OREANDA-NEWS. Multifunctional IMS-telephony (IP Multimedia Subsystem) is actively developed in the Republic of Belarus. IMS allows us to develop and provide services based on different combination of voice, text, graphic and video.

Subscribers feel impact of changes involving rampant development of IT market and technologies. By 2020 transition from traditional telephony to IMS will have been completed in Belarus. Today in Belarus fixed telephony subscribers base equals more than 4,4 million subscribers, including more than 20 % subscribers of IMS-based services. The millionth IMS subscriber, Nikolay F. Momot, the resident of Bobruisk city, Mogilev region, is connected.

On June 4, 2015 the millionth subscriber was presented a gift certificate from Beltelecom for connection of the high speed Internet access on the tariff plan “Record 100” and interactive television ZALA on the tariff plan “ZALA: vse vclucheno HD” without payment within 1 year from the date of connection. Vitaly I. Ageenko, Head of Commercial Department, Mogilev Branch, RUE Beltelecom, congratulated and thanked the subscriber for the commitment to the company.

Beltelecom started implementing IMS multiservice networks in Belarus in 2010. The first stage included construction of multiservice platform with applications servers, data base, management system and integration with the existing network. First IMS subscriber was connected on June 1, 2011. The project brought significant benefits for operators and users, and allowed us to replace 560 telephone exchanges in urban networks and rural localities within 4 years.

Today telephony in Belarus represents a state-of-the-industry communication system, a multifunctional service, comprising all technology trends. IMS architecture deployed in Belarus allows use to provide a wide range of multimedia IP-based services.

Benefitsofnextgenerationnetworks

1. Today IMS isthe most advanced technologyfor services provision in IP-based networks.Belarus was among the first to construct multiservice network throughout the entire territory.

2. Centralized management of all existing and new services.

3. Possibility to apply unified billing. 

4. Possibility to launch new servicesrapidly and cost effectively.

5.  IMS-based services are available to subscribers connected via any abovementioned access type.

6. Use of the single SIP-protocol to ensureinteraction of all elements of IMS architecture. This benefit enables to decrease number of obstacles upon integration of different vendors’ equipment on any level of the network.

7.  High performance of IMS platform and cost reduction as compared to data link switching with the same traffic volume.

IMS ensures provision of IMS services for subscribers of all types of access networks and all types of terminals via single IP-MPLS-based backbone network. Herewith the high quality of telecommunication services is ensured.

Relation between PON technology and IMS network

GPON technology is one of the types of subscriber access, connected to IMS platform for provision of IMS-based services. Access nodes of GPON technology may be considered as the element of access level of IMS network. The following services are connected via one terminal device installed at a subscriber side: high speed Internet access and interactive television ZALA on two and more cable boxes, telephone, security alarm system and etc.

The system enables to provide the following services to the subscribers connected under IMS technology:basic phone services: local and long distance telephone connection, International telephone connection, Inquiry services, Prepaid calls, as well as additional telephone services: Musical Marathon, CLIP, Elite number, Universal Post, Minsk Number, Audio conference, other additional services,

The most popular IMS services are the following:

The service “Minsknumber” lets a subscriber of any Belarusian settlement to arrange a phone number from Minsk local numbering array.The cost of calls from Minsk to a dedicated number equals the rates for local calls, herewith you may be located in any settlement of the Republic of Belarus, excluding Minsk and Minsk district.

The service “Audio conference” lets a subscriber to plan and conduct a phone conference with connection of three and more participants. All actions, from planning till participating, from demonstration till coordination, are performed by participants of audio conference independently. The service enables to plan conferences with up to fifty participants, the number of participants can increase and decrease prior and during the conference. Any telephone network subscribers, including mobile and international, can become participants of a conference. Moreover, an administrator of audio conference (a subscriber) receives a possibility of an automatic notification of the participants about the scheduled event by email. While connecting to the service a subscriber is offered to use an additional service “Data conference”, allowing to make the service not only voice-based, but also multimedia-based(if Internet access is available).

The service “Musical Marathon” makes it possible to replace the standard ringing tone with an individual signal (ring-back tone). Melodies, phrases or different sounds may become a personal ring-back tone.The service “Musical Marathon” operates in two modes: a standard mode and an advanced mode. The standard mode is activated immediately after connection of the service and a ringing tone is set for all the subscribers by default.A ring-back tone is changed by the specialists of the company once per month. In the advanced mode a subscriber may form a Play-list from the list of ring-tones offered by the operator, install a specific ringing tone depending on incoming phone number (to a particular phone number or to a contact group) and depending on the time of call incoming. The following categories are available in the ring-back tones catalog: “Classic”, “Folk”, “Live sounds”, “For children”, “Pop”, “Russian Pop”, “Rock”, “Disco”, “Shanson”, “Soundtracks”, “Belarussian” (categories and content are subject to change).

The service “Virtual ATE” (IP-Centrex) is a complex of telecommunications services, similar to the functions of PBX services.With “Virtual ATE” you do not need to purchase special equipment and install it in the office. Company offices, regardless of their location, are connected to the equipment of IMS platform and obtain telephone numbers connected to the group. The subscribers within the group are provided basic services, as well as value added services. The service “Virtual ATE” is provided to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. The services “Musical Marathon” and “Virtual ATE” are available for the subscribers of fixed communication, having a phone number served by IMS platform.

The service “Serial number” allows us to provide a legal entity with several service links assigned to one telephone number. Using this telephone number any subscriber can get through to a free line included in the series. The service is provided both in the traditional telephone network and within IMS network. Service benefits: possibility to organize reference and information services including paid once, possibility of providing additional services.

To get more information about multimedia services provided by multifunctional IMS-telephony, call 130 or visit the section “IMS network based services”

In the five-year period the further development of multiservice networks (NGN/IMS) throughout the territory of the Republic of Belarus is scheduled,  enabling accelerated development of broadband access networks, fostering increase of demand for telecommunication services due to cost reduction and access provision to new services, unifying possibilities of fixed and wireless telecommunication networks.  Extension and modernization of IMS architecture core will ensure meeting the demand for multimedia services and phased modernization of the existing telecommunication network by replacing out-of-date switching equipment of coordinate type for access nodes to data transmission network with connecting subscribers in IMS system.

Centralized IMS architecturewill ensure traffic transmission (down/up from subscribers of existing telephone networks).  Further development of IMS network (excluding subscriber access segment) involvesroutes optimization ofvoice traffictransmission with evolution of packet switched networks and traffic grooming increasing the number of VoIP subscribers. Therefore measures nodes will be taken for redistribution of transport gateways for integration with public telecommunication network, power increase, and enclosure of new services by implementing new applications. 

Beltelecomexpects the total number of IMS network subscribers equal 3 million subscribers at the end of 2020.

Development of transport networks, construction of multiservice network, modernization and development of fixed broadband access, implementation of new “last mile” technologies, increase of access speed and introduction of new service platforms will allow us to increase Internet access speed and develop new innovative services, such as “Video call”, “Video surveillance”, “Smart home” and etc. Further development of video conference is expected to provide convergent conference services for subscribers.

Beltelecom arranges telecommunication space on a high level in Belarus, by launching up-to-date achievements in world telecommunications. Brisk growth of subscriber base is observed due to proactive implementation by Beltelecom of enlargement policy and improvement of telecommunication services, republican network infrastructure, and introduction of innovative technologies.