Cisco® Enhanced Conferencing and Transcoding for Voice Gateway Routers provides conferencing and transcoding capabilities in Cisco IOS® Software-based gateways using the onboard Cisco Packet Voice/Fax Digital Signal Processor Modules on the Cisco 2800 and 3800 series voice gateway routers. This capability is also supported on Cisco voice gateway router platforms using the Cisco IP Communications Voice/Fax Network Module and the Cisco IP Communications High-Density Digital Voice/Fax Network Module. This feature is delivered in Cisco IOS Software and operates in conjunction with Cisco CallManager.

AUDIOCONFERENCING SERVICES

• Cisco CallManager Meet-Me and ad-hoc conferences with up to eight participants

• Substantial scalability in the number of conferences supported based on the number of Cisco Packet Voice DSP Fax/Voice Modules (PVDM2s) employed

• G.711 a/u-law, G.729, G.729a, G.729b, G.729ab, GSM FR, GSM EFR participants joined in a single conference

• Easy deployment of conference resources in routers across the network; this provides a local conference resource, reduces WAN utilization, and improves voice network performance

Figure 1. Conferencing

TRANSCODING SERVICES

Table 1. Transcoding Algorithms Supported

• Substantial scalability in the number of transcoding sessions supported based on the number of Cisco PVDM2s employed

• Packet sizes of 10, 20, and 30 milliseconds (ms) are supported for G.711. Packet sizes of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 ms are supported for G.729, G.729a, G.729b, and G.729ab. A 20-ms packet size is supported for GSM FR and GSM EFR

Figure 2. Transcoding

PLATFORM SUPPORT AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

• Support is provided onboard on the Cisco 2800 and 3800 series voice gateway routers. This feature is also supported on platforms using the Cisco IP Communications Voice/Fax Network Module and the Cisco IP Communications High-Density Digital Voice/Fax Network Module.

• Scalable performance using the Cisco PVDM2.

• Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)T4 with the IP Voice feature set is required for the Cisco 2800 Series voice gateway routers. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(11)T with IP Voice is required for the Cisco 3800 Series voice gateway routers. Cisco IOS Software Release 12.3(8)T with IP Voice is required for the Cisco IP Communications Voice/Fax Network Module and Cisco IP Communications High-Density Digital Voice/Fax Network Module. Conferencing using the PVDM2-8 requires Cisco IOS 12.3(11)T1.

• Cisco 2801, 2811, 2821, 2851, 3825, and 3845 voice gateway routers require Cisco CallManager Version 4.0(2a) SR1 for full feature support including Media Termination Point (MTP). However, Cisco CallManager Version 3.3(5) may be used on the Cisco 2811, 2821, 2851, 3825, and 3845 voice gateway routers when MTP support is not needed and conferencing and transcoding support is sufficient.

• Cisco IP Communications Voice/Fax Network Module and Cisco IP Communications High-Density Digital Voice/Fax Network Module require Cisco CallManager Version 4.0(1) for full feature support including MTP. However, Cisco CallManager Version 3.3(4) may be used when MTP support is not needed and conferencing and transcoding support is sufficient.

CAPACITY PLANNING

Table 2. Session Capacity for Voice Termination, Transcoding, and Conferencing

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