SPRING 2009 5€ A UMA TODAY PUBLICATION

www.UMAToday.com

UMA Turns 3(G)

3G UMA handsets, services
enter the market

BLACKBERRIES,
WI-FI and UMA
An interview with
Mike McAndrews of RIM

Plus: Building the Perfect

Femtocell

LTE
Delivering Telephony
Services in an
LTE Network
 A LUATION
VOICE Over LTE EV
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The choice is clear.

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 CONTENTS
SPRING 2009
www.UMAToday.com

06 FEATURES

06 UMA Turns 3(G)

It seems like just yesterday the 3GPP ratified the GAN
specification into Release 6. In fact, it’s been three years.

12 Building the Perfect Femtocell

What are the requirements and capabilities that make
12 the ‘perfect’ femtocell?

16 Cover Story: LTE

Delivering Telephony Services in an
LTE Network.

24 Get More ‘Fixed’ from FMC

Fixed-line VoIP service now a cost-effective reality for
mobile providers; they are ready for the challenge.
16
28 Interview: BlackBerries,
Wi-Fi and UMA
UMA Today interviews Mike McAndrews, RIM’s VP of
product marketing, about the company’s vision for
UMA and Wi-Fi.

DEPARTMENTS

04 Headlines
Analysis of important headlines in the UMA market.
24
30 Newsline
Key product and service announcements for
Q3-Q4 2008.

To download this issue and earlier issues of UMA Today Magazine, visit www.UMAToday.com.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 01

From the Editor don’t leave voice behind! In the previous edition of UMA Today,
I asked, “is there life beyond voice?” We focused our coverage on using UMA to
provide a new range of home zone-centric data applications; however, as we move
forward, we don’t want to leave voice behind.
Basic telephony service, which ostensibly is the ability for a user to make a phone
call, still delivers the majority of revenues for mobile operators, yet it is in jeopardy
of being left behind.
As operators look ahead, the next generation all-IP LTE access network is
rapidly approaching, and some operators are talking of limited trials at the end of
2010. It’s possible to use a technology like GAN to bring today’s telephony services
forward as a packet data service, rather than attempting to recreate today’s mobile
voice network with IMS.
In this edition of UMA Today, we focus on bringing voice along in the migration
to an LTE access network.
We also dig into the traditional fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) applications
enabled by UMA (p. 24). We take a close look at T-Mobile’s highly successful fixed-
line service that opens the door for mobile operators worldwide.
Since our last publication, UMA has turned 3, or 3G, that is. In late 2008,
Orange announced it extended its very successful Unik service to support 3G/UMA
handsets. Taking advantage of improved throughput and offload capabilities of Wi-
Fi, Orange also announced support for a high definition TV (HD-TV) service based
on 3G/UMA handsets.
Finally, we have two unique features in this issue. We were lucky enough to catch
up with Mike McAndrews, the VP of product marketing from UMA device leader
Research In Motion (RIM). In the interview on page 28, UMA Today gets to know
more about RIM’s vision for UMA and Wi-Fi.
Secondly, Swedish Wi-Fi radio start-up, Nanoradio, provides insight into the
significant cost and performance gains made recently for Wi-Fi in mobile devices.
If their success is any indication, it’s clear that Wi-Fi will soon be a requirement for
all types of handsets.
All of this leads back to my opening statement: “Don’t leave voice behind!”
Whether through Wi-Fi radios, fixed-line services or even next-generation LTE
networks, UMA/GAN is the platform that delivers mobile voice (and data) services
over IP access networks.

Steve Shaw
Editor, UMA Today

Editorial UMA Today

Editor-in-Chief: Steven Shaw 1601 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035
Executive Editor: Abbe Solomon +1 408 546 0660 [email protected]
Design Director: Collin Stone, COGNEO
© 2009 UMA Today. Every care has been taken to ensure
Advertising that the data in this publication is accurate, but the
publisher disclaims any liability to any party of any loss
Contact UMA Today about advertising or damage caused by errors or omissions in content. This
opportunities in upcoming issues at publication may be reproduced full or in part with prior
[email protected] or +1 408 546 0660. written approval from the publisher.

02 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

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 HEADLINES

RIM Launches HDTV for Orange’s Unik

Javelin The next evolution of Orange’s convergence strategy is
here: high definition (HD) mobile TV for Unik, its UMA
Research In Motion (RIM),
service. Customers in France can now access more than
the innovator behind the wildly
60 HD mobile TV channels and can view high-quality TV
popular BlackBerry products, as
content on UMA-enabled, dual-mode handsets, whether
well as a long-time supporter of
they are at home, in Orange Wi-Fi hotspots or traveling.
UMA technology, launched its
latest UMA-enabled product.
It’s officially called the Curve
8900, but the code name to date
has been Javelin.
A follow-on to the very successful Curve 8320,
the 8900 brings a new level of efficiency and
functionality to RIM’s targeted pro-sumer market. The service will be available on Orange’s world-leading
This sleek new device is the thinnest full-QWERTY 3G/UMA platform through a new and exclusive handset,
BlackBerry smartphone to date. It combines quad- the LG Secret KF757, as well as on Sony Ericsson’s G705u,
band EDGE support with built-in GPS, a 512 MHz via the Orange World portal.
next-generation processor and a 480 x 360, high- “As a leader in convergence, Orange is constantly
resolution display. It offers an expansive feature innovating to bring new services to our customers,” said
set, including a powerful media player and a 3.2 Georges Penalver, Orange’s senior executive VP, Group
megapixel camera, as well as advanced phone, email, Strategic Marketing. “Orange HDTV over 3G/UMA is the
messaging, organizer and web browser applications. next evolution of our mobile TV service, giving customers
John Boynton, senior vice president and CMO for an enhanced experience with optimal display quality, easy
Rogers Wireless, said: “...the BlackBerry Curve 8900 channel access and simplified browsing. Thanks to the
strikes the right balance between serious business tool quality of its network, Orange can now offer its customers
and social lifeline.” faster and more efficient data access wherever they are.”
The 8900 joins the ranks of UMA-enabled Orange’s existing Unik service currently has more than
BlackBerries, including the Pearl, Pearl Flip and 8800. 1.3 million customers in France.

Mobile Calls Without a Phone? No Problem.

