Many TruTower readers will remember GENBAND as the company that acquired fring, an acquisition that took place nearly a year ago. GENBAND is also a leading developer of software-based real time communications solutions.
While we normally stick to covering calling and messaging applications and global roaming services, today’s announcements from the company today really caught my attention. And yes, fring is definitely a part of it.
The company unveiled its new Simply Mobile Framework today, which seeks to make it easier for communications service providers and enterprises to go mobile.
“The mobile communications landscape has changed dramatically over the last decade”
Simply Mobile solutions enable carrier, enterprises and systems integrators to:
- Innovate by embedding contextual real time communications into vertical-specific mobile applications
- Effectively compete through white label cloud-based pay-as-you-go Over-the-Top (OTT) solutions
- Enable seamless mobility and ubiquitous connectivity by integrating Small Cells, Wi-Fi and cellular networks
- Expand their real time communications options in an all-IP world
“The mobile communications landscape has changed dramatically over the last decade as carriers and enterprises increasingly face challenges to meet the demanding needs of the next generation of mobile users and sustain revenue growth,” said David Walsh, CEO of GENBAND. “GENBAND Simply Mobile is the result of years of investments, acquisitions, and ongoing innovation across networks, applications and services, and is a breakthrough approach that will unlock value for all the markets we serve.”
GENBAND says its Simply Mobile is focused on five key areas:
1. Mobile Application & Cloud Platform: A Platform-as-a-Service that leverages the entire suite of GENBAND APIs and services, enabling embedded real time communications from the cloud and the ability to rapidly bring to market innovative offerings in vertical-specific mobile and web applications.
2. Cloud-Based Mobile OTT Solutions: Powered by GENBAND fring and offering fast time-to-market with cloud-based, white label, OTT Mobile applications for consumers, SMBs and enterprises.
3. Intelligent Messaging: Cost-effective transformation of traditional non-revenue generating voice mail into intelligent mobile video messaging services made possible through integrated and enhanced GENBAND solutions.
4. Network Densification Solutions for Mobile Data Offload: Secure new revenue-generating carrier Wi-Fi that offer improvements in coverage and capacity of cellular networks through access points and Small Cells.
5. Session GridTM Solutions: An end-to-end mobile communications framework which assures mobile session security, interoperability, management and a consistent user experience for real time communications across any network, application or device.
Simply Mobile provides “new ways to address … key mobile business challenges”
“As we rapidly transition to a mobile-first world, our GENBAND Simply Mobile framework and solutions are designed to provide communications service providers and enterprises with new ways to address some of their key mobile business challenges,” said Brad Bush, GENBAND’s Chief Marketing Officer.
GENBAND also unveiled its next-generation Wireless Access Gateway solution that it says will “enable mobile communications service providers to pursue new revenue-generating opportunities and dramatically improve the customer communications experience.” In short, it could mean better communication as well as wider spread carrier Wi-Fi.
When viewing some of the key benefits, it becomes clear how global travelers will be able to benefit from the new solution:
- Securely offer value-added services such as next-generation carrier Wi-Fi with Hotspot 2.0, enabling a seamless connectivity experience to Wi-Fi roamers
- Cost-effectively expand network coverage and capacity by securely carrying voice and data traffic from Small Cell and Wi-Fi access points to evolved packet core
- Provide enhanced mobility experiences as users roam between cellular to Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi networks for video and data applications
GENBAND describes the Wireless Access Gateway, which is a key component of GENBAND’s new Simply Mobile solutions framework, as a “single, multi-application platform which builds on GENBAND’s market-leading Small Cell security gateway solution.”
The Wireless Access Gateway adds standards-based ePDG (Enhanced Packet Data Gateway) functionality for untrusted public Wi-Fi access.
Even carriers will benefit, with SaMOG (S2a Mobility over GTP Gateway) functionality added as well for trusted Carrier Wi-Fi access. GENBAND points out that this will enable MNOs, MVNOs, MSOs, and IPX providers to generate new revenue streams. The Wireless Access Gateway solution has been deployed globally with the Small Cell Security Gateway application, connecting to millions of residential, enterprise and outdoor small cells.
“The GENBAND Wireless Access Gateway allows service providers to cost-effectively enhance the user experience”
“Service providers are scrambling to remain profitable and keep up with the exponential growth in mobile data traffic, which is expected to grow twelve-fold by 2018,” said BG Kumar, GENBAND’s Chief Product Officer. “Service providers are deploying Small Cell and carrier-grade Wi-Fi networks to reduce their cost-per-megabit to deliver mobile data and enable new revenue streams. The GENBAND Wireless Access Gateway allows service providers to cost-effectively enhance the user experience through improved coverage, faster data speeds and seamless roaming through indoor or outdoor Small Cell and Carrier Wi-Fi deployments.”
GENBAND will be conducting a free Webinar on September 4, at 12:00 pm Eastern/11 am Central (The New Mobile Triple Play: OTT Apps, LTE Small Cell and Wi-Fi Roaming: Are You Ready for the Opportunities and Challenges). Both the Simply Mobile Solutions Framework and the Wireless Access Gateway solutions will also be demonstrated at CTIA’s Super Mobility Week in Las Vegas, September 9 -11 (booth 4543).
For more information on GENBAND’s Wireless Access Gateway, visit www.genband.com/products/quantix/wireless-
access-gateway. For more information on Simply Mobile visit www.genband.com/mobile.