Network Convergence and Service Convergence

Convergence is the main trend for future network development. The multi-service bearer network,built upon the Internet Protocol/Multi-protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) technology,is a converged network with Quality of Service (QoS) guarantee for business and enterprise customers. The integrated and unified service provisioning platform (including both service execution and development enviroments) can provide integrated audio,video and data services over multiple access networks. However,achieving network convergence and service convergence are long-term goals,which can only be realized step by step after comprehensive consideration of many factors like market demands,technologies,services and costs.

PoC: An IMS-based Wireless Value-added Service

This article introduces the Push-to-talk over Cellular( PoC) service, a new mobile value-added service based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). Its implementation scheme is discussed and its Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signaling exchange flow is described. Target user groups are predicted based on the analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the PoC service. The article purports that the PoC system could undoubtedly be used as a platform for new services such as multimedia messaging, instant messaging, presence, and picture receiving and sending. Just like the short message service, the PoC service will help the terminal vendors, equipment vendors, content providers and operators setup a win-for-all industrial value chain.

Carrying Railway 5G Service Application by Multi-technology Convergence

The application scenarios of railway radio communication are complex,while the existing narrowband communication such as GSM-R and radio train dispatching system fails to meet the requirements of service application development.The carrying capacity of railway 5G-R has been greatly improved,mainly for wide-area train-ground communication services such as dispatching communication,train control and train operation safety monitoring.However,for large passenger stations,freight yards,maintenance bases and other places with densely populated railway operators,it is unable to carry overall railway service applications limited by the spectrum bandwidth of 5G private networks,so it is necessary to consider various radio technologies for supplementation.This paper also elaborates the railway service application scenarios,analyzes the characteristics of radio communication technologies such as 5G mmWave and the 6th-generation wireless LAN technology(Wi-Fi6),and discusses the schemes of multi-technology convergence carrying railway 5G service applications.

An rFC based service triggering algorithm for IMS network

To reduce the potential signaling traffic in IP multimedia subsystem （IMS）, the session establishment procedures were investigated. The serving call session eontrol function （S-CSCF） is the major bottleneck in IMS and the existing 3GPP service triggering algorithm （STA） based on initial filter eriteria （iFC） increases the end-to-end session setup delay remarkably. To reduce the session setup delay and improve the system performanee, a SIP response message based filter criteria （rFC） was proposed. Based on the rFC, a SIP response message based STA （RSTA） was further proposed. The modeling and theoretical analysis of 3GPP STA and RSTA were presented. Simulation results show that, compared with 3GPP STA, the RSTA can avoid the additional signaling traffie load of the S-CSCF and application server （AS） effectively, reduce the session setup delay eonsiderably, increase the throughput of the S-CSCF and improve the quality of service （QoS） of IMS network.

Service Convergence in Next Generation Network

The convergence of communication services becomes a focus in the industry along with the requirement for full-service operation and technical development. Service convergence includes two aspects: The convergence of the fixed and mobile networks; and the convergence of traditional communications and Internet services. This requires balancing the conflicts between the openness and operationability of terminal capability and network convergence. Unified authentication and authorization are the basis for service convergence in terms of operationability. Modular network and open terminal are technical solutions for the service convergence.

IMS and Converged Service Network

The current telecom target network architecture with IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) as the core lacks the actual verification of existing large-scale networks and faces the stiff competition from Internet technologies. In the process of promoting the commercial usage of IMS services, the Service Delivery Platform (SDP) is evolving into a more convergent and open Service Delivery Environment (SDE) and will become the mainstream of the next generation Telecom Service Network. ZTE’s concept of the Converged Service Network (CSN) is to integrate various network service capabilities to realize the unification of data, service, capability and management and thus the fast provisioning of various Value-Added Services (VASs), which helps the carriers to maintain a leading position in the value chain, meeting the telecom carriers ’ requirements for service network development.

An Approach for Telecom Operators to Achieve Converged Telecom and Internet Services

This article discusses a possible approach for telecom operators to achieve converged telecom and Internet services. It involves integrally developing telecom networks and Internet businesses through the convergence of their instant news and social networking services. Some background, benefits for telecom operators, and possible challenges are analyzed. A new service convergence approach such as this can also facilitate triple-screen and multi-screen convergence in the future.

Proposal for a Future Internet Business Model and Regulatory Acts in a Technological Convergence Environment Supporting Continuity of QoS

The communications development requires interaction between converging heterogeneous technology environment, with quality and continuity of services to remain competitive. The full implementation of the Future Internet concept implies in the necessity to operate among heterogeneous technology platforms with continuity of QoS (Quality of Service), what leads to the necessity of an innovative business model to support it and new technical mechanisms of vertical handover to ensure the QoS continuity required and expected by final users but, mainly, perceived by them. An innovative business model that requires innovative QoS continuity mechanisms must consider technical and commercial interoperation among many telecommunication services providers, nationally and internationally based. This interaction demands clear rules to be followed by every player along the telecommunication services chain,i.e., it demands a set of regulation acts to guide them and allow their viability.

Service behavior modeling and service behavior convergence-based radio resource scheduling in wireless systems

With the development of wireless networks, the amount of multiple services increased sharply in recent years. High quality multiple services with low price are urgently needed especially in new generation mobile communication systems, e.g., 3G/LTE networks. It is important to enhance the availability of data service resources. Services have strong association which are used by clients with similar behavior habits in networks. Such feature results in service behavior convergence （SBC） and its utilization will enhance resource efficiency. This paper proposes two applications of service behavior： service prediction and a scheduling algorithm which enhances bandwidth efficiency. Convergence cells are classified according to SBC and hot-spot services are broadcasted separately in each convergence cell. It is demonstrated by stimulation that the bandwidth is saved 80% more than classical cellular system and nearly 20% more than traditional broadcasting system.