For international travelers looking for a cost-effective way to make mobile calls,
Orange’s Unik PC is a new solution. That is, if you’re lucky enough to be a customer
of Orange in France.
Inserting the USB key into a PC transforms it into a mobile telephone. Unik PC allows
subscribers to call freely when in France or traveling abroad from any PC connected to
the Internet. The service can be used over any internet connection, whether at home, a
public hot spot or hotel room. Users can easily access contact lists and dial numbers from
Outlook or the Internet with one click.
Calls made from a Unik PC-enabled computer to other company mobiles or any
landline in mainland France are unlimited from anywhere in the world 24 hours a day/
seven days a week. Other calls are deducted from the subscriber’s mobile package at the
same cost as a call made when in France. This allows companies to control costs linked
to mobile calls, especially those made from abroad.
What will they think of next?
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UMA Turns 3(G)
 UMA/GAN technology is growing up quickly, and its 3G UMA Phones Coming Rapidly
innovators look on proudly as it continues to develop. It Coincident with the Orange 3G UMA service
seems like just yesterday 3GPP ratified the Generic Access announcement, Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson all
Network (GAN) specification into Release 6. In fact, it was announced their first three 3G UMA handsets.
three years ago. Oh, how time flies. Samsung announced the P270, an extension to its
In the past three years, the technology has passed a successful portfolio of UMA-enabled handsets. Sony
number of major developmental milestones. Several key Ericsson, the latest (and last) of the major handset
global mobile operators have made UMA the foundation of
their overall fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) strategies.
More than 30 UMA handsets have been introduced into
the market. UMA is being used to support a number That’s why UMA is
of additional FMC services, including fixed terminal
adaptors and even softmobiles. The standard itself has at the heart of our
also continued to evolve within 3GPP, adding support for
3G handsets and 3G core network interfaces. convergence strategy.
Georges Penalver, Senior EVP,
UMA/GAN Turns 3G Despite this tremendous Group Strategic Marketing, Orange
progress, many in the mobile industry still think of UMA/
GAN as a 2G technology. With mobile operators rapidly
deploying 3G networks and pushing 3G handsets and
services, this has presented a bit of a perception challenge vendors to support UMA, announced the G705u, a
for the UMA industry. multimedia powerhouse providing cutting-edge music,
However, with the recent announcement from Orange video and photo capabilities, along with advanced 3G/
about adding 3G support to its UMA deployment, as well as UMA capabilities. LG’s newest offer is a 3G UMA handset
the announcements from Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson called the Secret (KF 757). In addition to UMA, the LG
about their new 3G UMA handsets, this perception issue is Secret features a large 2.4” LCD FT touch screen, a
set to be quickly addressed. 5 megapixel camera, and powerful new multimedia
Back in September 2008, Orange announced it had capabilities designed to take advantage of high-speed,
extended its industry-leading Unik service to become the
low-cost broadband access.
world’s first UMA service to also support 3G handsets.
John Delaney, research director with IDC Research,
“With the launch of the world’s first 3G UMA service,
stated: “Users of such [3G/UMA] phones are taking
we are making life as simple as possible for our customers,
whilst helping them get more from their mobile phones,” advantage of Wi-Fi to stream and download multimedia
says Georges Penalver, senior EVP of Group Strategic to their phones more quickly and more cheaply than they
Marketing at Orange. “Orange was one of the first to can over cellular.”
bring the benefits of UMA technology to our customers
in 2006 with the launch of our Unik service. Today, with 3G Services Orange, however, is not only the first
our new 3G UMA platform, our Unik customers will be operator to support 3G UMA handsets. It is also the first
able to take advantage of 3G’s capabilities delivering to begin leveraging the true performance advantages of
exciting multimedia services, such as Orange Music, UMA when delivering mobile data services. In conjunction
Downloads, TV and Video. We have increased the benefits with its 3G UMA announcement, Orange announced its
of this innovative technology, delivering a simple and cost- high-definition TV (HDTV) service for Unik handsets.
effective solution to meet our customers’ needs. Orange With more than 60 mobile HDTV channels and an on-
is now able to extend the benefits of improved coverage, screen program guide, 3G Unik subscribers have access
high-speed data access and the Unik home zone service to a cutting-edge mobile TV experience when on Wi-Fi at
to subscribers with 3G services. That’s why UMA is at the home, the office or on the road.
heart of our convergence strategy.” According to Roaul Roverato, Orange’s executive vice
Orange is now able to extend the benefits of improved
president in charge of new growth businesses: “Our
coverage, high-speed data access and Unik home zone
proximity to the customer and our understanding of their
services to subscribers with 3G handsets.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 07

expectations means we are able to react more quickly to points across France to act as ‘unlicensed’ femtocells. These
their changing needs. For example, in France, 40% of Wi-Fi access points can now deliver the same benefits as
mobile TV usage is enjoyed at home, and this trend is 3G femtocells, but at a cheaper cost, with a larger service
growing. Over 58% of customers access video on demand footprint and with no detrimental impact to their existing
(VoD) services, and 32% watch live TV when at home. By outdoor 3G network.
providing better handsets with bigger screens, seamless T-Mobile US, another major supporter of UMA/GAN
network access and exciting, high-quality content, Orange technology, is likely to follow suit quickly with its own 3G
is shaping the future of mobile TV.” extensions. T-Mobile is the last US operator to deploy a

Value

Connected Home
Connected mobile phone
to services on WLAN

HomeZone Services
Home-triggered presence
updates and file tranfers

Compelling Data
Great mobile web and
TV experience on Wi-Fi

Low Cost Calling

Discounted mobile
calling on Wi-Fi
DONE

Time

Beyond Voice: The Evolution of HZ2.0 Services in the Home

The launch of Orange HDTV for Unik is the first of what 3G network and is in the midst of a massive rollout. As
is expected to be a number of UMA-based home zone users and markets expand, leveraging Wi-Fi and UMA
services. Starting with a ‘low-cost calling’ proposition to improve coverage and offload the macro network in
to consumers, UMA can be used to expand into high- the home and office appears to be a practice approach to
speed data services, grow into value–added multimedia overcoming 3G network limitations.
applications and culminate into a full-blown ‘connected
UMA/GAN Will Soon Turn 4G UMA/GAN
home’ strategy. Orange continues to shape the future of
is proving to be a resilient protocol capable of expanding to
UMA through innovation of its Unik service. meet operator business, service and network needs. How
long will it be before UMA turns 4(G)? The long-term
Wi-Fi – An Unlicensed Femtocell evolution (LTE) and 4G chatter is growing louder (see LTE
As an alternative to UMA and Wi-Fi, some operators are article, p.16).
investigating femtocells as a means to improve indoor 3G In a November 2008 article in Unstrung, China Mobile
coverage and reduce costs. Femtocell trials abound globally, Communications Corp. says it is already planning its LTE
and it’s widely expected that some operators will leverage network. Bill Huang, general manager at China Mobile
Research Institute, talked about the importance of
the technology to offer an alternative home zone service,
supporting voice over LTE, and said UMA is an option.
especially in markets where Orange has a stronghold. “We could carry voice over UMA,” Huang said. “We will
By adding 3G support to its existing UMA service, have an LTE network that supports voice -- it doesn’t matter
Orange is staying one step ahead of its competitors. In what protocol we’ll use. We’ll use voice as the application.”
effect, Orange has immediately enlisted Wi-Fi access Soon we may be singing, “Happy 4G to UMA.”

08 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

 Always On WiFi
TM

Nanoradio´s ”Always On WiFiTM” solution is commercially

launched inside the world´s first 3G UMA phone. The
same solution was also recently launched in a 2.5G UMA
phone. The two phones, (P250, P270) are being released
by Samsung in multiple countries.

Nanoradio´s unique WiFi solution makes high speed wire-

less internet access possible in all handheld electronic
devices. The highly integrated WiFi solution enables
the lowest possible cost for our customers, and it fully
supports both the exploding demand for Voice-over-IP,
driven by the fixed - mobile convergence, as well as the
digital media revolution such as mobile music downloads
and IP TV.

The coming Nanoradio generation can easily add more

standard blocks (BT, FM, NFC, GPS) on our connectivity
platform architecture.

The combination of a highly skilled development team

and world-class products has given us design wins and
achieved volume sales to industry-leading manufacturers
around the world!

WLAN Facts about Nanoradio

WLAN Swedish fabless wireless semiconductor
WiFi Product offerings: True one chip, Combo
System in Package (SiP) and SW drivers
Data/Voice/Audio Location HQ: Kista, Sweden
Voice/Music Employees: +60
Founded: 2004
GSM
CEO & President: Tord Wingren
Sales offices/repr: Sweden, USA, Japan, Korea
WiFi SiP WiFi + Bluetooth
Key investors: Nordic Venture Partners,
802.11b/g Teknoinvest, Innovacom, Ferd Venture and
Industifonden
Venture funding: $55 million
Multiple design wins: Mobile phones Tier 1
Nanoradio is in the melting pot of two ongoing convergences, Digital
Media Convergence and Fixed-Mobile Convergence.

LEAD FREE
Pb
RoHS
Compliant

Torshamnsgatan 39, 164 40 Kista, Sweden, Phone: +46 8 752 04 90, Fax: +46 8 752 04 91, email:[email protected], url:www.nanoradio.com
Sales Offices/Representatives: USA: +1 678 343 1215, Europe: +46 733 94 14 00, Japan: +81 90 9825 3960, Korea: +82 11 227 6276
Always-On Wi-Fi
How innovative technology companies like Sweden’s Nanoradio are overcoming
the power and cost barriers to make Wi-Fi prevalent in mobile phones.

