GSM operators will have the opportunity to derive business benefits by evolving to a packetized core network technology and more profitably address all segments of the marketplace.
3G Americas today published a white paper, The Benefits to GSM Operators of the Packetized Core Network, providing a technical and business overview of the bearer-independent core network architecture. This new network design enables operators to provide applications and services to their customers while reaping the benefits of split architecture decoupling the control and user (bearer) planes for independent scalability and a packetized core network that will eliminate the need to run parallel networks.
The packetization of existing wireless telephony services through consolidation and simplification of the core network is the first step toward achieving the 'all packet' network architecture widely recognized as the ultimate goal for network operators. The white paper explains how the next generation core networks will allow a GSM operator to deliver wireless services at a substantially lower cost base through capital and operational cost savings via:
less equipment thereby reducing overall capital investment in the network and the cost of ownership associated with each network node;
highly scalable network elements enabling a network with far fewer nodes, reducing internal network overhead and improving network efficiency;
more efficient use of transmission capacity facilitating the scalability of network interfaces;
ability to geographically distribute and scale network equipment that no longer has to be at legacy 'central office' sites in constrained locations;
one common packet network that is used for everything- voice, data and signaling- simplifying network operation so that there is no need for multiple overlay networks and reducing network complexity and the operational overhead.
The deployment of Next Generation Core Network technology can bring a diverse range of benefits to GSM operators. By specifying the packet core network and IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) standards to consolidate multiple overlays into a single multi-service network."
IMS is a powerful network strategy providing GSM operators a new layer in the packet domain that will provide person-to-person, real and non-real time integrated multimedia services such as voice, video, instant messaging, online gaming, web-sharing and other services over a single IP network.
