MobileIN.com Research

 


Professional
Center

White Papers

Mini-tutorials

Books

 


The IMS Report Market Forecast to 2012

March 2007 179 Pages


Brought to you by MobileIN.com and its affiliate
consultants, researchers, experts and analysts.
Questions or comments?  Email: Reports@MobileIN.com
Single User License: £ 1,499 ($ 2850)

Secure Server
Company Wide License: £ 4,999 ($ 9500)

Secure Server

MarketResearch1.gif (2625 bytes)
 Research


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


Virtually every major telecom industry player must now be dealing with IMS. News of planned IMS-compatible products and services are arriving almost every day. Are you one of them? If you are testing IMS, then you must understand what strategies to adopt to implement and profit from this technology now.

With companies such as Siemens Nokia going straight to enterprises and offering IMS based systems away from the carrier, the importance and influence of IMS is critical to all concerned in the value chain. Are you fully prepared for how it will impact on you?

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is an open and standardised architecture for mobile and fixed services. But is this really true - is the standard truely open to all? 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, but with network-client framework suppliers not reaching agreements then issues still linger. 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 2007", 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 brand new 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 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? - lack of IMS-capable handsets still an massive concern.
- What the total revenue potential from 3G and HSDPA is with IMS? - standards must be set on how to integrate IMS ad non-IMS handsets
- 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? - an agreed standard must be developed to allow manufacture.

Key concerns such as these still exist. If IMS is to offer unique benefits then questions must be answered today.

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

The report provides forecasts for revenue generation from these services and describes the key drivers to successful future of IMS services, applications and handsets. By buying this report, you will be ideally placed to profit from IMS development. We urge you to order it TODAY.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary
E.1 An Open and Standardised Architecture
E.2 IMS Offers a Variety of Benefits and Opportunities
E.3 Challenges and Issues to be Resolved
E.4 IMS Handsets
E.5 IMS Business Model
E.6 Conclusions

Chapter 1. Introduction
1.1 IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Defined
1.1.1 3GPP's IMS Initiative
1.2 Business Case for IMS
Figure 1: IMS Business Case
1.2.1 Short and Long Term Business Objectives
1.2.1.1 Convergence
1.2.1.2 Need for Differentiation
1.2.1.3 Success of Internet
1.2.1.4 Why IMS is Critical for Operators Growth Strategy?
1.3 Aim of the Report
1.3.1 Holistic Framework for Formulating IMS Strategies
Figure 2: IMS Framework
1.4 Report Structure
1.5 Report Scope

