IMS Convergence Networks

The ideal communcations device for an end user is to have ONE single device that supports every type of media, and is network independent. Such a device will automatically hand-off to the most appropriate network for the incoming or outgoing media. Convergence provides the reality to this vision.

Communication service providers are currently replacing or expanding their network technology to convergence infrastructures. Eventually, the network will become totally unimportant to the end user, and current network service providers will morph into service branding organizations.

Convergence networks are more efficient, flexible, and adaptable architectures.

Converged networks will be based on one of three systems:

1. IMS - IP Multimedia Subsystem
2. UMA
3. Enterprise Centric Solutions.

Of these, IMS proposes to be the most likely adopted, and provides a radically change the way telecom applications are developed, deployed, and supported. IMS is:

• Hardware independent
• Implemented inside a network
• Uses IP - the only protocol that matters today
• Uses SIP – session initiation protocol
  

UMA and IMS

UMA and IMS are essentially two faces of the same thing.

• IMS is an architecture for converged voice and data services that rely on the carrier network for information about roaming and call routing.
• UMA is a set of technologies that enable a handset to transfer a call from the cellular network to a Wi-Fi/VoIP environment.

UMA makes it possible for users to roam telephony from the local to wide area and vice versa.

IMS provides the carrier infrastructure to make UMA work as a carrier service.

Carriers can support UMA without deploying IMS across their networks, but UMA is an "IMS-like" service.

Transition To IMS

Transition to IMS, like transition to Ethernet backhaul will not be a single big cut over program.

Most network operators have multiple types of network infrastructures in use and will most likely either adopt a hybrid network architecture or use a transition approach, over several years. This strategy gives a more efficient path towards reducing costs and increasing revenues.

Benefits Of IMS

IMS networks have several key advantages:

1. Unite and interwork disparate signaling and control procedures across multiple network types
2. Consolidate subscriber presentation and awareness
3. Uniformly deliver media across various access technologies
4. Reduce time to market to introduce new, innovative, revenue-generating services

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