Market analyst firm ABI Research recently projected sales and has addressed the key concerns. Companies are seizing
of Wi-Fi-enabled mobile phones could surpass 500 million the opportunity to deliver Wi-Fi systems optimized for the
units in 2012, more than a 10-fold increase from today’s unique requirements of a mobile phone.
volumes. This growth is being driven by consumer demand One company focused on overcoming the perceived power
for high-speed data access and dual-mode handset services/ and cost hurdles for Wi-Fi in handsets is Nanoradio. The
applications like UMA. fabless semiconductor start-up based in Sweden has created,
Yet many in the industry remain skeptical about Wi- from the ground-up, a low-power, low-cost, small-package
Fi-enabled mobile phones for a variety of reasons. The wireless LAN solution specifically for the mobile phone
presumption of higher cost and power consumption when market.
using Wi-Fi in handsets are two of the more common “Nanoradio was founded with the vision of designing
concerns. It is challenging to add a new radio to a mobile the lowest cost, lowest power ‘always-on’ Wi-Fi system in
phone, where space and power are already extremely the market to capitalize on the tremendous opportunity in
constrained. In addition, Wi-Fi is often viewed as a power- mobile phones,” said Carl Elgh, vice president of marketing
hungry technology not optimized for voice services. for Nanoradio. “Today, our system delivers better quality
However, the increased demand for Wi-Fi-enabled and lower-power consumption than existing Bluetooth
handsets has brought tremendous innovation to the market radios, and it doubles the talk/standby time of UMA-enabled

10 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

devices when in Wi-Fi mode. We’ve proven that Wi-Fi can they enable is driving enormous demand on operators’
actually improve the battery efficiency of mobile phones. ” macro networks.
According to Nanoradio, its NRX700/2 Wi-Fi chipset Wi-Fi is pervasive in the home and office where the
is the smallest WLAN solution in the world with a total majority of mobile usage occurs and is proving to be the ideal
system footprint possible in only 36mm2. The system is complement to 3G services. It provides a high-speed data
highly integrated with an on-chip power amplifier and connection similar to 3G, yet delivers in-building coverage,
power management blocks. Nanoradio is also the only which can be lacking from the macro network.
company to offer WLAN chipsets with audio and Hi-Fi Capitalizing on this opportunity, Wi-Fi (and UMA) market
stereo capabilities enabling support for Wi-Fi headsets. leader Orange/France Telecom is offering its new High
Definition TV (HD-TV) service on 3G handsets equipped
Offloading the Internet Smartphone with UMA/Wi-Fi. Orange clearly sees potential in using in-
devices like the Apple iPhone or any of Research In Motion’s home Wi-Fi and UMA technology to offload high-bandwidth
BlackBerries, with large color screens and high-end HDTV services from the macro-outdoor network.
application processors, are feeding consumer demand for a Nanoradio has been at the forefront of this 3G UMA/Wi-
mobile Internet. Fi trend. Its system is commercially deployed in one of the
To capitalize on this demand, mobile operators have begun world’s first 3G/UMA handsets, the Samsung P270.
offering unlimited flat-rate data plans. As a result, streaming Pairing UMA/Wi-Fi with a 3G handset offers
applications like Pandora and YouTube, as well as data access dramatic performance improvements in both power and
applications like email and Google maps, are proving to be data throughput.
wildly popular, as well as affordable, on mobile phones. First, in a UMA/Wi-Fi environment, all mobile services
Meanwhile, today’s networks are groaning under the (voice, SMS, mobile TV, etc.) are delivered over the Wi-Fi
weight of delivering media-rich content, and mobile radio such that the 3G radio can hibernate. Nanoradio’s
operators are actively seeking technologies to reduce the Wi-Fi system in standby mode consumes less than 1/10 the
impact of non-revenue generating data traffic. milliwatts of power relative to a 3G radio. The result is that
normal operations of a 3G/UMA phone with a Nanoradio
Mobile industry pundit and consultant Dean Bubley
system can offer substantial battery life improvements
identified “offload” as the buzzword for mobile operators
versus non-Wi-Fi enabled 3G phones.
in 2009. In a December 2008 blog post, he wrote: “My
Secondly, UMA/Wi-Fi can be used to improve the
expectation is that device, OS and application vendors will
performance of 3G data services and coverage when indoors.
also take matters into their own hands, and develop their
The high-speed 802.11g radio delivers theoretical throughput
own offload approaches. There will be a rise of smarter
of 54 megabits/second; certainly fast enough to support
connection managers and APIs, that will allow the apps to
today’s mobile phone services. In addition, the use of Wi-Fi
pick the appropriate bearer and adjust their traffic profile
in the home provides a strong signal overcoming any macro
to suit it. They’ll monitor congestion, latency and packet
network signal propagation issues.
loss. They’ll actively look for their own offload channels,
especially via WiFi.”
Evolving Wi-Fi in Mobile Phones
As if to prove Bubley’s point, a recent survey of the
The next step in Wi-Fi technology is the new 802.11n
European smartphone market by research firm Canalys specification recently certified by the IEEE. Nanoradio
reported a stunning 58% of devices now ship with Wi-Fi. foresees the 802.11n technology integrated into dual-
Thus, the majority of devices causing the influx of data traffic mode phones shortly providing a 10-fold increase in data
are already well-equipped to offload traffic to the internet. throughput and significant improvements in range and
For the mobile operator, offloading internet traffic via Wi- signal quality.
Fi is a win-win situation. The subscriber pays a flat rate for As a technology platform, Wi-Fi has proven to be
data service, regardless of access technology (2G/EDGE, 3G, extremely successful in adapting to requirements.
Wi-FI), while the operator can offload traffic directly to the Technology innovators like Nanoradio have proven that
internet without bearing the burden on the macro network. Wi-Fi can be optimized to meet the power, size and cost
constraints of the mobile phone market. As demand
Complementing 3G with Wi-Fi Beyond increases, it’s clear mobile phones are poised to have
smartphones, 3G devices and the multimedia services “always on Wi-Fi.”

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 11

 FEMTOCELLS

Building the
Perfect Femtocell

08 UMA TODAY FALL 2008

 The mobile world is buzzing about femtocells. The Future-Proof Radio: The perfect femtocell would
concept of a small, low-cost, customer deployable home not have to be replaced as the macro network evolves to
base station that leverages a subscriber’s existing include new radio network technologies. Cellular radio
broadband connection for backhaul is an incredibly technology is constantly evolving, and operators are
compelling proposition for mobile operators. Femtocells continually upgrading their macro networks. In the last
hold the promise of reducing churn by improving indoor five to 10 years, many operators have evolved their macro
coverage, saving costs by offloading the macro radio networks from GSM to GSM+GPRS to GSM+EDGE to
network, and generating additional revenue by offering UMTS to UMTS+HSDPA to UMTS+HSD/UPA. Soon,
new ‘Home Zones’ services. they’ll evolve to HSPA+ and LTE. In addition, the perfect
However, as the initial femtocell trials are now femtocell would be able to support handsets no matter
concluding, and results are being fed back into the market, what macro radio technology they used (e.g. GSM/EDGE,
it’s clear there are a number of technical, standards, UMTS, HSDPA, or even HSPA+ and LTE in the future).
business case and regulatory challenges that still need to
be addressed before femtocells can really take off in the Predictable Indoor Coverage: The perfect femtocell
consumer market. would enable operators to provide a predictable wireless
There is now an opportunity to step back and consider: coverage range within a home. That coverage range
what are the requirements and capabilities that make the shouldn’t fluctuate based on how near or far a subscriber
‘perfect’ femtocell? may happen to live from a macro cell tower. For marketing
reasons, it’s imperative operators are able to accurately set
The ‘Perfect’ Femtocell subscribers expectations for the service.
The perfect femtocell should meet the following
requirements: Access Point Mobility: People move, and the perfect
femtocell would be able to move with them — no matter
Very Low Cost: To justify the femtocell business case, where in the world they may go.
most operators are demanding vendors keep the cost of the
device well below €100, and to target the €40 to €50 range. Enable Local Internet Offload: One of the biggest
But, in a perfect world, operators would not even need to selling points for femtocells is their ability to offload
provide all subscribers with a new access point for them to rapidly growing mobile data traffic (think iPhone) from the
receive a Home Zone service. Ideally, femtocell capability macro network. However, the vast majority of that data is
would have already been incorporated into existing home standard Internet traffic, and not operator-specific mobile-
broadband routers, or subscribers would have already data services. As a result, the perfect femtocell would allow
purchased and installed a femtocell for other reasons, mobile operators to let Internet related traffic route directly
like home network connectivity. Any installed base would to the Internet and bypass their core data network.
dramatically reduce an operator’s financial and logistical
burden of populating the network with new customer Facilitate Connected Home Services: In-home
premise equipment (CPE), and would immediately improve networking is an important trend for consumers.
the business case. Traditionally, mobile phones have been completely excluded
from the ‘connected home’ because they maintained a
No Macro Network Interference: The macro radio direct cellular connection to the mobile network. The
network is a finely tuned mesh of cell towers designed to
perfect femtocell would overcome this limitation and
maximize connectivity and minimize interference. The
would enable mobile phones to communicate directly with
‘perfect’ femtocell could be added into this mix and not have
any detrimental effects on the performance of the macro other devices in the home.
network. In addition, it would not cause any detrimental
effects to mobile customers who are not femtocell users but Add Value to Other Consumer Electronics in the
come within range of a femtocell. For example, if you and Home: The perfect femtocell would add value to other
your neighbor receive service from the same operator and devices in the home; not just mobile handsets. It would
you have a femtocell, the femtocell should not interfere work with any and all devices in the home or office which
with your neighbor’s handset. require wireless connectivity.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 13

