US
: Cingular Wireless and Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) today announced
that Cingular has awarded Lucent a four-year agreement to provide
a comprehensive IMS-based (IP Multimedia Subsystem) solution that
will enable Cingular to rapidly develop and launch a broad range of
new personalized voice, video, data and multimedia services.
Lucent's IMS-based
architecture and applications will complement Cingular's 3G network
and enable Cingular to offer subscribers innovative, easy-to-use services
that they can access anytime, anywhere, with almost any device.
Lucent Worldwide
Services (LWS) will assist Cingular in the deployment and integration
of Lucent's solution. This includes multi-vendor integration and technical
support services that will seamlessly connect and maintain a critical
link between Cingular's core network and its new applications portal.
"Lucent's
IMS-based architecture, combined with our 3G UMTS/HSDPA network, will
allow us to offer our customers new and exciting end-user experiences
over one of the most advanced, reliable and secure networks in North
America," said Kelly Williams, executive director of strategy
and planning for Cingular. "The IMS platform also provides Cingular
with a cost effective process for delivering these new features and
services."
IMS is an open,
standards-based solution to build next-generation networks capable
of delivering advanced communications services. With a standards-based
IMS architecture and solution that allow services to flow in a network-agnostic
environment, service providers can build applications and have them
work with numerous endpoints, producing the so-called "grand
slam" of services -- voice, data, video and wireless/wired communications.
"Lucent offers
a unique blend of Bell Labs enabled technology, expertise and an end-to-end
portfolio of solutions and services to build and deliver next-generation
networks that offer the easy-to-use services customers are clamoring
for," said Joe McCarthy, sales vice president for Lucent Technologies.
"Lucent's IMS-based architecture enables Cingular to smoothly
introduce new applications that customers can access anytime, anywhere,
with any device, into its existing network while controlling operational
and capital expense."
Cingular will
deploy components of Lucent's Accelerate(TM) Next Generation Communications
Solutions portfolio that consists of IMS-based products and applications,
both with unique Bell Labs developed enhancements and services.
Among the available
solutions and applications in this portfolio are the Lucent Session
Manager, including the service broker function, the new Lucent Feature
Server with support for mobile roaming using dual-mode devices, Lucent
Unified Subscriber Data Server for wireless and wireline customers,
Lucent Network Controller, Lucent Network Gateway, Lucent Communication
Manager with next generation features, Lucent Active PhoneBook and
Lucent MiLife(R) Application Server. (Product information is at end
of this news release)
The Lucent Technologies
Bell Labs Service Enhancement Layer is a library of Bell Labs software
assets built into Lucent's IMS elements and deployed within IMS standard
functions that work across wireless, wireline, and WiFi networks to
simplify and speed delivery of services. The Service Enhancement Layer
offers a distinct advantage over competing IMS implementations by
enhancing SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) processing, and supporting
flexible service brokering, real-time policy management, and enhanced
data management and integration, including access to data outside
a service provider's network.
The Bell Labs
enhancements support simple service management, seamless operations,
secure communications, portable services, rich personalization, and
rapid service customization.