Leading Edge

Fixed-Mobile Convergence
Through IMS By Wang Weijie

IMS is widely accepted in the technology. It is widely accepted in IMS through ADSL by a computer or

industry as the ideal solution to realize the industry as the ideal solution and through a WCDMA mobile terminal.

fixed-mobile convergence. Why? development trend to realize fixed-

mobile convergence. Here we introduce As shown in Figure 1, an IMS network

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), put the advantages of IMS in fixed-mobile can be divided into access interconnec-

forward by the 3GPP R5, includes such convergence by looking at its basic tion layer, session control layer, and

functional entities as CSCF, HSS, MGCF, features. application layer. This figure does not

MRF, CCF, PDF, and AS, and adopts list all network entities of an IMS

such protocols as Session Initiation Introduction of IMS domain, instead, it lists major functional

Protocol (SIP), Diameter and so on. IMS IMS is the network independent of access entities at each layer for the purpose

is the upper-layer control subsystem, technology. The users may enjoy the of illustrating network architecture.

independent of the specific access same experiences, whether they access

80 HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES APRIL 2005 . ISSUE 16

The access interconnection layer imple-
ments the following functions:
SIP session origination and termination
of various SIP terminals.
The conversion between various IP
packet bearer types.
Various QoS policies based on service
deployment and session layer control.
Interworking between conventional
PSTN and PLMN.
The access interconnection layer in-
cludes such equipment as various SIP
terminals, wired access, wireless access,
CSCF), Interrogating CSCF (I-CSCF),
and Serving CSCF (S-CSCF), which can
either be physically integrated or set
respectively. One should consider such
factors as IMS service access mode, IMS
access point position, CSCF capacity,
capability and user traffic requirements
for service allocation and deployment
during networking. The service allocation
and deployment also relates to the net-
work topology hiding and interworking
requirements of the operator.
As the entry for the UE to access IMS,
P-CSCF implements the Proxy and User
Figure 1 IMS Network Architecture
Agent functions in the SIP.
S-CSCF, at the core position in IMS
network, implements the following
functions:
Perform registration authentication
and session control of UE.
Implements basic session route
function of calling and called IMS users.
Triggers value-added services (VASs)
to the Application Server (AS) based
on the IMS triggering rule subscribed
to by the user when conditions are
met, and performs the service con-
trol interaction.
The I-CSCF functions as the gateway
node in IMS core network, and provides
such functions as the allocation of local
domain user service nodes, route queries,
and topology hiding between different
IMS domains. I-CSCF also determines
which S-CSCF is to provide service for
users through the combined conditions.
The application layer provides service
logic for user, and implements conven-
tional basic call service such as call
forwarding, call waiting, conference
calling and so on. IMS interacts with
the conventional IN services, such
as CAMEL and INAP, through the IP
Multimedia-Services Switching Function
(IM-SSF) to inherit the existing IN services
of CS and PS. Apart from the existing
services of CS and PS, IMS also provides
non-conventional telecom services
through AS such as IM, PTT, Presence
and so on. In addition, IMS provides a
simple API interface through the Open
Services Access-Gateway (OSA-GW)
so that a third party may use network
resources and provide services securely
to implement feature-rich entertainment
and game services.
IMS takes into account the actual
operation requirements, and establishes
related specifications in terms of QoS,
security, billing and interworking with
other networks.
Advantages of Fixed-
Mobile Convergence
through IMS
SIP-based Service Processing
As the basic protocol at IMS control
layer and one of the multimedia
communication system framework
protocols, SIP (RFC 3261) is the application
layer protocol used to establish, change,
or terminate the multimedia session. It
works with such protocols as RTP/RTCP,
SDP, RTSP, and DNS to implement session
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES APRIL 2005 . ISSUE 16 81
 Leading Edge
Fixed-mobile convergence based on IMS is feasible and widely accepted as the ideal
solution. Research into convergence is underway, but the deployment is still far from
happening. Research will take a step-by-step approach. Implement interworking capability,
and then the final convergence of fixed and mobile networks will be at hand.
establishment and media consultation
in IMS. Once the session is established,
the media stream directly transmits
it over the RTP and enables flexible
interaction of several media in one
session.
There are many advantages to adopting
SIP as the control layer protocol:
(1) It demonstrates intrinsic advan-
tages in convergence and interworking
of voice and data services because it is
based on an open Internet standard;
Traverses the media and equipment to
implement call control; Supports rich
media formats; Supports dynamic
adding/deleting of media stream;
Enables interworking between different
