An architecture for IN-internet hybrid services

The scenario for telecom services is undergoing a rapid change. A new set o f communication services is emerging: due to the explosion of the Internet and to the dramatic increase of mobile phone markets, more and more custome rs are requiring new Internet-based communication services. The ability to merge the ubiquitous telephone service (terminal and personal mobility) and the friendliness (easy-to-use, easy-to-customize) of the Internet is recog nized as a major driver to promote new classes of services. Users want to a ccess multiple services over heterogeneous networks and from heterogeneous terminals. The higher flexibility in service offers as well as the possibil ity of a rapid introduction of new services (typical of Internet & IT world s) are key factors that give a high competitive advantage to service provid ers (SPs). This article describes a supporting distributed architecture in terms of functionality and components, which enables the integration of the IN architecture and the Internet. It also describes by means of a service example - the virtual presence (VP)- the main interactions among the compon ents that form the architecture. The developed solutions prove that the use of distributed platforms, open APIs, and object-oriented techniques are en abling factors in achieving full interoperability between heterogeneous net works and terminals. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.