UK-based VoIP/IMS signalling specialist Squire Technologies has disclosed details of a project to help Romanian wholesale/corporate telecoms network operator and ICT services provider Combridge consolidate its network assets into a centralised, NGN architecture, reducing costs and enhancing backhaul. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Combridge (Romania) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hungary’s Magyar Telekom, itself a subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Telekom, while the German giant also owns another Romanian corporate/wholesale telecoms provider, GTS, as well as indirectly controlling incumbent PTO Telekom Romania (formerly RomTelecom).

Combridge has deployed Squire’s Media Gateway Controller (SVI_MGC) solution to optimise its network, with the aim of expanding its presence in the small-to-medium enterprise (SME) segment with ‘competitive, Deutsche Telekom quality type’ voice and ITC services and solutions. Saitos Cristian of Combridge explained that the project involved replacing existing platforms, which could not support the VoIP capabilities required by the operator as it moves to an NGN infrastructure, adding: ‘Our vision required us to support migration to SIP and Squire Technologies’ SVI_MGC allowed us to do that while preserving our legacy SS7 interconnection points.’

Combridge is continuing its network migration plans with an increased rollout of SIP connectivity to end users and businesses, supported by its deployment of Squire Technologies’ Session Border Controller solution (SVI_SBC), which enables service providers to manage interconnection of large numbers of different VoIP end points, supporting future network growth and evolution, as well as the launch of a range of VoIP services such as SIP trunking.

Additionally, Squire provided solutions to enable Combridge to support integration with Romania’s national number portability (NP) database.