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Muhammad Muzammil

Intranet/Video Conferencing

National Telecommunication Corporation, Islamabad

+923135334666- pakmuzamil@gmail.com

1. NTC Profile

1.1 Introduction:

The new era of telecommunication in Pakistan has brought several challenges with

it, despite of the advantages it has made visible for the consumers. The most

important being the challenge to keep intact the security requirements of the GoP

(Government of Pakistan) and to protect the new players in this field from the

conventional practices of the incumbent operators to protect their market share. To

overcome these challenges GoP established National Telecommunication

Corporation (NTC) in January 1996 under the Telecom Reorganization Act 1996.

The main objective was to have an infrastructure independent of all other operators

that can be used for the purpose of government communication and as an alternative

support for the operators entering the market.

1.2 NTC Progress:

The ongoing infrastructure development journey for NTC began in 1996 when it

was created with few local exchanges and analog microwave. However, today NTC

has developed its own infrastructure to an extent where it can be called an

independent IT and telecom operator capable of meeting the challenges of the

deregulated environment and meeting the objectives for which it was created.

NTC started its operations in 1996 with only 5 local exchanges all over Pakistan

and an analog microwave link not capable of supporting the digital transmission. To

carry out its operations, it was mainly dependent on PTC infrastructure and used its

transit network, international gateways, transmission network, IN platform etc. to

carry out its operations. The copper network in the access provided to NTC was not

sufficient to cater for its subscriber base and meet the required quality of service

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parameters. NTC had no arrangements for direct interconnect with cellular

operators as a result it had to pay substantial part of its revenues to PTCL for 3rd

party termination. Data services being essential demand of NTC customers could

not be met due to non availability of infrastructure. Billing of NTC customers was

carried out through PTC initially and through Pakistan Computer Bureau. The main

challenge for NTC at that time was to reduce this dependency on other operators to

minimum as soon as possible to fulfill its obligations and to sustain itself in the

deregulated environment in which PTC was to be privatized.

The main focus in the initial years was to develop its own basic infrastructure that

included optical fiber transmission backbone, transit network, billing system and

multi services data network (MSDN) beside expansion of its switching network to

un-served areas to cover as much of its subscriber base as possible. It purchased 2

fibers from PTC in the main optical fiber backbone and equipped it with 622 Mbps

SDH systems. It expanded its exchanges in different cities to gain access to its

customers along with lying of copper cable. These exchanges were converted into

transit exchanges to provision long distance services on NTC network and to have

direct interconnects with cellular and other operators. The establishment of NTC

MSDN was a major milestone, achieved in 2001 which enabled NTC to provide

multiple data services such as dial- up, DSL, Web hosting and internet etc. to its

customers. Another milestone achievement in National history is in placement of

Pakistan education & Research Network (PERN) project. The project is providing

155 Mbps international connectivity to 59 universities connected all over Pakistan.

The billing system was developed in first 4 years which made it possible for NTC to

do its own billing.

1.3 Future Thoughts:

Being aware of the new technologies, demand for new services and converged

network NTC is in the process of upgrading and expanding its network. Migration

from conventional TDM network to IP based Next Generation Network has been

planned and being implemented. The 622 Mbps optical fiber backbone not able to

meet the requirement of bandwidth hungry applications is being upgraded to 10

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Gbps DWDM based technology. To improve the efficiency ERP solution has been

planned and under process of implementation. To gain access to NTC users efforts

are being made for frequency allocation and as a stop gap arrangement virtual WLL

connections are being provided to NTC subscribers. To provide value added service

from its own platform NTC is planning its own IN platform. Very soon NTC

subscribers will be hearing NTC operators for customer relations, call booking and

complaints through its state-of-the-art call center. Multi services access network has

been planned to be as close to the user on fiber as possible to extend multiple

services from a single platform.

NTC has traveled a long way in developing its infrastructure in lines with the

technological and market trends. NTC is determined to provide an infrastructure

required to meet its objectives and to support the nation and GoP in achieving its

objectives

1.4 Revenue:

Following are the major sources of revenue for NTC:-

Fixed line connections.

Media (MW, DRS, OFS, PCM, Carrier) services.

Internet, MSDN services.

PTV Transmission.

Services for Mobile operators.

