Trends for 1999: Convergence begins

Our discussion of trends for 1999 so far have included higher-speed services in both the backbone and the access segments of frame relay networks, as well as the likelihood that new interoperability and gateway options will arrive to broaden connectivity reach. In this newsletter, we move to trend number 8, in which we predict that the much-talked-about convergence of voice onto packet networks will actually begin happening to a noticeable degree.

Trend No. 8-More voice and fax traffic will show up alongside data on frame networks. For years, frame relay has been marketed and used predominantly as a data-only service. This was because frame relay's first application (which has endured in popularity) turned out to be an economical alternative to leased lines for LAN interconnections, particularly as organizations grew more distributed and needed increasing numbers of inter-site connections. This year, however, watch for voice over frame relay to come along quickly, especially in nationwide and worldwide corporate networks.

The technology for voice (as well as fax) over frame relay does work, and it is finding its way into a broader choice of CPE called voice frame relay access devices (V-FRADs). Equipment vendors have had a year now to incorporate the FRF.12 Implementation Agreement (IA) for fragmentation into their products. FRF.12 specifies a common way for equipment to fragment long frames into shorter ones before reassembling them at the receiving point. This function is necessary to control network delays that could jeopardize voice quality.

And vendors have had even longer to incorporate the FRF.11 IA into their products. FRF.11 describes the frame payload format for digital voice transport over frame relay networks, and it passed several months earlier than FRF.12.

Technology advances aside, the pricing is compelling. When voice is hauled between PBXs at corporate sites across a frame relay network service, the cost per minute for voice transport is about six tenths of a cent per minute. And the still-hefty international rate structure makes combining voice with data over frame relay even more attractive.

One unknown that may become clearer this year is whether the majority of the voice-over-frame relay market will constitute the use of voice directly over frame or voice-over-IP-over-frame. With or without the intermediate IP encapsulation, though, the economics remain compelling.

Does your organization have any plans for running voice over frame relay, either directly or encapsulated in IP? Let us know what is happening out there! Please reply to: from-the-trenches@webtorials.com.

---

Steven Taylor, consultant and broadband packet evangelist, and Joanie Wexler, an independent networking technology editor and writer, team up to bring you this analysis and commentary. Taylor specializes in education and market analysis, and Wexler adds incisive reporting and research. For more detailed information on most of the topics discussed in this newsletter, connect to www.webtorials.com, the first Web site dedicated exclusively to market studies and technology tutorials in the Broadband Packet areas of Frame Relay, ATM, and IP. Feedback and additional topic ideas are welcome. Please contact taylor@webtorials.com or joanie_wexler@mindspring.com.

IP convergence: Anderson
Network World, 08/10/98

IP convergence: Heckart/Gadecki
Network World, 08/10/98

IP convergence: Nolle
Network World, 08/10/98

IP convergence: Links
Network World, 8/10/98

Net Resources: Frame relay. Primers and more
Network World Fusion

Archive of Network World on Frame Relay newsletters