The document discusses the evolution and migration of Slovak Telekom's communication platforms towards IMS technology, highlighting its status as a leader in fixed and mobile telecommunication services in Slovakia. It emphasizes the challenges and strategies for integrating legacy systems with new IP-based services while focusing on improving customer experience and driving innovation. The conclusion stresses the need for telcos to prioritize user needs over architectural concerns to remain competitive in a rapidly changing market.

1. ENABLINGENHANCEDSERVICES
THROUGHIMSTECHNOLOGY
Sebastian Schumann
Slovak Telekom
24. April 2013. Barcelona, Spain.

2. SLOVAKIA
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3. ABOUTSLOVAKTELEKOM
Slovak Telekom Group is the telecommunication market leader in Slovakia
Former fixed and mobile incumbent (merger in 2010), Zoznam, Posam
We provide fixed network services, mobile communications, Internet access + content,
data services, CPE, ICT services (data center + cloud), radio and TV broadcasting
as well as commercial call center services.
The major shareholder is Deutsche Telekom AG, one of the largest telecommunications
operators worldwide.
Successful deployments in SEE as well as in DT group:
§ One of the biggest national-wide deployment of NGN technology in Europe in 2004,
whole city migrated to all-IP NGN in 2007
§ Fixed network IMS migration started in 2011 (class 5 replacement)
§ Leader in IPTV (since 2006), offering also hybrid satellite TV (since 2009) and OTT app
(since 2012)
§ Extensive FTTx deployments (360k households)
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4. SCOPE
SLOVAK TELEKOM CASE STUDY
Enabling Enhanced Services Through IMS Technology
§ Mobile integration status
§ Overview of new IP based services
§ Evolution of the integration platform
Fixed network evolution from PSTN & NGN towards the IMS.
Mobile and IPTV architecture overview.
The road ahead…
Focal Points
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5. COMMUNICATIONSPLATFORMATAGLANCE
CORE NETWORK (FORMER FIXED)
Fixed platform in transition towards IP for a long time
Migration from TDM to softswitch based NGN to IMS in the last years
2 NGN platforms
1 IMS platform
Fully software based telephony since 2006
Residential VoIP “Smart” based on open-source
Business VoIP “Virtual Voice Net” (Hosted PBX) based on commercial solution
Business trunk, IP hubbing for VoIP interconnection
à Long experiences with many SIP based architectures
à Live customers on the fixed IMS
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6. COMMUNICATIONSPLATFORMATAGLANCE
CORE NETWORK (FORMER MOBILE)
Mobile platform still “two-fold”
“Legacy communications” with circuit switched technology
Fast packet-switched broadband access
IP is used in the core network (ATM, SIGTRAN), not to connect customers or other networks
First IP based integrated customer-facing services start now
RCS-e on top of the existing IMS
VoLTE plans, but no LTE licenses yet available
à No direct IP integration for core services yet
à RCS-e integration started re-using the existing IMS platform
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7. COMMUNICATIONSPLATFORMATAGLANCE
CORE NETWORK (IPTV)
Generic IPTV architecture
Non-IMS based (ST involved in TISPAN R3, but no decision for implementation)
Test/staging/production Microsoft Mediaroom platform (head-end, middleware)
Set-top-boxes (with and without HDD)
Web based in-house framework
Application development for IPTV (portal, free.sk, Facebook, e-shop)
Web integration (web EPG, iPhone EPG)
Magio Go TelcoOTT application
à IPTV “off-the-shelf” solution has been enough in the beginning
à The need for a flexible integration environment rose quickly
à Different approach (no “legacy”) and no historical role in IPTV business
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8. APPROACHFORTHE“CONTENTEXPERIENCE”
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Get what you are used to,
the way you are used to.
Enriched experience of
the traditional product.
Any device.
Customer Experience/
Service Experience
"Traditional Stream"
IPTV
"Alternative Stream"
Web/OTT
Any location. Any network.

9. APPROACHFORTHE“COMMUNICATIONSEXPERIENCE”
FIND PARALLELS
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? ? ?
Customer Experience/
Service Experience
"Traditional Stream" "Alternative Stream"
? ?

