Espoo, Finland - Finnish operator Saunalahti has selected Nokia to provide comprehensive solutions for converged networks, allowing Saunalahti to offer services like VoIP and rich multimedia to both mobile and fixed telephony customers.
"Saunalahti is an innovative and agile player in the vibrant Finnish market," says Panu Lehti, COO, Saunalahti. "By investing in converged platforms for our network, we aim to redefine the telecommunications landscape in Finland. New converged fixed and mobile broadband services will bring exciting prospects for our customers in future."
The Nokia offering forms a powerful solution for converged networks, allowing Saunalahti customers to enjoy the same user experience with different kinds of access, such as fixed, GSM and wireless LAN (WLAN). With the Nokia solution, Saunalahti can provide service via WLAN hot spots, as well as provide standard mobile telephony services, such as Caller ID and SMS, to users of both fixed and mobile VoIP.
Under the agreement, Saunalahti will deploy the Nokia MSC Server System (MSS), the Nokia IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), the Nokia Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) Solution, as well as the Nokia Telecommunications Application Server (TAS), the Nokia Authentication Server and implementation services. This is the first supply of an Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) solution by Nokia. Nokia is trialing its converged solution with many leading operators worldwide.
"This is one of the first contracts of its kind in the world and we are naturally delighted to announce this together with Saunalahti," says Olli Oittinen, Vice President, Networks, Nokia. "Nokia is the best placed end-to-end convergence solution provider today, with an offering that spans terminals and devices, infrastructure for multi-access fixed and mobile networks, as well as a services portfolio. We see Fixed Mobile Convergence as a tremendous opportunity for the industry."
Saunalahti is a Finnish operator that started as MVNO and has achieved 10% share of the Finnish telecom market.
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.
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Notes to the editor:
The 3GPP Release 4 based MSC Server Solution optimizes Saunalahti's networks by enabling it to concentrate call control to centralized premises, while distributing switching functions to locations close to traffic hot spots - reducing the cost of building and operating mobile networks. Here Saunalahti is taking advantage of a world-class product that is already shipping to over 35 operators globally.
The Nokia end-to-end IMS solution provides the service machinery for enriching communication in converging fixed and mobile networks. It allows Saunalahti to provide SIP-based multimedia services, such as video sharing and push to talk as well as voice services. As part of the IMS architecture, the Nokia Telecommunications Application Server (TAS) allows Saunalahti to offer VoIP customers convenient mobile services, such as Caller ID and SMS. The Nokia Authentication Server, part of the Nokia Multi-Access Solution, gives Saunalahti a system verified, one authentication method for all accesses and services.
The Nokia UMA solutions allows Saunalahti to complement GSM coverage by offering GSM services via WiFi hot-spots as well as in home and office WLAN environments. In such hot spots, users with WLAN-capable GSM phones, can enjoy normal GSM voice, data and supplementary services.