Dear Fellow IMS Forum Members and Friends:

As the year progresses, we here at the IMS Forum — the industry's only forum dedicated to the acceleration of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) application and service interoperability across wireless, fixed and cable broadband — continue on our journey towards certification through interoperability testing. This month we announced new IMS services partnerships with the International Multimedia Communications Consortium (IMTC) and the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO).

We are excited about IMS Forum Plugfest III scheduled for October 15-18 at the UNH-IOL. Plugfest III sponsors include Empirix, Intel, Sonus, Pulvermedia Inc., and IMS Magazine.  We will announce the results from Plugfest III at the Fall VON Show, Oct. 29 – Nov. 1, in Boston. Results will be presented at two sessions in the VON Expo Theatre on the show Floor on the first and second days of the event. You can find information on promotional discounts for IMS Forum Members to Fall VON and to WiMAX World in the Marketing Working Group section of this newsletter.

In June, we completed our second Plugfest event. It showed that vendors can implement IMS architecture and the result is an easy-to-use, quick-to-install-and-run delivery service. We achieved an 80 percent increase in overall participation compared to the first Plugfest held in January. The participating companies rapidly deployed and debugged a fully functional, end-to-end IMS network, running "rich" multimedia applications, such as video sharing, instant messaging, IP voice and IP Centrex services; the number of test cases more than tripled. Participants in Plugfest II included a cross-section of key segments of the IMS industry in a clear example of its global reach. We saw how, in one platform, it is possible to combine several services such as Voice over IP (VoIP), IP Centrex, IP PBX, fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) and short message service (SMS). Vendors did not get tangled in standards and the complexity of the operations as they appear on paper. They did a great job of taking complexity and internalizing it within their design. The IMS Forum testing methodology made interoperability simple. This is good news for the industry.

The IMS Forum communicated Plugfest II interoperability results at the NXTcomm 2007 show. The presentations were met with great interest and received stonge media coverage. The IMS Forum was spotlighted in each issue of the NXT Show Daily as well as by over 20 technical and business publications. At NXTcomm we launched our IMS Forum Plugfest II video (see it at www.IMSForum.org). In addition, I was proud to serve once again as an Eos Award judge. Winners were selected based on best new technology and enterprise solutions in 12 categories covering wireless, broadband, and next-generation. Award recipients were honored June 20 at a conference reception sponsored by the Wall Street Journal.

Through Plugfests, working groups, speaking engagements and activities such as those at NXTcomm, Forum members continue to develop cost-effective technical frameworks for converged IP services over wireline, cable, 3G, WiFi and WiMax networks. But we could not do it without you. If you are not a member but understand the value of interoperability, I strongly urge you to become a member of the IMS Forum to better develop your products and services while facilitating growth within the industry.

According to a Service Provider VoIP & IMS Equipment & Subscribers report released by Infonetics Research on May 22, 2007, There was some softness overall in the service provider next gen voice market quarter-over-quarter, but the market is up 14 percent year-over-year, and the 5-year outlook is strong. “The first quarter of 2007 was marked by strong RFP activity, particularly for IMS; solid softswitch deployments; and some softness in deployments of media servers, voice application servers (particularly in Asia Pacific), and media gateways (particularly in the North American cable MSO space),” said Infonetics Research principal analyst Stéphane Téral.”

Other highlights of the market include:

• The overall service provider next gen voice and IMS equipment market is forecast to more than double between 2006 and 2010, when it will reach $6.9 billion worldwide
• Manufacturer revenue for IMS core equipment, including HSS and CSCF servers, is forecast to approach the half-billion mark by 2010
• The number of worldwide residential and SOHO VoIP subscribers will grow to about 172 million in 2010
• The combined media gateway and softswitch market totaled $717.3 million worldwide in 1Q07, with Nortel leading, followed by Siemens and then Sonus; Huawei pulled up to the fourth spot at the expense of Cisco, who dropped to 5th

Infonetics’ report tracks VoIP subscribers and carrier VoIP equipment, including high-, mid-, and low-density trunk media gateways, SBCs, media servers, class 4 and class 5 application softswitches, voice application servers, and IMS core equipment, including home subscriber servers (HSS), CSCF servers, and media resource function platforms. The report provides analysis and rankings for Alcatel-Lucent, BroadSoft, Cantata, Thomson Cirpack, Cisco, RadiSys (Convedia), Ericsson, GENBAND, Huawei, Italtel, MetaSwitch, Comverse (NetCentrex), Nortel, Siemens, Sonus, Tekelec, UTStarcom, Veraz, Xener, and many others. Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm specializing in data networking and telecom.