Gateway services for International communication.

Services for PERN project

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1.5 NTC Services:

NTC has a definite mandate to provide basic telecommunication services to its designated

customers, which include Federal and Provincial Governments, their departments,

autonomous organizations and defense services throughout the country.

NTC Making committed efforts to provide following state-of-the-art communication

solutions using third generation IP Voice & Data Networking.

Telephone:

o Basic Telephony

o Calling Card

o ISDN-Integrated Service Digital Network

o BRI-Basic Rate Interface

o PRI-Primary Rate Interface

Multi-Services Data Network:

o Web Hosting facility

o Electronic mail platform

o Dialup Internet Access, ISDN

o Co-Location (Server’s, Space, Dish Antenna’s)

o Virtual Private Networking

o Video Conferencing facility

o Broad Band Internet Access

o Intranet Solutions

o Radio/Wireless Networking Solution

o Lease Line Services

1.5.1 Telephonic Services:

NTC has provided more than 1, 05,000 working connections of telephone to its government

subscribers throughout the country.

To meet the requirements of its subscribers NTC is operating following switching and

transmission media services with various new installations in progress.

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39 main switching units.

69 remote digital line units.

Microwave links as its long haul media.

Following value added services are also planned for the users:

Caller line identification.

Call waiting.

Call transfer.

Wakeup timer.

Don't disturb.

Abbreviated dialing

Switched Hotline

Three Parties audio Conferencing

1.5.2 Wireless Local Loop:

NTC CDMA phone is an alternate to NTC landline with an added advantage of enhanced

services. It’s the wireless telephony revolution based on CDMA 2000 Technology that

combines the best features of both mobile and landline.

Currently offering following features:

o CLI, SMS, Internet with maximum 22 Kbps downloading speed, Call

Forwarding and Call Waiting.

NTC WLL Installation Manual

1.5.3 Calling Card:

NTC international calling cards are available in denomination of Rs. 250 and 500. NTC

calling cards are exclusively dial able from NTC numbers only.

1.5.4 Internet:

ADSL

o NTC has now embarked on the challenging industry of Telecommunications

in Pakistan thereby offering Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Services

(ADSL/G.SHDSL/HDSL) over the existing phone lines. With NTCs DSL

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service, it is possible to receive high data rates at low cost and optimum

performance. A DSL line can carry both data and voice signals and the data

part of the line is continuously connected.

ISDN

o Integrated Services Digital Network or ISDN in short, is essentially a network

of fast and highly reliable connections that bring voice, data and video

together all on one digital line.

o Two type of service is offered

BRI (Basic Rate Interface)

2 E1 channel is provided

PRI (Primary Rate Interface)

30 E1 channel is provided

Dial-Up

o NTC embarked upon the mission to provide low price quality access to the

Cyber world and set up top of the notch Access Servers in collaboration with

custom made billing and accounting system. At this moment NTC’s dialup

service is available to all the government functionaries across Pakistan.

1.5.6 Web Hosting:

NTCs reliable platform gives access to database development tools such as Active Server

Pages (ASP), MS Access, My SQL, Php, MS-SQL server, Oracle Open Database

Connectivity (ODBC) support and helps clients to get the most from latest in Web-

authoring excellence.

1.5.7 Video Conferencing:

NTC has deployed state of the art hardware and designed a scalable network by means of

which fast, reliable, secure and real time access will be possible between the top Federal

and Provincial Government officials for better and closer communication without physical

displacement.

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1.5.8 Intranet:

Using broadband network NTC is providing complete Intranet solutions with combination

of technologies naming DXX, DSL and ATM, which provides complete network solution

to your door steps.

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2. Departments in NTC

2.1 Departments of NTC:

There are basically 3 main departments in NTC, and their sub departments are also given

following;

Finance department

HR & Admin Department

Technical Department

IT

Planning & Development

Transmission

Long Haul (Nation Wide)

Short Haul (Local)

o Optical Fiber

o DRS

Switching

Data Communication

Since my Internship was in the Data Communication department so the discussion on the

internship report will be only the sub departments of the Data Communication.

