IMS Forum Completes Plugfest 4, Gears up for NGN Plugfest 5
Plugfest 4 Achieves OSS and BSS Interoperability Milestones; Results to be Presented March 18 at VON.x and VoiceCon
San Jose, CA - March 18, 2008 - The IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) and the NGN (Next Generation Networks) Forums announced today the successful completion of interoperability testing at the IMS Forum Plugfest 4 and plans for the NGN Plugfest 5. Plugfest 5, scheduled for June 2008 at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Lab (UNH-IOL), will test consumer and enterprise M-play Interoperability.
The IMS and NGN Forums are dedicated to interoperability and certification of M-play, mobile multimedia services, and applications for wireless, wireline, and cable broadband over IP networks.
The IMS Forum's Plugfest 4, held at the UNH-IOL Feb 25 - 29, 2008, was the latest in a series of events designed to deliver IMS and NGN interoperability and certification. Participating companies tested a number of leading technologies and services for interoperability, including triple play, VoIP (voice over IP), fixed mobile convergence (FMC) from multiple vendors, test and measurement equipments, SIP (session initiation protocol), class-5 features (voicemail, etc), Diameter IMS stacks, and instant messaging with presence support. Plugfest 4 was the first successful IMS call between mobile UE (user equipment) devices and core network elements P-CSCF servers, S-CSCF, and HSS, all from separate vendors.
Plugfest 4 was expanded to include billing interfaces for charging for IMS services. Tests included an IMS-compliant charging/billing system working with multiple network configurations, as well as interoperability of operational support systems and business support systems (OSS/BSS). This is a major milestone since the charging/billing systems are a major component for network operators to deploy IMS.
More than 15 companies participated in IMS Plugfest 4, including Intel as a platinum sponsor, HP, Amdocs, Acision, Alpha Networks, Aricent, Data Connection Ltd., Empirix, Mavenir Systems, Mu Security, NextPoint Networks, Radvision, Shenick Network Systems, Sonus Networks, Starent Networks, Tekelec, and UNH-IOL. PulverMedia and IMS Magazine served as media sponsors.
"While a number operators continue to assess the network cost saving and efficiencies IMS delivers and the services it enables, poor interoperability across equipment from different vendors has been slowing down wide adoption of IMS services," said Malik Kamal-Saadi, principal analyst, Informa Telecoms & Media, and author of an IMS services report. "This plugfest was yet another step forward in the development of truly interoperable IMS networks and was particularly significant because of its focus on consumers' value and the systems necessary for managing, charging, and billing for services delivered in an IMS network. The completion of this plugfest could be seen as a significant development and is likely to lead to more open IMS ecosystems."
"Each IMS Plugfest advances the industry's knowledge about the IMS architecture, in terms of what works and exactly how various implementations of the multimedia systems behave together," said Lincoln Lavoie, Senior Engineer in VoIP and IMS at the UNH-IOL. "The plugfests are the critical first steps in moving IMS networks into reality, providing early opportunities to work through potential issues before the networks are rolled out, saving time and money in the long run."
Michael Khalilian, chairman and president of the IMS Forum, added, "IMS is the industry standard for cost-effective delivery of new and existing multimedia IP services. Many telecom service providers are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to deliver the multimedia services their customers want-without open, standards-compliant, interoperable solutions, which they are demanding now from their vendors."
About the IMS and NGN ForumsTM
The IMS Forum is a global telecommunications industry association devoted to interoperable IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and Next Generation Network (NGN) service delivery architecture and solutions. IMS Forum's mission is to accelerate the interoperability of IMS and NGN services and to enable enterprise and residential consumers to benefit fully from the delivery of multimedia mobile and fixed services over broadband cable, wireless, wireline, and fiber networks. The IMS Forum is the creator and organizer of the IMS PlugfestTM and NGN PlugfestTM, the industry's only events focused on verification and certification of IMS and NGN service interoperability through the IMS CertifiedTM and NGN CertifiedTM programs.
Through organized plugfests, technical working groups, and other activities, forum members are able to develop cost-effective technical frameworks for converged IP services over wireline, cable, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and femtocell broadband networks. For additional information or to join the IMS Forum, NGN Forum, the IMS Plugfest, and/or the NGN Plugfest, please visit http://www.imsforum.org/.
About the UNH-IOL
The UNH-IOL is one of the networking industry's premier independent proving grounds for developing technologies. More than 150 companies use the UNH-IOL's 32,000+ sq. foot facility to extend their development and quality assurance efforts by testing and fine-tuning technologies, protocols and products for multi-vendor interoperability and conformance to data communications networking standards. For more information, visit http://www.iol.unh.edu/.
For additional information, contact:
IMS and NGN Forums
Tel: +1 970-262-6100
Email: PR@IMSForum.org