Network Vendors Interoperability Testing (“IOT”) Forum, an informal grouping of leading wireless equipment vendors, today announced a comprehensive programme to coordinate
Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“UMTS”) interoperability testing with the aim of enabling interoperability among member infrastructure solutions in a seamless and secure manner.
Competitive business culture, interoperability and open multi-vendor networks are recognized as major success factors in GSM.GPRS and leading wireless equipment vendors are committed to extending similar working practices into UMTS. Short time-to-market with multiple network vendors and multiple interfaces with evolving standards requires co-operation among network vendors.
The main thrusts of this programme are to exchange interoperability test suites, propose testing procedures, conduct bi-monthly meetings to study the resolution of IOT issues, and to set up common procedures to facilitate communication on IOT matters to operators.
One year following the creation of the Network Vendors IOT Forum, members intend to reassert at the Cannes 3GSM World Congress their commitment to interoperability testing and open-standards, and their intent to ensure that their UMTS equipment/solutions will interoperate from the very beginning, and therefore enable rapid establishment of multi-vendor UMTS networks.
The IOT Forum is thus extending its scope of work to focus on UMTS issues to rapidly incorporate the emerging 3GPP specifications into the standards interoperability testing process.
Companies participating in the IOT Forum include: Alcatel, Ericsson, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, and Siemens.
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
Further information:
Alcatel:
press@www.alcatel.com
Ericsson:
Mats.Thoren@lme.ericsson.se
Lucent Technologies:
samgronner@lucent.com
Motorola
joseph.arimond@motorola.com
Nokia
nokia.networks@nokia.com
Nortel Networks
Vikram@nortelnetworks.com
Siemens
florian.kreutz@icn.siemens.de