MAP (Managed Access Provider) Overview

Version: 1.0 Date: 2025-12-01 Status: Complete Specification

Executive Summary

A Managed Access Provider (MAP) enables smaller Communication Providers (CPs) to participate in PSTN2 without requiring deep technical expertise or significant infrastructure investment. MAPs act as intermediaries, handling complex PSTN2 operations on behalf of multiple downstream CPs.

Two Types of MAPs

1. Pure PSTN2 MAP

Purpose: Provide PSTN2-only services to downstream CPs

Services Provided:

• PSTN2 authentication (Direct Query & Token Pool)
• Directory service access and synchronization
• Emergency services location handling
• Direct routing coordination
• Number porting database access
• Cryptographic key management
• Protocol compliance and certification

Target Customers:

• Small VoIP providers wanting PSTN2 features
• New market entrants
• OTT providers adding telephony
• International carriers expanding to new markets

Infrastructure Requirements:

• PSTN2 protocol implementation
• Multi-tenant architecture
• API endpoints for downstream CPs
• Monitoring and billing systems

2. Full Service MAP

Purpose: Bridge both PSTN and PSTN2 for downstream CPs

Services Provided:

• All Pure PSTN2 MAP services, plus:
• Legacy PSTN connectivity (wholesale termination/origination)
• Automatic call routing between PSTN and PSTN2
• SIP trunking services
• Number provisioning and management
• Traditional carrier-grade switching
• Billing for both PSTN and PSTN2 calls
• 24/7 operations and support

Target Customers:

• Existing PSTN wholesalers adding PSTN2
• Traditional carriers modernizing services
• Resellers wanting complete voice solutions
• CPs needing seamless legacy/modern transition

Infrastructure Requirements:

• PSTN2 + legacy PSTN infrastructure
• SIP switching platform
• Interconnection to legacy carriers
• Complete billing and provisioning systems
• Regulatory compliance (E.164 numbers, emergency services)

Business Models

Pure PSTN2 MAP

• Revenue: Per-call fees, monthly subscription, or hybrid
• Costs: Infrastructure, bandwidth, support
• Margins: Higher (no PSTN transit costs)
• Complexity: Lower operational overhead
• Time to Market: Faster (PSTN2 only)

Full Service MAP

• Revenue: Per-minute rates (PSTN), per-call fees (PSTN2), monthly commitments
• Costs: PSTN transit, infrastructure, regulatory compliance, 24/7 NOC
• Margins: Lower on PSTN (competitive), higher on PSTN2
• Complexity: Higher (dual-network operations)
• Time to Market: Longer (requires PSTN interconnects)

Key Differentiators

Value Proposition for Downstream CPs

Why Use a MAP?

For Small CPs:

1. Lower Barrier to Entry - No need for deep PSTN2 expertise
2. Reduced Infrastructure - No need to operate PSTN2 servers
3. Faster Time to Market - Days instead of months
4. Lower Costs - Shared infrastructure costs
5. Support & Expertise - 24/7 technical support included
6. Compliance - MAP handles protocol certification

For Full Service MAP Customers: 7. Single Vendor - One partner for PSTN + PSTN2 8. Seamless Transition - Gradual PSTN2 adoption 9. Complete Solution - Number management, billing, support

Technical Architecture

Multi-Tenant Design

Core Principles:

1. Isolation - Each CP's data and credentials isolated
2. Scalability - Add CPs without infrastructure changes
3. Performance - Sub-500ms authentication targets (p95)
4. Reliability - 99.99% uptime SLA
5. Security - End-to-end encryption, audit logs

Shared Resources:

• PSTN2 directory service synchronization
• Emergency services location database
• Number porting database
• Authentication server infrastructure
• Direct routing coordinator

Per-CP Resources:

• Unique CP identifier (CPID)
• Ed25519 key pair management
• API credentials and rate limits
• Billing and usage tracking
• Configuration and policies

