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IMS Report
2005-2010

July 2005

154 Pages

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Research

The IMS Report 2005-2010: The critical technology in the Convergence landscape

IMS is currently in trials with over 200 fixed and mobile operators around the world. Are you one of them? If you're not, then this is a technology solution that you need to know about. If you are testing IMS, then you need to understand what strategies to adopt to implement and profit from this technology now.

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is an open and standardised architecture for mobile and fixed services. It is used by operators to offer network-controlled multimedia services by combining voice and data in a single packet switched network. Visiongain believes that IMS is one of the key drivers of convergence. IMS is gaining increased momentum and will have a fundamental impact on you. Virtually all major vendors have IMS strategies in place - competition in this area is rife. Ensure you are successful tomorrow by ordering visiongain's latest report, " The IMS Report 2005-2010: The critical technology in the Convergence landscape " , today.

Operators in Western Europe are embracing IMS, with the first roll-out of IMS-based services occurring in 2005-2006. The technology holds huge potential to increase operator ARPU and reduce churn - will you and your organisation be successful proponents of IMS - order and read visiongain's unique insight into market developments.

The report answers key questions, such as:

Where do the greatest opportunities lie for operators and vendors?
How can both fixed and mobile operators benefit and profit from IMS?
What new types of services and applications will IMS enable?
How will demand for IMS equipment vary by region?

By reading this report you will get a detailed, all-round perspective on IMS: the technology itself, key players, issues, forecasts and critical success factors that will make IMS a reality.

This report will tell you:

When fully-fledged IMS handsets will be available?
What the total revenue potential from 3G and HSDPA is with IMS?
What issues your company will need to start looking at in the short-term future?
How using this technology can increase revenues and reduce customer churn?

IMS truly merges the internet with the cellular world to provide ubiquitous access to internet technologies and to provide consumers with appealing services. However IMS features on your future technology plans, you need to get a handle on this subject now.

Table of Contents

E.1 An open and standardised architecture for next-generation services
E.2 IMS offers a variety of opportunities
E.3 Challenges and issues to be resolved
E.4 Development of IMS handsets
E.5 Conclusions

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.1 What is IMS?
1.1.1 IMS Defined
1.1.2 Goals of IMS
1.1.3 A Common Core for Wireline and Wireless Networks
1.1.4 Complexity of IMS
1.2 Telecoms Landscape
1.2.1 Changing Business Model
1.2.2 Changing Core Architecture of Telecommunications Networks
1.2.2.1 A move from Circuit Based Switching to Packet Based Switching
1.2.2.2 Success of Internet
1.2.2.3 GSM Evolution to all-IP
1.3 Aim of the Report
1.3.1 Highlight the Convergence Phenomena
1.3.2 Provide a Holistic View of IMS
1.3.3 Analyse the Key Players in the IMS Value Chain
1.3.4 Other Issues
1.3.5 Technological Perspective
1.4 Structure of the Report

Chapter 2. Technical Focus

2.1 Understanding IMS: How it works
Figure 1 IMS Architecture
2.1.1 3GPP's IMS Initiative
2.1.2 IMS Architecture
Figure 2 Traditional GSM Networks (Stovepipe Approach)
Figure 3 Horizontal Layered Architecture in IMS
2.1.2.1 Core Elements of IMS network
Figure 4 Elements of an IMS Network
2.1.2.2 Enhanced Service Delivery With IMS
2.1.2.3 Flexibility in IMS
2.1.2.3.1 Gateway or the Transport & Endpoint Layer
2.1.2.3.2 The Session Control Layer
2.1.2.3.3 The Application Server Layer
2.1.2.4 Advantages of IMS
2.1.3 Two Key Aspects of IMS Technology
2.1.3.1 Session Initiated Protocol (SIP)
Figure 5 SIP Components
2.1.3.1.1 SIP's Routing Decisions
2.1.3.1.2 Problems posed by SIP
2.1.3.1.2.1 QoS
2.1.3.1.2.2 Fraud/Privacy
2.1.3.2 Fixed to Mobile Convergence (FMC)
2.1.3.2.1 Convergence Trends in the Telecoms Market
2.1.3.2.2 What is FMC?
2.1.3.2.3 What FMC will offer?
Figure 6 Convergence of Fixed and Mobile Networks
2.1.3.2.4 VOIP and its Demands
2.1.3.2.5 Market Demands for FMC
2.1.3.2.6 Applying 3GPP IMS To Fixed Line Networks
2.1.3.2.7 Industry movement towards wireless standards
2.1.3.2.8 Role being Played by MNVO's
2.1.4 Other Core Technology Components found in IMS Networks
2.1.4.1 IP-based Softswitch
2.1.4.2 Media Gateways
2.1.4.2.1 Benefits of Softswitch Technology
2.1.4.2.2 Advances in SoftSwitch Technologies
2.1.4.3 Home Subscriber Services

