subject: Ims : Operator Strategies And Business Cases [print this page] The frantic buzz that surrounded IMS from 2004 to 2007 has died down, and it would be easy to think that it had fallen entirely by the wayside. But in fact operators still see IMS as a crucial part of their future network architectures.
Table of Contents :
Executive summary
In a nutshell
Key messages
Little evidence of widespread IMS deployments
LTE and VoIP are two of the major drivers
Business cases for IMS are hard to come by
IMS is caught up in larger strategic issues
Three factors need to come together to move IMS on
IMS from hero to zero?
A lower, and more realistic, profile
Interviewees for this report
Current state of deployments
Few concerted IMS deployments
Triggers for deployment
No single trigger for IMS
Business cases used to justify IMS investment
No clear financial business case for deploying IMS
New services, driving new revenues
Cost savings a long-term view
Dont build a business case at all
Barriers to deployment
Factors preventing deployment
Expense
Integration issues
Lack of confidence in readiness of IMS
Chicken and egg syndrome
Two approaches to integration
Overview
Verizon build it quickly, integrate later
AT&T plan ahead, integrate from the beginning
Both approaches have pros and cons
Future plans for IMS deployments
Overview
IMS and the broader service delivery framework
Conditions needed for IMS to thrive
Enabling large-scale IMS deployments
Focus on killer applications is distracting
List of Tables
Table 1: IMS components deployed
List of Figures
Figure 1: AT&Ts CARTS architecture
Figure 2: Factors combine to create fertile ground for IMS deployments
