Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) is a network management protocol that will help telecom companies deliver high-quality voice calls over IP networks. Calls are currently sent over traditional circuit switched networks, while IP is packet based--meaning carriers face a huge paradigm shift.
To accomodate data and voice traffic, network architectures will have to change. The carriers' biggest challenge is to migrate their existing access network to one that is optimized for IP...
More Description
Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) is a network management protocol that will help telecom companies deliver high-quality voice calls over IP networks. Calls are currently sent over traditional circuit switched networks, while IP is packet based--meaning carriers face a huge paradigm shift.
To accomodate data and voice traffic, network architectures will have to change. The carriers' biggest challenge is to migrate their existing access network to one that is optimized for IP services but still capable of delivering high-quality voice serv-ices. Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) will provide the tools to manage traffic, implement quality of service (QoS) and offer virtual private networks (VPNs) across IP backbones.