Chapter 3. Service-driven Evolution to all-IP

3.1 Wireless Evolution
3.2 Evolution tracks to all-IP
3.2.1 Packet and Circuit Switched Technologies
3.2.1.1 Transition from Circuit to Packet Switched Networks
Figure 7 Transition from Circuit to Packet Data
3.2.1.1.1 Stage one: 2G (Circuit based)
3.2.1.1.2 Stage two: 2.5G (CS augmented with PS enablers)
Figure 8 Stages in Transition from Circuit Switched to Packet Switched Infrastructure
Figure 9 Present and Future Networks
3.2.1.1.3 Stage three: 3G and beyond (mostly PS-based networks, some CS)
3.3 Applications enabled by IMS
Table 1 Features Offered by IMS
3.3.1 PTT
3.3.2 Video Telephony
3.3.3 Videomail
3.3.4 Multimedia Streaming
3.3.4.1 High Speed Video Streaming Services
3.3.5 Instant Messaging
3.3.6 Gaming
3.3.7 Presence
3.3.7.1 IMS Presence Services for Interactive Games
Table 2 Applications Enabled by IMS

Chapter 4. IMS Landscape

4.1 IMS Market Attractiveness
4.1.1 Industry Structure
4.1.1.1 Analysing the Players in the IMS Value Chain
Table 3 List of key players in IMS value chain
Figure 10 IMS Value Chain
Figure 11 Components in IMS Architecture
4.1.1.1.1 IMS Equipment Suppliers
4.1.1.1.1.1 Ericsson
Table 4 Ericsson's Key Customers for IMS
4.1.1.1.1.2 Nokia
4.1.1.1.1.3 Siemens
4.1.1.1.1.4 Lucent
4.1.1.1.1.5 Motorola
4.1.1.1.1.6 Nortel
4.1.1.1.1.7 Tatara Systems
4.1.1.1.1.8 Ubiquity Software
4.1.1.1.1.9 Convedia
4.1.1.1.1.10 Hotsip
4.1.1.1.1.11 NetCentrex
4.1.1.1.1.12 Comverse
Table 5 Key IMS Vendors and their Solutions
4.1.1.1.2 Softswitch Vendors
4.1.1.1.2.1 Clarent
Table 6 Key Softswitch Vendors and their Products
4.1.1.1.3 Toolkit developers
Table 7 Toolkit Developers
4.1.1.1.4 System Integrators
4.1.1.1.4.1 IBM
4.1.1.1.5 Network Operators
4.1.1.1.5.1 BT
4.1.1.1.5.2 France Telecom
4.1.1.1.5.3 Bell Canada
4.1.1.1.5.4 Sprint
Table 8 Key Operators Opting for IMS
4.1.1.1.6 Application Developers
4.1.1.1.7 Handset Developers
4.1.1.1.7.1 Nokia
4.1.1.1.7.2 Motorola
4.1.1.1.7.3 Other Handset Developers
4.1.1.1.7.4 Kineto Wireless and Philips
4.1.1.1.8 Cable Companies
4.1.1.1.9 Fixed Network Operators and VOIP Providers
Chart 1 VoIP Penetration Worldwide
Table 9 Companies in IMS Market
4.2 Global Market for IMS Equipment
4.2.1 Demand from the End-users
4.2.1.1 End-user Benefits
4.2.1.1.1 Integrated Rich Media
4.2.1.1.2 Single Public Identity
4.2.1.1.3 Personalised Communications
4.2.1.1.4 Roaming
4.2.1.1.5 IP services
4.2.1.1.6 Mobile-Fixed Inter-working
4.2.1.1.7 Cost Effective Solutions
4.2.2 Operator Strategies
4.2.2.1 Operator Benefits
4.2.2.3 Vendor Positioning
4.2.2.4 Developer Demands and Benefit in IMS
4.3 Enterprises set to Benefit from IMS Services
4.3 1 Increasing ARPU
4.3.2 How Operators can Target the Business Segment
4.3.3 Needs of Business Customers
4.3.4 ARPU Growth from Small and Medium Sized Companies:
Table 10 Benefits to the Players in the Value Chain
4.4 Recent IMS Contracts and Deployments Worldwide
4.4.1 Lucent and eAccess
4.4.2 O2 and Siemens
4.4.3 NEC and Nokia's joint testing of IMS systems
4.4.4 Ericsson and Telefonica
4.5 New Developments in IMS Arena
4.5.1 Kodiak Networks' SIMpower
Table 11 Vendors Supporting Interoperability with Kodiak's SIMpower
4.6 Billing and Revenue Assurance for IMS