As the sub departments of Data Comm. are following:

Intranet / Video Conferencing

IPCore

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)

GPON

ISP (Internet Service Provider)

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3. Intranet/Video Conferencing

This department deals with two technologies:

Intranet

Video Conferencing

3.1 Intranet:

Intranet is a network operating like the Internet but having access restricted to a limited

group of authorized users. Simply Intranet is Private and Internet is Public Network.

NTC Provide Intranet services using DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) and DXX (Digital Cross

Connect). As organization wants to secure its data from other world, but at a same time they

wants to interconnect their branches, so intranet is the solution for that, and that’s it’s a

demanding service.

Details of both technologies are given following:

3.1.1 DSL

DSL uses high frequency, while regular telephone uses low frequency on the same telephone

line

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Equipment & Specification:

1. Zyxel DSLAM

IP Based

72 Ports ADSL Card, Uplink FE

2. Lucent Stringer ATM

48 Ports ADSL Card, Uplink E3

3. Zhone ATM

48 Ports ADSL Card, Uplink E1/E3

4. Paradyne ATM

24 Ports, Uplink E1

3.1.2 DXX

Digital Cross Connect or DXX is a Circuit Switch technology based upon TDM. DXX devices

are available for both T – carrier and E- Carrier based circuits.

Digital Cross connects can connect extremely high speed networks with lower speed networks to

achieve a mutually synchronized speed for common data transformation in the network.

Equipment & Specification:

1. DXX Alcatel MainStreet 3600

3 E1 Cards

128 kbps Service Card 27LC3

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1 E1 Frame Relay

2 Control Card CTL3

2. DXX Alcatel MainStreet 36170

2 Control Card

1 E1 Circuit Emulation

2 E1 Frame Relay

2 Hub Cards

ATM/DXX Network Architecture:

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3.2 PERN Pakistan Education & Research Network

NTC also offering service to HEC Educational Network project namely PERN. Basic purpose of

PERN is the Interconnectivity of all universities within Pakistan

Both IP and ATM are being used

Delivery for the last mile

o Optical Fiber, Microwave, DSL, DXX

LOCAL EXCHANGE EXCHANGE NEAREST THE UNIVERSITY

NTC HQ UNIVERSITY PREMISES

OF

DXX DXX

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3.3 Video Conferencing:

Video conference is a set of interactive telecommunication technologies which allow two

or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously.

Videoconferencing differs from videophone calls in that it's designed to serve a

conference rather than individuals.

NTC is using the equipment of Polycom and there are three studios in NTC. One of them

is present in Islamabad and the other two are present in Lahore and Karachi.

Equipment & Specification:

1. Plasma Display

2. Subwoofer

3. DSL Modem (CPE)

4. VTX 1000 Sound Station

5. Connecting Wires (A/V + LAN + Power)

6. Remote Control

7. Camera VSX 7000

8. Codian MCU 4210

9. Codian IP VCR 2220

For Multipoint VC we need MCU, NTC use Codian MCU

3.3.1 Types of Video Conferencing

1. Point to point VC:

The Point to Point conference is between two stations, for example between

Islamabad & Karachi. From Equipment & Specification first 7 items are necessary for

Point to Point Conference.

2. Multipoint videoconferencing:

Simultaneous videoconferencing among three or more remote points is possible by

means of a Multipoint Control Unit (MCU). This is a bridge that interconnects calls

from several sources (in a similar way to the audio conference call). For Multipoint

VC we need first 8 items from equipment & Specifications.

IP VCR 2200 Series is an innovative, high-performance, IP-based videoconference

recording, playback, and streaming system.

3.3.2 H.323

H.323 protocol stack is the most important protocol stack for VC.

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Architectural Component of H.323

Terminals

Gateways

Gatekeepers

MCUs

Protocols

Parts of H.225.0 - RAS, Q.931

H.245

RTP/RTCP

Audio/video codecs

Architecture of H.323

Overview

Audio codecs (G.711, G.723.1, G.728, etc.) and video codecs (H.261, H.263)

Media streams transported on RTP/RTCP

RTP carries actual media

RTCP carries status and control information

RTP/RTCP carried unreliably on UDP

Signaling is transported reliably over TCP

RAS - registration, admission, status (over UDP)

Q.931 - call setup and termination

H.245 - capabilities exchange

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4. DSL

4.1 Introduction:

DSL is a family of technologies that provide high speed data transmission over the wires of a

local telephone network. It uses high frequency, while regular telephone uses low frequency

on the same telephone line.

