Nokia and Kineto Announce Collaboration in UMA technology
August 25, 2005
Kineto will supply its UMA Network Controller as part of Nokia's fixed-mobile convergence network solution.
Espoo, Finland / Milpitas, CA, USA - Nokia , the world leader in mobile communications, and Kineto Wireless, the key innovator and leading global supplier of UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) technology, today announced an agreement to address the area of convergence between fixed and mobile networks and services in selected key customer cases. In addition, the companies are currently engaged in UMA trials with major operators and will continue to collaborate on future network trials.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will incorporate Kineto's UMA Network Controller into its network convergence solutions for wireline and wireless operators. As part of the multi-access solutions, this complements other elements in Nokia's powerful end-to-end network convergence offering, which includes the Nokia Unified Core Network for common service machinery, Operations Support Services (OSS), multimedia services, service and network integration, as well as world-class mobile devices.
UMA, a 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Program) standard, is an access technology that allows a seamless handoff of mobile voice and data from a wide area cellular network to a wireless local area network (WLAN). The UMA standard defines how mobile operators can turn home, office and public wireless LANs into seamless extensions of their cellular networks. With UMA, operators can deliver high-performance, low-cost mobile voice, data and IMS services to subscribers over the broadband Wi-Fi access networks, dramatically increasing mobile service usage while decreasing costs for operators.
"Nokia's end-to-end convergence solutions - from network equipment to terminals to applications - aim to enhance the end-user's mobile voice and data experiences as simply as possible," said Pekka Viirola, director, Convergence Network Systems, Networks, Nokia. "By this cooperation, both companies can join forces to establish a winning solution to the emerging market for comprehensive solutions that yield operational cost savings to communications providers."
"With the rapid adoption of UMA as a 3GPP standard for cellular/Wi-Fi convergence, we are seeing tremendous demand for UMA products and services from operators," said Rick Gilbert, president and CEO of Kineto. "As a leading global supplier of mobile and convergence solutions, Nokia is an ideal partner for growing this market."
Previously, Nokia announced that Saunalahti, a leading Finnish operator will be deploying a number of Nokia's convergence solutions, including UMA technology from Kineto, to offer services like VoIP and rich multimedia to both mobile and fixed telephony customers.
The Nokia fixed mobile convergence vision embraces personalization and mobility - where end-users have their own services on their preferred end-user devices over any network. Nokia sees that there are two key access technologies for operators to implement this vision - UMA and Native IP Access. Nokia supports both alternatives.
About Kineto Wireless
Kineto Wireless is the key innovator and leading global supplier of UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) Technology, the 3GPP standard for cellular/Wi-Fi convergence. With a UMA-enabled network, mobile operators can provide a seamless, high-performance mobile voice, data and IMS experience on both cellular and Wi-Fi networks. As the leading provider of UMA Technology, Kineto supplies core network solutions through OEM partnerships with major network infrastructure providers. Kineto also provides UMA-compliant software, development tools and support services to mobile silicon/stack suppliers and mobile handset developers. Kineto's solutions conform to the UMA technology specification, now included in 3GPP Release 6 (www.3gpp.org), and endorsed by mobile operators worldwide. For more information, please visit www.kineto.com.
About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com.
Media Enquiries for Kineto:
Tim Donovan
Sr. Director Corporate Communications
Tel. +1 408 965 0289
Email: tdonovan@kinetowireless.com
Megan Atiyeh
Engage PR
Tel. +1 510 748 8200 x228
Email: matiyeh@engagepr.com
Media Enquiries for Nokia:
Nokia, Networks
Communications
Tel. + 358 7180 38198
Tel. +1 972 894 5211 (US Enquiries)
www.nokia.com
Notes to the editor
Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology is one of the 3GPP standards for cellular/Wi-Fi convergence. UMA technology enables access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over IP broadband access and unlicensed spectrum technologies. By deploying UMA technology, service providers can enable subscribers to roam and handover between cellular networks and public and private unlicensed wireless networks using dual-mode mobile handsets. With UMA, subscribers receive a consistent user experience for their mobile voice, data and IMS services as they transition between networks. The other technology option is called Native IP Access. Native IP Access is packet-based and refers to accessing IP multimedia services using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for the network signaling. Nokia supports both alternatives.
The UMA specifications were originally created by Nokia and Kineto Wireless, with Alcatel, AT&T Wireless, British Telecom, Cingular, Ericsson, Kineto Wireless, Motorola, , Nortel, O2, Research in Motion, Rogers Wireless, Siemens, Sony-Ericsson and T-Mobile US. The specifications are available for downloading at www.umatechnology.org. The UMA technology specification, known as TS 43.318 in the 3rd Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) standards body, was recently approved for inclusion into the upcoming 3GPP Release 6.
Kineto and the Kineto Logo are registered trademarks of Kineto Wireless, Inc.
All other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
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