AT&T IMS-based VoIP offering relies on third-party cooperation

<<<...Prabhat concluded: “the service blending and application layer will have to be carefully developed to reap the real benefits of [the] IMS platform.” He suggested that the real competition for SMBs and enterprise applications delivered over IMS will come from companies like Google and IBM. Read the latest WhitePaper - The High-Availability Business: How a Simpler Network Can Meet the Demands of Business-Critical Applications

Our comments: In general we agree with Prabhat. However, in the case of AT&T’s new VoIP service delivered over its U-verse network we don’t think bandwidth for voice will be an issue because U-verse is delivered over a VDSL (Very High Speed DSL) connection with capacity starting at 25Mbps. U-verse also provides three separate channels for voice, video, and data so that the demand for capacity by one service will not interfere with the other service requirements.

Regarding Prabhat’s conclusions about the importance of blending services and applications, we agree. And his observation about IBM and Google being well-positioned competitors is also well taken. However, we note that AT&T counts IBM and other applications providers as its partners. Furthermore, the IMS architecture delivering AT&T’s new services is also designed for cooperation between applications and content providers.

One of the main drivers for laying out IMS standards was to provide easier integration between wireless and wireline network service providers and those that supply content and applications. And while AT&T and other network service providers could develop their own business (and consumer) applications, we think the better choice is to rely on third parties to develop the applications and content and for all parties to work together on delivering the blend to the end user.

Our thanks to Prabhat and others who wrote back to us on last week’s newsletter. If you’d like to provide feedback on any of our newsletters, please feel free to send us your comments by e-mail or through the comment box below.