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NGN Magazine Magazine logo
May 2010 | Volume 2/Number 3
From the Desk of Michael Khalilian

The Role of Broadband Applications in Network Evolution and IP Transformation

By Michael Khalilian

Apps play a huge role in network evolution and IP transformation.

A new generation of apps has arrived thanks to the introduction of the iPhone and the increased demand for video applications on mobile networks.

The NGN IMS Forum recently started a new applications working group and is preparing a few new working group papers on BSS/OSS and security guidelines and Diameter architecture and implementations.

At the CTIA show in March the NGN/IMS Forum announced at CTIA its new Technical Working Group for Applications running on fixed and mobile broadband networks (e.g. 3G/4G/LTE, wireline and cable networks). This TWG will help accelerate the availability of IMS-based applications by providing additional tools and resources to foster the ecosystem of application developers, content creators, network operators, and telecommunications vendors (i.e. network equipment, handset, ICT, and original equipment manufacturers). This working group will play an integral role in our next plugfest.




Mobile handsets are becoming the platform on which a wide variety of applications can be run. Today’s mobile handsets are not only used for Web browsing and e-mail but, increasingly, are becoming sophisticated computing devices that run a wide variety of data applications such as social networking applications, applications to share user-generated content, multi-user games, and music and video streaming. Traditionally, each of these capabilities has been provided by siloed platforms. As mobile networks migrate to 4G/LTE, additional applications will be possible and end users will be looking for a common experience between their fixed and mobile broadband networks.

As carriers deploy IMS networks, applications can be enhanced to create new end user experiences by simultaneously blending voice, data, video and multimedia. This new generation of applications will be able to take advantage of elements of the IMS network, such as QoS and voice over LTE, to deliver end user experiences (e.g. multi-play: triple play, quadruple play, m-play) that are consistent across both fixed and mobile networks.

This working group will address the following questions:

How can carriers increase revenues by adding value to applications ecosystems such as Google and Facebook?
How can carriers leverage their networks to help some of the most innovative mom-and-pop applications developers successfully launch through network interoperability and testing support?

How, through real-time communications, can operators video enable enterprise applications such as Salesforce.com and provide video add-ons to voice calls?

How can operators use DPI, border gateways, IMS architectures and other techniques to provide better QoS?

How should we integrate operations support systems and business support systems, including billing/charging and security components,into these services?

How can payment systems in a carrier network enhance applications?

How can policy management be used for subscriber data management?

I wanted to share with you some of the comments of our board members on this working group.

“The IMS investment enables network operators to fully exploit applications running both inside their networks or by third-party application developers and content providers,” says Michael Cooper, Alcatel-Lucent vice president of wireline marketing and business strategy. “It allows their unique network assets, such as location, presence and preferences, to be leveraged in applications to provide a personalized and differentiating service experience for consumers and
business users.”

“One of the key tenets of IMS is to evolve a vendor-agnostic, open interface based architecture. Through this working group we’ll be able to guide the industry to exploit the IMS network capabilities via service delivery platforms and device frameworks, to realize combinatorial applications, in an interoperable and a standards based manner,” says Jinu Koshy, general manager and global head of applications and devices practice at Wipro Technologies. “We are glad to be part of this working group and to use our experience as a systems integrator for global SDP, value-added services deployments and device development, to realize deployment guidelines and best common practices for the working group”

“Given the incredible pace of change vis-à-vis new devices, applications and services, as well as the challenges of IMS deployments, which are highly customized and unique, service providers and their vendors are struggling to ensure their implementations work as advertised using current approaches to testing,” says Simon Berman, Mu Dynamics’ vice president of products. “We look forward to participating in the working group and upcoming Plugfest 9, in order to share new and innovative tools and strategies for dramatically accelerating the testing process while also increasing the quality of IMS deployments.”

Because of the explosion of applications, this working group and our upcoming Plugfest 9 will concentrate on application developers to help them better internetwork Web 2.0 applications with IMS networks and BSS/OSSs (including billing, charging and security). These efforts will bring the same level of interoperability enabled by our plugfests from the realm of protocols, network architectures, hardware and devices to the software and applications space by including application programmable interfaces that expose network capabilities such as VoIP, group management, presence and instant messaging.

Our next IMS Plugfest and NGN Plugfest interoperability test event will be held in the fourth quarter of 2010 at the InterOperability Lab in Durham, N.H. Registration is now open for any service providers, integrators and vendors who would like to participate (www.imsforum.org/Plugfest). For additional information please contact [email protected].

Michael Khalilian is chairman and president of the NGN Forum & IMS Forum (www.NGNForum.org / www.IMSForum.org).

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