Overview | Telecom Service Providers | Equipment Manufacturers | Capabilities

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a next generation application delivery architecture. In IMS architecture, applications can be created, controlled and changed, regardless of the kind of network or platform they run on. It promises to bring flexibility, operational effectiveness, openness and standardization to the delivery of applications across the fixed and mobile networks. IMS promises improved interoperability among networks and offers carriers control over applications on a per-session basis, for increased flexibility.

IMS is an international recognized standard, first specified by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP/3GPP2) and now being embraced by other standards bodies such as ETSI and TISPAN.

The IMS technology is being adopted by all sectors of the telecommunications industry including cellular, landline and cable.

Gartner forecasts revenue of $2.5 billion and $2 billion, in 2010, from IMS core equipment and system integration in NA and EMEA regions respectively. The total revenue from the IMS core equipment will exceed that of traditional voice-over-IP control equipment in 2009.

Dataquest surveys reinforce the IMS spotlight by illustrating the total IMS deployments in 2006 worldwide. The vendors in EMEA accounted for the largest share of announced deployments, with 53% of the total deployment to date, while Asia/Pacific vendors followed with 29%.

Telecom service providers can move beyond the role of a "bit-pipe" provider to become a high-value "one-stop-shop" provider for communications and services and media content. The IMS technology also promises faster time-to-market for new services, reduced capital expenditures and reduced operational costs for networks, and easier customization of services.

In the short run, there are many benefits of introducing the IMS architecture today for network operators. On longer term, IMS enables a secure migration path to an all-IP architecture that will meet end-user demands for new enriched services. Using IMS, network service providers will be able to support differentiated service offerings and call delivery for multimedia services, combined with location and presence applications.

Telecom equipment vendors will benefit from IMS, as it will offer multimedia applications that function on both traditional circuit-switched and modern next-generation packet-switched networks, which will enable them to rapidly deploy Next-Generation Converged Networks.

The OEMs are now looking to offer new IMS elements to the operators who want to expand their network and add new services. They want pre-integrated solutions, which help them minimize their development time and thus the time to market. The layered IMS structure specifies a Session Initiation Protocol-based (SIP) control layer with open interfaces to the transport and services layers above and has a centralized end-user profile depository.

The new standard supports multiple access systems - including GSM, WCDMA, CDMA2000, Wireline broadband access, and WLAN.

The horizontal architecture of IMS also specifies interoperability and roaming, and provides bearer control, charging and security. What is more, it is well integrated with the existing voice and data networks, while adopting many of the key benefits of the IT domain. This makes IMS a key enabler for fixed-mobile convergence.

For these reasons, IMS will become preferred solution for fixed and mobile operators' multimedia business.

Aricent Offerings

Leveraging its extensive experience in the IMS, VoIP, and Wireless domains, Aricent offers a comprehensive portfolio of IMS services, which significantly reduce the time-to-market and mitigate the risks associated with IMS migration and roll out. Here is a brief introduction of the services we provide in the IMS domain.

IMS Technical Consulting
Aricent with its extensive Test Case repository and IPRs for Convergence Testing offers and unmatched IMS Testing Solution Package encompassing Component level, System Level and Network Level Testing.

• IMS Application Server
  Highly Scalable AS Development with features such as Session management, Regulatory services & Centralized Configuration Management
• FMC Application Server
  Enabling multi vendor Interoperability and Interface Conformance Testing of a FMC Application Server

• Carrier grade IMS S-CSCF product
  Development with features such as Session Mgmt , Authentication , Registration/Re-registration, Offline and Online Charging etc
• End to End SIP centric feature rich SBC solution
  Developement of SBC with features such as Security, Scalability, Flexibility & NAT Traversal processing
• Development of a Home Subscriber Server (HSS)
  Home Subscriber Server Development including featuers such as Distributed Architecture , Session and Mobility and Authentication Support
• MGCF / MRF
  Access Media Gateway development for DSL Networks , Tandem Gateway for 2G/2.5G networks, Trunking Gateway for VoIP Networks

• Collapsed Residential Gateway solution
  Development of 3G collapsed node with features including : Collapsed 3G Access Point (CPE) , Optimized RNC compatible with the AP , Node for Provisioning, Management and AAA

• IMS migration consultancy
  • Node definition services
• End to End network integration with legacy systems
  • SBC to CSCF, HLR to HSS

Last updated : November 17, 2007