 FEMTOCELLS

What About Wi-Fi Access Points? But when used in conjunction with 3GPP UMA/GAN
Now, reviewing the list above, there seems to be a technology, the situation would seem to change. By
technology option missing in this discussion. What about enabling all mobile services to be extended over Wi-Fi to
Wi-Fi access points? dual-mode handsets, the 3GPP UMA/GAN standard can
However, Wi-Fi alone does not meet the requirement effectively turn any Wi-Fi access point into a femtocell. In
for a perfect femtocell, because it does nothing to improve fact, with UMA/GAN, Wi-Fi access points can become the
the coverage or performance of mobile service. “new perfect” femtocells.
Let’s think about how that works:

Requirement UMTS Femtocell Wi-Fi/ UMA “Femtocell”

Very Low Cost Current UMTS access point cost Wi-Fi access points under €50 are
estimates are in the €150 to €200 readily available from many large
range. In addition, there is no consumer electronics vendors. In
installed based of UMTS access points addition, almost 50% of broadband
for an operator to leverage. households in many countries already
have a Wi-Fi access point installed.

No Macro Interference By definition, UMTS access points By definition, Wi-Fi access points
will have some level of interference do NOT interfere with the macro
with the macro network, as well as network or with the handsets of non-
with the handsets of non-femtocell “femtocell” users.
users. However, much hard work
is underway to try to minimize the
detrimental effects.

Future-Proof Radio As the macro network evolves to It is not necessary to upgrade a Wi-Fi
support HSPA+ and LTE, UMTS “femtocell” access point as the macro
femtocells will need upgrades. But by network evolves to HSPA+ and even
definition, UMTS femtocells will only LTE. In addition, it can support
be able to support UMTS handsets. handsets based on any macro radio
technology: GSM, UTMS, HSPA or
even LTE.

Predictable Indoor In order to mitigate interference with As Wi-Fi “femtocells” operate in

Coverage the macro network, the wireless cov- a different spectrum range from
erage range for a UMTS femtocell will the macro network, they provide
vary based on how close a subscriber predictable wireless coverage and
lives to a macro radio tower. The don’t vary based on the proximity of a
closer to the tower, the smaller the subscriber’s house to the nearest cell
effective access point range. tower.

Access Point Mobility UMTS femtocells allow for some Wi-Fi ”femtocells” operate in
level of mobility. However since they unlicensed spectrum, so they can
use licensed spectrum, they can be moved and used anywhere in the
only operate in a territory where the world.
operator has a license to use
that spectrum.

14 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

 Requirement UMTS Femtocell Wi-Fi/ UMA “Femtocell”
Internet Offload A UMTS femtocell can identify and With Wi-Fi “femtocells,” handsets can
route relevant traffic directly to the route Internet-related traffic directly
Internet, without going through an to the Internet, and not back through
operator’s core network. However, an operator’s core network.
in some countries, there may be
regulations that require all traffic
traveling over licensed spectrum
to first be routed through a mobile
operator’s core network prior to the
Internet.

Enabled Connected A UMTS femtocell can function as A Wi-Fi “femtocell” enables handsets
Home Services a proxy to enable handsets to access to directly access resources on the
resources on the home network. home network.

Future-Proof Radio As the macro network evolves to It is not necessary to upgrade a Wi-Fi
support HSPA+ and LTE, UMTS “femtocell” access point as the macro
femtocells will need upgrades. But by network evolves to HSPA+ and even
definition, UMTS femtocells will only LTE. In addition, it can support
be able to support UMTS handsets. handsets based on any macro radio
technology: GSM, UTMS, HSPA or
even LTE.

Provide Value to Other UMTS femtocells operate in a specific Wi-Fi “femtocells” are standard Wi-Fi
Devices in the Home operator-licensed spectrum, so they access points and can be used by any
can only support UMTS devices that Wi-Fi-equipped devices in the home
also have a subscription with that for network connectivity.
mobile operator.

What’s Perfect? So, will the `perfect’ femtocell at the right price with
So, will the ‘perfect’ femtocell at the right price with the the right features appear anytime soon? Clearly there
right features appear anytime soon? Are Wi-Fi access points is tremendous industry investment from the femtocell
with UMA/GAN technology actually a ‘perfect’ femtocell ecosystem of femtocell vendors to meet the `perfect’
already available and widely used around the world? femtocell requirements.
There is certainly a lot of debate from vendors and Are Wi-Fi access points with UMA/GAN technology
operators alike. Regardless of the technology choice, it’s actually a `perfect’ femtocell already? Wi-Fi and UMA/
clear that delivering a home zone service is a priority GAN certainly meet the requirements and is widely used
for mobile operators. The ‘perfect’ solution is poised to around the world today. As more UMA-enabled, dual-
capitalize on this pent-up demand. It’s clear that there mode phones enter the market, Wi-Fi is poised to play a
are many elements to developing the `perfect’ femtocell. critical role in helping the mobile operator own the home.
These elements all contribute to meeting the operator’s Regardless of the technology choice, it’s clear that
requirements to deliver on the promise of femtocells, delivering a home zone service is a priority for mobile
improving in-building performance, offloading the macro- operators. The `perfect’ solution is poised to capitalize on
network, and supporting a Home Zone service offer. this pent-up demand.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 15

 COVER STORY

Delivering Telephony
Services in an LTE Network

16 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

LTE: A Key NEXT STEP in Mobile Network Evolution
The next-generation, all-IP access network is on the minds of all mobile industry
leaders. Deployment of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) access network has quickly
emerged as an important next step in mobile network evolution. With very high
data transfer rates and exceptionally low latency, LTE promises to provide users with
a true mobile broadband experience.
At the same time, the tremendous success of 3G/HSPA data solutions over the past
year has demonstrated strong consumer demand for mobile Internet access services.
The GSM Association (GSMA) recently reported that 3G data has become the fastest
growing broadband service in the world, with millions of new subscriptions monthly.
As LTE enables operators to offer an even higher performance mobile broadband
service at a significantly lower cost structure than their 3G/HSPA networks, they are
looking to leverage the technology to capitalize on this proven consumer demand for
a true ‘mobile Internet.’
To meet this demand, a number of major mobile operators are now targeting
LTE market trials as early as the second half of 2009. ABI Research Analyst Nadine
Manjaro was recently quoted saying “some operators may choose to bypass 3G and
move directly to LTE, putting increased pressure on equipment vendors to meet
accelerated timelines.”

The Operator Imperative: Voice over LTE As mobile

operators plan for this next generation of mobile Internet, they are keen to avoid
mistakes made by many fixed-line operators. The deployment of high-speed
broadband networks left many fixed operators delivering a ‘dumb pipe,’ ideal for
‘over-the-top’ service delivery. Alternative service providers were able to quickly
flourish by delivering voice over the top of fixed broadband networks, because the
fixed operators themselves were slow to bring out their own competitive VoIP offers.
The mantra for mobile operators is to be ‘smart-pipe’ providers. This approach
acknowledges consumer demand for a mobile broadband pipe providing straight
forward Internet access. But rather than leaving it solely to over-the-top competitors
to deliver voice services over these pipes, there is an imperative for mobile operators
to seamlessly weave their own voice services into the broadband connection.
Consumers can, and likely will, still subscribe to alternative VoIP providers, but a
mobile operator’s goal should be to put their own voice service front and center.
Adding the operator’s telephony service to an LTE deployment from day one has
another benefit. Revenue from a broadband ‘pipe’ is flat rate and declining. Mobile
broadband services in the UK, for example, have been struck by a price war which
effectively halved the price of monthly service in less than 12 months. Layering in
telephony to an LTE service from the beginning enables operators to increase ARPU
(average revenue per user) with voice. In turn, the return on investment (ROI) for
LTE will be shorter.
Interestingly, there is also a very real negative element to not supplying voice with
LTE. LTE was architected from the beginning to support VoIP services. The absence
of an operator’s own voice service will encourage alternative VoIP providers to fill the
void. An LTE network without a bundled core telephony service is an invitation to
VoIP competitors.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 17

 COVER STORY

The Challenge: Changes in the on doing a better job at working with, and mobilizing,
IMS Market Until recently, it had been presumed successful Internet-based services.
that most operator services delivered over LTE, including The success of Release 4 soft-switch MSCs is also having
mainstream telephony services, would be IMS-based. an impact on operator IMS plans. These new voice switches
When LTE standardization efforts began several years are providing all the feature richness of legacy MSCs, while
ago, it was assumed that most mobile operators would be providing the capital and operational cost advantages of
well progressed in their IMS deployments by the time LTE all-IP systems. Still in the early stages of deployment,
became a commercial reality. these systems face many years of depreciation. And unlike

lue
Replicate basic telephony
services in IMS domain for
devices connected via LTE? Tel. SMS VMS Pres. Share ...

