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== '''CSTA''' ==

[[CSTA]] ('''C'''omputer '''S'''upported '''T'''elecommunications '''A'''pplications) is a [http://www.ecma-international.org ECMA], [http://www.etsi.org/ ETSI] and [http://www.iso.org ISO]/[http://www.iec.org IEC] Standard with an exhaustive feature set and a comprehensive call model.

[[CSTA]] supports, with the same call model, Voice and Non-Voice interactions (Email, Chat, IM and many more)
and complements [[SIP]] protocol, enabling application developers to provide advanced features.

=== CSTA Actually ===
----
On 2004 the [http://www.ecma-international.org ECMA] international organization has approved the [http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-269.htm ECMA-269] (6th Edition), best also known as Services and Events Reports for '''C'''omputer '''S'''upported '''T'''elecommunications '''A'''pplications ([[CSTA]]), as an official standard, together with a series of related publications.<br \>

=== CSTA Toolbox ===
----
This suite is a complete toolbox for developing a wide range of enterprise grade [[CSTA]] applications taking advantage of Internet technologies such as [[XML]], [[SIP]] and Speech Recognition and Processing.<br \>
[[CSTA]] supports a wide range of application scenarios, from basic [[1st Party Call Control]] to advanced [[3rd Party Call Control]] with the same standardised model.
[[CSTA]] lets application developers to create advanced communication platform features without burdening them with underlying protocol specifications.

=== What is CSTA ? ===
----
[[CSTA]] is an abstraction layer for telecommunication applications:
* Independent of underlying signaling protocols:
** [[H.323]]/[[SIP]]
** [[POTS]]/[[ISDN]]
** etc.
* Independent of devices:
** Intelligent endpoints (Like [[SIP]] workpoints)
** Low-function / Stimulus devices
** [[SIP]] Signaling models
** [[3rd Party Call Control]] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3pcc 3PCC]) versus Peer to Peer ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer-to-peer P2P])
* Operates equally well in different environments:
** [[1st Party Call Control]]
** [[3rd Party Call Control]]

=== CSTA History ===
----
Its basic call model was standardized in 1992 and then continually refined and enhanced based upon significant industry implementation experiences, new protocols and requirements.

Design goals followed to enhance application portability across CSTA implementations:

* Specifies normalized call model and behavior
* Complete functional definition of each service
* Specific conformance criteria

=== CSTA Evolution ===
----
* '''CSTA''' Phase '''I'''
** Published June 1992
** 40 Features
** Focused on Call Control

* '''CSTA''' Phase '''II'''
** Published December 1994
** 77 Features
** Focused:
*** I/O Services
*** Voice Unit services
*** Call Control services

* '''CSTA''' Phase '''III''' ('''CSTA''' Phase '''II''' Features and VERSIT consortium [[CTI]] Technology)
** Published December 1998
*** 136 Features
*** Published as ISO Standard July 2000
** Published [[CSTA]] [[XML]] ([http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-323.htm ECMA-323]) June 2004
** Published "Using CSTA with Voice Browsers" ([http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/techreports/E-TR-085.htm TR/85]) December 2002
** Published [[CSTA]] [[WSDL]] ([http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-348.htm ECMA-348]) June 2004
** Published Object Model ([http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/techreports/E-TR-088.htm TR/88]) June 2004
** Published "Using CSTA for SIP Phone User Agents CSTA ([[uaCSTA]])" ([http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/techreports/E-TR-087.htm TR/87]) June 2004