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Convergence is a multi-dimensional solution. There are various forms of convergence being implemented in India depending on the service provider's needs and business requirements. In general, Indian operators are still focused on meeting the high demand for basic voice but gradually opening up to generating demand for converged service offerings.

Divisions between the markets of fixed-line and wireless operators are founded on disparate technologies that have seen networks evolving separately. It's a market structure that has existed for decades. And it's one that is about to be dismantled as the telecom sector enters a new phase of innovation. The fundamental change to the industry's composition is articulated in a single word-convergence.

CAN INDIA BECOME A KEY MARKET?
The possibilities are endless. The FMC industry expects every major operator in India to have commercial launches of some form of converged communication within the next 12 months. The interest from operators is very high and they have actively begun to implement the technology in phases. However, most existing operators prefer to take a cautious approach in launching these services so as to avoid cannibalization of existing revenues.

Like other forward-looking counterparts in Asia, India can lay the groundwork by establishing the IP infrastructure and help its population embrace broadband penetration. Broadband is indeed the catalyst for some of the converged communications.

FMC majors have big plans for India. Some FMC companies' IMS-based service provider-hosted seamless mobility solution can help fixed service providers reach out to residential/small office/home office (SOHO) and enterprise customers. Featuring open standards components with proven interoperability, they provide a flexible IP media management and session control platform that service providers can layer over their current network infrastructure.

THE CONVERGENCE FACTOR
Convergence defines a process of assimilation. Once separate, delivery and management systems can now be consolidated across a single cohesive platform. This creates the opportunity for 'fixed mobile convergence' (FMC) whereby a single device can support multiple applications across various access networks. A number of trends underpin convergence. These include technical breakthroughs, competitive pressures, application innovation, and end-user demand. Perhaps the most important of these is the evolution of technology, as technology, which is at the root of the different architectures for fixed-line and wireless markets, is now creating the glue to bring them together. The adhesive is provided by flexible, versatile IP protocols. Developed in the IT sector, IP provides tested and robust open standards to connect core networks and service platforms. In the form of the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), IP is the pivotal around which next generation networks will evolve. At the cusp of this evolution will be developers.

The focus of the development community's work is concerned with devising new ways to deliver content, designing innovative services that enhance person-to-person communication, and enhancing multimedia products like mobile gaming and video streaming. Their work will greatly enhance the scope to market versatile, rich and compelling services. End-user demand is also driving the transition to IP. Customers are familiar with multi-function digital products and now expect more from their communications devices. The potential of advanced new services will help to attract consumer and business customers. In addition, convergence will be a driver in itself; customers will recognize the inherent convenience and service value of consolidating separate accounts with one service provider and they'll expect economies for doing so too.

IP at the Heart
The key technology driving the blurring of service lines is the emergence of IP-based networks. The IP backbone has provided a consolidation channel for mobile and fixed operators to cost-effectively route their traffic, a process that has provided the catalyst for operators to create core architectures that share common traits to use IP not only for backhaul but to create, manage and distribute services.

DRIVERS
Penetration of broadband is quickly reshaping the competitive landscape of the communication industry. A person sitting in India could have a US phone number over his/her broadband access. As traditional voice revenues are threatened by new entrants, existing operators will need to find new ways to retain customers and compete for their spending power. Convergence clearly raises the bar for the competition.

EFFICIENT SYTEMS
Convergence is about creating a unified multimedia user experience where one is willing to pay more, and cost efficiencies become a byproduct, while the primary driver of convergence is value creation vis-à-vis top line growth and not bottom-line reduction.

Converged communications rely heavily on high quality IP-based transmission. Operators need to treat convergence holistically by considering requirements of IP-transmission networks. Quality will be greatly enhanced with high quality transmission.

IMS is being standardized in mobile networks through the 3GPP standards body for mobile networks and for fixed-line companies by the TISPAN initiative. This work will formalize the specifications for converged networks for applications developers, service providers and vendors, and map the evolution of 3G systems toward all IP networks.

ADHESION THROUGH IMS
2006 was the year of prominence for IMS. This can be attributed to the fact that the industry realized that IMS is the key to supporting enhanced services as well as providing an attractive transition from circuit-switched to IP-based networks. Experts believe that the deployment of IMS will facilitate the offering of differentiated services, as well as lead to a reduction in application costs and increased revenues.

IMS takes advantage of the inherent flexibility and interoperability of open Internet protocols to connect previously separate systems. From a network perspective, IMS has two crucial advantages for operators-versatility and cost-efficient service creativity.

Worldwide the industry is accepting IMS as the best solution and are adapting to it. US telecom companies are adopting it hands on. RFPs were seen last year from nearly every telecommunications company. On the cable side, IMS is going into the mobile segment of triple play solutions.

A VERSATILE CORE
IMS integrates session management, mobility, and service quality on a single unifying platform. The IMS matches the user's profile for the session with an appropriate application server through one of a variety of open interfaces including SIP and OSA/Parlay. The IMS then routes the call to the appropriate handler through any access interface including all cellular networks 2G, 3G and beyond: Wi-Fi based technologies and fixed and wireless broadband technologies (DSL, cable, HSPDA, enhanced CDMA and WiMax). It's this ability to direct calls through open, standards based protocols that provides a new level of accessibility and flexibility in service design.

IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) is a standardized NGN architecture that provides a powerful tool to support wireline and wireless service providers who want to provide mobile and fixed multimedia services.

IMS uses open standard IP protocols and a VoIP implementation based on a 3GPP-standardised implementation of SIP and runs on standard IP. It gives the service providers more control on billing for the services and the user more control on using the services anywhere in the world. Thus, it truly merges the cellular and Internet worlds by using cellular technologies to provide omnipresent access and the Internet to provide interesting services.