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Any to Any Connectivity For

Everyone?(Communication Hub Model)

Len BythewayAustralian Communication Exchange

Welcome

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There are tens of thousands

of textphones (TTYs) used in

Australia and hundreds of

thousands used in the USA -

they work and people love

them… why change?

If it ain’t broke…?

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• TTYs were developed from old teletype machines discarded (EOLed) in the 1960s. They operate:

• 50 bits/sec (45.45 in the USA)

• Use 5 bit Baudot code (Dev’t 1874)

• No Carrier

• Half Duplex

• Some can be acoustically coupled

• They are basic, cheap and work consistently

About the TTY

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• World has adopted multiple textphone standards

• European Deaf Telephone (EDT)

• Minitel (V.23 based systems x 3)

• DTMF (phone dial tones)

• ASCII (V.21, Bell 103 @300 baud)

• Baudot TTYs (50 & 45.45 baud)

• Australia is the only country in the world currently “standardised” on 50 baud Baudot TTYs

TTY Standards?

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• Lack of TTY access via mobile

networks (esp. to text

Emergency Call Service 106)

• Deaf people have ‘adopted’

mobile phone technology -

SMS (reliability issues)

Problems with TTY

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• Emerging Technologies

incompatible with TTYs

• Wireless local loop (WLL) &

Internet telephony as standard

telephone services (STS)

• NGN & IP services?

Problems with TTY

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• Availability of V.18 standard (ITU)

brings all text telephones

together

• Development for text & video

standards for Internet (using

H.323 video standard, eg

Microsoft NetMeeting)

• SIP, ENUM and text access?

The Future Textphones?

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• Large installed base of TTYs

• TTYs dispersed, can’t be located to

swap out

• Vital services on baudot infrastructure

(health, welfare & emergency services,

education, social, family…)

• Let’s not confuse the Form Factor (TTY)

with the underlying Protocol (Baudot)

Real Issue

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How can we migrate to digital technologies and

phase out legacy technologies?

without disruption or loss of services

Real Question

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a

V.18 modems

TextDirect (UK)

a

a

Dials 18001 nnnnnnnn

Dials nnnnnnnn

18001 routes to TXD

a

Voice Network

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a

Voice Network

IP Relay (USA)

a

Internet

a

Relay Service

aa

Access Directory Server

a

V.18

12Proposal for Australia

a

Switchednetworks

a

IPnetworks

Access DirectoryServer

a

V.18 andother bridges

Relay Services

“Communications Hub”

a

a

a

a

a

Video

aa

a

NGNReqs?

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• Do it once for all Australians on any network

• Modular - parts installed as needed

• The hub is “organic” - growing with technology

• Protects against future technology changes

• Allows people to take up the new, but stay connected to the old.

Not “Out of the Box”

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• On solution does not work for all - people need choices

• Use mainstream solution where possible

• More than ever we will need:

• Awareness

• Training

• Support

• New challenges to assure privacy

Beyond Technology

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• Stakeholder consultation and buy-in:

• People with Disabilities

• Broader community

• Telco Industry

• Legislators/Regulators

• Refine the model

• ACIF Forum to discuss options - early 2002

The Way Forward?

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Questions?

Thank You

www.aceinfo.net.au