MSF - Press FAQ

Q: What is the MultiService Forum (MSF)?
A: The MSF is an open consortium of telecom industry companies including service providers, large equipment manufacturers, niche equipment manufacturers, test tool vendors and other interested parties. The MSF organises large scale multi-vendor interoperability events to test and validate standards compliant equipment of interest to major service providers to facilitate the deployment of such equipment in live networks. The MSF is not itself a standards body; rather the MSF adopts standards from SDOs (e.g. 3GPP, ITU-T, IETF etc) and develops testing scenarios and test plans to validate those standards in its Interoperability Test (IOT) events.

Q: How does the MSF work?
A: The technical program of the MSF is structured around projects known as �work items� (WI) under the leadership of a WI champion. Each WI champion is responsible for ensuring completion of all documents required to support an IOT event. All WIs are under the direction of the MSF technical committee, which is also responsible for contributions that fall outside the scope of approved WIs, and for approving new WIs. The MSF technical committee and WIS operate in a manner similar to many other industry fora. Members submit technical contributions, which are reviewed, discussed and modified in face-to-face meetings or via email exploder discussions. The contributions become technical specifications that the MSF members formally vote on via straw and final ballots prior to their being approved. The MSF typically produces Test Scenarios and dependent Test Plans relating to an IOT event. The Test Scenarios documents are publically available. The Test Plans are only available to MSF members.

Q: What is the main goal or purpose of the MSF?
A: The MSF mission is to accelerate the deployment of open, standards-compliant communications systems via multi-vendor IOT events. The IOT events emulate realistic network deployment scenarios to provide greater insight into how multi-vendor NGN equipment inter-operates in the real world. Service Providers may use this information to help identify best-in-class products for a given technology and to increase their pool of vendors. Vendors are able to identify and resolve interoperability issues with their equipment sooner than would otherwise have been the case. In addition, MSF IOT events are designed to validate the underlying standards. Should the IOT event identify issues with the standards under test � either errors or ambiguities - then liaisons are sent to the appropriate SDO requesting clarification or correction.

Q: Why is that important?
A: The MSF�s IOT events result in a number of tangible benefits. Firstly, it reduces time to market for interoperable solutions, by quickly identifying and resolving interoperability issues. Secondly, it decreases both the service provider and vendor costs related to resolving interoperability issues. Finally, it improves the quality of the enabling standards via MSF feedback to the appropriate SDOs. Service Providers are thus able to deploy new equipment and services sooner and with a greater degree of confidence due to their having been validated in a multi-vendor IOT event.

Q: Who are the members of the MSF?
A: The members of the MSF come from all facets of the telecommunications industry worldwide. The MSF is a global forum of Service Providers and suppliers- see Principal Members.

Q: Who can be a member?
A: Any service provider, equipment manufacturer, test equipment vendor or organization interested in this market is eligible to apply for Principal Membership.

Q: How does the MSF measure success?
A: The MSF is successful if it meets the needs of its members in terms of testing leading edge technologies to facilitate deployment in Service Provider networks. Specifically, MSF IOT events must validate relevant technology � i.e. technology that Service Providers are looking to deploy in their networks and in which vendor companies see an opportunity for future sales. Success in the MSF is measured by the successful completion of an IOT event with significant multi-vendor testing of standards compliant equipment which facilitates the deployment of such equipment.

Q: How does the MSF relate to standards bodies such as 3GPP, IETF and ITU-T?
A: The MSF complements these standards bodies. The MSF utilizes the standards defined by these SDOs and creates Test Scenarios and related test plans to validate those standards. The Test Scenarios document describes the architectural framework for the IOT, and the physical entities to be tested. When appropriate, the MSF sends liaisons to SDOs, particularly if an IOT event identifies issues with existing standards. The MSF has MOUs with ETSI and ATIS and has official liaison status with 3GPP.

Q: How does the MSF relate to industry fora such as GSMA, i3F, ETSI, ATIS?
A: MSF has had and will continue to have liaison relationships with a wide variety of industry forums working on related subjects. The MSF has a co-operation agreement with the GSMA. The MSF also works closely with the i3Forum and has ongoing liaisons regarding Quality of Service (QoS) and Network-to- Network (NNI) issues.

Q: How does the MSF relate to other industry bodies working on interoperability testing?
A: The MSF works cooperatively with other industry bodies interested in interoperability testing. Most other interoperability testing tends to focus on a specific protocol or service, and provide comprehensive testing within that narrow scope. The MSF provides a complementary approach that tests an overall solution within a realistic network context.

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