Next Generation Intelligent Networks

experience quality

Voice
over
LTE
sustained voice service evolution

Your business technologists. Powering progress

No big bangs
Continuous quality
of experience
Will mobile network owners ever say, Thats good enough? Will
their customers? We doubt it. Advances in network intelligence and
performance are soon absorbed as the demands and expectations
of business and consumer markets continue to soar. But despite the
pace of change, there are no big bangs - new and existing networks
and technologies must work side-by-side.
The continuing parallel existence of different
mobile network technologies is particularly
evident in the overlap between 3G and 4G.
We can expect LTE data communications
technologies and 3G circuit switched networks
to co-exist for ten years or more. Difference does
not disappear overnight:
Global differences while LTE is already

well-established in the Americas and Asia, in

Europe it is only just beginning to impact

Operators must embrace Voice over LTE

and Rich Communication Services to
protect brand image and expand services
Ken Rehbehn, Principal Analyst, Yankee Group.

Voice over LTE

Local differences even within countries and

regions, customers will move in and out of

LTE coverage zones as they travel between
cities and even urban districts

across the continent. In the UK, for example, bids

were around 30% lower than the government
had hoped while in the Netherlands, not only
were there more bidders, but their bids massively
exceeded expectations.
But now that the spectrum auctions in
Western Europe are complete, we can expect
the mainstream shift to LTE to gather real
momentum. And with this shift, for the very
first time, we even get the collateral benefit
of common standards worldwide with the
associated advantage for travelers whose
phones will soon work wherever they are.

Device differences people rarely keep their

Not just data (and not just

mobile)

Europe will inevitably go LTE, but the pace

of adoption is affected by national and local
differences. Just compare the spectrum auctions

The main thrust of LTE is for high-quality and

high-availability data communications. The
promise of 4G focuses on mobile internet,
with consumer and business customers now
expecting to be able to enjoy rich-media content
and communications from any location.

phones or tablets for more than a couple of

years, but service providers must still cater for
both LTE and non-LTE devices

Voice over LTE

But even if the focus is on data, voice remains

an essential and critical part of the business mix.
People want to talk. We want voice and video
calling. We want one-to-one and group calling.
And we want these services at increasingly
attractive prices.
Expectation is not only set by the range and
cost of service, however. People listen to music
on headphones that are so good, they sound
as if you are in the same room as the musician.
Comparable quality is now possible with highdefinition 4G voice services and nobody who
has experienced it ever wants to go back.
Just as LTE is not just about data its not limited
to traditional mobile usage either. As the tablet
becomes the device of choice for many people
in the office or around the house, 4G networks
are also going to drive ever-higher levels of fixedmobile substitution.

Atos VoLTE: adopt

once deploy many

Nobody says
thank you

Atos is ready to help you implement effective

Voice over LTE right now.

In every business, there are some things you just have to do. Get them
right, and everything carries on smoothly (even if nobody notices
or says thank you). Get them wrong, and the world goes crazy. Any
mobile service provider needing to manage the co-existence of 3G
and 4G voice services knows this situation all too well.
With the arrival of 4G, every communications
service provider must be able to deliver
seamless continuity of voice services to
business and consumer customers. You
need to do this in a manner which is highly
efficient and cost-effective from both a
technical and management perspective.
Investment, for example, in separate systems
for voice service management over 3G and
4G is not considered a viable option by most
providers.

Two voice service options: one

Atos recommendation

Wherever possible, it is desirable to protect

and build on the existing systems used
to manage voice services. The approach
to managing co-existence must also be
future-ready: the focus today is on 4G, but
you need to be confident that what you
do today will anticipate future waves of
development too.

With CS fallback, when a call is initiated

on an LTE-enabled device, it automatically
reverts to 2G/3G access. There are
significant disadvantages to this approach.

Ground rules no breaks

Not only does CS fallback require network

upgrades for a short-lived architecture. It
also means that for the user, data sessions
are degraded or even interrupted by voice
calls. Reliance on dual radio terminals also
drains battery power.

Every network owner and MVNO must be

able to manage 3G and 4G voice service
co-existence and continuity efficiently
and cost-effectively. To achieve this, every
successful VoLTE initiative will follow four
simple ground rules:

There are two common approaches to

providing voice services to LTE-enabled
devices in hybrid 3G and 4G environments.
Of these two, Atos is categorical in its
recommendation:

CS fallback

Voice over LTE

Unlike CS fallback, VoLTE is future-proof.
It supports enhanced voice and video
from the start, and allows voice and data
services to run concurrently without
interference and save battery power with
a single radio in the phone.
Not surprisingly, VoLTE is the approach
recommended by the GSMA for providing
voice and SMS services to LTE-enabled
devices.

Taking the VoLTE option is the smart choice.

It provides a means of managing the coexistence of 3G and 4G services and devices
over an extended period. It allows you to do so
without investment in short-term fixes. Perhaps
most importantly of all, it allows you to ensure
continuity of service that spans zones with
and without LTE coverage, and which can in
turn be delivered to customers with both LTEenabled and 3G devices.

