On Standards, Identity and Telco Strategy

CTO, Voxeo LabsSoftware Developer for 15 years10 Years Designing Telco APIs

@loopingragejose@voxeolabs.com

Headquartered in Menlo Park, California

Creators of Tropo.com

We bridge the gap between Telco and Web

Editors of the WebRTC Specification

http://voxeolabs.com

WebRTC is a new API for embedding real-time communications into web sites and browser-based applications

Voice, Video and even Screen Sharing becomestandard capabilities of the modern web browser

Generous Donation of Codecs and Media Framework

http://webrtc.org

WebRTC is more than an API...

It’s a simplified profile for real-time communications on the Web

Expect a wave of ‘WebRTC-compatible’ devices and non-browser platforms

Mobile, desktop embedded systems will soon begin shipping with compatible stacks, thereby increasing the already staggering number of RTC-ready platforms and devices.

API or VoIP 2.0?

✓ ‘Calling’ becomes a common feature within social networks and business applications like Facebook, LinkedIn, and SalesForce.com

✓ Company websites become the contact center (i.e. real click to call)

✓ Tons of new collaboration and ‘virtual meeting’ sites will give products like GoToMeeting and WebEx a run for their money.

✓ Mobile games makers will further incorporate live video and real-time image processing to provide immersive augmented-reality experiences

✓ Home surveillance and remote monitoring are more convenient and affordable as sensors, video codecs and network stacks become commoditized

✓ Expect terms like ‘life streaming’ and ‘crowd vision’ to enter the our lives

Impact of WebRTC

Standards Track

RTP/SRTP

SDP

ICE/TURN

Codecs

DTLS

JavaScript Bindings

<video> <audio>

GetUserMedia

PeerConnection API

DataChannel API

WebRTC RTCWeb

Video. Let the games begin.

ROAP vs JSEPROAP was the initial attempt at providing an offer/answer model for WebRTC. After some experimentation the working group concluded that ROAP put too much state in the browser making it difficult, and in some cases impossible, to implement a variety of advanced use cases and failover models.

JSEP was introduced in Feb‘2012 to address these shortcomings and is now the standard model for setting up PeerConnections

A great retrospective can be found in the JSEP proposal:http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-uberti-rtcweb-jsep-02

APIs + Protocols

getUserMedia()

getUserMedia()getUserMedia()

MediaConstraint

getUserMedia()getUserMedia()

PeerConnectionMediaConstraint

Caller creates new PeerConnection

• Invokes getUserMedia()

• Adds Stream to PeerConnection

• Sends stream ‘description’ to remote party

Callee received description and invokes createAnswer()

• Sends his own description to caller

Caller uses remote description to complete the connection

Putting it all together...

GetUserMediahttp://simpl.info/getusermedia/

PeerConnectionhttp://www.simpl.info/rtcpeerconnection/

MediaConstraintshttps://code.google.com/p/webrtc-samples/source/browse/trunk/demos/html/constraints-and-stats.html

Screen Sharinghttps://webrtc-experiment.appspot.com/Pluginfree-Screen-Sharing/

Face Recognitionhttps://github.com/auduno/headtrackr

Demos

WebRTC Signaling

This is a common misunderstanding

WebRTC enables peer-to-peer media but the connection must still be setup via some form of signaling.

Typical signaling involves the help of a web server with enough context to route session descriptions to each participating browser or network.

Signaling?!?I thought WebRTC was P2P!

Bob Alice

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5

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Web Thingy

WebRTC Signaling Triangle

It’s whatever you want :-)

WebRTC does not specify a signaling protocol

The reasons are simple:

• WebRTC is a media technology (i.e. not just for calls)

• SIP is flexible but way too complicated

• Many sites like Facebook already do signaling

So what’s the protocol?

Bob Alice

Bob likes your status “Finally!”

Facebook Signaling

Call Alice Bob is Calling...

Bob Alice

Facebook Signaling

Web signaling introduces new challenges not generally addressed by traditional signaling protocols

Some dimensions to consider when shopping for a WebRTC stack:✓ Single Sign-on✓ Connection Resume✓ Multi-endpoint Registration✓ Mobile Notifications / App ‘Background’ Support✓ Chattiness / Battery Life

Picking a Web-signaling protocol

Identity + Addressing

Anonymous Identity

Web Identity

Telco Identity

Googlehttp://dominos.com

Dominos Pizza

Call Now

(800)

DOMINOS

Web Ordering. Sponsored Calls.

Google

http://meet.here/e1qn7

Google

URLs = Conference Rooms

Anonymous Identity

Web Identity

Telco Identity

Googlehttp://socialsite.cool

Social Network

Googlehttp://socialsite.cool

Social Network

Bob AliceSan Francisco New York

Google

Call Now

Google

Call NowPlease describe the accident:

Jorge Rodriguez Acct #772635

Call Now

Need help? Click to speak with an agent.

“Hello Mr. Rodriguez, I see you got into a fender bender... “

Web Identity = Web Context

Anonymous Identity

Web Identity

Telco Identity

Telco Identity = Web Reach

Web Partners = Subscriber Value

Google

Answer Ignore

Robert Scoble

* AT&T logo used as a placeholder for demonstration purposes

Frameworks + Gateways

Google

WebRTC Gateway

WebRTC Client SDK

SBG

CSCF

MobileGW

HSS

The lack of signaling coupled with incompatibilities between WebRTC implementations has created a need for libraries and frameworks to accelerate development and lower the barrier of entry for new applications.

Just as jQuery normalized HTML rendering and event models between browsers, this new wave of WebRTC frameworks will provide longevity and backwards compatibility for developers; allowing them to focus on features and creating value for their users.

