MS To Take Maximum Advantage of UMTS/HSPA

3G Americas Publishes White Paper on IMS as an Application Enabler

Bellevue, WA, July 25, 2006 - The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture is able to take maximum advantage of UMTS/HSPA (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service/High Speed Packet Access) network technology and drive mobile data growth and user adoption. 3G Americas, a wireless industry association, today published a white paper that focuses specifically on IMS architecture, as defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), as the new application enabler for IP-based multimedia services.

The paper, entitled IMS: Application Enabler and UMTS/HSPA Growth Catalyst, addresses the ways in which 3GPP IMS architecture is best suited for the blending of real-time and non real-time multimedia services, and how it optimizes the application life-cycle through rapid and efficient service creation and deployment. Further, the paper illustrates how basic IMS services such as Presence, Messaging, and others, can become enablers of larger, personalized, interactive and collaborative multimedia services. The paper describes how IMS will play a key role in the introduction of these new revenue-generating services, and how the deployment of the GSM evolution through UMTS/HSPA will improve the user experience and generate demand for additional services. "IMS provides an architecture that facilitates the creation and deployment of complex multimedia applications, and provides service transparency and integration between networks," stated Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas. "UMTS/HSPA combined with IMS together provide significant value added benefits from innovative services that will elevate customer satisfaction, leading to lower churn and increased subscription levels for new applications."

With IMS in place, it will be possible to deliver services over high-speed mobile networks and fixed broadband IP networks concurrently. What this means for users is a newfound ability to access multiple services in the course of the same call or session with multimedia applications such as Push-to-Talk over Cellular, Video Share and others. The reduction of lead time for new services and the ability to personalize these services, as well as other benefits such as an 'always on' connection, high quality of service, security and regulatory support, will all work to ensure a positive user experience.

The IMS: Application Enabler and UMTS/HSPA Growth Catalyst white paper was collaboratively developed by 3G Americas' board member companies and is available for free download at the 3G Americas' website: www.3gamericas.org.

About 3G Americas: Unifying the Americas through Wireless Technology

The mission of 3G Americas is to promote and facilitate the seamless deployment throughout the Americas of GSM and its evolution to 3G and beyond. The organization fully supports the Third Generation technology migration strategy to EDGE and UMTS/HSPA adopted by many operators in the Americas that is expected to account for up to 85% of next-generation customers worldwide. 3G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, WA with an office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Dallas, TX. For more information, visit our website at www.3gamericas.org.

3G Americas' Board of Governor members include AT&T Wireless (USA), Cable & Wireless (West Indies), Cingular Wireless (USA), Ericsson, Gemalto, HP, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, Openwave Systems, Research In Motion, Rogers Wireless (Canada), Siemens, T-Mobile USA, Telcel (Mexico), Telefónica Móviles (Spain), and Texas Instruments.

Source: 3G Americas