Our VoLTE solution is delivered using the robust

and proven components of our well-established
and respected Next Generation Intelligent
Network (NGIN) product. NGIN gives you a
central voice product catalogue, allowing you
to achieve sustainable levels of efficiency and
control in a climate on continued fixed/mobile
convergence.
The foundation of our VoLTE solution is the NGIN
Telephony Application Server (TAS). Futurereadiness has been designed in from the start:
because the NGIN TAS is engineered to be fully
compliant with the 3GPP VoLTE standards for
SIP telephony, every new VoLTE device is treated
simply as another end-point.
As a result, communication service providers
can be confident in their ability to managed
evolving LTE voice services and devices without
disruption from day one.
Any TAS used to support VoLTE services must
possess four core functions, and the Atos
solution provides them all. These are functional
necessities not value-adds but this does not
make them any less important.

Voice and Video

All LTE supported voice and video
calling services can be managed
thanks to compliance with the GSMA
IR.92 and IR.94 specifications.

User Profiles
Automated management of
individual user profiles ensures that
supplementary services can be set
and tracked by the user as new rich
media communication services
become available.

Aggregated Billing
The charging trigger process and
mechanism make it possible to
automatically aggregate, cost and bill
voice and data services across both
LTE and 3G networks.

Adding value from the start

In addition to providing these four essential
functions, Atos has been eager to add value
from the start. Even though the ability to
manage voice services over co-existing 3G
and 4G networks is generally regarded as a
basic housekeeping activity, Atos business
technologists always want to help you establish
quality and differentiation.
As the solution evolves, so too will the service
options. For now, we have started with two
immediately useful services, adding value for
the customer and convenience for the service
provider:
Our IP SMS Gateway allows customers to

send and receive texts with a single set of

tools across both LTE and 3G networks. Its
convenient and efficient - and your customers
will soon expect the service by default.

Our IP Multimedia Service Switching Function

(IM-SSF) eliminates the need to re-implement

current Intelligent Network services for LTE.

Service Centralization
From country to country and from
location to location, users will move
from LTE to 3G networks for years to
come. Service centralization ensures
a seamless user experience of voice
services by switching automatically
between networks as required.
As an experienced systems
integrator with a deep knowledge
of telecommunications, Atos offers
a choice of approaches for service
centralization:

1. Supplementary services which were native

to the network in 3G must be provided
seamlessly to VoLTE network users as they
move between 3G and 4G coverage.
2. All existing Intelligent Network and SMS
services need to be available without a break.

When a client is not already

committed to an existing service

centralization toolset, Atos has
SR-VCC embedded in the NGIN
product.

3. Billing and charging mechanisms need to

handle both 3G and 4G network usage.
4. Customer usage and performance
monitoring must provide an aggregated
picture of activity across both networks
both for the providers own business
intelligence and for the quality of
response in customer interaction.

Voice over LTE

Atos Telephony Application

Server: Four Core Functions

When the provider wishes

to retain an existing service

centralization practice, we will
manage integration with the Atos
VoLTE solution.

Voice over LTE

VoLTE: quality and

continuity assured

A gateway to
extended value
You can adopt the Atos VoLTE solution as a single, discrete package. Our
business technologists can work with your own technical architects to
configure, implement and support your NGIN Telephony Application
Server. You can be ready to pilot rapidly and for mass VoLTE roll-out soon
afterwards. But you can also do much, much more.
Atos VoLTE support is just one focus area of
our extensive NGIN service suite. Choosing
the Atos solution for your VoLTE service
opens the door to a catalogue of intelligent
voice and data management functions that
lead directly to:
Increased business opportunity and

differentiation in both enterprise and

consumer markets

Direct gains in agility and business efficiency

and immediate opportunities to exploit fixed/

mobile convergence

NGIN in brief
Atos NGIN comprises two complementary core
elements:

Convergent VPN
Mobile Support
SIP Support
Roaming features
Private Numbering Plan
Closed User Groups
Restriction Management
Preferential Charging
Favorites
Partner VPN
Private Calls Calendar
Company Cost Control
Office Zone
CLIP No-Screening
Multinational VPN

SIP Trunking
PBX Trunking
Advanced PBX integration
Registered /Unreg. PBX
Force on PBX
Office Link
- Network Resilience
- Service Backup
- Call Admission Control
- Call Deflection

Full service catalogue

The delivery platform

This is a completely modular set of ready-to-go

convergent services for the enterprise market.
Making NGIN your choice for VoLTE delivery
presents a direct opportunity to embed our
NGIN catalogue as part of your own enterprise
proposition. At the same time as meeting the
challenges of handling concurrent 3G and 4G
voice services, you can promote fast-track fixed/
mobile convergence for your enterprise clients.

The Atos platform, based on telco-grade

middleware, is convergent by design, and spans
PSTN, IP and mobile networks and hence its
readiness to add LTE devices as simple endpoints.