WebRTC Frameworks

WebRTC Frameworks

http://webrtc2sip.org

http://resiprocate.org

http://phono.com http://js.att.io

http://zingaya.com

http://tokbox.com

Open Source Commercial

WebRTC Gateways are server-side nodes that bridge Web clients into an existing network (e.g. Telco or Enterprise)

WebRTC Gateways will often perform basic protocol conversion and media adaptation to ensure that both side can communicate without modification (e.g. converting from SRTP to RTP)

However, not all gateways are created equal. Simply delivering SIP to the browser and performing basic media conversion does not make for a quality user or developer experience (especially on mobile).

Be sure to find a vendor with equal Web and Telco experience.

WebRTC Gateways

What is the signaling protocol? How well does it work on mobile connections and what is the impact on battery life?

Does it was with both IMS and legacy MSC/CS network?

What identity models are supported? Telco only? Is that OK?

What codecs are supported? Opus to the endpoints is key for a quality experience.

What happens when users close their browser tab? How long does it take the network to realize it’s gone?

How are users authenticated? Do they have to log in twice? How are credentials treated in the browser? Are DTLS certificates used to verify identity?

What about mobile? How are incoming calls signaled when the app or browser is in the background?

And most importantly: how quick can my vendor apply fixes and updates? WebRTC is still evolving but the telco industry can’t afford to sit and wait. Gateway vendors must be able to adapt quickly to web browser changes, regressions and incompatibilities.

Gateway Evaluation Criteria

Telco Landscape

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Today - Innovation on Devices

42

Developers Consumers

Carrier CarrierYourNetwork

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Today - OTT Players

43

Infrastructure

YourNetwork

Services

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CaaS - Communications as a Service

44

Developers

WebRTC

AppsAPIs

Subscribers

YourNetwork!

Telco API Strategies

HSS

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Strategy #1 - Network Exposure

I-CSCF P-CSCFS-CSCF

Location Payment Voice Messaging

Developers

APIs

Network

$

13

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Use Cases: User Calls App

Conference Line

Contact Center

Self-Service

Conferencing

Surveys + Voting

Info LookupVoice Search

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Use Cases: App Calls User

AppointmentReminder

Click-to-Call

Emergency Response

Appointment Reminder

Voice Broadcast

Security VerificationConditional Dial

This is the most common API approach being taken by carriers

The idea is simple: open the network and charge for transactions and usage.

The main targets for this model are:• 3rd Party Developers - Long Tail and Enterprise Customers

• 2nd Party Developers - Cloud Partners and System Integrators

• 1st Party Developer - Internal Teams use APIs to launch services

The challenge with this approach is that the focus is on the network instead of users

Networks are becoming commoditized. Aligning a strategy around the network does not create incremental value for end users.

Strategy #1 - Network Exposure

Strategy #2 - User Centric

Rather that build a platform around the network, start with amazing services and then build a platform / developer ecosystem around your users

Model repeatedly proven by Internet companies• Facebook was a website before it was a platform

• LinkedIn was a website before it was a platform

• Apple set out to build the world’s coolest phone before even considering an App Store

Happy users attract developers. Developers and apps attract more users.

Strategy #2 - User Centric

Users are the operator’s most valuable asset

Users represent data and potential customers for developers

In other words... users attract developers

Ameche enables developers to enhance the mobile experience thereby creating value

Value comes in the form of user satisfaction, new users and new revenue

Happy users produce more users; which attracts more developers

The cycle creates a positive network effect

User-Centric Network Effect

Developer Developer Portal Operator CMO Network Apps Catalog Subscriber

Users Attract Developers

* AT&T logo used as a placeholder for demonstration purposes

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CRM Integration

The ProblemSales people forget to log their calls in their CRM (e.g. SalesForce.com) resulting in incomplete analytics and missed business opportunities.

The Solution - Integrated Call LoggingWhen a sales person receives a call, this triggers a look-up using the called number and preferred CRM package. If the number matches one of the clients’ phone numbers, this creates a further trigger to display the calling client’s information. In addition, all communications with clients are recorded and uploaded in real-time to Salesforce.com or the preferred CRM package.

Retail Price - $5-7 per user/month

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In-Call Assistant

The ProblemTaking notes while driving is dangerous. What if you could activate an in-call assistant to take notes, transcribe the call to text and send you an email or MMS message when you hang up?

The Solution - Voice Activated In-Call AssistantThrough the power of your voice: record calls, take notes that upload to Evernote, listen and send email / SMS / IM / Tweet / to do list / blog posts, receive whisper meeting alerts during calls that only you hear, add people to calls, divert calls to other devices, check your calendar to add or change appointments, and lots more…

Retail Price - $1-3 per user/month

“Record this call”[CHIME] “This call is being recorded...”“Recording sent”

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Social Weaving

The OpportunitySocial Networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn have changed the way people communicate. Rather than fight this movement, operators have an opportunity to integrate the mobile experience with these services to create brand continuity and stickiness with consumers.

The Solution - Social Call Activity. Social Caller ID.With Ameche, operators can weave real-time voice and text conversations into social streams. For example, a service can be created that logs call activity and SMS messages to the user’spublic or private activity feed on Facebook, allowing then to see all their conversations in one place. Called you mom on her birthday? You get a ‘good daughter’ badge :-)

Another service could trigger a real-time call Social Caller ID window on LinkedIn with the caller’s profiles and latest activity steam. Ameche makes these types of real-time interaction very simple for operators to deploy using public APIs.

Thank You!

voxeolabs.com