IPWireless Announces Availability of First 3GPP Integrated Mobile Broadcast (IMB) Interoperability Test Platform for Device and Network Infrastructure Vendors

Platform Will Accelerate the Commercialization of IMB Solutions

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona – February 15, 2010  IPWireless, a pioneer in developing key enabling IMB technology, today announced that it has designed an interoperability test (IOT) platform that will allow device and network infrastructure vendors to verify their IMB solutions for interoperability. The IMB IOT platform will bridge the requirements of mobile operators and those of their device and network infrastructure vendor partners, thus enabling both parties to accelerate the time to market of their commercial IMB solutions.

IMB was defined in the 3GPP release 8 standards, and was recently endorsed by the GSMA as the preferred method for the efficient delivery of broadcast services. IPWireless will make its IMB technology, which includes solutions for both network infrastructure vendors and device vendors, available for IMB interoperability testing in the second quarter of 2010. The User Equipment (UE) solution supports full integration with a next generation 3G UE solution from a leading 3G  semiconductor company to allow vendors to test the full capabilities of IMB. The Infrastructure IMB IOT platform will feature IPWireless’ operational Node B IMB transmitter.

The company will also open up its IMB application programming interfaces (APIs) allowing network vendors to  simplify and streamline the development of a complete end-to-end IMB solution, whether they are using IPWireless enabling technology or their own proprietary technology. Unlike other broadcast solutions, IMB completely integrates with WCDMA enabling device vendors to reuse existing radio frequency technology and antenna components for a lower overall BOM and greater scalability. The IPWireless infrastructure IOT platform will include industry standard streaming servers, full element management, a broadcast INC, antennas, and all required software drivers and specifications, thus supporting both lab IOT and demonstration/field testing capabilities

Dr. William Jones, Chief Executive Officer, IPWireless commented, “IPWireless is committed to making it easier for today’s mobile operators and their ecosystem partners to bring commercial IMB solutions to market. By opening up our APIs and delivering an IOT platform that embraces operator requirements, we are paving the way for device and network vendors to more easily participate in the global market for IMB.”

IMB, accepted as part of 3GPP Release 8, is a result of the harmonization of 3GPP Release 7 MBMS solutions from IPWireless and LM Ericsson. IMB enables spectrally efficient delivery of broadcast services, in TDD spectrum based on techniques that are aligned with existing FDD WCDMA. This integration allows for a smooth handover between IMB delivery and existing deployed technology. Operators can use IMB within a spectrum band that, although already allocated to them in connection with many 3G licenses, has hitherto been unused due to the lack of an appropriate technology. IMB is capable of delivering both live streaming video and offloading traffic from existing 3G networks by broadcasting and storing popular content on the device for later consumption.

IPWireless, a pioneer in the development of key IMB enabling technology, will be demonstrating IMB capabilities in its stand (AV40) at Mobile World Congress 2010.

About IPWireless
IPWireless broadens the horizons of 3GPP, the world’s preeminent mobile standard, to support a range of compelling new applications and untapped global spectrum bands. With its complete end-to-end 3GPP solutions, including chipsets, devices, and complete network solutions, the Company enables mobile operators and other new wireless entrants from the government, consumer electronics, and other sectors, to deliver a new generation of wireless services.

The company’s proven high-performance mobile broadband solutions have been deployed by a set of marquee customers around the globe in both the commercial and government markets including T-Mobile,  New York City’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT), and some of the first 700MHz deployments in the United States. IPWireless’ award winning mobile broadcast solutions have been tested by some of the largest mobile operators in the world, and allow device, chipset and network vendors to accelerate their offerings for Integrated Mobile Broadcast (IMB), the GSMA endorsed mobile broadcast standard.

IPWireless is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and operates a technology development center in Chippenham, UK. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ipwireless.com

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CONTACT
IPWireless Media Relations:
Suzanne McCormac
smccormac@ipwireless.com
+ 1 (415) 577-9135

UK Media Relations
Ed Howson
Temono Communications
Ed.howson@temono.com
+44-774-017-3051