Deployment Models

1. Cloud-Hosted (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Advantages:

• Rapid deployment
• Global availability
• Elastic scaling
• Lower capital expenditure
• Managed services (databases, monitoring)

Best For:

• Pure PSTN2 MAPs
• Startups and new entrants
• Global operations
• Rapid scaling scenarios

2. On-Premises Infrastructure

Advantages:

• Full control
• Data sovereignty
• Lower operational costs at scale
• Custom hardware optimization
• No cloud vendor lock-in

Best For:

• Full Service MAPs
• Established carriers
• High-volume operations
• Regulatory requirements (data residency)

3. Hybrid Model

Advantages:

• Best of both worlds
• Critical services on-prem, elasticity in cloud
• Disaster recovery built-in
• Geographic distribution

Best For:

• Large-scale operations
• Multi-region deployments
• Gradual cloud adoption

Revenue & Pricing Models

Pure PSTN2 MAP Pricing

Option 1: Per-Call

• Authentication: 0.0001−0.0005 per call
• Emergency location: $0.001 per 999 call
• Directory lookup: $0.00001 per query

Option 2: Monthly Subscription

• Tier 1: Up to 10,000 calls/month - $100/month
• Tier 2: Up to 100,000 calls/month - $500/month
• Tier 3: Up to 1M calls/month - $2,000/month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Option 3: Hybrid

• Base fee: $50/month
• Overage: $0.0002 per call above included amount

Full Service MAP Pricing

PSTN Minutes:

• Inbound: 0.003−0.015 per minute (varies by region)
• Outbound: 0.005−0.025 per minute (varies by destination)
• Emergency: $0.05 per call (flat rate)

PSTN2 Features:

• Authentication: Included in per-minute rate
• Direct routing: $0.0001 per call setup
• Enhanced features: +10% premium on base rates

Monthly Minimums:

• Small CP: $500/month
• Medium CP: $2,500/month
• Large CP: $10,000/month

Getting Started

For Pure PSTN2 MAP

1. Review Technical Specifications

   • Read SPECIFICATION.md
   • Review API-SPECIFICATION.yaml
   • Study MAP-MULTITENANT-DESIGN.md

2. Choose Deployment Model

   • Cloud (AWS/Azure/GCP) or On-Premises
   • Review MAP-DEPLOYMENT-AWS.md or MAP-DEPLOYMENT-ONPREM.md

3. Implement Multi-Tenant Architecture

   • Review MAP-MULTITENANT-DESIGN.md
   • Deploy reference implementation
   • Test with sample downstream CP

4. Obtain PSTN2 Certification

   • Run certification test suite
   • Submit to PSTN2 consortium
   • Receive official CPID

5. Onboard First Customer

   • Provision CP credentials
   • Configure API access
   • Provide documentation and support

For Full Service MAP

1. Complete Pure PSTN2 MAP Setup (above)

2. Establish PSTN Connectivity

   • Interconnect with legacy carriers
   • Obtain SIP trunking capacity
   • Configure SBC (Session Border Controller)

3. Implement Hybrid Routing

   • Deploy intelligent call router
   • Configure PSTN/PSTN2 decision logic
   • Test failover scenarios

4. Regulatory Compliance

   • Emergency services compliance (911/999)
   • Number portability participation
   • Lawful intercept capabilities (if required)
   • Data retention policies

5. Billing & Operations

   • Implement CDR (Call Detail Record) system
   • Configure rating engine
   • Set up 24/7 NOC monitoring
   • Customer portal and support system

Success Metrics

Pure PSTN2 MAP KPIs

• Authentication Success Rate: >99.9%
• Response Time: <500ms (p95)
• Uptime: >99.99%
• Downstream CPs: Growth rate
• Revenue per CP: Monthly average
• Support Tickets: <1% of total calls

Full Service MAP KPIs

• Call Completion Rate: >98%
• Audio Quality (MOS): >4.0
• PSTN2 Adoption Rate: % of calls using PSTN2
• Cost per Minute: Trend (should decrease as PSTN2 grows)
• Customer Churn: <5% annually
• Net Promoter Score: >50