ICS/VCC
Connected Home
Tel. Connected
SMS mobile
VMSphone WAP MMS IMS
to services on WLAN
Circuit Services Packet Services
HomeZone Services
Home-triggered presence
updates and file tranfers

Compelling Data BSC RNC RNC

EPC
Great mobile web and
TV experience on Wi-Fi

Low Cost Calling

Discounted mobile
calling on Wi-Fi
DONE

GERAN UTRAN LTE

Time
Figure 1: Some operators are questioning the need to recreate core telephony services in IMS

In this presumed approach, an operator would continue moving to an IMS-based telephony core network, softMSCs
to leverage their existing circuit-based core voice networks enable operators to continue to leverage all their existing
to service subscribers when connected to the operators 2G/ (and expansive) operational support systems (billing,
GSM or 3G/UMTS access network. However, to service provisioning, services, customer care…).
subscribers when connected to LTE, the operator would As a result of these trends, the market is now starting
leverage a new IMS-based core network, upon which all of to see several categories of mobile operators emerge when
their current services would have been replicated (Figure 1). it comes to IMS. For some, the plan of record remains an
However, several key trends in the communications eventual migration of all services to an IMS-based core
market have emerged over the last several years that have network, albeit more slowly than originally anticipated.
caused significant changes in the IMS deployment plans However, for a growing number of other operators, while
of many mobile operators. For example, with the success they may still plan to deploy IMS, they are looking to focus
of Internet-based search, commerce, music and Web 2.0 those efforts on the introduction of new services rather
services, some operators are now rethinking their overall than the recreation of existing services (e.g. telephony)
mobile data service strategy. Rather than putting effort in the IMS domain. The IMS Rich Communication Suite
into conceptualizing, developing and delivering their own (RCS) effort within the GSMA is a good example of this new
mobile data services, many operators are now focusing focus (see sidebar, p. 20).

18 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

The Solution: The 3GPP GAN deployments worldwide with millions of subscribers today.
Standard As a result of these changes in the IMS The GAN specification was extended in Release 8 in 2008 to
market, a number of operators are now looking for an also include support for 3G core network interfaces (Iu), in
alternative approach for delivering their mainstream voice addition to 2G (A/Gb) interfaces. Leveraging the 3GPP GAN
services out over LTE. standard as the basis for voice service delivery over LTE has
These operators are keen to identify a method for voice a number of advantages:
service delivery over LTE that enables them to leverage their Investment protection
proven, installed voice core networks. The concept is to Clearly, basing LTE telephony services on an existing
‘elevate’ an operator’s existing core voice network to act as a (expansive) voice core network protects a substantial
packet service delivered over the LTE access network. Rather capital investment..
than attempting to recreate core telephony services in IMS, Proven service core
simply make the existing telephony infrastructure a packet The existing, expanding and evolving voice core network
service delivered over IP via LTE. The existing 3GPP Generic is a proven, reliable resource at the heart of mobile
Access Network (GAN) standard has quickly emerged as a networks worldwide.
favored approach for realizing this concept (Figure 2). Low-operational disruption
The 3GPP GAN standard, also commonly referred to as the Expansive operation support systems (OSS) and business
UMA standard, is the technology behind a number of ‘home support systems (BSS) have been developed and integrated
zone’ services deployed by leading operators worldwide. The with the existing voice core network. These network
premise behind GAN has always been to extend existing services can be extended to the LTE environment
mobile services over any generic broadband access network. 3GPP standards-based delivery
Originally applied to fixed broadband networks like DSL and The 3GPP GAN standard has proven an effective and
cable, it quickly became clear that GAN also applies directly robust method for extending mobile voice services over
to mobile broadband networks, such as LTE. broadband packet access networks. With only minor
The UMA/GAN standard, initially introduced in 3GPP modifications, the existing GAN standard can be used to
Release 6, has been vetted and proven in commercial deliver voice over LTE today.

1 2
Enables operators to
leverage growing Tel. SMS VMS Pres. Share ... Enables operators to
investment in low-cost Circuit Services focus IMS investment on
R4 voice core emoH detcennoC new RSC-type service
A/lu -CS enohp elibom detcennoC
NALW no seciv res ot
GANC WAP MMS IMS

Packet Services
secivreS enoZemoH
ecneserp dereggirt-emoH
s refnart elif dna setadpu

ataD gnillepmoC

BSC RNC RNC

EPC
3 dna bew elibom taerG
iF-iW no ecneirepxe VT

Enables operators to
gnillaC tsoC
bring telephony elibom detnuo
revenues sooner to
ENOD
iF-iW no gnill

LTE investment
GERAN UTRAN LTE
emiT

Figure 2: Using GAN to elevate the existing voice service network to be a packet service on LTE
Voice-over-LTE and the Minimal impact to handset manufacturers
A key lesson learned from 3G network deployments was the importance
Rich Communications of encouraging early handset development. With 3G networks
deployed, operators waited years for viable handsets to begin loading
Suite (RCS) networks. Any confusion over the telephony client will undoubtedly
delay the availability of LTE devices. Defining LTE voice to be identical
To help facilitate IMS deployment, to the existing voice services of the 3G and 2G networks immediately
a number of operators and vendors de-risks a large portion of the handset development.
are now working on the IMS Rich
Supported by all major handset vendors
Communications Suite (RCS)
Today every major handset manufacturer, including Nokia, Samsung,
specification. IMS RCS is a well-
LGE, Sony-Ericsson, RIM, Motorola and HTC, has developed GAN
defined set of IMS-based services,
handsets. This too aids in de-risking LTE device development
consisting of three new applications
(presence, instant messaging and These considerations have made GAN the leading approach for delivering
active directory) all tied into basic telephony services over LTE.
telephony.
RCS, like IMS in general, is envi- 3GPP UMA/GAN: A Long-Term Solution
sioned to be access-network indepen- Considering the overall transition to a full LTE environment, UMA/
dent, meaning it has been defined to GAN offers a long-term telephony strategy. It is clear that any LTE
work over today’s 3G network, as well telephony service or handset must support the 2G/3G as a fall back for
as LTE. service delivery. The use of GAN for telephony simply reuses the existing
Pragmatically, RCS in a 3G network telephony client which is already required to be present in any LTE
relies on the existing voice service handset.
core network and transport to Even in a full IMS telephony deployment, the 2G/3G telephony client
deliver telephony, while adding new will be present in the handset. Similar to the RCS model today, operators
multimedia services over the packet can invest in IMS for non-telephony services while continuing to leverage
access network. their existing 2G/3G telephony networks for LTE with GAN.
Ironically, this serves as a model for An operator specifying voice over LTE has a fundamental requirement
to provide the same service experience – capabilities, functions and
GAN telephony over LTE: leverage the
quality – which are supported in today’s mobile networks. The existing
existing and proven 2G/3G telephony
R4 MCS service core offers a natural platform for delivering these
network while adding new applications
services. The implication is that mobile networks will support 2G/3G
as packet services.
telephony services for many years to come.
This model also extends the RCS
vision seamlessly into LTE with a
Conclusion Operators around the world are looking to
GAN-based telephony service. As accelerate LTE deployments. Rather than delivering an undifferentiated
GAN enables operators to continue broadband connection, many of these operators are focused on being
leveraging their existing core voice ‘smart pipe’ providers by weaving their existing telephony services into
network over LTE, the RCS service the offer.
continues to function in the same Leveraging the 3GPP GAN standard to extend voice services from
manner as it is transitioned into LTE an existing core voice network over LTE offers the fastest, lowest risk
versus a 3G access. The telephony path to LTE telephony. For all operators grappling with approaches
component of the RCS service remains for delivering voice over LTE, GAN provides long-term investment
off the existing voice core, while the protection, as well as short-term service acceleration designed to deliver
new aspects of the RCS services are profitable telephony services today.
derived off of the IMS core, mirroring Even for those mobile operators looking to eventually migrate all
how the service is delivered over the services, including mobile telephony, to IMS, the GAN-based approach
3G access network. offers a good mid-term solution for voice over LTE.
 Award Sponsors

UMA Innovation Awards 2009

Recognizing Leadership in the UMA Market
Congratulations
to the winners
and finalists of
UMA Innovation
Awards 2009
Companies and individuals awarded in the
following categories:

Best Handset - 3G Phone

Best Handset - Feature Phone
Best Handset - Smart Phone
Best Handset Portfolio
Best Handset Platform
Best CPE
Innovator’s Award

Winners announced at a ceremony on the

Orange stand on February 17th, during Mobile
World Congress 2009.

