IP Telephony

NextPoint (News - Alert) revealed recently that the testing they carried out for interoperability in an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) topology was successful. The test conditions included multiple functions and vendors.

The test was the first of its kind; carried out to show that VoIP calls can take place between IMS-compliant equipment made by different manufacturers. The calls were successful through the use of IMS Authentication and Key Agreement (AKA) signaling for mutual authentication. In the test architecture, the NextPoint Universal Convergence Gateway (News - Alert) (UCG) was the Proxy-Call Server Control Function (P-CSCF) as the secure point of entry for user equipment to access IMS services. Other components were the HP OpenCall Home Subscriber Server (HSS), the Serving Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) from Sonus and user equipment from Radvision (News - Alert), Aricent, and Alpha.

“In its continuing participation in the IMS Forum’s interoperability testing, NextPoint was able to demonstrate that the UCG can provide subscribers secure access to network services,” said Scott Poretsky, director of Carrier Network Engineering at NextPoint and Technical Co-Chair for the IMS Forum (News - Alert). “The authentication process was completed and calls were securely made between UEs from different vendors through the NextPoint UCG. This demonstrates that the vision for service delivery across interoperable interfaces between best-of-breed components in a multi-vendor network is achievable today.”

Apart from the market advantages of a more detailed demonstration of proven authentication as a result of the IMS-AKA signaling testing at IMS PlugFest IV, NextPoint continues to enhance the operational efficiencies and design improvements to the UCG in this expanded interoperability testing environment.

“AKA is a key component that will enable operators to respond to increasingly complex subscriber demands for secure fixed-mobile convergence – and still maintain high levels of scalability and performance,” said Amir Einav, manager, Strategic Marketing, OpenCall Software, HP. “HP is pleased that its HSS solution and its subscriber data management expertise played a key role in the test with NextPoint and other participating companies. The successful interoperability test is a milestone in the road to IMS-based next generation networks.”

The Plugfest IV was the fourth event in a sequence, staged to improve interoperability and certification for IMS related services and equipment. NextPoint contributed to the IMS cause by taking part in the plugfests, which basically is to design a common services layer to enable operational cost-savings in the delivery of media-rich and mobile services.

Calvin Azuri is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page .

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