At the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, Nokia is outlining the Intelligent Edge -- a new "service aware" capability to enhance existing packet core networks. Intelligent Edge gives operators new possibilities for positioning themselves in the value chain and more precisely manage revenues related to network use. Service awareness allows operators to differentiate network traffic by the type of service the traffic is carrying. It also gives operators unprecedented flexibility to share revenues with content owners.
Intelligent Edge also brings an innovative single-access point solution to enhance the ease of use for mobile customers. Operators can now flexibly develop a full portfolio of exciting services, which users can easily navigate and discover without having to make complex configuration settings on their mobile devices.
By introducing "service-aware" enhancements to existing packet core networks, operators can charge differentiated prices for data services. This means that rather than charging a single fixed price-per-bit for all traffic, operators can charge customers according to the demand for different services. This service-aware differentiated charging supports the prepaid real-time charging of packet traffic, hence solving one of the most burning challenges of many operators.
Nokia Intelligent Edge also drives the introduction of new applications. IP multimedia service specified by 3GPP/3GPP2 enables direct IP connections between terminals. People can connect to each other in many more ways than just talking. New person-to-person applications allow mobile devices to share media such as video streaming or instant direct-call voice service, as well as provide interactions such as the exchange of game data. These new network capabilities, matched with the present and emerging mobile device capabilities far beyond simple voice and messaging, will drive new usage.
At Cannes, Nokia is launching two key solutions as part of the Intelligent Edge service core: the Nokia IP Multimedia Core and the Nokia Intelligent Content Delivery solution. Nokia is already piloting the two solutions with leading operators and expects to make first commercial deliveries of the Intelligent Content Delivery solution in the first half of 2003, and the IP Multimedia Core in the second half.
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
Further information:
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Background for editors, Cannes product launches within the Intelligent Edge
In Intelligent Edge, intelligence is concentrated at the network edge, the border between the basic routing network and service-access networks. It allows operators to completely utilize existing network equipment while introducing new services and service control intelligence that exploit the benefits of packet data, allowing operators to simultaneously safeguard and enhance investments. The Intelligent Edge interfaces with existing post- and prepaid billing systems to enable charging for both types of subscribers.
The IP Multimedia Core facilitates person-to-person IP sessions, which are essential for enabling new interactive applications in mobile devices. These applications can share media such as video streaming or provide interaction such as the exchange of game data.
A key application utilizing the capabilities of the IP Multimedia Core is push to talk service over GPRS, a real-time always-on voice service that allows users to engage in immediate communication with one or more receivers -- simply by pushing a button on their handsets.
The Nokia IP Multimedia Core is made up of two new network servers - the Nokia Connection Processing Server and the Nokia IP Multimedia Register. These new products employ the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) in setting up the IP sessions in current GPRS and 3G EDGE/WCDMA networks, as well as alternative access networks such as DSL and Wireless LANs.
Nokia IP Multimedia Core is an open platform with a standardized interface to external application servers, thus allowing operators to rapidly and cost efficiently expand the IMS-based application portfolio by themselves or by connecting third-party applications to the system.
The Nokia Intelligent Content Delivery solution allows operators to efficiently deliver and charge subscribers for different types of mobile content from a variety of sources, as well as share revenue with content owners with unprecedented flexibility.
The Nokia Intelligent Content Delivery solution allows operators to more effectively execute content-to-person business models by simplifying the use of their own content or content from third-party providers. The Nokia Intelligent Content Delivery solution consists of a set of "service-aware" network elements. The solution measures and analyzes IP traffic to give operators the ability to charge by destination, URL or traffic protocol.
Both solutions Nokia IP Multimedia Core and Intelligent Content Delivery use the new Nokia FlexiServer open carrier-grade server platform.