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Attach III

TEN YEAR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

1. Introduction

   The exclusive services awarded to CTM under this Franchise are carried over the fixed network and the strategy document below covers the development of the fixed network platform.

2. Future Platform

   New platform designs should be flexible and able to expand to meet demands for new services for many different customer profiles. These platforms are software driven and of modular design. They will enable CTM to test new technologies and offer new services on a small scale to test the market. If the demand changes from one type of service to another, the platform can be adapted within a very short time.

   With advances in Internet and IP technology almost all data platforms now support the TCP/IP protocol. IP based standards for hardware and applications will continue to grow. In the coming years there will be an evolution from circuit based switching to IP based switching.

   Therefore, a new road map has been created to upgrade the CTM current platform. This is a very important guideline for both Engineering and Business development purposes.

   • 2.1    Road Map

     The existing infrastructure and platform has been built up for sometime and it is still the most effective way to provide voice or data only services. System investment in the existing infrastructure will continue but decrease and at the same time a new platform will be built as a second layer that can adapt to the new technology and provide just in time and up to date services to the customers. CTM will employ the modular concept to construct the building blocks for different applications. This will minimise the initial investment cost and make best use of the latest technology.

     The road map for the next platform strategy will start with Broadband services based on Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Lines (ADSL) and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switching to provide Fast Internet Access. Once this service has proved successful, CTM will install another ATM switch with a voice interface to provide Voice and VPN services using the IP protocol. With the ATM switch installed, CTM can interconnect with the 3rd Generation Mobile network, which also uses ATM as the switching mechanism. The 3G mobile can then access Internet and obtain other value-added services via this Broadband network.

   • 2.2    Backbone

     The backbone network, which is based on 5DM technology will gradually convert into an ATM based network using Wavelength Division Multiplex (WDM) technology to catty the signal over optical fibre. Broadband switches, initially based on ATM will become the main core switches in the future. The existing voice grade exchanges will be maintained as the most cost-effective way to switch voice circuits and interconnect with the other countries. As the Network Management aspects of IP based switches improve, so we can expect to see a migration of voice services from traditional circuit switched technology to the newer IP based hardware.

   • 2.3    International Transmission

     The growth and demand for Internet and Broadband services will require CTM to make further investments in submarine fibre optic capacity to the U.S.A.

   • 2.4    Access

     For the access network, initially CTM will be using the traditional copper pair to carry the broadband signal. Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables and optical fibre will supplement this. As more people take advantage of the broadband service CTM will start to offer optical fibre connections to the home.

   • 2.5    Switch

     The existing exchanges and data network will be maintained with suitable upgrades in order to maintain the basic services and to enhance the value-added services. At the same time CTM will start to migrate from the existing system to a new platform without impacting on existing services. The new platform will be based on Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) switches, which provides a better interface for interconnecting with IP, Frame Relay, real-time multimedia and the new 3G mobile services, which are the basis for all future services. Voice and multimedia services can be offered over this platform.

   • 2.6    New services

     With the large bandwidth that is available from ADSL, many new applications can be introduced in the near future based on this technology. Fast Internet Access will be the first application to be rolled out over the Broadband network. Tele-education, remote clinics, tourist information etc. will also be developed.

     The ten year plan for the platform can be considered in three distinct phases as shown in the charts attached. In the first two years CTM will enhance the existing PSTN network as Fast Internet services are introduced and old switches replaced. In years 2 to 5, Multimedia and 3G services on Mobile will grow which will require the build up of a second layer ATM based network. From the 5^th year onward, the PSTN switches will become service nodes connected to the core Broadband switch which will also interconnect directly with a range of new services based on Multimedia, Internet and 3G Mobile.

3. Interconnect Development

   CTM will provide interconnect between its platform and the networks of other telecommunications operations within the framework of the appropriate legislation and regulation policies. To that end interconnect agreements will be negotiated with the competitors. These will cover charging methods as well as the provision of services and facilities for interconnect.

   CTM’s switch and transmission networks will be adapted to prepare for interconnect and billing systems will be upgraded to cater for inter-operator accounting. Number portability will be introduced.

   Service providers will also be given access to the CTM platform under the terms of the law and relevant agreements.

4. Development of Information Services

   The development of CTM Information Services wilt be driven by CTM business as well as technology development. In order to increase customer satisfaction and reduce operating costs CTM will, continuously enhance its billing systems and other major applications. In the coming years CTM will integrate various individual systems and prepare for interconnection with other operators. CTM will use new technologies, like ATM or Gigabit routers, to upgrade its Local Area Network in order to support Web based applications that will deliver video and sound besides the traditional data delivery. A PC central management system will be implemented to increase business efficiency.

5. Land and Building

   Depending on the rate of growth of the franchise services and technological developments, CTM may require additional space for its operations particularly land and buildings for office and equipment installations.

   The situation will be monitored so that applications for land and plans for new buildings will be made when required.

Figure 1 - 10 Year Development Phases

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