Voice over IP
The TSTT Experience
3030-JulJul-03
Ronald Lessey
1
Agenda
The Trinidad and Tobago Landscape
Revenue Issues.
International Traffic
Methods employed to determine illegal traffic.
What type of operations are typically involved.
Some methods employed in dealing with illegal
traffic.
Typical VoIP Scenarios
Possible VoIP strategy going forward…
3030-JulJul-03
Ronald Lessey
2
The Trinidad and Tobago
Landscape
Monopoly Telephony provider – TSTT
“Un-regulated” data services
New telecommunications act passed 2001
to allow for competition
5 Indigenous ISP’s on the island
Estimated 70K Internet dial-up users
locally
Relatively constant growth rate for new
dial-up customers
3030-JulJul-03
Ronald Lessey
3
The Trinidad and Tobago
Landscape
Percentage of users by Age
8%
1%
9%
12%
15%
<10yrs
10-14yrs
15-19yrs
20-24yrs
25-29yrs
30-39yrs
18%
16%
40-49yrs
50 and over
9%
3030-JulJul-03
12%
Ronald Lessey
Not Stated
4
The Trinidad and Tobago
Landscape
Percentage of Users by Education
15%
24%
Primary
Secondary
Technical
University
11%
50%
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Ronald Lessey
5
Revenue Issues
Current estimated potential leakage of
US$400K / month (US$4.8M per annum).
Estimated losses for the 2002/03 financial
year of US$4M.
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Ronald Lessey
6
International Traffic
Relatively “normal” traffic growth.
No perceptible or easily associated
movement of traffic to VoIP.
International call termination rates are
comparable between VoIP routes and
traditional routes through teir-1 and trir-2
carriers (~US$0.10)
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Ronald Lessey
7
International Traffic
Volumes
8,000,000
7,800,000
7,600,000
7,400,000
Minutes
7,200,000
7,000,000
6,800,000
6,600,000
6,400,000
6,200,000
6,000,000
Apr il
May
June
J uly
August
September
October
November
December
Januar y
Febr uar y
Mar ch
Apr il
May
June
Month
02 to 03
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Ronald Lessey
01 to 02
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What methods are employed to
determine illegal traffic
Uncharacteristic number of calls originated
or terminated in comparison to the line of
business
Uncharacteristically large number of short
duration calls
Covert advertising and direct approaches
to business
3030-JulJul-03
Ronald Lessey
9
What type of operations are
typically involved
Internet service providers
Large corporate entities with International
Private Leased and voice lines.
Call center operators
Small business operators (5 to 10 lines)
3030-JulJul-03
Ronald Lessey
10
Some methods employed in
dealing with illegal traffic
Identification
!
Inspection of stated business operations and
a match to the time and volume of calls
originated and terminated on the network
Confirmation
!
!
3030-JulJul-03
Use of (legal) options to inspect the call
content
Opportunity created by service contracts to
inspect provider equipment.
Ronald Lessey
11
Some methods employed in
dealing with illegal traffic
Actions
!
Self Help / technical actions
Blocking of specific Internet/IP ports that are typically used to
facilitate VoIP
Removal of service from offending providers (for breach of
service contract)
!
Legal avenues - litigation
There are existing and pending cases regionally that provide
a basis in law for actions in breach of the operating
(telecommunications) licenses
!
Service limiting actions
• Imposition of “funnel” treatment on offending lines.
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Ronald Lessey
12
Typical VoIP Scenarios
Net2Phone Calling card Service
TSTT (International Voice Traffic
Exchange)
Trinidad
Douglas Ames
Equipment
Telephone
Exchange
PSTN
Telephone
Data (IP)
VoIP
Gateway
Internet
United States
International PSTN Traffic
Net2Phone Equipment Data (IP)
AT&T (or other International voice carrier)
PSTN
Telephone
VoIP
Gateway
Telephone
Exchange
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Ronald Lessey
13
Typical VoIP Scenarios
Net2Phone YapJack
TSTT (International Voice Traffic
Exchange)
Trinidad
ISP
Telephone
PSTN
Mod em B an k
Telephone
Exchange
Modem
Bank
Data (IP)
YapJack
Internet
United States
International PSTN Traffic
Net2Phone Equipment Data (IP)
AT&T (or other International voice carrier)
PSTN
Telephone
VoIP
Gateway
Telephone
Exchange
Data (IP)
Telephone
YapJack
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Ronald Lessey
14
Possible VoIP strategy going
forward…
VoIP needs to be tackled on several fronts at
the same time:
1.
2.
3.
4.
3030-JulJul-03
Creation or lobbying for a legal environment that is
properly structured to encourage competition
Creation of (cheaper) service alternatives for
customers to choose from
Aggressive protection of your rights offered by the
current operating license
Creation of (exclusive) service provider alliances
that would serve to protect your environment.
Ronald Lessey
15
Thank You
Ronald Lessey
ronald@tstt.net.tt
3030-JulJul-03
Ronald Lessey
16