For a full list of winners and more information

about the UMA Innovation Awards, visit:

http://www.umatoday.com/awards.php
Making the call:
How users will access telephony
services over LTE (with GAN)
With operators looking to early long-term evolution (LTE) deployments in the second half of 2010, it is important to
consider a potential timeline for adding telephony services to the network. The schedule will be dictated by the types of
devices available to access the LTE network.
One thing is certain, the operators aggressive with LTE view telephony as a ‘must have’ service available from day one.
Therefore, these operators are considering different classes of LTE devices, each capable of supporting GAN for voice-
over-LTE today.

Internet
Tel. SMS VMS

Circuit Services Packet Services

RNC
GANC

RNC
EPC

LTE Handset LTE Data Card

with GAN-enabled with GAN-enabled “Click to Call”
Telephony and SMS services and Softmobile Application

LTE
LTE MID or UMPC LTE Broadband Router
with GAN-enabled Telephony, with GAN-enabled
SMS and “Click to Call” services Terminal Adaptor

Figure 1: Embed primary revenue generating voice service into LTE-enabled consumer electronics

22 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

LTE Laptop USB Modem An LTE ‘dongle,’ or USB modem, is likely to be the first option
provided for consumers of LTE network services. The dongle is a well-known tool for delivering a mobile
broadband services USB Modem.
With today’s 3G dongle services, mobile operators don’t typically provide their own branded VoIP service;
thus, consumers have a high-speed IP network that invites VoIP competitors.
Before UMA/GAN, mobile operators wanting to deploy a VoIP client would need to invest in a costly
and isolated VoIP switch. But today, it is possible to use UMA/GAN technology to provide a softmobile
VoIP client, which derives service from the existing mobile voice core.
This softmobile client presents the subscriber’s own mobile service as an application running
on the laptop.
Orange recently launched Unik PC in France, which is a perfect example of this service. The softmobile
application resides on a USB key and is a self-contained application that runs on the subscriber’s laptop.
For LTE, it makes sense to bundle a softmobile client into the LTE dongle to deliver integrated broadband
and telephony services to users from the start.

LTE Broadband Router LTE can be used as a replacement technology for today’s fixed-
line broadband connections into the home. With an LTE wide area network (WAN) connection, an LTE
broadband router needs local area connections to deliver services to the consumer in the home. Clearly,
a basic router and fixed-line hub is required. But given T-Mobile’s extremely successful fixed-line VoIP
service, @Home (see Fixed FMC, p. 24), mobile operators must consider adding an RJ-11 port to deliver
an integrated home phone service. The fixed-line service is delivered via a GAN client in the broadband
router and provides dial-tone in the home, thus enabling the mobile operator to deliver broadband data,
as well as fixed and mobile voice service through a single, branded LTE broadband router.

LTE MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) Operators are envisioning a new class of devices that will
enable them to capitalize on the LTE network -- mobile internet devices (MID). MIDs are a cross between
a mobile phone and laptop, specifically designed to deliver a media-rich mobile Internet experience
beyond what a traditional handset can support, but without the overhead of a laptop. The MID would
have an embedded LTE radio and be provided as part of a mobile broadband service.
Early Internet tablets, like the Nokia 770, proved the feasibility of the MID concept. Users bought
the 770, which had only a Wi-Fi connection, to provide easy, instant access to the Internet. It became a
platform for many VoIP client software packages.
Therefore, LTE MIDs will likely learn from this experience and provide an embedded (or downloadable)
softmobile client. Using the same UMA/GAN-based softmobile client, operators can embed telephony
directly into an LTE MID as part of a technology launch.

LTE Handsets Handset manufacturers will develop LTE devices only when there is a clear
mandate for telephony from operators. Any hesitation, confusion or delay in telephony or the approach
for delivering telephony will serve to delay the handset market.
For the major device manufacturers, leveraging the existing R4 service components for telephony
and utilizing the UMA/GAN engine for packetizing traffic over LTE is relatively straightforward.
This approach relies on software elements already proven in the field. The effect of standardizing on
GAN for voice over LTE is to de-risk the development of LTE devices and enable manufacturers
to focus on the complexities of a newradio resource.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 23

 Terminal Adaptors

Get More ‘Fixed’

From FMC

Accelerating the migration of voice minutes in the home The second reason subscribers say they are dropping
from the fixed network to the mobile network (known as their incumbent fixed-line service, according to the
fixed-mobile substitution, or FMS) is an opportunity for Morgan Stanley report, is to migrate to a lower-cost VoIP
mobile operators to generate more revenue and growth. service provider. US cable companies were the biggest
In the US, incumbent fixed-line providers are losing winners in this market, taking in 5.5 million new fixed-
fixed-line and home-phone services at an alarming line VoIP subscribers in the last year.
(if you’re one of them) rate. A recent Morgan Stanley It’s clear the market for fixed-line service isn’t
report indicated that the fixed-line loss at the largest US going away any time soon. Consumers like a dedicated
incumbents (Verizon, AT&T, Qwest, Embarq) was 7.7% in home phone number. Plus many consumers prefer the
Q1 2008 alone. ergonomic advantages of larger cordless phones, along
There were two reasons cited for the loss in business. with the convenience of having phones in multiple rooms
One was the migration of fixed service to mobile operators. throughout the house.
Clearly, FMS is an opportunity where mobile providers Previously, mobile operators had largely been shut out
are successful. of the market for providing fixed-line services. But new

24 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

UMA/GAN technology has made fixed-line VoIP service In November 2008, T-Mobile added a stripped-down
a cost-effective reality for mobile providers. And mobile version of the WRTU called the Linksys UTA200-TM. It
operators are ready for the challenge. is a stand-alone terminal adaptor with no IP routing or
Wi-Fi capabilities. The UTA200-TM has a single RJ-11
T-Mobile Goes Fixed In July 2008, T-Mobile telephone jack and is designed to be added to an existing
US formally unveiled its newest fixed-line service offer, home network.
“@Home.” It provides subscribers with unlimited calling UMA-based terminal adaptors enable mobile operators
from a fixed-line home phone for just $10/month. The to leverage their existing low-cost, feature-rich R99 or R4
service is equivalent to adding a second line to an existing core networks to deliver a fixed-line voice service.
T-Mobile subscription, yet it connects directly into
subscribers’ existing home phone systems. Subscribers Putting More Fixed into Fixed-
must have an existing T-Mobile GSM subscription of at Mobile Convergence For a mobile operator,
least $40/month to add @Home to their service plans. offering a fixed-line home phone service is similar to
“We found that a lot of families don’t want to get rid of offering a mobile subscriber a second line. Thus a fixed-
their home phone,” said Britt Wehrman, director of product line service can be positioned as a logical extension to a
development at T-Mobile. The @Home service was trialed for subscriber’s existing`family plan.’
several months in Dallas and Seattle before the nationwide
launch. At the end of the trial, T-Mobile reported that an
incredible 97% of users opted to keep the service.
The competition for home phone service is fierce, and
T-Mobile’s home
prices are coming down. It is estimated that the average
fixed-line phone bill from a US incumbent operator is $65/
phone service will
month. Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator, provides
an unlimited fixed-line voice service for $40/month.
likely generate more
Vonage, the nation’s largest independent VoIP provider,
delivers a similar offer for $25/month. And now T-Mobile,
than $60m in top-line
the nation’s fourth largest mobile operator, has undercut the
entire market and set the bar at a low $10/month.
revenue next year...
UMA/GAN Provides Mobile Oper-
One key advantage of using UMA/GAN to provide fixed-
ators with More Opportunities line home phone service is that the mobile operator simply
The 3GPP UMA/GAN standard is at the heart of a mobile uses the existing mobile voice core infrastructure (MSCs)
operator’s fixed-line VoIP service. With a UMA/GAN to deliver the service. Before the use of UMA, mobile
network infrastructure, mobile operators can extend operators wanting to deliver fixed-line service were forced
existing services to deliver a number of compelling fixed- to buy and install a new, stand-alone VoIP switch which
mobile convergence (FMC) services, including dual-mode was completely independent of the rest of the mobile
handsets, femtocells and fixed-line VoIP services, over network.
fixed broadband networks. A second advantage is the fixed and mobile numbers are
T-Mobile is using its UMA infrastructure wisely. The homed from the same MSC. With both lines on the same
company’s @Home service relies on a UMA-enabled voice switch, there are a number of fixed-mobile service
terminal adaptor to bridge the broadband and home integration possibilities. Operators can offer a single
phone networks. The initial @Home offer included the voicemail box for fixed and mobile lines. Or with a little
Linksys WRTU-54G, a complete home router, Wi-Fi access development, the service can detect when the subscriber
point with two RJ-11 analog telephone ports to which the is at home and provide simultaneous ringing on fixed
consumer’s existing corded and cordless telephones are and mobile phones, adding a new level of convenience to
connected. mobile service in the home.