Chapter 2. Understanding IMS
2.1 Technical Focus
Figure 3: IMS Architecture
2.1.1 What is Mobile IP?
2.1.2 All IP Service Layer Infrastructure
Figure 4: Transition from Circuit to Packet Data
2.1.2.1 Evolution Tracks to all-IP
2.1.3 Packet and Circuit Switched Technologies
2.1.3.1 Transition from Circuit to Packet Switched Networks
2.1.3.1.1 Stage One: 2G (Circuit based)
2.1.3.1.2 Stage Two: 2.5G (CS augmented with PS enablers)
2.1.3.1.3 Stage three: 3G and beyond (mostly PS-based networks, some CS)
Figure 5: Stages in Transition from Circuit Switched to Packet Switched Infrastructure
Figure 6: Present and Future Networks
2.2 Distinct Features of IMS
Figure 7: Traditional GSM Networks (Stovepipe Approach)
Figure 8: Horizontal Layered Architecture in IMS
Table 1: Features Offered by IMS
2.3 IMS Architecture
2.3.1 Core Elements of IMS Network
Figure 9: Elements of an IMS Network
2.3.2 Enhanced Service Delivery with IMS
2.3.2.1 The Application Server
2.3.2.2 The Media Resource Function Controller
2.3.3 Flexibility in IMS
2.3.3.1 Gateway or the Transport & Endpoint Layer
2.3.3.2 The Session Control Layer
2.3.3.3 The Application Server Layer
2.4 Other Core Technology Components found in IMS Networks
2.4.1 IP-based Softswitch
2.4.1.1 Benefits of Softswitch Technology
2.4.1.2 Advances in Softswitch Technologies
2.4.2 Media Gateways
2.4.3 Home Subscriber Services
2.4.4 Summary of IMS Architecture
Table 2: IMS Complete Service Delivery Proposition
2.5 Two Key Aspects of IMS Technology
2.5.1 Session Initiated Protocol (SIP)
Figure 10: SIP Components
2.5.1.1 SIP's Routing Decisions
2.5.1.2 Problems posed by SIP
2.5.1.2.1 QoS
2.5.1.2.2 Fraud/Privacy
2.6 Fixed to Mobile Convergence (FMC)
2.6.1 Convergence Trends in the Telecoms Market
2.6.1.1 Fixed Network Operators Interested in IMS
2.6.2 What is FMC?
Figure 11 Convergence of Fixed and Mobile Networks
2.6.2.1 What FMC will offer?
2.6.2.2 Market Demands for FMC
Table 3: FMC Deployments and Planned
2.6.2.3 Applying 3GPP's IMS to Fixed Line Networks
2.6.2.4 Industry Movement towards Wireless Standards
2.6.2.5 Role Played by MNVO's
2.6.2.6 IMS and Fixed-Network VoIP Service Providers
2.7 Issues Surrounding IMS
2.7.1 Development and Deployment Issues
2.7.1.1 Interoperability
2.7.1.2 Interoperability of SIP and SS7 Signalling
2.7.1.3 Compatibility
2.7.1.4 QoS Issues
2.7.1.5 Service Assurance and Risk Management
2.7.1.6 Security
2.7.1.7 IPv4 to IPv6 Conversion
2.8 Fundamental Technology Threats to IMS
2.8.1 IMS still in Infancy
2.8.2 Other Business Issues
2.9 Standards and Regulations
2.9.1 3GPP: Establishing IMS Requirements and Architecture
2.9.2 How 3GPP Works
2.9.2.1 Release 99
2.9.2.2 Release 4
2.9.2.3 Release 5
2.9.2.4 Release 6
2.9.2.5 Release 7 and Beyond
Figure 12: W-CDMA Evolution Time Frames
Figure 13: W-CDMA Evolution through Phases
2 9.3 3GPP2: Working Closely with 3GPP on IMS Architecture
2 9.3.1 3GPP2 Organisational Partners
2 9.3.2 Need for 3GPP and 3GPP2 to Work Together
2 9.4 The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF): Smooth Operation of the Internet
2 9.5 The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) : H323 Standard and IMS
2 9.6 Consortia, Coalitions and Associations
2.9.6.1 SIP Forum
2 9.6.2 International Multimedia Teleconferencing Consortium,(IMTC)
2.9.6.3 MIT Internet Telephony Consortium
2.9.6.4 The VON Coalition
2.9.6.5 The Telecommunications Industry Association
2.9.6.6 The Softswitch Consortium
2.9.6.7 The Parlay Group: Promoting Parley API
2.9.6.8 The JAIN Initiative
2.9.6.9 SIP Centre
2.9.6.10 Fixed-to-Mobile Convergence Alliance
2.9.6.11 TISPAN: Working Towards NGN
2.9.6.12 Wireless Wireline Convergence Working Group
2.9.6.13 IMS Forum
2.9.6.14 Internet Telephony Consortium
2.9.7 Regulatory Issues
2.9.7.1 Regulation and Interconnection of Data Networks
2.9.7.2 Other Regulatory Issues
2.9.8 A-IMS: Is it proprietary?

Chapter 3. Identify the IMS Strategy, Desired Outcomes, Benefits and Challenges
3.1 IMS Strategy
3.1.1 Deciding the Right Strategy
Figure 14: Operator Strategies to Deploy IMS
3.1.1.1 Network Infrastructure
3.1.1.1.1 Legacy Systems
3.1.1.1.2 2G Networks
Figure 15: Migration Options for Network Operators
3.1.1.1.3 Need for Training
3.1.1.1.4 Customer Care
3.1.1.1.5 Fixed Network Operators
3.1.1.1.6 Cable Operators
3.1.1.2 Standards based Approach
3.1.1.3 Growth
3.1.1.4 Differentiation
3.1.1.5 Customer Requirements
3.1.1.6 Time to Market
3.1.1.7 Other Questions
Table 4: Critical Questions that must be considered by Operators
3.1.2 Responding to Internal and External Environmental Pressures
Table 5: Benchmarking Guidelines for IMS Proposition
Table 6: Forming a IMS Strategy
3.2 Benefits of IMS
3.2.1 Capability to Launch New Services Faster
3.2.2 Range of Applications can be Launched via IMS
3.2.3 Ability to Offer Converged Services to Customers
3.2.4 Powerful User Devices
3.2.5 Open Service Creation
3.2.6 Enhanced End User Proposition
3.2.6.1 Integrated Rich Media
3.2.6.2 Single Public Identity
3.2.6.3 Personalised Communications
3.2.6.4 Roaming
3.2.6.5 IP services
3.2.6.6 Mobile-Fixed Inter-working
3.2.6.7 Cost Effective Solutions
3.2.7 Summary of Key Benefits
3.3 Desired Outcomes
3.3.1 Identify which Customer Segments to Target
3.3.1.1 Enterprises Set to Benefit from IMS Services
3.3.1.2 How Operators can Target the Business Segment
3.3.1.3 ARPU Growth from Small and Medium Sized Companies
3.3.2 Mass Market for IMS
Table 7: Benefits of IMS to Customers
3.4 Challenges Facing Mobile Operators
3.4.1 Evolving to an all IP Network
3.4.2 Finding out the Right Business Model
3.4.3 Increasing Operator Competition
Table 8: Pros and cons of allowing access to WLANs
3.4.4 Availability of Handsets
3.4.5 Intervening Networks
3.5 Challenges to Fixed Line Operators
3.6 Summary

