Companies Integrate Testing Services for End-to-End IMS Application Server-centric Testing

Barcelona, Spain — Aricent, a full-service, full-spectrum communications software company, and NetHawk, one of the world's leading manufacturers of analyzers and simulators for communications networks today announced a partnership which will enable communications equipment manufacturers to conduct end-to-end testing for application server-centric services in a controlled IMS environment. This collaboration combines Aricent’s end-to-end IMS testing strengths and extensive test case repository with NetHawk’s industry-leading “EAST IMS” testing tool. The partnership will enable equipment manufacturers to reduce time-to-market for rolling out next-generation IMS services.

Aricent’s IMS Convergence Lab empowers communications equipment manufacturers to conduct end-to-end testing in a controlled environment. The lab setup emulates the entire IMS architecture and demonstrates Aricent’s ability to conduct performance testing in heterogeneous access networks, with multi-protocol implementations and fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) services. NetHawk EAST IMS is a powerful tool for testing IMS nodes such as P-CSCF, S-CSCF, MGCF/IMS-MGW, HSS and AS Service Testing. It also supports testing of critical IMS features like Sigcomp, IPSEC, TLS, QoS and QoE. Together the two services will allow IMS vendors to test the critical issues involved in development and deployment of next-generation services and products.

“Our partnership with NetHawk represents a significant milestone for our state-of-the-art IMS Convergence Lab,” said Ajay Gupta, vice president of the wireless and convergence business unit, Aricent. “Together, we will accelerate the rapid launch of next-generation IMS applications while also addressing critical issues involved in deployment of next-generation services such as voice call continuity, conferencing, presence, IPTV-over-IMS and other standards-based application server-centric services.”

“Aricent’s unmatched expertise in IMS will allow NetHawk EAST IMS to be used in application server-centric testing,” said Jouko Uimonen, executive vice president, simulator business unit, NetHawk. “This powerful IMS testing concept delivers innovative IMS services across various access technologies including LTE and WiMAX.”

The NetHawk EAST testing tools will be on demonstration during Mobile World Congress 2008, Barcelona, at the NetHawk stand (Hall 2-1, A15) and Aricent will be demonstrate communications software in Hall 2, B25.