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Report in a Nutshell

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) framework represents an integrated traffic of Data, Voice and Video on the same networking infrastructure whereby the performance of all the three services are optimized.  WiMAX holds great promise as the potential answer to IP Multimedia for corporations.

This report presents analytics for corporate markets of WiMAX (fixed as well as mobile) that is invaluable to IT and telecom strategists working with OEMs, service providers, systems integrators, telecom consultancy firms, telecom migration consultants, and corporate customers that are planning to implement IP Multimedia services on wireless systems for premium (heavy duty) applications.

The report begins with a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of IP multimedia services for corporations on legacy platforms such as the Cisco AVVID and presents the challenges left for the forthcoming technologies by IEEE 802.11 based WiFi framework. Furthermore, the report presents how WiMAX can fulfill the challenges left unaddressed by WiFi for wireless enabled IP Multimedia services thus offering a huge market to be tapped by WiMAX OEMs, WiMAX Service Providers and WiMAX Systems Integrators.

An analysis of opportunities offered by the UK economy reveals that WiMAX equipment market is close to $600 Million and services market close to $12 Billion in the SMEs and Corporate Sector in UK alone. If the same analytics is extended to the Global SMEs and Corporate market, a market worth >$10 Billion for equipment and >$100 Billion for services is waiting to be tapped.

The report analyzes strategies of four major players in the WiMAX equipment industry: Cisco, Intel, Motorola and Alcatel-Lucent.

The report also evaluates why Nokia and Nortel decided to exit the WiMAX market.

In this report, the following four broad market segments are classified:

This must-have report also provides proposed solutions to the concerns of global technology companies regarding technology war between WiMAX and cellular broadband.   This report also represents a critical study of the past achievements, mistakes, and future outlook into the application of wireless technologies for corporations.  The report will help telecom and IT decision makers to enhance end-user satisfaction, enhance revenue per customer, and improve overall ROI.

Audience:

• Network operators and service providers for broadband and value-added service applications
• WiMAX and IMS infrastructure providers to network operators and service providers
• Network performance, monitoring and testing companies
• Broadband wireless application companies
• Analysts and investment companies
  
  

Key Report Findings:

• IP Multimedia Subsystem will not penetrate corporations until legacy data networking companies such as Cisco and Motorola develop a structured roadmap and offer complete range of products. For example, Cisco will need to rebuild AVVID like framework for IMS.
• SIP may not replace H.323 unless IMS roadmap for corporations is clear.
• With the exception of Alcatel-Lucent, no other companies wish to invest in R&D of both technologies. Moreover, the Telecom service providers have focused on subscribers using mobile handsets or tablets should continue using 3G and wait for commercialization of 4G (LTE).
• The Telecom service providers should not position 3G as broadband service on laptops but should rather focus on 3G broadband services on PDAs/Mobile Handsets with a roadmap to adopt 4G (LTE). Similarly, the WiMAX broadband Internet markets (fixed and mobile) should focus on laptops, desktops and pocket PCs but not on handsets.
• WiMAX has addressed all the gaps left by the WiFi technologies and hence should be considered for wireless IP Multimedia corporate applications (like IBM Sametime, Microsoft Communications Server, Go To Meeting (on Citrix), WebEx, etc. in SMEs and Corporations.
• There is no technology war among 3G, 4G, WiMAX (fixed and mobile) and 802.11e. All the four technologies have different visions and are expected to settle down in their own respective markets except minor overlaps due to demographic, political, service provider's strategic positioning, etc.
• The services for general subscribers and SMEs/Corporations should be segregated by the service providers by providing (preferably) dedicated channels to SMEs/corporations not mixed with channels serving general subscribers. Also, corporate services are for serious business applications and hence their retention and value per customer would be much higher compared with general customers who would use most of the IP multimedia services for fun.
• 3G with IP Multimedia Subsystem services (IMS based) is to be positioned for general mobile subscribers, 4G with IP Multimedia Subsystem services (IMS based) is to be positioned for premium corporate mobile subscribers, fixed WiMAX is to be positioned for rural subscribers for broadband services and fixed & mobile WiMAX (with segregated channels) is to be positioned for SME/Corporate subscribers for broadband services with traditional IP multimedia services (H.323 based). In addition, WiMAX has a large market for backhaul connectivity and as replacement of OFC last mile in corporate Internet connections. In many cases, it can be included as a backup to corporate leased circuits connecting to Internet.
  
  

Key Questions Answered in Report:

• What should be the positioning of IP Multimedia Services for corporations?
• What should the positioning of WiMAX for IP Multimedia Services for corporations? Should 3G enter into this market?
• Can WiMAX deliver against the expectations of corporate IT Managers that were left unfulfilled by WiFi solutions?
• Will the world witness a technology war between WiMAX, 3G and 4G with respect to IP Multimedia services?
• What should the service providers keep in mind when targeting end customers and the corporate decision makers keep in mind when choosing services?
  
