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Proponents of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) continue to build marketing momentum, as they position the technology as a critical element in carriers' next-generation network strategies. IMS's promise of separating the application layer from the network layer plays strongly to network operators, which want to launch new services for their residential and enterprise customers more rapidly and more cheaply than has previously been possible. By using IMS to trial a large number of new applications developed internally or sourced through third parties, network operators are hoping they’ll be able to find the right combination of services to enable them to boost per-user revenues in the face of intense price competition for basic voice and data.

As a technology originally conceived for wireless networks, IMS is also being positioned as a key facilitator in the convergence of fixed and wireless telephony – another Holy Grail, at least for those operators with both fixed and mobile businesses.

Most service providers consider IMS to be very important to their business strategies. The most commonly cited driver for deployment is the need to create a platform that enables new services to be launched easily and cost-effectively and the promise that IMS will have a positive impact on their ability to create and deliver these new services.

— From the Light Reading Insider report, IMS: What Carriers Really Think, by Dennis Mendyk, Managing Director, Heavy Reading, and James Crawshaw, Contributing Analyst, Light Reading Insider. For the full report click here.

Making Applications Simple – A Guide to Blended Lifestyle Services: To deliver the blended services users are starting to demand means employing technology that brings real intelligence to networks.

To download this free PDF from Lucent (836kb) click here.