Chapter 4. 4. Approach to IMS Deployment
4.1 End-to-End Deployment
4.2 Phased out Deployment
4.2.1 Deploying a part of IMS Solution
4.3 Single Vendor Approach
4.4 Multiple Vendor Approach
4.5 Hosted IMS Solutions
4.5.1 Service Delivery Platform Approach
4.6 Using UMA as a stepping stone to End-to-end IMS Deployment
Table 9: UMA Vendors
4.7 Steps to IMS Deployment
4.8 Timeline for IMS Deployment
4.9 How to Approach Convergence in Networks
4.9.1 Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA)
4.9.2 Packet Core FMC Solution
4.10 The Right Choice

Chapter 5. 5. Players in the IMS Market
5.1 Industry Structure
Figure 16: IMS Value Chain
5.2 Infrastructure Vendors
Figure 17: Components in IMS Architecture
5.2.1 Ericsson
5.2.1.1 Ericsson's Key Customers and Recent Launches
Table 10: Ericsson's IMS Customers @ Q1 ‘07
5.2.1.1.1 Softbank
5.2.1.1.2 CYTA
5.2.1.1.3 Telenor
5.2.2 Nokia
Table 11: Nokia's IMS Customers
5.2.3 Siemens
Table 12: Siemens's IMS Customers
5.2.3.1 Nokia Siemens joint venture and its impact on their IMS Portfolio
5.2.4 Motorola
Table 13: Motorola's IMS and PTT Customers
5.2.5 Lucent
Table 14: Lucent's IMS Customers
5.2.5.1 Lucent Alcatel Merger and its Impact on their IMS strategy
5.2.5.2 Lucent's IMS Customers
5.2.6 Nortel
5.2.7 Heuawei
5.2.8 Tatara Systems
5.2.9 Ubiquity Software
5.2.10 Tekelec
5.2.11 Radisys Convedia
5.2.12 Bridgeport Networks
5.2.13 Hotsip
5.2.14 NetCentrex
5.2.15 Tilgin
5.2.16 LogicaCMG (Acision)
5.3 Softswitch Vendors
Table 15: Key SoftSwitch Vendors and their Products
5.3.1 Clarent
5.4 System Integrators
5.4.1 IBM
5.5 Handset Developers
Chart 1: 3G Penetration in Key Global Markets
Table 16: IMS handset Realities
5.5.1 Nokia
5.5.2 Motorola
5.5.3 Samsung
5.5.4 Kineto Wireless and Philips
5.5.5 Erico
5.5.6 Other Handset Manufacturers
5.6 Summary
Table 17 Companies in IMS Market

Chapter 6. 6. IMS Applications Deployment and Development
6.1 Application Deployment
6.1.1 Applications offered by IMS
Table 18: Applications Enabled by IMS
6.1.1.1 PoC
Chart 2: Global PoC Revenues 2007-2012
Chart 3: Global MIM Revenues 2007-2012
6.1.1.1.1 PoC Will Drive IMS rollouts
6.1.1.2 Video Telephony
6.1.1.3 Multimedia Streaming
6.1.1.3.1 High Speed Video Streaming Services
6.1.1.4 Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM)
6.1.1.5 Presence
6.1.1.5.1 IMS Presence Services for Interactive Games
6.1.1.6 IPTV
6.1.1.6.1 Developments in IPTV arena
6.1.1.6.1.1 PCCW
6.1.1.6.1.2 Microsoft
6.1.1.6.1.3 3UK and Sling Media
6.1.1.6.1.4 Ubicode
6.1.1.6.2 Triple Play and Quad Play
6.1.1.6.3 Fixed Line Operators and IPTV
6.1.1.6.4 Market for IPTV
Chart 4: Global IPTV Subscriber Growth (2007-2012)
6.1.1.7 VoIP
Chart 5: Enterprise VOIP traffic, 2009
Chart 6: Enterprise VOIP traffic, 2012
6.1.1.7.1 VoIP gaining traction in the UK
6.2 Application Development
6.2.1 IMS Poses Challenges and Opportunities to Application Developers
6.3 Summary