Q&A with Ixia's Product Line Manager of Mobile Wireless Pierre Lynch
(www.Ixiacom.com)

IMSF: Tell us about Ixia and its IMS products and services.
PL: Ixia is a global provider of performance test systems for IP-based infrastructure and services. Our highly scalable solutions generate, capture, characterize and emulate network and application traffic, establishing definitive performance and conformance metrics of network devices or systems under test. We have more than 800 employees in many development and regional offices across the world and we are currently celebrating ten years of operation.

Our IMS products range from high performance Layer 2-3 testing to Layer 4-7 application testing, with full triple-play traffic support. Soon we will be releasing an update to our premier application and services solution, IxLoad, which will enable equipment manufacturers and operators to qualify IMS infrastructure as well as allow more extensive VoIP interoperability testing. The IxLoad test solution is designed to validate the key IMS subsystems for interoperability, functionality and performance. It supports the dynamic architecture requirements inherent in large-scale IMS networks.

IMSF: What can the IMS Forum do for your company?
PL: We view IMS testing as a natural evolution of our product line. IMS is a new architecture to deliver to the user IP-based converged and blended services, independent of the user's access network. Since we've been specializing in IP network testing for such a long time, it's a natural extension of our tools. The tools already support the application traffic required by IMS, including voice, video and data, so we're in a great position to help the development and deployment efforts behind IMS in the industry.

IMSF: Ixia participated in the Plugfest events in January and June of 2007. How do the Plugfest events benefit Ixia?
PL: The goal of the Plugfest series is to find out how well we’re interacting with others. The Plugfest events are incredibly helpful because they give us visibility into what's going on within the market and industry. We are finding out if — and how — we can support what other companies are doing.
Our solution emulated the user equipment (UE) and tested the multi-vendor core network for interoperability. It was also used to emulate the home subscriber system (HSS) to test the core control elements' functionality. In my opinion, the Plugfest events are invaluable for this kind of testing.

IMSF: How does Ixia benefit by being a member of the IMS Forum?
PL: The IMS Forum brings the telecom world to us. It provides direct contact with our customers. We are finding out how they're doing and what's important to them. The IMS Forum helps us to better plan our product.

IMSF: Why should other companies join the Forum?
PL: If your business plan includes IMS, then it's a natural fit. The IMS Forum helps promote IMS to the industry and it provides increased visibility for your company. The Forum also helps companies build better products because they are able to plug in with other companies and find out how things work.

(To participate in at any of the following working Groups email info@imsforum.org)

Plugfest Working Group
This group concentrates on the development of the interoperability test (IOT) plan and certification process.

Plugfest II: The group completed the second Plugfest on June 8. With its completion, IMS application and service interoperability has evolved from being a much-talked-about possibility to a simple reality. IMS has become a core service infrastructure available to any service provider in the world.

Plugfest II demonstrated the power of IMS architecture. A high level examination of the event (a closer look is covered by a non-disclosure agreement and reserved for participants only) reveals that in only three days, the UNH-IOL became the host of a multi-vendor IMS network capable of delivering enhanced voice, text and video services, such as instant messages (IM), SMS, multimedia messages (MMS), IP Centrex, voice mail, ad-sponsored free voice calling, cellular IM and FMC applications. Equally impressive was the capacity of the IMS network we used which easily serves almost 250,000 customers.

Eighteen vendors from all corners of the world and representing IMS core, user equipment, protocol stacks and test equipment came to Plugfest II. Two platinum sponsors, Empirix and Ixia, sponsored well-attended networking events. The IMS Forum and the UNH-IOL also hosted a June 7th open house seminar, where we discussed the role of IMS interoperability and IMS economics.

A video of the Plugfest II event was sponsored by Sonus and released on the IMSF Web site and YouTube after its debut at the NXTcomm 2007 show.

Without missing a beat, the IOT Working Group met only two weeks after Plugfest II to start planning the third Plugfest event in October.

Technical Working Group
This group is working on technology white papers and IMS Forum best technical practices for applications and services. The topics address protocols, architecture, applications and operations – all directly relating to the technical issues and challenges of implementing IMS.

The Technical Working Group is now actively developing the technical white paper program. The goal is to establish the IMS Forum as the leading industry authority for IMS. To find out more about how to participate in the technical working group email Manuel Vexler, Chair of the Technical Working Group at mvexler@imsforum.org

IMS Forum Marketing Working Group
The group is pleased to note that it has participated in several industry events worldwide, including:

• NXTcomm, June 18-21, Chicago
• IMSF members meeting completed June 18 at NXTcomm
• IMS Forum members spoke and participated at a number of events and sessions, including:
• "Microsoft /IEC Connected Home, Connected Services, Connected Entertainment?"
• "Using IMS to Deliver IP Video across Converged Networks" panel by Infonetics Research
• Eos Awards
• Thanks to our IMS Forum Marketing Group Booth Sponsors at NXTcomm:
  • Gold Sponsors: ARGELA Technologies and Reef Point
  • Silver Sponsors: Mu Security, Inc., Starent Networks and Tekelec
    

