SOLUTION BRIEF vIMS for Communications Service Providers Executive Overview Introduction “Plan and Provide Infrastructure” Intel is accelerating network function Increasing market pressures, such as processes. CSPs are also encountering virtualization with unique capabilities skyrocketing mobile traffic, demand competitive pressure from Over the that enable optimal use of data center for enhanced services in a more agile Top (OTT) providers, such as Skype. resources to deliver communications environment, and the search for more Deployment of a vIMS solution offers services. Virtualized IP Multimedia cost-effective solutions are driving the opportunity to capture new revenue Services (vIMS) provides the Communications Service Providers streams and remain competitive with Communications Service Provider (CSPs) to adopt network function services offered by OTT providers. (CSP) with the ability to introduce virtualization (NFV). Virtualizing The number of subscribers for IMS new services more rapidly and to services onto standard, commercial worldwide exceeds 190 million scale current and future services off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and subscribers.1 The volume of Mobile more seamlessly. More than ever, taking advantage of software-defined traffic is expected to grow at a traditional Service Providers must networking (SDN) will increase network compound annual growth rate (CAGR) keep pace in a world where application flexibility and reduce costs, as well as of at least 45 percent,2 and analysts developers bring to market new Over enable CSPs to launch new revenue predict the current USD 2.3 billion the Top services and capabilities that generating services more quickly and NFV market to reach USD 11.6 billion currently take CSPs years to launch. with less overhead. in 2019.3 CSPs and the ecosystem that To remain relevant and competitive, The key benefit of virtualizing Network supports the industry are evaluating CSPs are investing in the development Functions, such as Virtualized IP approaches to efficiently scale to meet of virtualized networks that will allow Multimedia Services (vIMS), is that a these traffic requirements. creation of new services to retain CSP can host multiple workloads on and grow the customer base. Many Many system integrators, software the same rack of Intel® Architecture- IMS functions are available on Intel® vendors, and platform providers rely based servers and can dynamically Architecture today. This document on Intel® technologies to deliver the scale services up or down depending details the critical technologies and performance and scalability required on real-time requirements, including capabilities, and describes Intel’s role for vIMS solutions. Using vIMS solutions the busiest traffic hours. Additionally, in the ecosystem that is required to based on Intel technologies, CSPs can separation of the workload from participate fully in CSP production offer a full range of services without the underlying standard hardware deployments. having to use multiple purpose-built enables significant simplification of systems. procurement compared to classic appliance-based approaches. This paper describes the technologies Hardware can be repurposed as required to enable and mature service demands evolve, and acquired vIMS technologies to support CSP very quickly compared to the classic production deployments. Revision 1.2 April 2016 vIMS for Communications Service Providers 2 Table of Contents Market Opportunity spectrum makes it difficult to provide The key drivers for IMS deployments complete building coverage. If Evolved Executive Overview . 1 include Voice over LTE (VoLTE, Long Packet Core (EPC) is enhanced with Introduction . 1 Term Evolution), Voice over Wi- evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG), VoWiFi can be considered an extension Market Opportunity . 2 Fi* (VoWiFi), Rich Communication Suite (RCS), and Web Real-time of VoLTE, providing seamless handoffs Industry Challenges . 4 Communication (WebRTC) services. between LTE and Wi-Fi networks. Successful use of this technology, State of the Industry . 4 VoLTE offers high-definition voice however, requires VoWiFi support in Intel’s Role in Addressing through its use of newer wide- the handset for seamless handover. An Market Pain Points . 5 band codecs. It also offers network early adopter of this technology was SDN/NFV For vIMS Network optimization through increased T-Mobile in the United States. Sprint Functions . 5 efficiency of its wireless resources. and AT&T also offer this service today. With the popularity of OTT-provided In the United Kingdom, EE and Three Technology Overview . 5 services, such as Skype, CSPs must UK currently provide a Wi-Fi calling Traditional IMS . 5 ensure that they aren’t relegated service. Other vendors worldwide to the status of “pipe providers.” Media Processing and Nfv . 6 include Swisscom and Telkomsel, To date, many of these OTT and Indonesia’s leading operator.6 Intel Technologies and content providers have been the Ecosystem Enablers . 