4.2 History:

Traditional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) consists 3 main parts:

Local Exchange

o Connect Users of Particular areas

Transit Exchange

o Connect Local Exchanges

Gateway Exchange

o Connect different countries to each other.

Originally these exchanges are established to fulfill the need of telephony network, but now

days same local loop is used to provide DSL service. To separate Voice and Data use

different frequency level. Data is carried over the high frequency band (25 kHz and above)

whereas the voice is carried over the lower frequency band (4 kHz and below).

4.3 Network Design of Voice:

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4.4 Variations of DSL:

There are different variants of DSL and their primary reasons are following:

Speed

Line Coding

Area Covered

The upload speed is lower than download speed for Asymmetric DSL (ADSL) and equal to

download speed for the rarer Symmetric DSL (SDSL).

4.5 Major Devices used for DSL:

DSLAM

o DSL Access Multiplexer

o Multiplex multiple DSL connections into a high-speed Internet backbone line

o Directs the data signals towards the ISP network, and the phone signals

towards the voice switch

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BRAS

o Broadband Remote Access Server

o Termination for PPP sessions encapsulated either over Ethernet (PPPoE) or

over ATM (PPPoA)

o Forwards the user’s authentication information to the RADIUS server for the

AAA process

ATM

.4 Asynchronous Transfer Mode

.5 Establishes a virtual circuit between two endpoints before the actual data

exchange begins

.6 Fixed size cell of 53 bytes.

4.6 Network Design of DSL:

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5. GPON/ Metro Ethernet

5.1 Metro Ethernet:

Metro Ethernet service provides a flexible, scalable and cost-effective point-to-point, point-to-

multipoint networking solution. It provides customers secure layer 2 Ethernet connectivity. The

guaranteed data transfer rate ranges from 2Mps to 10Gbps.

Metro Switches:

NTC Use following Switches for Metro Ethernet.

.6.1 CX200C

.6.2 S2000

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5.2GIGA BIT PASSIVE OPTICAL NETWORK (GPON):

GPON provides a capacity boosts in both the total bandwidth and bandwidth efficiency through the

use of larger, variable-length packets in PON technology.

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6. Internet Service Provider

An Internet Service provider is a department in NTC that offers following services to its

customers on the internet.

6.1 Services Provided by ISP:

Web Hosting

Email

Co-Location

DNS

6.1.1 Web Hosting:

A type of service in which the organizations wants to make their website accessible via the

World Wide Web. For that they have to host it somewhere on servers that remain up all

time (24x7). NTC ISP department provide a space to government offices to hot their

websites.

Website can develop in different technologies or programming languages such as Active

Server Pages (ASP), PHP with different database capabilities like MS Access, My SQL,

MS-SQL server, Oracle Open Database Connectivity (ODBC).

NTC has support of both Window Based hosting (ASP.NET) using ISA Server, and also

Linux Based Hosting (PHP) by using Apache server, with above mentioned technologies.

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6.1.2 E-mail Services:

E-mail hosting services usually offer premium e-mails at a cost. They cater mostly to

demanding e-mail users and small and Mid-Size (SME) businesses, while larger enterprises

usually run their own e-mail hosting services.

ISP department also establish infrastructure to provide email services to all NTC worker, so

that no they don’t need any free web service to use and also secret information kept

confidential with great manner of efficiency.

6.1.3 Co-Location:

Space (Open, Covered), Dishes/Antennas on NTC Towers

Servers

6.1.4 DNS:

DNS hosting service is a service that runs Domain Name System servers. Most, but not all,

domain name registers include DNS hosting with registration. Free DNS hosting services

also exist. The purpose of DNS is to map website name (like www.yahoo.com) with their

machine address (IP Address).

ISP department with offering service also provide support by monitoring malicious

activities on site, traffic, bandwidth monitoring etc. to ensure maximum customer

satisfaction with great deal. Monitoring is done it on daily & monthly bases.

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7. IP Core

IPCore department deals with following:

1. IP Core Internet

M20i Juniper Router

2. IP Core NGN

M320 Juniper Router

The most important task that is to performed by IPCore department is routing & Switching

of IP based traffic.

