IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Driving New Business Models and Opportunities

About this Publication

Written by leading authority, David Mangini, who has held industry leadership positions including VP of Wireless Data Solution for AT&T Wireless Services and VP of Wireless Services for SNET Mobility, this publication addresses both the technical and business knowledge critical for success in planning for IMS networks and optimized IMS-based applications and services. It is written in an easy to read style and is highly informative, with just the right balance of technical information, business insights, and consultation about the opportunities and potential pitfalls associated with IMS. Pragmatic in his approach, David instructs of the merits of IMS to facilitate convergence while maintaining a focus on business drivers including flexible service creation and delivery, improved cost structures, and new revenue streams from emerging applications and services optimized by IMS.

Overview

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) will bring change in telecommunications that will bring more competition for services, greater mobility, and more specialized services and content. The drivers behind this change are derived from large and permanent shifts in the economics of today's telecom market, dynamic new technologies that offer more capabilities, and more subtle shifts in our information age lifestyle that fuels greater demand for value-added services. IMS will drive convergence in technologies, networks, access, services, content, revenue, and control at degrees heretofore thought impractical.

This publication will evaluate the impact of IMS on service creation and delivery with an emphasis on the evolving needs of users and the resulting impact to wireless platforms and fixed networks. As a result, business models will change for carriers as well as content providers due to the enhanced access IMS platforms will provide for directly reaching end-users across a variety of applications and networks.

"IMS is not economically viable if the goal is simply to replicate existing services in a new architecture. The payoff of IMS is to develop and introduce new value-added services for incremental revenue at a lower cost per subscriber."

This publication introduces and discusses critical topics including:

• The importance of Quality of Service (QoS) and resource allocation optimization in IMS
• Service Configuration Management (SCM) as a missing element in the IMS framework
• Logical staged introduction of IMS functionality across the Transport, Control, and Services planes
• Advent and evolution of the Virtual Network Operator (VNO), positioned to capitalize in IMS
• Application partnering for success in IMS services development and deployment
• Predictions for near-term, intermediate, and long-term introduction of IMS-based applications

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS): Driving New Business Models and Opportunities is a must-have resource for anyone responsible for planning, designing, implementing, or managing IMS networks and/or IMS-based applications and services.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Welcome to IMS

IMS: The Open Architecture Reference Model for Convergence

Let your imagination run wild

Not so fast

Some new business opportunities are real

What's next in this report

Chapter 2 - IMS Standards and Definitions

Who came up with this architecture?

Traditional vertically-integrated networks

IMS basic elements

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)

A likely mix of the old and new

Linking the subscriber to their services

The present status of IMS standards

Chapter 3 - How IMS helps unite the Converging Telecom Sectors

It's not like Telecom hasn't already been changing

It's all about Connectivity, Control and Customization

Connectivity: the first push to Convergence

Quality of service and resource allocation are critical

Customization: the user gets greater control

Chapter 4 - IMS Architecture

The Three Architectural Planes

The Network Plane

The Control Plane

The Services Plane

IMS remains a Model Architecture

Everything you always wanted to know

Chapter 5 - IMS-Based Services

Faster, Smaller, Cheaper

Early targets in the evolution towards IMS

Start with today's network; keep it small and simple

An early IMS example: Handoffs between Mobile and WiFi

The adolescence of the Next-Gen Network will have turmoil

Are we there yet?

Chapter 6 - Changing the Service Delivery Paradigm

Where the Service Delivery Platforms reside in the network

How this new model of service delivery is different

Benefits of a new service delivery model

The door opens for alternative service providers

Rapid early deployment will likely involve partnerships

Significant challenges for billing and Service Configuration Management

Chapter 7 - Changing the Service Creation Paradigm

New Opportunities for revenue generation

Cost savings and reduction of operating expense

The HSS platform is critical to service delivery

Convergence of features will progress over time

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standard is used throughout IMS

Service creation partnerships with added-value

SCM: A missing element in the IMS model

Trusted versus non-trusted applications

Chapter 8 - VNO's: A New Breed of Carrier

Reselling is nothing new

The potential of the VNO model

The reality of today - work with what you have

Trends are lessening the Carrier's control of the Customer

VNO wrap-up

Chapter 9 - How it all fits together

The big drivers are Lower Cost and New Revenue Sources

The IMS model architecture brings new revenue opportunity

Service creation and delivery create new service partnerships

The role of Network Service Provider is permanently changing

Control of the Customer may show interesting shifts

In the end it is still about Cost and Revenue

About the Author

Endnotes

David Mangini has more than 25 years of experience dedicated to the telecommunications industry. He has spent 8 years in Microwave and Network Engineering and Central Office Operations for a regional LEC wireline service provider and 17 years in wireless with Vice President positions in all aspects of network planning, design, construction and operations for wireless service providers, most recently including AT&T Wireless. David's expertise in wireless includes the development of wireless IP solutions targeted to expand the reach of business data and processes over mobile networks.

David's present area of focus is the emergence of new technologies driving the convergence of wireline and wireless networks and the enhanced service capabilities of IMS standards including the overlap with media content distribution. This focus includes broadband technologies for WiFi, WiMax, IPTV and IP Multimedia as means for altering the business models of traditional service providers as they adapt to a new competitive environment involving non-traditional service entrants.

David has formed the Wireless Strategy Forum as a consultancy specializing in convergence research and advising clients on value-creating strategies to profit from the convergence of multiple, high bandwidth networks and services. He holds a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an MBA from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. David is a member of the Radio Club of America and the IEEE