ARGELA Technologies, ReefPoint and IMS Forum executives at IMSF Booth NXTComm

• CommunicAsia 2007, June 19-27, Singapore – IMS Forum sponsored keynote address given by IMS Forum board member, Eric Burger (BEA)
• IMS Webinar, June 26, sponsored by Radvision and SUN – IMS Plugfest chair participated and provided Plugfest II interoperability testing summary results

Additionally, the Marketing Working Group is executing on a coordinated marketing and public relations effort to raise awareness of the IMS Forum Plugfests. Plans include white papers, recruitment marketing, trade shows, speaking opportunities, press releases and an open media/analyst day in New Hampshire toward the conclusion of the October Plugfest. Input is now being sought for a white paper outlining the business case and ROI value of using the IMS architecture for service delivery.

The IMS Forum produced a DVD documentary of Plugfest II, which was Sponsored by Sonus, and which will be used as a follow-up tool with Plugfest leads. The video may be viewed on www.IMSForum.org.

Finally, all are reminded of the Forum’s referral incentive program, which awards for each new company that joins, a Group American Express Gift Card in several denominations up to $500 depending on company size. The card can be used personally or put toward a reduction in Forum membership dues.

If you are interested in joining the IMS Forum, or in participating in any of the working groups or marketing programs, please contact the IMS Forum by email at info@imsforum.org, or visit: http://www.imsforum.org/member/how_to_join.shtml.

Membership Benefits include:

  • Verify and certify interoperability, reduce costs and accelerate time to market

  • Participate in technical working groups focusing on service creation and
     applications for IMS architecture framework as well as IMS deployment issues

  • Gain additional visibility through the IMS Forum's Speakers Bureau, public
     relations and marketing programs

  • Member companies showcased at major telecom, cable, and wireless events in
     North America, Asia, and Europe

  • Receive current market and technology information through newsletters,
     reports, and conferences

  • Gain access to an informed professional network of industry consultants and
     accredited experts

The IMS Forum will be speaking at the following shows:

• Sept. 10 – 12: TMC Internet Telephony, Los Angeles, CA


• Sept. 25 – 27: WiMax Conference and WiMax Awards, Chicago, IL


• Oct. 6: Enabling Telecoms Convergence (IIR), Budapest, Hungary


• Oct. 7 – 10: Telephony Live: COMPTEL PLUS, Dallas, TX


• Oct 15 – 19: IMS Forum Plugfest III, UNH-IOL


• Oct. 16-18: ISPCON, San Jose, CA


• Oct. 29 – Nov. 1: VON 2007, Boston


• Nov. 1: Telecoms Signaling World Forum, Central London, UK


• Nov. 7: IMS MMD Show, Dallas, TX
  

The IMS Forum will also be participating at CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment, Oct. 23 – 25 in San Francisco, CA.

Free Expo Pass to WiMAX World USA and other discounts - Register Now and Save

WiMAX World USA 07 - September 25-27 (Chicago)

Our global WiMAX World series includes the industry's largest and most influential wireless and mobile broadband events covering the WiMAX market in the USA, EMEA and Asia. In the past few years WiMAX World USA has grown tenfold—from 15 exhibitors in 2004 to more than 150 exhibitors and 7,000+ people this year. In 2007, the WiMAX World series will collectively draw over 10,000 visitors, over 250 exhibitors and will be endorsed by more than 350 corporate, media, analyst and association sponsors from all around the globe. IMS Forum Member discount code: IMS

IMS Forum to Announce Plugfest III Results at Fall VON 2007

The IMS Forum will announce the results from Plugfest III at the Fall VON 2007 (www.fallvon.com), October 29 – November 1 in Boston. The Fall VON Show will address the most critical IP Communications issues, and provide attendees with superior conference content, unmatched networking opportunities and the opportunity to maximize the applications made possible by IP Communications technologies, including; IP Voice, FMC, Wireless mobility, IPTV, presence and positioning. IMS Forum Member discount code: IMS.

Management World Americas 2007, November 4-8, 2007 at the Adams Mark Hotel & Convention Center in Dallas, is the largest trade show and conference in the Americas dedicated to issues surrounding the management of telecom, media & information services. The show is aimed at service providers, vendors, systems integrators and industry experts who focus on rolling out and managing new and complex communications services over next generation networks. IMS Forum member discount code: PXF4UM.

ISPCON, October 16 - 18, 2007 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center

ISPCON is THE Internet industry event. A conference and tradeshow for wired and wireless ISPs, CLECs, webhosts, VoIP providers and other Internet-based business professionals. The entire industry comes to build and develop for the future at ISPCON. IMS Forum member discount code: IMSF7.

For IMS Forum current press releases and IMS Forum in the media clips, visit http://www.imsforum.org/newspr/in_the_news.shtml

Recent IMS Forum press titles:

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