Admission control and resource reservation for session-based applications in next generation networks

Today’s telecommunications networks are moving towards full convergence of voice and data services as well as seamless access via mobile and fixed networks. This implies a transformation of the underlying transport network technology (moving towards IP) as well as the way that transport resources can be shared across multiple applications and controlled from the intelligence domain. This paper provides an overview of admission control and resource reservation concepts and techniques for session-based applications to drive transport network resources. It also provides a brief description of the connectivity resources architecture being developed in BT, as well as the different functional architectures being proposed by the main standards bodies and industry organisations working in this area.