Fixed Mobile Convergence Strategies

Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) has become a hot topic in the telecom industry. Telecom operators are paying close attention to discovering a road of convergence based on their existing networks. However,there are no unified strategies regarding the implementation of FMC at present. This article analyzes the deployment of FMC strategies for different types of operators,as well as different network layers,while assessing the impact of FMC on the existing operating modes. The operators are suggested to take the existing network structure,operation and maintenance system and business modes into planning and find out their proper roads to network convergence.

ZTE Launches zVOA to Empower Converged Voice and Multimedia Services

ZTE Corporation launched its zVOA solution on February 21. This solution enables operators to deploy a unified control network for voice, video and multimedia services over any existing mobile and fixed access network infrastructure.

Trends and Prospects of Network Convergence

The concept of the separation of service,control,bearer and access in the Next Generation Network (NGN) provides a unified architecture for the network convergence in the future. Network convergence involves service,core network,access network,terminal,and operation and maintenance convergence. In the future,the converged network’s trend is to use IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) at the core control layer; Internet Protocol/Multiple Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) technology at the core bearer layer; unified and open service provisioning architecture at the service layer; as well as support fixed,mobile,narrowband and broadband access technologies and so on at the access layer. Terminals will evolve to be multi-modular and intelligent,and would finally enable users to access full services anytime and anywhere using one number,one terminal,one account and one core network.

Seamless Handover for IMS over Mobile-IPv6 Using Context Transfer

Mobility support for the next generation IPv6 networks has been one of the recent research issues due to the growing demand for wireless services over internet.In the other hand,3GPP has introduced IP Multimedia Subsystem as the next generation IP based infrastructure for wireless and wired multimedia services.In this paper we present two context transfer mechanisms based on predictive and reactive schemes,to support seamless handover in IMS over Mobile IPv6.Those schemes reduce handover latency by transferring appropriate session information between the old and the new access networks.Moreover,we present two methods for QoS parameters negotiations to preserve service quality along the mobile user movement path.The performances of the proposed mechanisms are evaluated by simulations.

Analysis of Key Issues of Fixed Mobile Convergence

Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) is the focus of the future communications network development,on which the industry has kept strengthening its relevant research. However,before a large scale of implementation,there are still lots of key issues to be explored. The adoption of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture to replace the real-time services in the traditional application needs to solve the Quality of Service (QoS) problem in the IP domain,unify the method that the fixed and mobile users of the traditional circuit domain access IMS,complete the mapping of circuit domain service flow to IMS,guarantee the security of IMS bearer network,transform the traditional operation mode,and set up a new pattern adaptable to the convergence.

ZTE Launches New Generation Convergence Solution

ZTE Corporation,a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions,launched its new-generation IMS-based solution (ZIMS),at the Global NGN Summit 2007 held in Beijing,China.

Message Service System Evolution and General Frameworks

With the development of message service in telecom networks as well as the Internet,multiple message service formats have been emerging,including Short Message Service (SMS),Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS),Mobile Email Message (MEM) and Instant Message (IM).Based on the latest research achievements of OMA CPM Organization and GSMA RCS Organization,the message service evolution may have two phases:Integration and convergence,with corresponding overall framework realization methods.

Global lessons on delivery of primary healthcare services for people with non-communicable diseases:convergent mixed methods

Objective To extract key lessons on primary healthcare(PHC)service delivery strategies for non-communicable diseases(NCD)from the work of researchers funded by the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases(GACD).Design A convergent mixed methods study that extracted data using a standardised template from research projects funded by the GACD that focused on PHC.The strategies implemented in these studies were mapped onto the PHC Performance Initiative framework.Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with researchers from purposefully selected projects to understand the strategies and contextual factors in more depth.Setting PHC contexts from low or middle-income countries(LMIC)as well as vulnerable groups within high-income countries.Projects came from all regions of the world,particularly East Asia and Pacific,sub-Saharan Africa,South Asia,Latin America and Caribbean.Participants The study extracted data on 84 research projects and interviewed researchers from 16 research projects.Results Research projects came from all regions of the world,and mainly focused on diabetes(35.3%),hypertension(28.3%)and mental health(27.6%).Mapped onto the PHC Performance Initiative framework:49.4%focused on high-quality PHC(particularly the comprehensiveness of NCD care,41.2%);41.2%on the availability of PHC services(particularly the competence of healthcare workers,36.5%);35.3%on population health management(particularly community-based services,35.3%);34.1%on facility organisation and management(particularly team-based care,20.0%)and 31.8%on access(particularly digital technology,23.5%).Most common strategies were task shifting and training to improve the comprehensiveness of NCD care through community-based services.Contextual factors related to inputs:infrastructure,equipment and medication,workforce(particularly community health workers),finances,health information systems and digital technology.Conclusion Key strategies and contextual factors to improve PHC service delivery for NCDs in LMICs were identified.These strategies should combine with other strategies to strengthen the PHC system as a whole,while improving care for NCDs.

IMS架构在融合通信服务中的作用与应用前景

在当前通信技术快速发展的环境下,人们对网络语音、视频等多媒体业务的需求不断增长,融合通信服务成为移动通信的重要发展方向之一。IMS是一个融合的业务平台,支持IP多媒体业务的灵活部署和扩展,能有效降低网络建设和运营成本。随着IMS技术不断成熟,将为运营商提供更多的增值业务选择,也将成为未来移动网络向融合语音、视频等多媒体业务转型发展的关键技术。基于此,该文就IMS架构在融合通信服务中的作用与应用前景展开分析,以供参考。