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As service providers continue voices services migration to VoIP and IP Multimedia Subsystem (News - Alert) architectures, SIP-based femtocells are expected to become more prevalent, according to reports. IMS-based femtocells architectures are currently being defined by the Femto Forum and 3GPP.

 

Acme Packet, a provider of session border control solutions, recently announced that it is joining leading next-generation equipment vendors to develop a SIP-based femtocell ecosystem that will deliver an open, industry standard-based SIP femtocell solution for mobile service providers, officials said.

 

To round out the ecosystem, Acme Packet (News - Alert) has partnered with three companies – AirWalk Communications, Tatara Systems  and Ubiquisys – which provide complementary premise-based and network-based products.

 

The femtocell ecosystem features Acme Packet’s multiservice security gateway, Net-Net Security Gateway (News - Alert), and session border controller solution, Net-Net Session Director. The gateway establishes and controls IPsec tunnels to deliver mobile voice and data services over untrusted Internet access networks to femtocell access points.

 

Net-Net Session Director secures the SIP/IMS service infrastructure, assures service level agreements for high service availability and quality and provides compliance with regulatory requirements, such as lawful intercept and emergency session control, the company said.

 

Also, the Net-Net SG and SD can be deployed separately or integrated on the same physical hardware platform.

 

“The key elements for delivering SIP femtocells are ready today – including convergence servers, femtocell access points, security gateways and session border controllers,” said Marc Cremer, executive vice president of operations, Tatara Systems. “Acme Packet provides key components for femtocell access and together our companies are delivering a solution that is interoperable and ready for deployment.”

 

According to Mark Vella, Acme Packet’s vice president of business development, Acme Packet has long worked with like-minded companies to enable secure and reliable next generation communication services.

 

“AirWalk, Tatara and Ubiquisys (News - Alert) complement Acme Packet’s session border controllers and multiservice security gateways in delivering a best-of-breed SIP femtocell solution,” Vella said.

 

The companies plan to demonstrate both UMTS and CDMA SIP femtocell solutions at the upcoming International CTIA Wireless (News - Alert) 2009 tradeshow and conference.

 

Acme Packet recently announced that OSS Telecom, a communications systems provider in Russia, has chosen the Net-Net 4250 session border controller to expand the capacity and reach of its national network.

 

By replacing its router-based SBC with Acme Packet’s Net-Net 4250, OSS Telecom decreased service interruption and simplified their operations, OSS Telecom officials said.