Starent Networks' IMS Solution Succeeds in Industry Forum Tests

(Business News & Technology News, 13 Jun 2007)

Starent Networks Corp. has successfully tested its Session Control Manager (SCM) at the IMS Forum's IMS Plugfest II for Applications and Services, held at the University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH IOL) on June 4-8, 2007.

The IMS Plugfest II is the second in a series of open testing events that are designed to foster interoperability by establishing an industry-recognized interoperability certification for IMS services and applications. The Plugfest events create test plans for IMS applications and services, allowing service providers to expedite IMS service rollout. The first Plugfest focused on interoperability of the IMS transport layer. Plugfest II tests interoperability for VoIP, IP Centrex, SMS and Fixed-Mobile Convergence functionality.

The event provided an opportunity for IMS vendors like Starent Networks to test their services and applications, interoperate with other IMS network elements, and to further IMS technology deployment. Starent Networks tested its Session Control Manager with the Proxy Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF) and Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF is expected to be generally available Q4, 2007), operating on its ST-series multimedia core platforms. Starent Networks' Session Control Manager passed all tested call flow scenarios, including multi-domain, application server interaction and registration and deregistration of IMS and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based mobile devices with and without authentication. Additionally, the policy control and charging interface defined in 3GPP Release 7 interfaces based on Diameter was successfully tested for interoperability.

"The IMS Plugfest demonstrates the Session Control Manager's ability to deliver SIP-based services today while providing a migration path to the IMS networks of tomorrow," said Ashraf Dahod, CEO, Starent Networks. "We are committed to helping mobile operators deliver a wide variety of multimedia services with standards-based solutions that are efficient and effective."

IMS is a network architecture created to standardize and simplify deployment of next-generation multimedia communications, such as instant messaging, video conferencing and mobile TV.

IMS Forum
Starent Networks