Strategic Imperatives, the managed service innovator and multi carrier integration market leader, was today credited as the primary contributor to the definition of an open standard for provisioning Active Line Access services.

The Active Line Access (ALA) specification defines an architecture and service template for Ethernet services delivered over Next Generation Access (NGA) networks. It enables NGA network providers to deliver connectivity between residential and business consumers and their Communication Providers (CPs) in an open and flexible way. Seen as a core requirement for enabling CPs to provision lines under the Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) initiative, this standard opens the market for Network Operators to deliver next generation services in the United Kingdom.

Leveraging extensive experience in building API and service delivery platforms that underpin the service delivery capability of hundreds of UK CPs, Strategic Imperatives was able to further enhance the B2B interface, streamlining the business processes based upon real world experience. This enhancement resulted in an extension to the open access protocol supporting the management of additional, provider specific ancillary services and product features. The definition, therefore, creates a standard specification for all providers that adopt it, resulting in a greatly reduced integration effort and decreased time to market.

In partnership with the NICC standards organisation, Strategic Imperatives worked closely with NICC members from Fujitsu, Cable and Wireless Worldwide, TalkTalk, CityFibre, IFNL and BT ensuring the standard was fit for purpose and broadly supported by the industry.

The standard is being used by Network Operators to provide backhaul between Open Access Networks and ISPs and by ISPs themselves to connect customers to open access networks, including numerous community network projects being rolled out across the UK under the Governments BDUK scheme.

About Strategic Imperatives
Strategic Imperatives provides a range of technology solutions and services to telecommunication service providers, helping them establish provision and manage their business. Strategic Imperatives enables its clients to gain cost savings, decrease their time to market and quickly respond to new opportunities in today’s rapidly changing environment. Using its Ev021 Platform, Strategic Imperatives works with its clients to rapidly deliver carrier grade convergent OSS/BSS solutions, value added services, local loop unbundling and wholesale line rental integration.

About NICC
NICC is a technical forum for the UK communications sector that develops interoperability standards for public communications networks and services in the UK. It is an independent organisation owned and run by its members. NICC is considered by Ofcom to be the UK Telecommunications Network Design Authority and is a source of advice to Ofcom and Government departments on the harmonisation of technical interconnection arrangements. For more information about NICC an its work please visit www.niccstandards.org.uk.

About BDUK
BDUK is responsible for managing the Rural Broadband Programme. The ambition through the current programme is to provide superfast broadband to at least 90% of premises in the UK and to provide universal access to standard broadband with a speed of at least 2Mbps. For more information about BDUK please visit www.gov.uk/broadband-delivery-uk.