10. APPROACHFORTHE“COMMUNICATIONSEXPERIENCE”
TECHNICALLY THERE HAS BEEN AN EVOLUTION ALREADY
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NGN
Business
Telephony PSTN
IMS
“Best-effort”
Trunking
§ Migrate everything to IMS?
§ Migrate something to IMS?
§ Keep all streams separate? Maybe some?
What is the platform strategy?
VoLTE MSC Voice
RCS SMSC Text
PLMN
Mobile VPN

11. APPROACHFORTHE“CONTENTEXPERIENCE”
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Get what you are used to,
the way you are used to.
Enriched experience of
the traditional product.
Any device.
Customer Experience/
Service Experience
"Traditional Stream"
IPTV
"Alternative Stream"
Web/OTT
Any location. Any network.
ADDVALUEBEYOND
TRADITIONALEXPERIENCE

12. APPROACHFORTHE“COMMUNICATIONSEXPERIENCE”
IMS HAS TO SHARE ITS GLORY
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Get what you are used to,
the way you are used to.
Enriched experience of
the traditional product.
Any device.
Customer Experience/
Service Experience
"Traditional Stream"
IMS
"Alternative Stream"
Smart/Web/OTT
Any location.
Any network.
More!
+

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Pro’s
§ Classical supp. services off-the-shelf
(MMTel) à universal service obligation
§ Existing CPE’s/HAG’s/MSAN’s easily
capable of being integrated
§ Standardized mechanism to integrate new
services
Con’s
§ Usually huge IT load for transformation
§ Technical challenges (UNI/NNI, multi-
vendor setups, standard deviations)
§ Technical vs. commercial perspective
§ No “standardized innovation”
PLATFORMSTRATEGYEVALUATION
IMS platform & application server
Pro’s
§ Flexible and fast in terms of configuration
and integration
§ Fraction cost to get started, no licenses/user
§ Easily extensible, even if not standardized
§ In-house/in-country resources
Con’s
§ Case-by-case design needed
§ Service mash-ups require additional
resources (API modifications, customization)
Lightweight platform

14. DEPLOYSERVICESFLEXIBLY&ACCESSIBLE
IMS APPLICATION SERVERS
ST started migrating IN services to the IMS using a Service Delivery Platform (SDP)
SDP spanning fixed and mobile call control for flexible routing & charging
Vendor independent application logic
New efforts usable within new and legacy networks
Existing services can be easily extended with IMS access
INAP, CAP for legacy support integrated, SIP for IMS support
Development on IMS integrated service layer should be future proof
Legacy integration can be achieved by direct integration or through IMS
Northbound integration should not be an option, but a must!
… and should be done with Web 2.0 technologies/protocols
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15. DEPLOYSERVICESFLEXIBLY&ACCESSIBLE
PLATFORM STRATEGY EVOLUTION
That’s not it – where is experience built in the future?
a) On the IMS (aka “existing stream”)
b) On OTT platform (similar to ST IPTV strategy)
Existing services
IMS services proven so far for migrated existing services (main business, real money)
Keep existing platforms separate (no immediate integration of trunking or hosted PBX)
New services
Once focus is on innovation, the IMS can become very costly very quickly
§ For large IMS scale & premium vendor deployments
§ Unfeasible for freemium services, trial-and-error
Re-use and granularly extend alternative platforms for innovations around communications
§ Development/enhancement of existing best-effort services
§ Existing application framework for communications services
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16. WHATISTHEULTIMATEPLATFORMSTRATEGY?
Question not easy and universally to answer.
Reflection needed on the focal points:
§ New telephony platform with similar features as the old one to get started?
§ New services fits in concept of sessions?
§ Deep network integration needed?
§ Is the IT flexible enough (or no advanced requirements for integration)?
§ Will the business case fly considering different pace for innovations?
à Case-by-case decision, not just use because it is there (efficiency, suitability).
à Technical pureness vs. commercial feasibility (e.g. trunking).
à Application layer convergence using SDP helps partially (mid-term legacy support).
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17. SUMMARY
Migration of legacy platforms to the IMS is currently mainly cost driven
Lower OPEX and class 5 migration main motivation
IMS seen as the best alternative at the moment – following the legacy view of telephony
No innovations from customer perspective
Business telephony was there before
PSTN emulation is nothing new for the customer
What can Telco’s do once they have an IMS/RCS infrastructure (for whatever reason)
Wrong: Look at what we can do with it. Create need or technical motivation. (joyn?!)
Right: Check what we need! And what our customers need
à Look how the IMS and transitioned Telco infrastructure can help
à Be open for alternative approaches
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18. CONCLUSION
Business is king, not the architecture.
§ Main business still legacy à IMS
§ Highly competitive market
§ To remain competitive, an alternative strategy should be followed in parallel
§ Not the cure for everything
§ Bridge to emerging markets
§ Faster innovation, trial and error
§ Find new business models
§ Consider the web (also with regard to payment options, feature activation, etc.)
§ Integrate, but offer also means to be integrated (messaging, voice)
§ Focus on user’s needs & experience - tech driven services and features are wrong!
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19. THANKYOU!
Sebastian Schumann
Senior Designer
Slovak Telekom, a.s.
Sebastian.Schumann@telekom.sk
+421 903 419 345
@s_schumann
sschumann

20. REFERENCES
[1] Open Clipart
[2] Flickr
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