Service providers (SPs) across the globe are initiating programs to transform their existing networks into all-Internet Protocol (IP) networks. Expanding both the reach and speed of broadband access in order to provide rich IP services has proven to be a sound business strategy that future-proofs SP investment and lays a strong foundation for a successful transformation. However, for fixed operators, the broadband access expansion initiative has focused mainly on enabling higher-speed data and

more »

... ideo service offerings, rather than evolving or migrating the public switched telephone network (PSTN) voice network. This paper discusses industry perspectives on strategies adopted by SPs for evolving their PSTN voice network. In addition, it presents a case study of a fixed operator synergistically leveraging its broadband access expansion program for PSTN voice migration, in order to minimize its overall transformation costs. © 2012 Alcatel-Lucent. has focused mainly on enabling higher-speed data and video service offerings, and much less on facilitating PSTN voice network migration to a next-generation architecture. As indicated in Table I , SPs are considering various strategies for the evolution of the PSTN. A large number of SPs are implementing a disjointed approach between the PSTN and broadband access migration. Nevertheless, there are a growing number of SPs that are adopting a joint next-generation voice and broadband migration strategy. The goal of this paper is to analyze the rationale and drivers of a joint migration strategy, and not to compare this case with other migration options.