Overview:

The IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) framework represents an integrated traffic of Data, Voice & Video on the same networking infrastructure whereby the performance of all the three services are optimized. WiMAX holds great promise as the potential answer to IP Multimedia for corporations.

This report presents analytics for corporate markets of WiMAX (fixed as well as mobile) that is invaluable to IT & telecom strategists working with OEMs, service providers, systems integrators, telecom consultancy firms, telecom migration consultants, & corporate customers that are planning to implement IP Multimedia services on wireless systems for premium (heavy duty) applications.

The report begins with a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of IP multimedia services for corporations on legacy platforms such as the Cisco AVVID and presents the challenges left for the forthcoming technologies by IEEE 802.11 based WiFi framework. Furthermore, the report presents how WiMAX can fulfill the challenges left unaddressed by WiFi for wireless enabled IP Multimedia services thus offering a huge market to be tapped by WiMAX OEMs, WiMAX Service Providers and WiMAX Systems Integrators.

An analysis of opportunities offered by the UK Economy alone reveals that WiMAX equipment market is close to $600 Million and services market close to $12 Billion in the SMEs & Corporate Sector in UK alone. If the same analytics is extended to the Global SMEs and Corporate market, a market worth >$10 Billion for equipment and >$100 Billion for services is waiting to be tapped.

The report analyzes strategies of four major players in the WiMAX equipment industry: Cisco, Intel, Motorola and Alcatel-Lucent.

The report also evaluates why Nokia and Nortel decided to exit the WiMAX market.

In this report, the following four broad market segments are classified:

(a) Individual customers retail
(b) Individual customers corporate
(c) Corporate engagements for mass users-LAN
(d) Corporate engagements for mass users-WAN


This must have report also provides proposed solutions to the concerns of global technology companies regarding technology war between WiMAX and cellular broadband. This report also represents a critical study of the past achievements, mistakes, and future outlook into the application of wireless technologies for corporations. The report will help telecom and IT decision makers to enhance end-user satisfaction, enhance revenue per customer, and improve overall ROI.

Select Key Report Findings:

IP Multimedia Subsystem will not penetrate corporations until legacy data networking companies such as Cisco and Motorola develop a structured roadmap and offer complete range of products. For example, Cisco will need to rebuild AVVID like framework for IMS.
SIP may not replace H.323 unless IMS roadmap for corporations is clear.
With the exception of Alcatel-Lucent, no other companies wish to invest in R&D of both technologies. Moreover, the Telecom service providers have focused on subscribers using mobile handsets or tablets should continue using 3G and wait for commercialization of 4G (LTE).
The Telecom service providers should not position 3G as broadband service on laptops but should rather focus on 3G broadband services on PDAs/Mobile Handsets with a roadmap to adopt 4G (LTE). Similarly, the WiMAX broadband Internet markets (fixed and mobile) should focus on laptops, desktops and pocket PCs but not on handsets.
WiMAX has addressed all the gaps left by the WiFi technologies and hence should be considered for wireless IP Multimedia corporate applications (like IBM Sametime, Microsoft Communications Server, Go To Meeting (on Citrix), WebEx, etc. in SMEs and Corporations.
There is no technology war among 3G, 4G, WiMAX (fixed & mobile) and 802.11e. All the four technologies have different visions and are expected to settle down in their own respective markets except minor overlaps due to demographic, political, service provider's strategic positioning, etc.
The services for general subscribers and SMEs/Corporations should be segregated by the service providers by providing (preferably) dedicated channels to SMEs/corporations not mixed with channels serving general subscribers. Also, corporate services are for serious business applications and hence their retention and value per customer would be much higher compared with general customers who would use most of the IP multimedia services for fun.
3G with IP Multimedia Subsystem services (IMS based) is to be positioned for general mobile subscribers, 4G with IP Multimedia Subsystem services (IMS based) is to be positioned for premium corporate mobile subscribers, fixed WiMAX is to be positioned for rural subscribers for broadband services and fixed & mobile WiMAX (with segregated channels) is to be positioned for SME/Corporate subscribers for broadband services with traditional IP multimedia services (H.323 based). In addition, WiMAX has a large market for backhaul connectivity and as replacement of OFC last mile in corporate Internet connections. In many cases, it can be included as a backup to corporate leased circuits connecting to Internet.

Select Questions Addressed in Report:

(a) What should be the positioning of IP Multimedia Services for corporations?
(b) What should the positioning of WiMAX for IP Multimedia Services for corporations? Should 3G enter into this market?
(c) Can WiMAX deliver against the expectations of corporate IT Managers that were left unfulfilled by WiFi solutions?
(d) Will the world witness a technology war between WiMAX, 3G and 4G with respect to IP Multimedia services?
(e) What should the service providers keep in mind when targeting end customers and the corporate decision makers keep in mind when choosing services?

