Access Media Gateways (AMG)

An access media gateway (AMG) serves as the bridge between a circuit-based voice switch and a packet-based IP or ATM access network. An AMG takes care of the PSTN-to-packet-network transition at the local-loop level and is connected to the local exchange or an access node. It has Class 5 switch interfaces and supports VoIP and/or VoATM. Included in the AMG segment are inverse AMGs, which make the transition from the packet-access domain — DSL, cable hybrid fiber-coax, power line and local multipoint distribution service — to a PSTN Class 5 local exchange via Generic Requirement (GR)-303, V5.x interface and Primary Rate Interface (PRI) (Q.931) V5.2 access node (AN), and GR-303 remote digital terminal (RDT).

An Access Media Gateway (AMG) is a device that acts as an interface between circuit-switched voice networks and packet-switched IP (Internet Protocol) or ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) access networks. It enables the conversion of voice signals between different network technologies, integrating traditional circuit-switched networks with modern packet-based networks.

The primary function of an AMG is to convert voice signals from the circuit-switched format used in traditional telephone networks (such as TDM - Time Division Multiplexing) into a format suitable for transmission over packet-based IP or ATM networks. This conversion allows voice calls to be carried over IP or ATM networks, offering greater flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness than traditional circuit-switched networks.

AMGs are typically deployed in telecom network infrastructures where there is a need to interconnect legacy voice networks with newer packet-based networks. They provide the necessary protocol conversion and voice transcoding capabilities, allowing voice traffic to traverse different network technologies seamlessly.

By using an AMG, service providers can leverage the benefits of IP or ATM networks while still supporting existing circuit-switched voice services. AMGs play a crucial role in migrating to next-generation networks and adopting Voice over IP (VoIP) or Voice over ATM (VoATM) technologies.

It's important to note that while the concept of an Access Media Gateway is generally understood, the specific implementation and features may vary across different vendors and network architectures.

See Also

Further Reading

• Method And Apparatus For Implementing Media Gateway Internal Connection - US 20090003365 A1 Patents