that provide a service creation environment and those that provide specific applications. The FS providing the service creation environment allows other third-party written applications to be executed in the softswitch environment. This is the layer where messaging, telephony, IP and content will all be integrated into applications. Media Servers (MSs) operate in conjunction with FS and facilitate real-time, media intensive applications. MSs, in addition to standard value-added services like voicemail and conferencing, will be used to fetch and process Web-based content like RealAudio feeds and MP3 files and integrate that into given applications. Media servers will also have to support various call control protocols, including SIP, H.323, MGCP and Megaco. The softswitch architecture will play a central role in how traffic is moved around the network and how applications are developed and delivered in the next generation. Next-Generation DLC One plant modernization strategy by carriers is the Digital Loop Carrier (DLC). DLCs are housed outside the CO within remote terminals that are situated close to the neighborhoods being served. A DLC consolidates voice traffic remotely onto transport lines running back to the CO, i.e., a single DLC will multiplex many voice channels over higher-speed T1 circuits. Remote terminals and DLCs were implemented in the service provider network to cost effectively reach customers. Because DLCs started supporting GR-303 to map a subscriber to a specific trunk path under the control of the Class 5 switch, they were also often called slave switches. Now service providers are looking to deploy broadband services to an increasing segment of the population. Although DLCs are digital, they are not capable of handling broadband traffic, such as DSL. Since existing DLCs were designed primarily for voice, they filter out everything outside the voice frequency range which is primarily used by DSL. Hence to provide broadband services to customers, service providers are looking to replace/upgrade