Siemens and BridgePort Networks Sign IMS Reseller Agreement

By Laura Stotler

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

BridgePort Networks has announced a global reseller agreement with Siemens (News - Alert) Communications in which its NomadicONE IMS Convergence Server (ICS) will be integrated with Siemens’ IP Multimedia Subsystem (News - Alert) (IMS). BridgePort product capabilities will now be part of the Siemens IMS/FMC solution for mobile, fixed and cable network operators through the terms of a global software license agreement.

 

The Siemens solution integrates packet and circuit-switched telephony networks in addition to a range of wireless and fixed technologies. The integration of BridgePort’s ICS enables Siemens to offer operators the ability to support single number phone services based on IMS@dvantage. Services can handover an active voice call between circuit switched cellular and VoIP over WiFi (News - Alert) networks by offering in-session switching of calls between networks.

 

The integrated solution meets technical requirements completed by the 3GPP and 3GPP2 for IMS to circuit-switched seamless voice handover, otherwise known as Voice call Continuity (VCC). The ICS application server sits in the IMS architecture and supports GSM, CDMA, UMTS and WiFi networks and implements the IMS Controlled Model (ICM) method of seamless handover per 3GPP technical requirements. It also supports the Call Transfer Model (CTM) method of handover, per 3GPP2 technical requirements.

“The fixed-mobile convergence sector is forging ahead with IMS being the key driver advancing the market,” said Harald Braun, president of the Networks Division, Siemens Communications. "By integrating BridgePort Networks’ innovative technology into the Siemens IMS solution, service providers are enabled to quickly and easily introduce services and applications that represent the next generation of communications.”

 “Fixed Mobile Convergence is a key business case for IMS,” said Mike Mulica, president and CEO of BridgePort Networks. “We look forward to continuing our work with Siemens, and our handset solution partners, as we jointly deploy IMS Fixed Mobile Convergence solutions within service provider networks the world over.”

"As IMS continues to evolve, interoperability efforts in areas such as end-user device links to core infrastructure will represent an important dimension in successful trials and early deployments of Fixed Mobile Convergence based upon IMS,” said Tom Valovic, program director for VOIP Infrastructure at IDC.

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Laura Stotler writes about IP Communications and related topics for TMCnet. She has covered VoIP and related technologies for seven years, contributing to Internet Telephony magazine and TMCnet, and as a freelance writer. To see more articles, please visit: Laura Stotler’s columnist page.