Chapter 5. Global Market Evolution to IMS

Chart 2 Share of Technologies Worldwide (2005)
Chart 3 GSM Subscriber Growth
5.1 Understanding Enhanced GSM
5.1.1 UMTS (W-CDMA)
5.1.1.1 GSM Evolution
5.1.1.2 UMTS Specifications
5.1.1.3 Features Offered by W-CDMA
5.1.1.4 3G Handsets
5.1.1.5 3G Subscriber Growth Predictions
Chart 4 W-CDMA Subscriber Growth (2002-2010)
Chart 5 Global 3G Revenues (2004-2010)
Chart 6 Revenues from Voice/Data Services
5.1.1.6 When will the Users Adopt 3G?
5.1.1.7 Constraints of 3G
5.1.2 From 3G to HSDPA
5.1.2.1 HSDPA Market and Opportunities
Chart 7 Market Penetration for HSDPA by 2009
Chart 8 HSDPA Subscribers Worldwide (2005-2009)
Chart 9 Global HSDPA Revenues (2005-2009)
5.1.2.2 Why HSDPA?
5.1.2.3 The Need for Higher Transmission Speeds
5.1.3 HSDPA and IMS together in a Converged Network
5.1.4 IMS Market
5.1.4.1 Forecasts for SIP Servers and Softswitches
5.1.4.1.1 SIP Application Servers
Chart 10 SIP Application Server Market (2005-2010)
Chart 11 Softswitch Market (2004-2010)
5.1.4.1.2 SIP Based Softswitches
Chart 12 Demand for IMS Equipment based on Regions Worldwide (2006)
Chart 13 Demand for IMS Equipment based on Operator type (2006)
5.1.4.2 Market Requirements
5.1.4.2.1 Developed Markets
5.1.4.2.1.1 Wireless Network Operators
5.1.4.2.1.2 Fixed Line Network Operators
5.1.4.2.3 US
5.1.4.2.4 Europe
5.1.4.2.2 Emerging Markets
Chart 14 Sales of Softswitches in Asia as a Percentage of Overall Sales
5.1.4.2.2.1 China
5.1.4.3 IMS Deployment Timeline
Chart 15 IMS Deployment Timeframes (worldwide)
Figure 12 Operator Strategies to Deploy IMS
Figure 13 Migration Options for Network Operators
5.1.5 Usage Forecasts to 2010
Chart 16 Applications and their demand (2010)
Chart 17: Global Mobile Data Revenue (2004-2010)
5.1.6 Customer Segmentation
Chart 18: IMS Subscribers by Type 2007
Chart 19 Data ARPU in Dollars (2003-2010)
5.1.6.1 Customer Requirements Analysis
5.1.7 Vendor Selection Criteria
5.1.8 Feature Requirements
Table 12 Demand for IMS Equipment
5.1.8.1 Vendor Market share
Chart 20 IMS Contracts Won by Key Vendors (2005)
Chart 21 Market Share for IMS (2007)
5.1.9 Positioning
5.1.10 Overall Operator Strategies
5.1.11 Vendors Success
5.1.12 Growth Prospects
Chart 22 Users of Packet and Circuit Switched Technologies (2002-2010)
Chart 23 Mobile Video Messaging and Telephony Revenues, (2004 and 2009)
Chart 24 Percentage of Global Users who will Play Mobile Games more than once a Week (2004-2010)
Chart 25 Global PTT Revenues
Chart 26 Global PTT Subscriber Growth
5.1.13 IMS Handsets
Chart 27 Handset Shipments Worldwide
Chart 28 Fixed and mobile service revenues in Europe, 2002-2009
Chart 29 Enterprise VOIP traffic, 2002 and 2004
Chart 30 Enterprise VOIP traffic, 2009
Chart 31 FMC service revenues, 2005-2009
Chart 32 IMS Handset Shipments Worldwide
Table 13 Key Highlights of IMS Technology