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 25

Free Money For Mobile Operators Mobile operators UMA-ENABLED
are tapping into home phone service because it is a completely new revenue TERMINAL ADAPTORS
opportunity. There is no overlap with existing mobile service; it’s a pure product
extension that can be sold to an existing subscriber base, as well as potential new
customers.
For T-Mobile, the results are impressive. Independent industry analysts predict
that T-Mobile will sell nearly 500,000 @Home subscriptions in the first six months
of service. With a monthly rate of $10, the service will likely generate more than $60
million in top-line revenue next year.
In addition, subscriber acquisition costs are minimal. The target customers
are existing T-Mobile subscribers. This is a service extension promoted in store
locations and online with little need for broad consumer advertising.
For T-Mobile, an operator with mobile as its primary service, it is critical to add
new products and services for its subscriber base. Consumers with a single service
from an operator are more likely to churn than those with multiple services. By
delivering a fixed-line home phone service, T-Mobile can create a stronger
relationship with its customer base and develop customer goodwill. A valuable
home phone service with branded equipment in the home creates a tighter bond Linksys WRTU-54G
with the subscriber.
Customer premise equipment (CPE) is required to bridge the service from the
broadband network to the home phone system. These products are known as
Analog Terminal Adaptors, and there are models from consumer electronics giant
Linksys/Cisco, as well as broadband specialist Westell.
To further drive customer pick-up of @Home, T-Mobile subsidized the cost of
the CPE in return for a one or two-year subscriber service commitment. This is the
same strategy many operators use when selling handsets and having customers
commit to service agreements.

Conclusion Customers looking to streamline their phone services and

maximize their benefits recognize this as a win-win service offer. Getting a home
phone for the cost of a second mobile line is a good deal. For operators, offering a home Linksys UTA200 - TM
phone service reduces churn, increases ARPU (average revenue per user) and sets the
stage for a range of new FMC services. It seems like fixed is the new mobile.

Westell’s UltraVoice UMA

Terminal Adapter

22 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

Freedom of voice... mobile and fixed

Westell’s UltraVoice
UMA Terminal Adapter

• Delivers reliable high-performance

voice services in the home over
fixed broadband connections

• Assures Quality of Service

for carrier-grade voice quality

• Offers fast, simple setup with

no user configuration required

Westell’s UltraVoice UMA Terminal Adapter enables mobile service providers

to increase subscriber revenue and win new customers with trusted fixed-line
phone service; offering subscribers a complete suite of voice services under
a single billing plan.

For more information visit www.westell.com.

Join the Fixed/Mobile Convergence movement.
INTERVIEW

BlackBerries, Wi-Fi and UMA

UMA Today: Thank you for taking the
time to talk with us, Mike. RIM was an
early pioneer using Wi-Fi in handsets,
even when Wi-Fi was considered by some
to be a threat to the mobile operator.
What opportunity did RIM see?
McAndrews: Several years ago, as we evaluated the
possibility of including Wi-Fi in BlackBerry handsets, we
realized that the big opportunity was to focus on offerings
that provided benefits not only to end users but also to
wireless carriers.
A great example is how Wi-Fi extends the carrier’s wireless
footprint to cover a lot of tough-to-reach locations like the
basement in your home, or the interior of your sprawling
office complex. This is win-win because the customer gets to
enjoy their BlackBerry services, like email and web browsing,
in more locations without the carrier needing to add more
towers to its mobile network.
Wi-Fi also provides users with faster data speeds,
which comes in handy for applications like web browsing
and file attachment downloads. The carrier also benefits
since Wi-Fi helps offload some portion of data traffic
from their mobile network, thereby allowing the carrier
to add more users without a corresponding increase in
infrastructure spending.

Mike McAndrews UMA Today: Have operators’ opinions

VP of Product Marketing towards Wi-Fi changed?
McAndrews: I’ve seen a definite trend in the last few
Research In Motion (RIM), maker of iconic years towards Wi-Fi adoption by many wireless carriers
BlackBerry smartphones, is a true innovator and around the world. This trend is fueled by 3 things: 1) Wi-
visionary in the mobile industry. An early UMA Fi popularity with end users, 2) Increasing smartphone
supporter, the company has maintained a long-term functionality, which leads to greater wireless data usage,
commitment to the technology. Today, RIM supports and 3) Many carriers now see Wi-Fi as an enabler to their
UMA in a wide range of its industry-leading products, overall strategy. As a result, Wi-Fi is being increasingly
from the consumer oriented BlackBerry Pearl Flip requested by wireless carriers in new BlackBerry
smartphone to the BlackBerry Curve smartphone. smartphones.
UMA Today caught up with Mike McAndrews, RIM’s Many of our carrier partners have used Wi-Fi to create
VP of product marketing, to learn more about how differentiated wireless offerings to the market. Some
Wi-Fi and UMA technology fit into the company’s of our carriers have created compelling voice service
future vision. plans built around UMA. Other carriers have focused on
bundling convenient hotspot access as part of a BlackBerry replace the wide area coverage provided by a mobile network,
service plan. it is becoming more commonplace in homes, hotels, airports,
coffee shops, universities and businesses. RIM currently has
UMA Today: How does UMA technology seven BlackBerry handsets in our lineup that include Wi-Fi,
fit into RIM’s strategy? and we anticipate that this number will grow over time.
McAndrews: UMA is a natural extension of what we’ve RIM’s Wi-Fi architecture is designed to allow the
been doing with Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi support makes it possible handset to connect to the best network available – either
for customers to access their BlackBerry data, the addition of the mobile network or Wi-Fi – with no user intervention
UMA support gives customers access to voice calling over Wi-
Fi as well.
UMA is a technology that benefits both mobile operators
and end users alike, and we’re glad to support it. To date, we’ve
seen enthusiastic support for UMA from some of our carrier Those operators that have
partners, including Rogers Wireless, T-Mobile US and Orange.
embraced UMA are reaping
UMA Today: One of the criticisms of UMA the economic benefits, and
is that it’s only supported by a handful of
operators. Do you have an opinion on why we expect to see adoption
more operators don’t support it?
McAndrews: UMA is a relatively new technology, all
and support for the
things considered, and some carriers are evaluating the
pros/cons of UMA vs. femtocells.
technology continue.
UMA Today: Interesting that you should
bring up femtocells. From the handset
perspective, I suspect RIM is neutral. required. Once you connect to a Wi-Fi network and save
the settings, your BlackBerry handset automatically
What is your opinion of them? switches between the mobile network and Wi-Fi network
McAndrews: RIM handsets support both UMA and as you move about during the day. This seamless
femtocells. UMA is a proven approach that has already connectivity is an important element of making Wi-Fi truly
been successfully deployed in large commercial roll-outs. easy to use.
While femtocells can be used on non-Wi-Fi-enabled mobile
handsets, there are still some technology challenges. UMA Today: Has the innovation with
In any event, we don’t see Wi-Fi going away from mobile Wi-Fi extended to power? One of the
handsets – on the contrary, Wi-Fi has become a key complaints about Wi-Fi enabled devices
feature that many customers look for when purchasing a is that the power consumption is much
smartphone.
higher. Is that really the case?
UMA Today: Nice lead in to my next McAndrews: We have always prided ourselves on great
question. What is RIM’s outlook for Wi- battery life for BlackBerry devices, and we’ve extended our
power-saving know-how to Wi-Fi. BlackBerry smartphones
Fi and UMA in handsets in the future? are engineered to allow users to leave their Wi-Fi radio turned
McAndrews: Wi-Fi is an important part of our product on all the time. The seamless connectivity I mentioned –
roadmap – it’s proven to be a technology that benefits both the ability for the BlackBerry smartphone to automatically
our carrier partners and end users. Wi-Fi is popular with switch between the mobile network and Wi-Fi – is only
both business users and consumers. While Wi-Fi cannot possible if the Wi-Fi radio is always on. (continued, p.32)

