| [June 18, 2007] |
 |
Leading IMS Companies Advanced Interoperability for IMS Applications at IMS Plugfest(TM)
CHICAGO --(Business Wire)-- IMS Forum(R), the industry's only Forum dedicated to the acceleration of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) application and service interoperability, and the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL) announced today that eighteen companies rapidly deployed and debugged a fully functional, end-to-end IMS network running "rich" multimedia applications. Services tested during Plugfest II included instant messages, SMS, multimedia messaging (MMS), voice mail, advertising-supported free voice, as well as fixed-mobile convergence, security and video sharing.
The IMS Forum Plugfest's are designed to generate industry-recognized interoperability test plans for IMS applications and services, allowing service providers to expedite IMS services rollout. Plugfest II results will be released at NXTcomm, June 18-21, 2007 at the IMS Forum's booth #3669.
"In the first IMS Plugfest our participants demonstrated that using IMS a service provider could bring online a large best-of-breed central office in eight hours," said Manuel Vexler, Chair, IMS Forum Technical Working Groups. "In the second Plugfest we showed that IMS can enable a service provider to start offering on-demand, IP multimedia and mobile services in a half week."
Open to all companies developing solutions for IMS, the IMS Forum Plugfest II doubled the number of participants count from the first test event, held in January 2007 and tripled the number of test cases to 43. Eighty percent of the participants in the first Plugfest joined the second Plugfest.
Platinum sponsors for the event included Empirix and Ixia. In addition to contributing as a gold sponsor, Sonus Networks sponsored a video documentary of the event which will be shown during this week in the IMS Forum and UNH-IOL booths, numbers 3669 and 1224, respectively, and that will subsequently be available on Google YouTube.
Participants in this Plugfest included a cross-section of the IMS industry, in a clear example of the global reach of IMS with companies from Canada, France, Germany, India, Israel, Turkey, the UK and the United States joining together in this event. The vendors' list included five application vendors, four test and measurement solutions, nine IMS core vendors, two protocol stacks, and several soft phones, handsets and other user equipment. Participating vendors included:
-- ARGELA Technologies -- Ixia -- Reef Point Systems
-- CopperCom -- LogicaCMG -- Sonus Networks
-- Data Connection
Limited -- Mascon Global Ltd -- Starent Networks
-- Ditech Networks -- Mu Security -- Tekelec
-- Empirix -- Pico Mobile Networks -- Tektronix
-- Encore Software Ltd. -- Radvision -- Wipro Technologies
The first Plugfest focused on basic IP voice, routing fundamentals and the interoperability of the IMS transport layer. The second Plugfest tests built on that foundation to include interoperability for VoIP, IP Centrex, IP PBX, SMS, video sharing, basic security and fixed-mobile convergence functionality. Plugfest III, scheduled for the October, 2007 timeframe, will continue to test and refine these areas, with additional focus on IP Video, wireless functionality, security, SIM card integration and IPSec. In addition, the UNH-IOL is building a core IMS test bed that will be used during the Plugfests and that will also be available for week-long blocks of testing between events.
"IMS interoperability is rapidly progressing and the test events are gaining momentum. We have proof now that the test equipment, application servers and other core components are readily available and now we are seeing handsets being added to the Plugfest," said Lincoln Lavoie, UNH-IOL Senior Technologist. "Vendors who had developed applications and services on their own were able to successfully connect to a multi-vendor core IMS network and deploy a range of multimedia applications in less than a week. The participating companies had the opportunity to examine the components in a way that spoke volumes for their present and future work."
About the IMS Forum:
The IMS Forum(R) is a global, non-profit industry association devoted to interoperable IP Multimedia Subsystems services and solutions. IMS Forum's mission is to accelerate the interoperability of IMS applications and services, enabling enterprise and residential consumers to quickly benefit from the delivery of quadruple play voice, video, internet and mobile services over broadband via cable, wireless and fixed networks. The IMS Forum is the creator and organizer of the IMS Plugfest(TM), the industry's only event focused on IMS services interoperability verification and certification.
Through its organized Plugfests, working group interaction, and other activities, forum members are able to develop cost-effective technical frameworks for converged IP services over wireline, cable, 3G, WiFi and WiMAX networks. For additional information or to join the IMS Forum and the IMS Plugfests, please visit www.IMSForum.org.
About the UNH-IOL
Founded in 1988, the UNH-IOL is one of the networking industry's premier third-party proving grounds for developing technologies. Approximately 200 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 standards. For more information, visit www.iol.unh.edu.
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|
INDUSTRIES
Activate Email 
Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, January 20-22, 2010. Miami, FL.
