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Appendix B: The Applications Interface CAPI 2.0
ISDN market. The first version of CAPI concentrated on
the German national ISDN protocol 1TR6, since an
international standard for ISDN protocols was not yet
available. In 1990 development was complete, and a
CAPI Working Group was formed by ISDN application and
hardware manufacturers, large-scale ISDN users, user
groups and the German PTT, at that time DBP Telekom.
Common ISDN API Version 1.1 was a milestone in the
development of the national ISDN market in Germany.
Today all German ISDN solutions and a large proportion
of international products are based on Common ISDN
API.
The international adoption of ISDN protocol specifications
is now complete, and nearly all telecommunications
network operators provide BRI and PRI lines on the basis
of the international standard Q.931 / ETS 300 102.
Common ISDN API 2.0 is the CAPI version based on the
same standard. The experience gained over the past
years in the development of an ISDN applications
programming interface in Germany and other countries,
and the enormous base of installed CAPI solutions, have
contributed greatly to the development of this new
applications interface for international ISDN systems.
Over ten years of experience in the expanding ISDN
market have gone into CAPI 2.0. This version has all the
advantages of an open interface, and covers most ISDN
features (including data communications, telephony,
Group 3 fax and video conferencing). Since CAPI handles
most ISDN subscriber interface control functions, these
no longer have to be programmed. This simplifies the
development of ISDN applications. Furthermore,
applications no longer have to be tailored to national or
manufacturer-specific systems, so that a greater variety
of applications is available.
By using Common ISDN API Version 2.0, the interna-
tional market benefits from comprehensive technology
with great profit potential.
For further information about Common ISDN API, see
http://www.capi.org.
CAPI 2.0