Transition to IMS
Service layer convergence can make or break the IMS business case
Yankee Group’s note analyzes on how within the current economic environment, converged and mobile network providers are compelled to scrutinize every investment dollar they devote to the multiyear transition from circuit-switched to packet-based networks. According to the author, the difficulty of making a business case for IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) resides on its complexity and a lack of clarity on demand for IMS services.
The note elaborates on the different approaches for the transition to IMS and quotes Atos Origin Services Layer strategy as a reference: “Nearly all Tier 1 network operators will eventually transition to an IMS or IMS-like architecture given the cost, time to market and flexibility benefits associated with standardized, packet-based service delivery architecture. The pace of the individual operator’s transition will vary based on several variables such as the competitive environment, the regulation, the age and cost of maintaining the existing equipment and related skills, and the local market demands. The reality of the situation is that operators will need to maintain legacy and packet networks in parallel for several years because they are in need of solutions that can optimize a rather suboptimal situation. Regardless of where a company stands on the path to IMS, a converged service layer, sometimes referred to as a next-generation intelligent network (NGIN), will improve the IMS business case by providing a converged solution at the application server layer (see Exhibit 1—the approach of Atos Origin). This is particularly true when rolling out fixed-mobile convergence, integration or substitution offerings for enterprise or residential customers. In this scenario, IMS and intelligent network (IN) applications are accessible across any network type or device, bringing down the logical silos that have tied services directly to networks. The alternative of continuing to maintain stovepipes at the application layer limits new service revenue opportunities and cost efficiencies, and requires continued investment in legacy technologies with no future”. (To read the whole Decision Note, please contact us at silvia.glas@atosorigin.com)
