Operators to Accelerate Deployment of Mobile Softswitches, Finds Report Operators Adopt Mobile NGN Architectures to Cut Core Network Opex and Prepare for Upcoming IMS Implementation NEW YORK, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile operators worldwide are ramping up deployments of next-generation softswitch platforms, as they seek to address the demands of massive subscriber growth and huge increases in voice traffic, finds a new report from the subscription research service Unstrung Insider ( http://www.unstrung.com/insider ). Distributed switching, combined with an all-IP mobile core, has substantial capex and opex advantages over the "monolithic" MSCs (mobile- service switching centers) installed over the past 10-15 years. Deployment of these systems is also crucial preparation to the implementation of IP Multimedia Subsystems (IMS), which promise a new era of innovation in mobile services, says the report entitled Wireless Softswitching: The Next-Gen Mobile Core. In mature markets, operators are working to cap investment in an ageing installed-base of MSCs, which can be expensive to operate and maintain, while in emerging markets the motivation for mobile softswitching is, quite simply, exploding subscriber growth. "In both cases the requirement is the same: inexpensive, scaleable, voice switching over an IP core," says the report's author, Unstrung Insider Chief Analyst Gabriel Brown. Among the report's key findings: * The mobile softswitch business case is initially driven by opex savings, rather than by new services and revenue streams -- this makes it a hard sell, even though many operators have capped spending on "classic" MSCs * Vendors are split between those promoting graceful upgrades to the installed base via an "H.248 Plug", and those with more aggressive IP- orientated systems based on ATCA and MicroTCA hardware. * The price per line in high growth, emerging markets is well under $5 and, we estimate, between $5 and $7 in mature markets. Vendors in this report: Alcatel (NYSE: ALA; Paris: CGEP: PA); Ericsson AB (NASDAQ:ERICY); Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.; Lucent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: LU); Motorola Inc. (NYSE:MOT); Nokia Corp. (NYSE:NOK); Nortel Networks Ltd. (NYSE/Toronto: NT); Siemens AG (NYSE: SI; Frankfurt: SIE); UTStarcom Inc. (NASDAQ:UTSI); ZTE Corp. (Shenzhen: 000063; Hong Kong: 0763) Wireless Softswitching: The Next-Gen Mobile Core is available as part of an annual subscription (12 monthly issues) to Unstrung Insider, priced at $1,350. Individual reports are available for $900. To subscribe, please visit: http://www.unstrung.com/insider. For additional information, to request a free executive summary of the report, or for details of multi-user licensing options, please contact: Jeff Claudino Sales Manager Insider Research Services 619-229-9940 For press inquiries, please contact: Gabriel Brown Chief Analyst Insider Research Services 44-20-7701-9330 DATASOURCE: Unstrung Insider CONTACT: Jeff Claudino, Sales Manager, +1-619-229-9940, ; or Gabriel Brown, Chief Analyst, +44-20-7701-9330, , both of Insider Research Services Web site: http://www.unstrung.com/insider

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