Chapter 6. Issues Surrounding IMS

6.1 Development and Deployment Issues
6.1.1 Interoperability
6.1.1.1 Interoperability of SIP and SS7 Signalling
6.1.2 Compatibility
6.1.3 QoS Issues
6.1.4 Service Assurance and Risk Management
6.1.5 Security
6.1.6 IPv4 to IPv6 Conversion
6.2 Fundamental Technology Threats to IMS
6.3 Other Business Issues
6.4 Challenges Facing Mobile Operators
6.4.1 Evolving an all IP Network
6.4.2 Finding out the Right Business Model
6.4.3 Increasing Operator Competition
6.4.4 Availability of Handsets
6.4.5 Intervening Networks
6.5 Challenges to Fixed Line Operators
6.6 How to Approach Convergence in Networks?
6.6.1 Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA)
6.6.2 Packet Core FMC Solution
6.6.3 The Right Choice
6.7 Other Problems Facing Operators
6.8 Recent Developments in IMS Ecosystem
6.8.1 Siemens Demonstrates IMS phone call on live GSM network
6.8.2 Nokia's IMS Solution on CDMA
6.8.3 Nokia and Telecom Italia

7 Standards and Regulations

7.1 3GPP: Establishing IMS Requirements and Architecture
7.1.1 How 3GPP Works
7.1.1.1 Release 99
7.1.1.2 Release 4
7.1.1.3 Release 5
7.1.1.4 Release 6
Figure 14 W-CDMA Evolution through Phases
Figure 15 W-CDMA Evolution Time Frames
7.2 3GPP2: Working Closely with 3GPP on IMS Architecture
7.2.1 3GPP2 Organisational Partners
7.2.2 Need for 3GPP and 3GPP2 to Work Together
7.3 The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): Smooth Operation of the Internet
7.4 The International Telecommunication Union (ITU): H323 Standard and IMS
7.5 Consortia, Coalitions and Associations
7.5.1 SIP Forum
7.5.2 IMTC: Working towards interoperability
7.5.3 MIT Internet Telephony Consortium
7.5.4 The VON Coalition
7.5.5 The Telecommunications Industry Association
7.5.6 The Softswitch Consortium
7.5.7 The Parlay Group: Promoting Parley API
7.5.8 The JAIN Initiative
7.5.9 GSMA Initiative for Interconnection of SIP Networks
Table 14 Companies Participating in GSMA Initiative for Interconnection of SIP Networks
7.5 10 SIP Center
7.5.11 Fixed-to-Mobile Convergence Alliance (FMCG)
7.5.12 TISPAN: Working Towards NGN
7.5.13 Wireless Wireline Convergence Working Group
7.6 Regulatory Issues
7.6.1 Regulation and Interconnection of Data Networks
7.6.2 Other Regulatory Issues

8 Conclusions and Recommendations

8.1 Factors that are Critical for Operators
Table 15 SWOT Analysis
8.2 IMS's Promise to Vendors:
8.3 IMS's Promise to Wireline Operators:
8.4 What Should Operators Concentrate On?
8.4.1 Focus on High Revenue Per Megabyte
8.4.2 Investment Strategies
8.5 What should Device Manufacturers Focus on?
8.5.1 Continuous Research in Developing the Right Handsets
8.5.2 Time to Market
8.5.3 Multiple OS Strategy
8.6 What Application Developers Should Focus on?
8.6.1 Partnerships
8.6.2 Applications for the Future
8.7 What should Customers Focus on?
Table 16 Benefits of IMS to End- Customers
8.8 IMS: Will soon be a Reality
Chart 33: IMS subscribers worldwide, 2006-2010
Chart 34: Global IMS revenues, 2006-2010
8.9 Final analysis
Appendix A About visiongain

Appendix B Author biography

Appendix C Report evaluation form

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