TMCnet News
Siemens, Time Warner Cable in IMS demo(Total Telecom Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Siemens Communications and U.S.-based cable TV operator Time Warner Cable announced on Tuesday the joint demonstration of a fixed mobile convergence strategy using IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology from the German vendor. The solution integrates fixed line, mobile and WiFi broadband technologies, showing how consumers can use share multimedia applications, entertainment features and communications sessions. One online gaming scenario tested the integration of packet and circuit-switched telephony networks. "Rather than being limited in capabilities due to silos of network architectures, IMS promises a new world of seamless provisioning opportunities for broadband operators," said Mike LaJoie, CTO at Time Warner Cable. "IMS technology is an exciting new technology for consumers who want their devices to work seamlessly together including presence-aware features than can direct calls, video and messages to devices that are currently in use," LaJoie added. Time Warner Cable plans to use Siemens' technology commercially to support a range of IP-based services. IMS is not the only technology that operators are currently deploying for their fixed mobile convergence (FMC) strategies: Unlicensed mobile access (UMA) technology is also being used by companies such as BT. But the whichever technology is deployed, FMC is increasingly becoming a reality: Recent statistics show that there will be 92 million fixed mobile convergence subscribers by 2011, according to Informa Telecoms & Media. "The building blocks are here today to remove the obstacles created by fragmented network domains, protocols and devices," said Christian Unterberger, president of fixed networks at Siemens Communications. Time Warner Cable serves more than 10.9 million customers and owns and manages cable systems serving subscribers in 27 U.S. states. |