6 early beneficiaries of LTE’s increased RCS is a new set of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) based communication Intel Chipset and Architecture bandwidth and access speeds. So and messaging services. It enhances Capabilities . 7 operators that have rolled out LTE networks are now turning to VoLTE, calls and chat by adding in videos, Intel® Cloud Integrity RCS, and other value-added services pictures, music, and files, all of which Technology . 7 to win back revenue from OTT and are available during the call session. Intel® Trusted Execution content providers. Some of these RCS should have the significant Technology . 7 advanced services require heavier advantage of working across networks signaling requirements than media and devices unlike OTT services, which Intel® Resource Director require users to download apps, such Technology . 8 requirements, which makes them well suited to virtualization. as Whatsapp* or Snapchat*. In the Intel® Advanced Encryption United States, AT&T and T-Mobile have Standard New Instructions . 8 There are now over 40 operators offered advanced video and message across 27 countries that have launched calling since 2015.7 However, RCS is not Secure Real-time Transport commercial VoLTE services.4 VoLTE a primary driver for IMS compared to Protocol (SRTP) . 8 services have been launched in all VoLTE. Open Source and Standards . 9 major geographical regions, including WebRTC is a technology allowing Intel® Open Network Platform deployments by China Mobile and CSPs in North America and EMEA.5 users to directly communicate with Reference Architecture . 10 one another through video calls Intel® Network Builders . 10 VoWiFi allows a mobile customer to on browsers without installing any use the same phone number and the software or apps. Although WebRTC is Next Steps . 11 same smartphone dialer interface over also not viewed as a primary driver for Additional Information . 11 cellular or Wi-Fi networks. This new the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS),8 Related efforts in Intel: . 11 VoWiFi capability differs from existing major CSPs, such as Telefonica and VoIP technology, such as Skype or Orange, have deployed this solution.9 Intel Network Builders Related Facetime, in that these OTT services Information: . 11 cannot maintain the call connection VoLTE, VoWiFi, RCS, and WebRTC all use the IP protocol to carry audio/ ETSI-Defined vIMS Proofs when moving from Wi-Fi to cellular voice/video traffic, and the IMS of Concept (POCs): . 11 coverage. This technology is often deployed by CSPs whose licensed architecture is the element in the core network to implement this. vIMS for Communications Service Providers 3 IMS is an architectural framework for The report “CSP VoIP and IMS include Session Border Controllers, delivering IP multimedia services. It is Equipment and Subscribers” from Voice Application Servers, and Call a layered architecture that consists of Infonetics10 provides a good snapshot Session Control Function (CSCF) servers. three layers: Service/Application, IMS, of the market opportunity for IMS Current and projected IMS network and Transport. A number of network network elements. Figure 1 reflects element growths are shown in Figure 2. elements are required to implement CSP spending on IMS network elements this function in the mobile core. More for the third quarter of 2015. The top details on the architecture and network three network elements are circled and elements are described later in this document. Exhibit 1 Worldwide Service Provider VoIP and IMS Revenue in Review Worldwide Service Provider % Change VoIP and IMS Revenue (US$M) 3Q14 2Q15 3q15 3Q15 vs 3Q14 3Q15 vs 2Q15 Trunk media gateways $106.1 $142.5 $139.7 31.7% -2.0% Session border controllers $155.4 $219.6 $215.9 38.9% -1.7% Media servers $21.6 $21.8 $24.0 11.1% 9.9% Softswitches $161.0 $118.1 $95.6 -40.6% -19.0% Voice application servers $122.2 $210.4 $229.6 87.9% 9.1% HSS $138.6 $146.3 $100.7 -27.4% -31.2% CSCF servers $265.7 $370.5 $389.3 46.5% 5.1% BGCF $19.8 $38.3 $34.5 74.6% -10.0% Media gateway control function (MGCF) $5.2 $13.5 $101.0 1,841.6% 650.6% IM and presence application servers $38.1 $59.9 $57.4 50.7% -4.1% Total revenue $1,033 7. $1,340 .8 $1,387 .6 34 .2% 3 .5% Figure 1 . Quarterly worldwide CSP spend on IMS network elements. $5,500 An additional report from Infonetics11 $5,000 states that “Worldwide CSP VoIP and $4,500 IMS product revenue increased 34 $4,000 percent in 3Q15 over 3Q14 to $1.4B, $3,500 which is 21 percent higher than $3,000 originally forecast with sales related $2,500 to VoLTE from Asia Pacific, particularly Revenue (US$M) Revenue $2,000 China and India, starting to take shape. Additionally, mobile operators that $1,500 have launched VoLTE and fixed-line $1,000 operators continue a steady pace of $500 expansion.” $0 CY13 CY14 CY15 CY16 CY17 CY18 CY19 Media gateway control function (MGCF) BGCF IM & presence application servers Media servers Softswitches Trunk media gateways HSS CSCF servers Figure 2 .