What: Service capability interaction management
What it is: The capability within the 3GPP's IP Multimedia Subsystem standard that allows brokering, mediation and orchestration of service capabilities between two disparate network types.
Why you should care: Because networks continue to be hybrid animals, having both legacy and next-generation elements, both wireline and wireless elements. Also, inter-network communications require efficient handling and handing-off of service capabilities from one network to another.
Where: The functionality can be deployed in an application server, a call service control function platform or as a standalone network element. There continues to be mild industry controversy about where exactly is best to deploy the function, carriers have not yet indicated a favored direction.
Who makes it: Veraz, Aepona, Convergin, Tekelec, IP Unity, several others depending on whether they are standalone, as part of an application server, or as part of a CSCF element.