IMS is an architecture for IP multimedia and telephony core networks defined by the 3GPP and 3GPP2 standards and organisations within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
IMS-compliant technology is scheduled for deployment in 2007 in mobile networks, where there are currently delays due to lack of handsets, but rather sooner than that in wireline ones, said Olivier Hersent, chairman and CTO of the Paris-based company. In reality it’s a fixed-mobile convergence enabler.
The drivers behind the technology are, he went on, are twofold. Firstly there is the advent of interactive video communications on UMTS phones, where the operators want to push soft phones for PCs out to ISPs and fixed-line video phones to DSL providers as a way of fomenting traffic, and secondly there are the single-phone fixed and mobile offerings such as BT’s Bluephone development.
While NetCentrex already supports multimedia services such as converged VPNs, the release of IMS-compliant interfaces confirms NetCentrex’ commitment to serve the UMTS service provider market throughout the transition from first generation UMTS R99 networks, to interactive media over a packet bearer (UMTS phases 5 and 6), expected for 2007-2010, the company explained.
Hersent argued that the rivalry between the two approaches for converging cellular and IP services, namely IMS and Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) is essentially a face-off between IP networking and GSM vendors. IMS is VoIP taking control of GSM and UMA is vice-versa.
NetCentrex reckons to be the market leader in Europe, being responsible for 70% of the 1.7 million VoIP lines in operation in the Old Continent and we’re no. 2 in offering triple-play infrastructure, i.e. voice, video and data, said Hersent.
