IMS Beyond Voice Capabilities on the Horizon

IP multimedia subsystems (IMS), which is considered by some industry observers to be a mission-critical technology that enables service providers to increase average revenue per user, is starting to show potential beyond just voice capabilities as cellular handset makers try to accelerate the deployment of advanced 3G applications.

Motorola, which has been working with service providers around the world to roll out Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) solutions, said that it will be the first handset maker to roll out advanced IMS-based applications simultaneously delivering video and data as well as voice.

"Later this year, we anticipate being first-to-market with a complete next generation 'Push-to-View' solution on GSM PoC handsets," declared Peter Neary, director, Motorola Mobile Devices.

While Nokia and Ericsson do also have PoC solutions, Motorola's plans are significant because it could accelarate its competitors' development and deployment schedules. Neither Nokia nor Ericsson have announced plans to make IMS-based advanced 3G communications services available this year.

However, handset and telecom equipment makers still face an uphill struggle in general convincing consumers and network operators to embrace advanced 3G services. On the consumer side of the business, Motorola generated a great deal of buzz last month releasing a batch of new models including the innovative Moto Q with 3G broadband capabilities. But despite the goodwill, it still needs to overcome quality issues such as those highlighted in a recent survey by U.K.-based consumer group called "Which?" According to the recent survey, one out of seven cellphones malfunction within a year of service with Motorola and Sony Ericsson receiving the worst ratings (1/5 of owners reporting faults) while Nokia and Samsung were the most reliable (1/10 reporting faults).

In addition, some companies are working on various approaches to provide consumers with instant IP packet communication services that may or may not require the simultaneous media streaming capabilities of IMS. Earlier this week, Nokia announced it is test piloting a mobile search application with Yahoo!, among others, in the U.K., Finland and Sweden. As a possible outgrowth of that pre-existing relationship, Nokia is currently in talks with Yahoo! to port its email service and instant messaging capabilities onto its entire line of mobile phones, according to industry research. General availability isn't expected until next year.

More importantly, on the carrier side of the business, operators need to address network issues such as latency and the simultaneous trafficking of voice and data streams in order for IMS to reach its fullest potential. Despite the splash that IMS generated earlier this summer at the Supercomm trade show in Chicago, wide-scale adoption of the burgeoning standard isn't likely to occur until 2007 or 2008, as opposed to 2006. As such, Nokia's lack of urgency is consistent with its previously stated belief that local telecom operators aren't expected to offer the bandwidth for high-speed mobile services until next year.

"The idea is you have to put together a business case," explained Saba Shibberu, director of Core Solutions for Motorola Networks. "With IMS, there is a function. It's a way to create an enhanced user experience."

And Motorola is quick to point out that a key differentiator of its IMS strategy is its ability to provide turnkey solutions addressing both network elements as well as individual consumer devices.

"When you think about IMS, you're not just talking about a box. You're talking about an ecosystem. We don't think it's a switch that people turn on and turn off. IMS is on the evolution path of every network planner," Shibberu told TMCnet during a telephone interview.

As evidence, Motorola said it is already enabling scores of carriers with the infrastructure to deploy more advanced services. To-date, Motorola has delivered its IMS-based PoC solution that include both GSM- and CDMA-based handset and infrastructure elements to 41 separate wireless carriers in 32 countries and territories. Motorola PoC customers include Telcel, VIVO, and Claro in Central and South America, Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan, Turkcell in Turkey, Bouygues Telecom in France, Vodafone New Zealand, and Optimus and TMN in Portugal.

"It's an evolution, it's not necessarily going to be switch that you turn on," Shibberu added.

Nokia and Ericsson weren't available for comment by press time.

----

Robert Liu is Executive Editor at TMCnet.Previously, he was Executive Editor at Jupitermedia and has also written for CNN, A&E, Dow Jones and Bloomberg.For more articles, please visit Robert Liu's columnist page.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]