If you've got a massive network and you need to comply with the May 14, 2007 CALEA deadline, this is one of the companies you might call.

by Alex Goldman ISP-Planet Managing Editor [April 27, 2007]

San Jose, Calif.-based equipment maker SS8 is named after next generation telephony. The company's history dates back to a Shelton, Conn.-based company called NewNet that was formed by ex-ITT people, people who had worked on SS7 equipment.

Scott Coleman, director of marketing, joined the company in 1999. It's been purchased several times. Throughout, its focus has been on management and inspection of VoIP and unified communications traffic.

The product
The core software of the company's CALEA system for broadband is called XCIPIO. XCIPIO runs on a SUN server. It collects the necessary data and delivers it to the Law Enforcement Authority (LEA).

In a legal wiretap, the system attempts to access the device directly, but if the device is old, it may not have the necessary protocols. In that case, Coleman says, the ISP deploys a probe, such as the AXS-2500, that can handle the access.

XCIPIO is equipped with an Active Function Interface Module (AFIM), which is software designed specifically for one manufacturer's products (Nortel, Cisco, Acme Packet, Ericsson, etc.). "We license each AFIM and can turn them on or off. So if you buy new equipment, we can send you a new license."

All of SS8's software is modular, allowing SS8 to charge ISPs only for what they use.

For intercepts requiring the actual content of VoIP calls (these are rare: SS8 estimates that there were only 2,600 last year), an additional SUN server is used to run the content collection module. That one box is powerful enough to do 100 simultaneous intercepts, more than any ISP should ever need.

Coleman recognizes that small ISPs will not be able to afford an SS8 solution, but notes that resellers and Trusted Third Parties (TTPs) will be able to serve them. "Our pricing is lower through OEMs and TTPs. We've established programs that enable us to be much more cost efficient in serving very small operators." he says.

Pricing and availability
A small system, with the modules to do one type of intercept and one type of output, without NEBS redundancy would cost (hardware and software included), between $50,000 and $70,000. It would cost about $100,000 after training and installation, says Coleman.

While CALEA is new to broadband, it's been in effect for some time now in the cellular and other industries. So while some companies delivering solutions are new to this market, SS8 claims years of experience. For the big picture, see the rest of our interview with Coleman in the article "A Description of Lawful Intercept and CALEA" in Related articles, below.

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