IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a generic architecture for offering multimedia and voice over IP services, defined by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). IMS is access independant as it supports multiple access types including GSM, WCDMA, CDMA2000, WLAN, Wireline broadband and other packet data applications. IMS will make Internet technologies, such as web browsing, e-mail, instant messaging and video conferencing available to everyone from any location. It is also intended to allow operators to introduce new services, such as web browsing, WAP and MMS, at the top level of their packet-switched networks

IP Multimedia Subsystem is standardized reference architecture. IMS consists of session control, connection control and an applications services framework along with subscriber and services data. It enables new converged voice and data services, while allowing for the interoperability of these converged services between internet and cellular subscribers. IMS uses open standard IP protocols, defined by the IETF. So users will be able to execute all their services when roaming as well as from their home networks. So, a multimedia session between two IMS users, between an IMS user and a user on the Internet, and between two users on the Internet is established using exactly the same protocol. Moreover, the interfaces for service developers are also based on IP protocols.

Some of the possible applications where IMS can be used are:

• Presence services

• Full Duplex Video Telephony

• Instant messaging

• Unified messaging

• Multimedia advertising

• Multiparty gaming

• Videostreaming

• Web/Audio/Video Conferencing

• Push-to services, such as push-to-talk, push-to-view, push-to-video

Effectively, IMS provides a unified architecture that supports a wide range of IP-based services over both packet- and circuit-switched networks, employing a range of different wireless and fixed access technologies. A user could, for example, pay for and download a video clip to a chosen mobile or fixed device and subsequently use some of this material to create a multimedia message for delivery to friends on many different networks. A single IMS presence-and-availability engine could track a user's presence and availability across mobile, fixed, and broadband networks, or a user could maintain a single integrated contact list for all types of communications.

A key point of IMS is that it is intended as an open-systems architecture: Services are created and delivered by a wide range of highly distributed systems (real-time and non-real-time, possibly owned by different parties) cooperating with each other. It is a different approach to the more traditional telco architecture of a set of specific network elements implemented as a single telco-controlled infrastructure.

For in-depth information about IMS, check the following resources.

IMS Resources:

Lucent IMS Service Architecture (pdf)

Lightreading IMS guide

Motoroloa: IMS Whitepaper (pdf)

Ericcsson: IMS Whitepaper (pdf)

Voipplanet.com - IP Multimedia Subsystem