a standards perspective

The next generation network (NGN) is envisaged as being an IP-based network which supports a wide variety of applications in an increasingly converged fixed-mobile environment. This paper looks at the key standards which are available as enablers to the building and operating of an NGN that delivers appropriate levels of quality of service for end-user applications.The paper starts by looking at a general framework for quality of service (QoS) standards, including the necessary terminology to distinguish between the performance of the network and the requirements of applications. It goes on to look at the key standards that address the application requirements, the performance of the IP layer and the behaviour of its bearer. In addition the paper discusses several concepts designed to allow the control of QoS levels in IP-based networks. Although it also discusses published standards, there is much ongoing standardisation activity in the technical areas of QoS and network performance that is outside the scope of this paper.