networks and realizes feature-rich services.
(2) It supports the development of
82 HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES APRIL 2005 . ISSUE 16
IN network towards the application and
terminal sides to relieve the pressure of
the network. The service provision and
session control are separated at different
layers to reduce the relevance between
service and session control networks,
facilitating the service deployment.
(3) SIP supports mobility function at
the application layer, including dynamic
registration, location management, and
re-direction mechanisms.
(4) SIP features Presence, Fork,
Subscription, facilitating the deployment
of new services.
(5) It features a simple protocol with
recognized potential for extension.
SIP will radically change the way the
communication services are provided,
and the consuming habits of users,
bringing endless innovations for the
telecom industry. It will lay a solid foun-
dation for fixed-mobile convergence,
integrating audio/video call, message,
web, e-mail, synchronization browse,
and conference calling.
Open Service Environment
As shown in the network architecture,
IMS provides three open service modes,
that is SIP AS, IM-SSF and OSA SCS,
and implements unified triggering
control through the iFC.
The services of IMS cannot only be
provided by the operators, but also by
third parties through OSA. The Open
Services Architecture (OSA) is the unified
service open model established by
3GPP, and OSA Service Capability Servers
(OSA SCS) to provide capability for
third-party application service to
securely use network resources. It provides
a standard interface and open network
capability. The service is developed
based on the API instead of facing the
complicated network protocol, so
the complexity of network protocols is
shielded. The Parlay API of the telecom
network has been established to
provide a simple API interface for
communication services through the
close cooperation of the Parlay forum,
3GPP and ETSI. The SIP and Parlay API
interact at the Open Services Access-
Gateway (OSA-GW). As a part of IMS
application layer, OSA-GW allows Parlay
application to obtain current status and call
status information, and enables the net-
work side to establish/disconnect calls etc.
The Parlay application registers to OSA-GW,
and uses network resources after access.
A consistent home network service
capability
The service provision capability relates
to the equipment where the user is
currently located in CS, PS and PSTN,
so the activated service in the home
network is not necessarily available
in the roaming area. While IMS has
great changes in this point, all service
processing signals are sent back to
the home network, and the service
environment is also provided by the
home network.
IMS adopts the hierarchical structure
of P-CSCF, I-CSCF and S-CSCF to control
the home area for user signaling, and
to support mobility of users so that
the signaling is sent back to the home
network no matter where the user
roams. In addition, the use of the
centralized HSS database enables
unified user registration and service
triggering.
All services of roaming users are routed
to the home area through P-CSCF of
the visiting area, and S-CSCF in the
home area controls user service, and
triggers service to the local network
AS or third-party application based on
user subscription data to ensure service
consistency and simplicity. The users
may enjoy the services as in the home
area no matter where and how they
access the IMS system. IMS also realizes the
Virtual Home Environment (VHE) for users.
Research progresses on fixed-
mobile convergence
In the landscape of network convergence,
3GPP, ETSI and ITU-T all conduct research
on network convergence based on
IMS. Research by several international
organizations for fixed-mobile conver-
gence based on IMS is also well under
way. The purpose is to enable IMS to
become a universal platform based on
SIP session, support various fixed/mo-
bile access modes and implement the
convergence of fixed and mobile
networks.
One of the hot points in 3GPP is the
research on the access of fixed network
NGNs to IMS. Currently IMS supports
the mobile access modes of both 2G
and 3G instead of fixed access mode
in 3GPP. 3GPP has already established
the protocol for interworking with PSTN,
CS and other IP multimedia systems, and
defined the interworking network
architecture and protocol interworking
with the conventional circuit switched
network.
The SIP-based core network in ETSI
TISPAN NGN core network will adopt
IMS platform defined by 3GPP, and try
to inherit related standards of IMS.
Compared with 3GPP, IMS should support
more access modes, including xDSL,
WLAN, LAN and so on.
ETSI TISPAN and 3GPP work in a close
relationship on the research of IMS, and
establish a joint working team to
research related issues of NGN and IMS.
ITU–T FGNGN currently has also
plunged into the research of IMS in
terms of services and the network
framework.
IMS convergence is feasible - and
at hand.
Fixed-mobile convergence based
on IMS is feasible and widely accepted
as the ideal solution. Research into
convergence is underway, but the
deployment is still far from happening.
Research wil take a step-by-step
approach. Implement interworking
capability, and then the final conver-
gence of fixed and mobile networks will
be at hand.
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES APRIL 2005 . ISSUE 16 83