Alcatel-Lucent, Airvana to Jointly Demonstrate CDMA Femtocell Solution at CTIA WIRELESS 2008
(Business News & Technology News, 1 Apr 2008)
Airvana Inc. and Alcatel-Lucent will jointly demonstrate an end-to-end third-generation (3G) CDMA/EV-DO femtocell solution, supporting voice and mobile high-speed data services, at the CTIA WIRELESS 2008 tradeshow and exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 1 to 3, 2008.
Femtocells are small cellular access points that leverage existing broadband connectivity to provide consumers with enhanced mobile voice, video and data services, especially in the home using existing mobile phones and other wireless devices. They will enable operators to cost-effectively increase their network coverage and capacity to meet the growing demand for mobile voice and data services, particularly in difficult-to-serve indoor environments as well as to ultimately offer new services and service packages to users.
To provide femtocell-based services, mobile operators will deploy end-to- end solutions that incorporate the femtocell device, femto network gateways, and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) core network infrastructure. The joint demonstration by Alcatel-Lucent and Airvana is an example of vendors cooperating to deliver just such a solution.
The advanced CDMA femtocell solution envisioned by both companies combines Airvana's radio access technology, including the femto access point and Femto Network Gateway services provided by the Universal Access Gateway (UAG), together with Alcatel-Lucent's IMS core supporting CDMA-SIP convergence. Built on an innovative flat IP architecture using IMS and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) standards, this solution provides support for both CDMA2000 1X and EV-DO Rev. A service, together with unique capabilities to allow seamless inter-working between the femtocell and the broader macro network, in order to ensure that users have a consistent, high-quality mobile experience for voice, data, and video services as they move between the indoor and outdoor environments. By working together the two companies can offer operators the benefits of advanced femto radio access capabilities together with a full suite of IMS products and features in an integrated solution that leverages the combined expertise of Airvana and Alcatel-Lucent.