Wifi Revolution

UTStarcom, which sells its broadband, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV (News - Alert)), next generation network (NGN) and handset solutions to operators in both emerging and established markets, announced that its mSwitch solution is powering Brasil Telecom's (News - Alert) fixed mobile convergence (FMC) networks.

 

Brasil Telecom is the first mobile operator to implement UTStarcom's (News - Alert) mSwitch solution. The association with Brasil Telecom is significant for UTStarcom since Brasil Telecom’s FMC network is one of the few FMC networks in the world.

 

Brasil Telecom offers wireless and fixed-line services. UTStarcom's mSwitch solution will enable fixed-line connectivity with Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) platforms for call continuity between the two networks using a single wireless device.

 

At present, Brasil Telecom has over 8 million fixed lines customers and a broadband access base of more than 1.6 million in Latin America. The number of mobile operation touched 4.5 million accesses. The FMC solution enables Brasil Telecom to extend its current cellular coverage area indoors using the new voice continuity call (VCC) handover between cellular and WiFi networks.

 

“As one of the largest broadband providers in Brazil, Brasil Telecom considers FMC as a new opportunity to leverage our extensive network resources in a way that will only benefit our customers' long term communications experiences,” said Dalton Hayakawa, director of marketing at Brasil Telecom.

 

"Seamless call connectivity between cellular and WiFi networks in an expanded coverage area will allow us to retain more customers on our network as they transition between fixed line and wireless devices and give us the opportunity to demonstrate the value, strength and quality of our combined voice services," Hayakawa added.

UTStarcom has associated with Brasil Telecom, which also launched its IPTV services in September last year, on the research development of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) products and services and the implementation of mSwitch protocols as a mobile softswitch for integration with IMS.

 

"We've all become somewhat accustomed to the inconvenience of the occasional dropped wireless call or the necessary termination of a fixed-line call when leaving the range of the base station," said Diego Martinez (News - Alert), Americas regional vice president and general manager for UTStarcom.

 

 

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