Risk Mitigation

Technical Risks

1. Scalability: Use auto-scaling cloud infrastructure
2. Single Point of Failure: Multi-region deployment
3. Security Breach: Regular audits, penetration testing
4. Protocol Changes: Automated testing, version management

Business Risks

1. Competition: Differentiate with support quality and features
2. Price Pressure: Efficient operations, automation
3. Regulatory Changes: Legal counsel, industry participation
4. Customer Concentration: Diversify customer base

Competitive Advantages

Pure PSTN2 MAP

1. Specialization - Focus only on PSTN2 excellence
2. Lower Prices - No PSTN overhead costs
3. Innovation - Faster feature deployment
4. Simplicity - Easy onboarding and management

Full Service MAP

1. One-Stop Shop - Complete voice solution
2. Gradual Transition - Help CPs migrate at their pace
3. Existing Relationships - Leverage current customer base
4. Proven Operations - Established carrier credibility

Customer Success Stories (Projected)

Case Study 1: Pure PSTN2 MAP - "CloudVoice MAP"

Background: Tech startup targeting small VoIP providers Launch: 6 months to production Customers: 50 downstream CPs after 12 months Revenue: $125K MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) Growth: 20% month-over-month

Key Success Factors:

• Simple API integration (2-day onboarding)
• Transparent pricing (100−500/month tiers)
• Excellent documentation and support
• 99.99% uptime SLA

Case Study 2: Full Service MAP - "TelcoWholesale+"

Background: Existing PSTN wholesaler adding PSTN2 Launch: 12 months to production Customers: 200 existing CPs, 75% adopted PSTN2 Revenue: $2M MRR (mix of PSTN + PSTN2) Cost Savings: 40% reduction in transit costs from PSTN2 direct routing

Key Success Factors:

• Seamless integration with existing services
• No customer migration required
• Automatic PSTN/PSTN2 routing
• Reduced rates passed to customers
• 24/7 white-glove support

Roadmap

Year 1 (MVP)

• ✓ Pure PSTN2 MAP implementation
• ✓ Multi-tenant architecture
• ✓ AWS deployment guide
• ✓ Basic authentication and routing
• ✓ Onboard first 10 downstream CPs

Year 2 (Scale)

• Full Service MAP implementation
• PSTN interconnection
• Geographic expansion (3+ regions)
• Advanced features (call recording, analytics)
• Onboard 100+ CPs

Year 3 (Enterprise)

• White-label MAP platform
• Advanced API capabilities
• ML-powered fraud detection
• Global directory synchronization
• 1,000+ downstream CPs

Conclusion

Becoming a MAP represents a significant business opportunity in the PSTN2 ecosystem. Whether as a Pure PSTN2 MAP focusing on modern VoIP providers, or a Full Service MAP bridging legacy and modern networks, MAPs play a crucial role in democratizing access to next-generation telecommunications.

Key Takeaways:

1. Two distinct MAP types serve different markets
2. Lower barrier to entry for Pure PSTN2 MAP
3. Higher revenue potential for Full Service MAP
4. Multi-tenant architecture is essential for both
5. Cloud or on-premises deployment options available
6. Comprehensive documentation and code provided

Next Steps

1. Read MAP-MULTITENANT-DESIGN.md for the technical deep-dive and architecture patterns
2. Choose deployment model:
   • AWS: Read MAP-DEPLOYMENT-AWS.md
   • On-Premises: Read MAP-DEPLOYMENT-ONPREM.md
3. Review reference implementations at https://pstn2.org/code/
4. Run certification test suite
5. Join PSTN2 consortium and obtain CPID

Document Version: 1.0 Last Updated: 2025-12-01 Maintained By: PSTN2 Project License: Public Domain / CC0

For questions or support, contact: nick.holland@8x8.com