Because the catalogue is ready-to-go you can

compete directly in the enterprise fixed line
and mobile space without the cost or the risk
of lengthy development. Just as with the VoLTE
support solutions, all NGIN elements can be
used either alone or in combination.

In other words, NGIN allows mobile operators

and MVNOs to deliver converged PABX services
as a cloud proposition shared, public or private
according to the telcos business strategy
and the preference and requirements of the
individual enterprise customer.

Group Centrex
Hunting Chain
Hunt Group
Call Queuing
Group CLI
Group Call Pick-Up

Front Office
Switchboard Operator
Auto Attendant

MS Lync Integration
MS Lync Endpoints
Lync Convergent Users

IP Line Services

Because we enable the telco to deliver the full

NGIN catalogue as a service, the enterprise
requires zero capital investment in either
network or hosting capability.

Personal Centrex
Manager- Assistant
End User ICS
Absence Feature
PAS Skipping
Multidevice
Ring Back When Free
Advanced Call Forwarding

Add-On Services

Unified Comms
Convergent End User
End User Profiles
Call Toggle
Follow Me
Click-to-Dial
PC Toolbars
Audio Conferencing
Selfcare GUI
Mobile GUI

Home Zone / Office Zone

Local Diversion Roaming
Charging IN front end
Multi-SIM (nGSM)

Mobile Call Status

SIP Load Balancer

SIP Call Status

Horizontal Features

CLIR / CLIP
CF, CW, CH, CT, CB, ODBs
Emergency Calls
Malicious Call Identification
Long Call Handling

On-line Charging Integr.

CDR Generation
Web Services API
Administrator GUI
Feature Access Codes

VoIP with Mobile Backup

Common Address Book

Music Repository

Adopting VoLTE over CS fallback will deliver

sustainable operational benefit. Choosing the
Atos NGIN-enabled approach adds a new level
of potential business value, ready for you to
exploit now or in the future.

The Atos solution ensures:

Future-readiness - supporting the long-term

co-existence of 3G and 4G networks

An immediate bridge between 3G and 4G

networks for all voice services

Low-risk and cost-effective implementation

with NGIN, new LTE-enabled devices are

simply another end-point

Simpler integration and lower operational

costs maximizing efficiency across service

and network for user profiling, monitoring
and reporting, and aggregated billing.

Open access to advanced and profitable

NGIN convergent VPN/Centrex services

An industrystrength
partner
With Atos, you gain an industrial-strength
partner. Atos is a tier one IT services and
solutions company with exceptional depth of
expertise in the telecommunications sector.
Around 9,000 of our global workforce of
74,000 business technologists are specialized in
telecommunications and media.
Whether you are a mobile network owner or
an MVNO, your need to manage the longterm co-existence of 3G and 4G voice service
provision demands partnership and process on
an industrial scale.

Atos will work with you to ensure adoption is

phased and implemented precisely according
to your own business and roll-out plan. We are
resourced to do this on a national, regional or
global scale.
We also continually scan the business and
technology horizon so that as new trends and
technologies emerge, we are ready to fast-track
effective adoption for our clients. We work well
in partnership with both highly-specialized
telecommunications solution providers and with
the giants of the industry.

Next steps
Its not called Long Term Evolution by accident.
The status of 4G maturity differs widely around
the world, with the prospect of perhaps ten
years co-existence with 3G particularly in
evidence in Europe.
Voice services will be a fundamental element
of your 4G strategy, even if the industry
emphasis to date has been on data. One
thing is for sure high-definition audio and
video communications will set consumer and
business expectations higher than they have
ever been.
Lets start by sharing experience and strategy
we are eager to learn your ambitions for 4G voice
services, and eager to learn how we can help
make them a differentiating business reality.

Presence Enabler

not just data

VoLTE Support

Voice over LTE

IR.92 and IR.94 support

Profile Mgnt (Ut+Sh)
SR-VCC
T-ADS
IN rerouting
Charging Trigger Function

Voice over LTE

sustained voice service evolution

Voice over LTE

About Atos
Atos SE (Societas Europaea) is an international
information technology services company
with annual 2012 revenue of EUR 8.8 billion
and 76,400 employees in 47 countries.
Serving a global client base, it delivers HiTech Transactional Services, Consulting &
Technology Services, Systems Integration and
Managed Services. With its deep technology
expertise and industry knowledge, it works
with clients across the following market sectors:
Manufacturing, Retail & Services; Public sector,
Healthcare & Transports; Financial Services;
Telecoms, Media & Technology; Energy &
Utilities.
Atos is focused on business technology that
powers progress and helps organizations
to create their firm of the future. It is the
Worldwide Information Technology Partner
for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and
is quoted on the NYSE Euronext Paris market.
Atos operates under the brands Atos, Atos
Consulting & Technology Services, Atos
Worldline and Atos Worldgrid.

For more information:

Please contact marketing@atos.net
or visit atos.net

atos.net

Atos, the Atos logo, Atos Consulting, Atos Worldline, Atos Sphere, Atos Cloud and Atos Worldgrid are registered trademarks of Atos SE.
March 2013 2013 Atos.