7.1 Switching

As switch works at Layer 2 of OSI Model, so some important concepts of layer2 are

following:

VLAN (Virtual LANS)

o Restrict Broadcast domain

o Administration become efficient

VTP

o VLAN Trunking protocol

o CISCO propriety protocol

o Used for the addition, Deletion of VLAN’s

IEE 802.1Q

o Used to carry traffic of multiple VLAN’s

STP (Spanning Tree Protocol)

Ethernet (IEE 802.3)

o Defining packet structure

7.2 Routing

As routing is the responsibility of layer 3 and the most important routing protocol of layer3

are following:

There are two types of routing protocol, one is static and other is dynamic. In static we

have to update the routing entries manually, while in dynamic updation happening

automatically.

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Some dynamic routing protocols are designed for use within an organization, while other

routing protocols are designed for use between organizations.

Common examples include:

1. BGP(Border Gateway Protocol)

2. OSPF (Open Shortest Path First)

3. RIP (Routing Information Protocol)

Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the protocol backing the core routing decisions on the

Internet. It maintains a table of IP networks or 'prefixes' which designate network reach ability

among autonomous systems (AS).BGP is an exterior gateway protocol (EGP), used to perform

inter domain routing in TCP/IP networks.

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First)

OSPF is used to allow routers to dynamically learn routes from other routers and to advertise

routes to other routers. OSPF supports the use of classless IP address ranges and is very efficient.

OSPF uses areas to organize a network into a hierarchal structure; it summarizes route

information to reduce the number of advertised routes and thereby reduce network load.

RIP (Routing Information Protocol)

RIP is a distance vector routing protocol, works on the base of hop counts. There is currently 2

version s of RIP. Version 1 supports VLSM (Variable Length subnet Mask) and Version

supports CIDR (Classless Inter Domain Routing).

RIP is use for small network maximum up to 15 nodes, while OSPF works for larger network.

OSPF works in the areas. BGP is Exterior routing protocol that works between different AS.

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7.3 Network Design of NTC IP Core Internet:

7.4 Next Generation Network

NGN is a Packet-based transfer, with Broadband capabilities with end-to-end QoS and

transparency also Unrestricted access by users to different service providers.

Equipment & Specification:

Soft Switch (HUAWEI SOFTX3000)

Soft Switch acts as a generic Call Controller in the packet-switched network and handles

all types of signaling which includes SS7, H.323, H.248, SIP, M2UA and M3UA, PRI,

BRI, R2 etc.

Universal Media Gateway (HUAWEI UMG8900)

It interfaces the conventional PSTN network with NGN network and passes PSTN

services to the NGN.

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Access Gateway (HUAWEI AG)

It can connect Analog Subscribers with traditional such as Private Branch Exchange

(PBX) and V5 access network.AG uses H.248 & RTP for transport of control information

& voice respectively.

7.5 IPCore NGN Network Design

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INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

Department:

Data Communication Department

Assigned Duties:

1. Automation of Bill’s

2. DXX Setup

3. Video Conferencing Setup

4. Field Work to Setup Intranet etc.

5. Simulation of CISCO Switches & Cisco Routers

Assignments:

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode)

VPN (Virtual Private Network), Difference between VPN & ISDN

High Definition VS Standard Definition

H.323 Protocol Stack

DSL

SIP VS H.323

Learning:

1. I learned how task are carried out in a practical environment.

2. I learned professional behavior and attitude towards office work and assigned

tasks.

3. I learned how to develop and maintain relations with the colleagues, peers,

opponents, supervisors and managers.

4. I learned to work in a team and as an individual

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CONCLUSION

NTC being a prestigious organization provides a chance to fresh graduates like me who are

still under the learning process to enhance their abilities by giving them a chance of

internship. I come to know the actual working of this organization as the staff was highly

cooperative and guided me at every step. Whatever I studied in the university was a great

help and I was able to apply my theoretical knowledge and implement it into practical

knowledge.

.Working in an organization like NTC has really helped me specially in advancing my

understanding of what we study in theory. An interaction with the practical environment

helped me to understand how original tasks are carried out in practical environment. Terms

that we study in our courses, how much they are relevant and important when you work in

such an environment.