Telstra Trials Solution to Maintain EFTPOS and Critical Voice Services During Outages

Telstra, a leading telecommunications provider, is pioneering a groundbreaking approach to ensuring critical services remain operational during major network outages. Through a proof-of-concept conducted ahead of Mobile World Congress, Telstra has trialed running essential services such as eftpos and Services Australia numbers on virtualized infrastructure hosted in the cloud. This innovative solution serves as a backup network designed to address catastrophic network failures and ensure uninterrupted communication.

Telstra's successful demonstration of the failover process during the proof-of-concept phase underscores the intricate collaboration and technical expertise required to implement a robust backup network solution. By leveraging Nokia's IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) deployed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), Telstra showcased its ability to seamlessly transition voice calls from its primary network to the backup infrastructure in the event of a catastrophic outage.

The collaboration between Telstra, AWS, Nokia, and Ericsson highlights the importance of interoperability and integration across diverse technology platforms. The development of a "translator" to facilitate communication between the different systems underscores the innovative approach taken to ensure seamless failover capabilities.

This initiative not only demonstrates Telstra's commitment to enhancing network resilience but also showcases the potential for cloud-based solutions to play a critical role in ensuring continuity of essential services. As telecommunications providers continue to explore advanced technologies and collaboration opportunities, the industry is poised to achieve greater levels of reliability and resilience in the face of unforeseen challenges.

While the proof-of-concept focused on voice call functionality, Telstra aims to extend the capabilities of the backup network to support critical data services, such as eftpos transactions and messaging. The ultimate goal is to route only essential services onto the cloud-based IMS, ensuring that vital communications remain accessible during network disruptions.

Telstra's initiative underscores the importance of building resilience into telecommunications networks, particularly in the face of unforeseen events or emergencies. By leveraging cloud-based infrastructure for backup purposes, Telstra aims to minimize the impact of network outages and maintain essential services for its customers.

Telstra's vision for the future of the telecommunications industry revolves around fostering collaboration and innovation to enhance the resilience of cellular infrastructure nationwide. By advocating for the adoption of cloud-based backup solutions, Telstra aims to inspire other telecommunications providers to embrace similar technologies.

The adoption of cloud-based backup solutions represents a proactive approach to mitigating the impact of network outages and ensuring the continued availability of critical services, even in the face of the most challenging circumstances. By leveraging the scalability and flexibility of cloud infrastructure, telecommunications providers can establish robust backup networks capable of seamlessly handling unexpected disruptions.

Telstra's call for industry-wide adoption of cloud-based backup solutions reflects its commitment to driving innovation and safeguarding essential communications services for customers across Australia. By working together to implement advanced technologies and best practices, telecommunications providers can build a more resilient and reliable cellular infrastructure, ultimately benefiting customers and communities nationwide.