SPRING 2009 UMA TODAY 29

 Key product & service announcements Q3–Q4 2008

UMA 2008 Newsline

July prepare for full launches later that year or in 2011, ac-
cording to its study, “Femtocell Deployment and Market
T-Mobile US launches @Home,
Perception.”
its innovative fixed-line home
phone service. Suscribers
can purchase a new Linksys
SEPTEMBER
terminal adaptor with UMA Orange launches the world’s first 3G UMA platform,
technology and plug it into a broadband connection for accessible to its Unik customers. Launching with
fixed-line voice service in the home, driven by the mobile exclusive handsets from Samsung and Sony Ericsson,
core network. UMA and 3G network technologies will be combined
in one device for the very first time. Customers will
Cincinnati Bell launches Fusion Wi-Fi, the next evolu- experience richer content services and faster data
tion of its Home Run UMA service launched June 2007 speeds on Orange’s 3G and Wi-Fi networks more
as the first converged wireless and Wi-Fi service in the cost-effectively.
Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, markets. Fusion
Wi-Fi customers receive unlimited Wi-Fi minutes for as Sony Ericsson launches the G705u, one of
little as $10 per month. The service is available with the the first 3G/UMA devices ever and its first
Nokia 6086 and BlackBerry Pearl handsets.  UMA-enabled, dual-mode handset. The
device features include a 2.4-inch display
T-Mobile US announces the availabil- with automatic screen rotation courtesy of
ity of two new phones for subscribers of an accelerometer, aGPS with Google Maps
its UMA-based Unlimited HotSpot Call- for Mobile, 1GB internal memory, built-in
ing service. The Nokia 6301 and Sam- FM radio, an RSS reader, an HTML browser
sung t339 bring two stylish options to and more rich features.
the expanding Unlimited HotSpot Calling
family. Customers can now choose from An Informa Telecoms & Media report predicts more
eight UMA-enabled, dual-mode phones, than half of all mobile data traffic will be generated at
including three smartphones. home within the next five years, with voice not far behind.
It says the growth in home usage of mobile services will
Sagem launches its third UMA hand- drive the business case for femtocells, and mobile data
set, my519X, for subscribers of Orange’s traffic generated in the home environment is expected
‘Unik’ service. The new tri-band phone
to reach 58 per cent by 2013. Informa expects femtocell
music phone has an MP3 player, mea-
deployments to help operators offload up to 8 percent
sures 108 x 48 x 11mm and weighs only
of total mobile traffic to fixed networks via end user
89g. It’s Orange’s first music phone with
broadband lines.
UMA technology.
NEC Corporation (NEC)
AUGUST contributes in strategic funding
Heavy Reading reports that early 2010 will be the criti- to Kineto Wireless. NEC cites
cal period for commercial trials of femtocells as operators Kineto’s FMC solutions enabling mobile operators

For the latest news, subscribe to t

 around the world to deliver a variety of new revenue HD mobile TV channels. Customers can view high-quality
generating FMC services, including dual-mode handsets, TV content on a UMA-enabled, dual-mode handset,
femtocells, terminal adaptors, softmobile clients and whether they are at home, in Orange Wi-Fi hotspots or
more, to facilitate NEC’s aim to be the leading provider of traveling.
femtocell solutions worldwide.
LG Electronics launches its first 3G +
Research in Motion (RIM) UMA handset, the KF757, also known
unveils the BlackBerry Pearl Flip as the Secret. It supports HD mobile TV
8220 smartphone, the first flip for Unik, Neon Touch and Touch Media
BlackBerry, and says it’s available Navigation that allows users to navigate
through T-Mobile US. The UMA- the phone’s media features, such as
enabled quad-band EDGE-based music, photos, FM radio and more. It has
device is light and features two a 5 megapixel camera, video recording, a
high-res, light-sensing color carbon fiber battery cover and more.
displays, an external LCD to easily
preview incoming messages and calls and a 240x320-pixel Samsung’s new 3G/UMA handset, the
internal LCD. The phone has a number of multimedia, P270, becomes available to Orange Unik
camera and recording features, as well as GPS, BlackBerry subscribers. Orange also adds the Sony
maps and mobile streaming. Ericsson G705U to its Unik handset roster.

T-Mobile US offers @Home subscribers

OCTOBER another terminal adaptor choice, the
Infonetics Research reports in UTA200-TM HiPort™ adaptor from
“FMC Equipment, Phones and Linksys. Subscribers can make unlimited
Subscribers” that sales of dual- nationwide calls with T-Mobile @Home. The concept is as
mode cellular/Wi-Fi phones, hit simple as when it was first launched: Subscribers can take
$7.6 billion in 2Q08 and are expected to be up 16 percent home the new Linksys
for the year, indicating healthy growth for converged terminal adaptor with
cellular/Wi-Fi services in both enterprise and consumer UMA technology and
market segments. Plus, the FMC network element plug it in to the home
market grew 5-fold from 2006 to 2007 and is forecast to broadband connection
grow another 7-fold between 2007 and 2011 worldwide. for fixed-line voice
service in the home,
NOVEMBER driven from the mobile
core network.
Westell Technologies, Inc.
licenses Kineto’s industry-leading Rogers becomes the first
UMA/GAN client software for operator to deliver the
integration into UMA-based new BlackBerry Curve
terminal adaptors and routers for 8900 with UMA. Rogers
mobile operators to deliver cost-effective, fixed-line home continues to expand its “TalkSpot” service
phone services. with the latest UMA-enabled Blackberry
that features GPS, a high-resolution
DECEMBER 480x320 display, 3.2 mega pixel camera
Orange announces high definition (HD) mobile TV for and full QWERTY keyboard on an ultra-
Unik, giving customers in France access to more than 60 thin (0.53 inch) platform.

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INTERVIEW

If a user needs to shut off their Wi-Fi radio to get reasonable mobile or any other phone you designate. As soon as you pick
battery life, they won’t be able to seamlessly switch to a Wi-Fi up the call on one of the phones, the other phones stop ringing.
connection. This is why we feel that battery life is not a “nice This feature allows a business user to list only their work phone
to have” feature, it’s a fundamental part of the BlackBerry number on their business card, but always be reachable no
Wi-Fi user experience. matter where they are.
These two technologies – UMA and MVS – complement
UMA Today: A while back, RIM acquired one another, and are primarily intended for different markets.
Ascendant, a company which makes PBX While UMA has found great traction in the home market, MVS
extension products for mobile phones. is designed for business use.
In the RIM portfolio, the product is now UMA Today: Last question. Any cool
called Mobile Voice System (MVS) and new UMA-enabled phones you can leak
has many successful deployments. How to UMA Today? We’re constantly on the
do you see UMA and MVS in the market? look out for the next big thing. Also, we
McAndrews: We believe UMA and MVS solve different have a staff that’s quite happy to test new
problems. UMA is a transport technology designed to carry
mobile services like voice and SMS over Wi-Fi. MVS, on the
products if you’re ever in need…
other hand, is a solution that extends corporate PBX features to McAndrews: [Laughs] Well, nothing I can confirm
the mobile handset. right now. But RIM remains committed to UMA, and there
One of the key features of MVS today is “Single Number are certainly more products on the horizon.
Reach.” When someone calls you on your work phone number,
the call rings on multiple phones simultaneously – work, home, UMA Today: Thank you for your time.

32 UMA TODAY SPRING 2009

 What a
difference
a day makes.

In the beginning, UMA services were limited with just two devices. Today, there are more than
20 UMA-enabled 2G and 3G dual-mode phones, along with UMA-enabled terminal adaptors
and femtocells. What a difference a day makes. For more information, visit us online at
www.umatoday.com/mobileHandsets.php.