VoLTE and 4G multimedia communications

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the next evolutionary step for mobile broadband. While initially targeted for mobile Internet access service, the world’s first mobile all-IP RAN can serve as an access network for all future mobile voice and rich multimedia communication services, not just high-speed data.

Providing voice and other IP interactive communications is essential for increasing ARPU and competitive viability in the era of ubiquitous mobile broadband Internet. The industry has selected a single architecture—IMS—to deliver voice over LTE (VoLTE) and new 4G multimedia communication services.

Acme Packet’s VoLTE solution features the Net-Net Session Director (SD), which connects LTE mobile devices to IMS-based services and applications including voice, messaging, interactive video, gaming, streaming video and IPTV. In the System Architecture Evolution (SAE) or Evolved Packet Core (EPC), Acme Packet session border controllers (SBCs) connect all access networks—LTE, 3G, fixed broadband and Internet—to the IMS network. The Net-Net SD provides many IMS access functions, including: 

• Proxy-Call Session Control Function (P-CSCF, including visited P-CSCF)
• IMS-Access Gateway (AGW)
• Emergency-CSCF (E-CSCF)
• Access Transfer Control Function (ATCF)
• Access Transfer Gateway (ATGW)

Acme Packet SBCs feature critical functions for VoLTE service delivery, such as IMS-AKA, IPv4-v6 interworking and new ATCF and ATGW functions integrated in the access SBC, that provide seamless call handover between LTE and circuit-switched 2G/3G mobile networks. For LTE roaming scenarios, Acme Packet SBCs provide the Visited-P-CSCF function, including Optimal Media Routing with flexibility to anchor media remotely or pass media to the home network. The VoLTE access solution can scale to support millions of subscribers with the Net-Net Session-aware Load Balancer and Net-Net SBC clusters. Acme Packet also offers a full IMS service delivery core option with Net-Net SIP Multimedia-Xpress.

Deployed in the SAE, the Net-Net Security Gateway (SG) fulfills the role of the Evolved Packet Data Gateway (ePDG) to deliver voice and data services within IPsec tunnels to dual-mode handsets or other devices over the Internet or untrusted access networks. Read more about Acme Packet fixed mobile convergence solutions, and for off-network termination for VoLTE and 4G multimedia, Acme Packet also provides SIP interconnect solutions.

The Acme Packet edge

The Net-Net SBC controls all SIP sessions between the service core and the LTE connected or SAE-served endpoint, phone or client. It provides critical control in five functional areas: security, service reach maximization, SLA assurance, cost and revenue management and regulatory compliance. Compliant with the GSMA IR.92 IMS profile and 3GPP standards, the Acme Packet VoLTE solution provides mobile service providers with:

• Lower total cost of ownership with consolidated IMS access functions
• Comprehensive Net-SAFE security framework, including DoS attack prevention and IMS-AKA
• Rapid interoperability with SIP header manipulation and IPv4-v6 interworking
• Superior subscriber quality of experience with admission control, PCRF interfaces and QoS marking
• Cost-effective regulatory compliance for emergency services and lawful intercept