Chapter 7. Forecasts and IMS Profitability
7.1 Facts and Figures
7.1.1 Global Market Evolution to IMS
Chart 7 Share of Technologies Worldwide (2006)
7.1.1.1 3G Subscriber Growth
Chart 8: Global W-CDMA and GSM Subscriber Growth (2007-2012)
Chart 9: Global 3G Revenues (2007-2012)
7.1.1.2 Constraints of 3G
7.1.1.3 From 3G to HSDPA
7.1.1.3.1 HSDPA Market and Opportunities
Table 19: HSDPA Deployments
Chart 10 : HSDPA Market Share (2012)
Chart 11: HSDPA Subscriber Growth
Chart 12: Global HSDPA Revenues
7.1.1.3.2 Why HSDPA?
7.1.1.3.3 The Need for Higher Transmission Speeds
7.1.1.3.4 HSDPA and IMS together in a Converged Network
7.1.1.4 When will the Users Adopt 3G?
7.2 IMS Market
Chart 13: Demand for IMS Equipment based on Regions Worldwide (2006)
7.2.1 Developed Markets
7.2.1.1 Wireless Network Operators
7.2.1.2 Fixed Line Network Operators
7.2.1.3 US and Western Europe
7.2.2 Emerging Markets
Chart 14 Sales of Softswitches In Asia as a Percentage of Overall Sales (2006)
7.2.2.1 China
7.3 IMS Deployment Timeline
Chart 15: IMS Deployment Timeframes worldwide (2012)
7.4 Usage Forecasts to 2012
Chart 16: Percentage Data Revenues Generated by Different Data Applications (2012)
7.5 Impact of IMS on SMS Revenues
Chart 17: Western European SMS Revenues (2007-2012)
7.6 Applications will Drive IMS Take-up
7.6.1 Data ARPU
Chart 18: Global Average Data ARPU (2007-2012)
7.7 IMS Infrastructure Requirements
Chart 19: IMS contracts (2005-2006)
Table 20: Demand for IMS Equipment
7.8. IMS Vendor Market share
Chart 20: Global IMS Vendor Market Share (2009)
7.9 Growth Prospects
Chart 21: Users of Packet and Circuit Switched Technologies (2007-2012)
7.10 IMS Handsets
Chart 22: IMS Handset Shipments Worldwide as a Percentage of Total Handset Shipment
7.11 Develop New Business Propositions
7.11.1 New Business Model
Table 21: Business Case for IMS
7.11.2 Long term Benefits or Short term Gains?
7.11.3 OpEx Savings
7.11.4 Cost of Deployment
7.11.5 Time to Market with new Applications
7.11.6 Demand from Customers
7.12 IMS Forecasts
Chart 23: IMS Infrastructure and Integration Service Revenues (2007-2012)
Chart 24: IMS Subscriber Growth (2007-2012)
Chart 25: IMS Operator Revenues (2007-2012)
Chart 26: Percentage of Hosted IMS solutions (2007-2012)
Chart 27: IMS Hosting By Mobile Operator Type (2012)
Chart 28: Global IMS CapEx Investments (2007-2012)
Chart 29: % IMS Investments from Different Service Providers
Chart 30: IMS Revenue Generation by Segment Type (2012)
7.12.1 VoIP Market
Chart 31: Global VoIP Equipment Market (2007-2012)
Chart 32: Global VoIP Subscriber Growth (2007-2012)
7.12.2 FMC Market
Chart 33: Global FMC Subscriber Growth (2007-2012)
Chart 34: Global FMC Revenue Growth (2007-2012)
7.13 Deployments so Far
Table 22: Global IMS Deployments (2005-2006)
7.13.1 Network Operators
7.13.1.1 BT
7.13.1.1.1 BT Vision
7.13.1.2 France Telecom
7.13.1.3 Bell Canada
7.13.1.4 Sprint
7.13.1.5 Cable Companies
7.13.1.6 Fixed Network Operators and VoIP Providers
7.13.1.7 VoIP in the mobile environment
7.14 IMS ROI Scenarios
Figure 16: ROI from IMS Investments
Table 23: Key Highlights of IMS Technology

Chapter 8. Recommendations and Conclusion
Table 24: IMS SWOT Analysis
8.1 Recommendations
8.1.1 Factors that are Critical for Operators
8.1.2 IMS's Promise to Vendors
8.1.3 IMS's Promise to Wireleine Operators
8.1.4 What Should Operators Concentrate On?
8.1.4.1 Focus on High Revenue Per Megabyte
8.1.4.2 Investment Strategies
8.1.4.3 Smooth Transition to IMS
8.1.5 What should Device Manufacturers Focus on?
8.1.5.1 Continuous Research in Developing the Right Handsets
8.1.5.2 Time to Market
8.1.5.3 Handset Development Strategy
8.1.6 What should Application Developers Focus on?
8.1.6.1 Partnerships
8.1.6.2 Applications for the Future
8.1.7 IMS: will soon be a Reality
8.2 Conclusions