Verizon Wireless Taps Lucent for VoIP Rollout

By Johanne Torres

TMCnet Contributing Editor

 

Verizon Wireless announced this week that it tapped Lucent Technologies to deploy the company's CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) technology into its nationwide network. Lucent's Rev. A system, consisting of incremental hardware and software upgrades to Verizon Wireless' existing Lucent-supplied base stations, will enable Verizon Wireless to introduce a set of new services such as enhanced push-to-talk, messaging, and VoIP.

 

CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Revision A is an enhanced version of CDMA2000 1xEV-DO used to increase efficiency, data speeds and capacity of existing EV-DO networks. EV-DO Rev. A allows users to receive data (forward link) at speeds up to 3.1 Megabits per second (Mbps) and send data (reverse link) at speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. These increased forward and reverse link data speeds reduce data latency and enable operators to deliver VoIP and other multimedia services.

 

"EV-DO Rev. A is a robust technology that will allow us to provide our customers with new services that blend voice, data, video and multimedia applications," said Ed Salas executive director of network strategy, Verizon Wireless in a statement. "Lucent has long been a key partner and has helped us provide our customers the most satisfying wireless experience possible. Going forward, we're going to count on Lucent as we roll out services, like Voice Over IP, that will help advance the way people communicate."

 

According to the companies' news communiqué, the first set of live, over-the-air calls using EV-DO Rev. A technology was completed in August, last year. The companies have since then conducted live VoIP and video telephony calls using the EV-DO Rev. A Quality of Service (QoS) feature.

 

"Verizon Wireless and Lucent have been working together for years to deliver the most advanced mobile services to end users, and this agreement is another example of this continuing effort," stated Lisa DeLaurentis, vice president of sales for Lucent Technologies (News - Alert). "Our EV-DO Rev. A solution will enable Verizon (News - Alert) Wireless to cost-effectively upgrade its network to support new and exciting lifestyle- and productivity-enhancing services."

 

Today's news follows Lucent's announcement yesterday about it being tapped, along with its sales business partner Dynavar Corporation, by upstate New York-based Westelcom to deploy Lucent's integrated switching platform to migrate its network from a traditional Class 4 and Class 5 switch-based infrastructure to an IMS-ready softswitch-based IP network.

The Lucent Compact Switch is a carrier-class system with fault-tolerant hardware and software that delivers uptime for voice and data services and with redundancy that includes inputs and outputs, switching fabric, and system processing. The switch can support from 1,000 to more than 100,000 subscribers.

 

The Lucent Compact Switch will enable Westelcom to deliver tandem switching and VoIP services customers in Westelcom's upstate New York coverage area. Lucent's VoIP system will also enable the company to eventually migrate toward a facilities-based platform. Dynavar will provide the network engineering, integration and deployment services for the installation. Lucent Worldwide Services will provide maintenance.

 

Verizon Wireless

Lucent Technologies

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Johanne Torres is contributing editor for TMCnet and Internet Telephony magazine. To see more articles by Johanne Torres, please visit Johanne's columnist page.