NEC Corporation and NetCracker Technology has announced that they have released a virtualised IP multimedia subsystem (vIMS) solution through their joint business brand, NEC/NetCracker SDN/NFV Solutions. The NFV-based vIMS solution offers both control and data plane functionalities of IMS for 3G mobile voice services (W-CDMA) and voice over LTE (VoLTE) services. It has successfully achieved the same service quality levels of those realised in a physical environment.

The vIMS solution allows both signaling (I/S-CSCF and P-CSCF) and data transferring (IMS-AGW) functions to be run on a common virtualisation platform built on general-purpose servers, while ensuring carrier-grade reliability and stability. The vIMS solution enables communications service providers (CSPs) to optimise IMS environments by intelligently deploying any combination of decomposed IMS functions according to service demands and application needs. With a vIMS solution, CSPs can launch new services with agility and easily scale capacities according to customer requirements.

The vIMS solution provides users with high-quality VoLTE and high-definition video calling, leveraging general-purpose servers that share resources with other virtual network functions and IT functions. By virtualising IMS, the vIMS solution can reduce service delivery and assurance costs while optimising performance attributes such as quality of service and delay.

The vIMS leverages the technical functionality of NEC’s VoLTE solution. Demonstrating high availability and reliability for signaling and protocol handling and data processing, the VoLTE solution is operating live in commercial networks such as those provided by NTT DOCOMO.

As a part of a comprehensive portfolio of virtual network functions, the vIMS solution can be fully managed by the NEC/NetCracker Network and Service Orchestration platform, which provides fulfillment and assurance for virtualised services in a hybrid network environment.

“NEC and NetCracker have proven capabilities in delivering innovative SDN and NFV solutions worldwide as part of our vision to fundamentally transform networks into more efficient, scalable and profitable platforms. In this diversified environment, NEC and NetCracker will continue to create new business models that satisfy our customers,” said Atsuo Kawamura, senior vice president, NEC Corporation.

Diane Myers, research director, IHS said: “Virtualised IMS solutions are one of the first use cases operators plan to deploy in NFV. With their vIMS solution announced, NEC and NetCracker build on a portfolio of IMS and NFV solutions and enable operators to migrate to next-generation networks for advanced voice and video applications.”