Select Companies Mentioned in Report:

Alcatel-Lucent
Cisco
IBM
Intel
Microsoft
Motorola
Nokia
Nortel

Audience:

Network operators and service providers for broadband and value-added service applications
WiMAX and IMS infrastructure providers to network operators and service providers
Network performance, monitoring and testing companies
Broadband wireless application companies
Analysts and investment companies

Table of Contents:

List of Tables
List of Figures 4
Abstract 6
1.0 Introduction: 9
1.1 Research Objectives and the Research Questions 12
1.2 Significance of the Report 13
1.3 Hypotheses of the Report 14
1.4 Scope and Limitations of the Report 17
1.5 The proposed output of Report 18
2.0 Literature Review 20
2.1 Legacy of IP Multimedia 20
2.1.1 Introduction to Voice & Video over IP-H.323 & SIP: 23
2.1.2 Most popular IP Multimedia Architectures: 31
2.1.3 Cisco AVVID and its value-addition to Corporate Businesses-the legacy of IP multimedia: 34
2.1.4 Advanced Codecs & other protocols used in business communications:36
2.1.5 Quality of IP based Multimedia in legacy systems-the QoS challenge: 38
2.1.6 Security implications in IP Multimedia: 40
2.2 WiFi-applications and challenges 41
2.2.1 Background of Wireless Technologies-IEEE 802.11 Family 42
2.2.2 Wireless Client Devices, Access Points and Switches-WiFi in action for businesses 43
2.2.3 Business Advantages ensured by WiFi technologies 45
2.2.4 Biggest challenges of WiFi-Security Threats & QoS 48
2.2.5 Why couldn't the WiFi become the de facto Networking Technology for Businesses 53
2.2.6 Critical review of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) 54
2.3 Evolution of WiMAX: 57
2.3.1 Background of IEEE 802.16-IEEE 802.16a, IEEE 802.16d and IEEE 802.16e 60
2.3.2 WiMAX-is it a revolution in wireless networking? 63
2.3.3 The Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) coverage-time to forget signal issues?64
2.3.4 High speed Mobile Internet connectivity-can WiMAX change the perceptions of Wireless Internet? 65
2.3.5 Primary last mile for corporate Internet Leased Lines-can Optical Fibre Cables become redundant? 66
2.4 IP Multimedia over WiMAX-are all concerns addressed? 67
2.4.1 Understanding the roadmap of WiMAX established by Intel and Nokia74
2.4.2 Cisco's WiMAX strategy for IP Multimedia solutions 77
2.4.3 The Motorola Wi4 WiMAX-one of the earliest commercial WiMAX system79
2.4.4 Alcatel-Lucent WiMAX Portfolio 81
2.4.5 WiFi, WiMAX, 3G and 4G-will multimedia over wireless witness a technology war? 82
3.0 Methodology 84
3.1 Research Methodology 84
3.2 Research Life-cycle 84
3.3 Research Procedure 85
3.4 Declaration of Ethical Perspective 86
4.0 The Research Output 88
4.1 Outcome of the Project 88
4.2 Summary of Results 93
4.3 Critical Discussions 101
4.4 Recommendation for Future Research 110
4.5 Conclusions and Generalizations 110
4.5.1 Answers to Research Questions 111
4.5.2 Findings against the Hypotheses 113
Reference List 117

List of Tables:

Table 1 Perceptions and their probable reasons
Table 2 Summary of results under the categories defined
Table 3 No. of SMEs and large corporates in UK as on 2007
Table 4 Projection of revenues from fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment & services for SMEs and Large Enterprises (Corporates) in the entire UK economy

List of Figures:

Figure 1 Proposed framework of Service positioning and the corresponding technology positioning for Service Providers
Figure 2 The H.323 Protocol Stack
Figure 3 The H.323 signalling steps
Figure 4 Redirection of calls in SIP
Figure 5 Calls routed through Proxy Servers in SIP
Figure 6 Cisco AVVID Framework
Figure 7 WiFi enabled Wireless Networking
Figure 8 Layers of IMS Architecture
Figure 9 Mixed mode of deployment in WiMAX-LOS as well as NLOS (concept taken from WiMAX Forum. 2004)
Figure 10 Mesh Topology in WiMAX
Figure 11 Current deployment scenarios of WiMAX spectrum
Figure 12 Positioning of services over Wireless Broadband
Figure 13 Positioning of the four technologies
Figure 14 The research life cycle followed in this report
Figure 15 Systematic Approach to include WiMAX in the IT/Telecom infrastructure of corporates
Figure 16 Modified Proposed framework of Service positioning and the corresponding technology positioning for Service Providers