  

Select Companies Mentioned in Report:

• Alcatel-Lucent
• Cisco
• IBM
• Intel
• Microsoft
• Motorola
• Nokia
• Nortel

Table of Contents

List of Tables
List of Figures
Abstract

1.0 Introduction

      1.1 Research Objectives and the Research Questions
      1.2 Significance of the Report
      1.3 Hypotheses of the Report
      1.4 Scope and Limitations of the Report
      1.5 The Proposed Output of the Report 

2.0 Literature Review 

2.1 Legacy of IP Multimedia

      2.1.1 Introduction to Voice and Video over IP: H.323 and SIP
      2.1.2 Most popular IP Multimedia Architectures                                             
      2.1.3 Cisco AVVID:  Value-Added; legacy IP multimedia  
      2.1.4 Advanced Codecs and other Protocols Used in Business Communications:
      2.1.5 Quality of IP Based Multimedia in Legacy Systems: The QoS challenge      
      2.1.6 Security Implications in IP Multimedia

 
2.2 WiFi:  Applications and Challenges
                                                                 
      2.2.1 Background of Wireless Technologies: IEEE 802.11 Family               
      2.2.2 Wireless Client Devices, Access Points and Switches; WiFi in Action for Businesses        
      2.2.3 Business Advantages Ensured by WiFi Technologies                                 
      2.2.4  Biggest challenges of WiFi: Security Threats and QoS                            
      2.2.5  Why Couldn't WiFi Become the De Facto Networking Technology for Businesses               
      2.2.6  Critical Review of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) 

2.3 Evolution of WiMAX

      2.3.1 Background of IEEE 802.16: IEEE 802.16a, IEEE 802.16d and IEEE 802.16e
      2.3.2 WiMAX:  Is It a Revolution in Wireless Networking?
      2.3.3 The Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) Coverage; Time to Forget Signal Issues?
      2.3.4 High Speed Mobile Internet Connectivity: Can WiMAX Change the Perceptions of Wireless Internet?
      2.3.5 Primary Last Mile for Corporate Internet Leased Lines:  Can Optical Fiber Cables Become Redundant? 

2.4 IP Multimedia over WiMAX:  Are All Concerns Addressed? 
             
      2.4.1  Understanding the Roadmap of WiMAX Established by Intel and Nokia
      2.4.2  Cisco's WiMAX Strategy for IP Multimedia Solutions                            
      2.4.3  The Motorola Wi4 WiMAX:  One of the Earliest Commercial WiMAX systems
      2.4.4  Alcatel-Lucent WiMAX Portfolio 
      2.4.5  WiFi, WiMAX, 3G and 4G:  Will Multimedia over Wireless Witness a Technology War?  

3.0 Methodology 
3.1 Research Methodology 
3.2 Research Life-cycle
3.3 Research Procedure
3.4 Declaration of Ethical Perspective
4.0 The Research Output
4.1 Outcome of the Project
4.2 Summary of Results
4.3 Critical Discussions
4.4 Recommendation for Future Research
4.5 Conclusions and Generalizations

      4.5.1 Answers to Research Questions
      4.5.2 Findings Against the Hypotheses

Reference List

List of Tables:

Table 1 Perceptions and their probable reasons
Table 2 Summary of results under the categories defined
Table 3 No. of SMEs and large corporates in UK as on 2007
Table 4 Projection of revenues from fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment and services for SMEs and Large Enterprises (Corporates) in the entire UK economy
 
List of Figures:

Figure 1 Proposed framework of Service positioning and the corresponding technology positioning for Service Providers
Figure 2 The H.323 Protocol Stack
Figure 3 The H.323 signaling steps 
Figure 4 Redirection of calls in SIP
Figure 5 Calls routed through Proxy Servers in SIP 
Figure 6 Cisco AVVID Framework
Figure 7 WiFi enabled Wireless Networking
Figure 8 Layers of IMS Architecture 
Figure 9 Mixed mode of deployment in WiMAX:  LOS as well as NLOS
Figure 10 Mesh Topology in WiMAX
Figure 11 Current deployment scenarios of WiMAX spectrum 
Figure 12 Positioning of services over Wireless Broadband 
Figure 13 Positioning of the four technologies
Figure 14 The research life cycle followed in this report 
Figure 15 Systematic Approach to include WiMAX in the IT/Telecom infrastructure of corporates 
Figure 16 Modified Proposed framework of Service positioning and the corresponding technology positioning for Service Providers