Siemens Expands US Research Capabilities

Siemens has expanded its relationship with the Georgia, USA Institute of Technology's Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) to include the creation of 3G products and applications. Siemens is providing financial support, which will enhance its ability to create next generation voice, wireless data and IP-based multimedia subsystem (IMS) applications for its U.S. customers.

In addition to a monetary contribution, Siemens is donating a variety of its 3G wireless network infrastructure equipment and technology, including Siemens IMS platforms and 3G network components. The facility, equipped with the latest 3G/UMTS technology from Siemens, will focus on developing state-of-the-art IMS applications for Siemens and U.S. carriers. Both Georgia Tech and Siemens Communications, Inc., personnel will staff the facility.

"We are pleased to work with Siemens, a global leader in UMTS networks and IMS solutions," said Dr. Joy Laskar, Joseph M. Pettit Professor in Electronics and director of the Georgia Electronic Design Center. "These third and fourth generation wireless systems are expected to trigger an explosion in wireless Internet and data applications by delivering dramatically higher data rates and many new multimedia applications for the mobile handset. The ability to do research using Siemens' latest equipment will allow our students to continue to perform at the highest levels and to be better prepared for the future."

The project is currently in its second phase and may include future joint research efforts involving other Siemens Communications, research and development facilities in Boca Raton, Fla., as well as educational seminars featuring top Siemens engineers at Georgia Tech.

IMS is a 3G standardized control domain for multimedia services. These applications, such as Siemens' IMS @vantage, provide a secure and flexible infrastructure for any type of IP communication, including video telephony, FMC, instant and multimedia messaging, multimedia gaming, or presence and location-based services. IMS@vantage works together with any packet-based access network, allowing operators to leverage the IMS core infrastructure by using it not only for UMTS radio access, but also for GPRS, EDGE, TD-SCDMA, license-free hot spot radio technologies (WLAN) and wire line networks."

Posted to the site on 31st January 2005