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29th April 2004 - Alcatel launches today its new Alcatel
Push To Talk (PTT) application as an integrated part
of its IP multimedia communication portfolio. The Alcatel
Push To Talk is a Voice over IP (VoIP) streaming service
that turns a mobile phone into a Walkie-Talkie, which
operates smoothly in GPRS, and UMTS networks.
It provides end-users with a convenient way to wirelessly
communicate one-to-one or one to many thanks to a direct,
real-time always-on connection over the network. Through
the simple touch of a button, users can engage an instant
voice conversation with available users on their contact
list, in a similar way they do with the existing Instant
Messaging. They can talk to one or to groups of people
simultaneously or directly deposit a message into recipients'
mailboxes, without having to call or to speak to them.
The Alcatel PTT application provides mobile operators
with a new source of revenue for Voice over IP service
allowing them to enter into the Push To Talk market
by cost-effectively using their existing GPRS networks.
The Alcatel Push To Talk application combines the best
practices of both Instant Messaging and SMS:
Instant Messaging - by introducing presence information
in the buddy list (that can be used for both applications)
allowing end-users to see instantly whether their contact
is available or not, Short Message Service (SMS) - by
extending operators' legacy voice business model to
the Voice over Internet.
The Push To Talk can be easily coupled with the Alcatel
Charging Proxy, thus allowing flexible billing policies.
The end-user has the possibility to manage numerous
contacts and contact groups through a web-based interface
and to get charged accordingly.
The solution can run on a wide variety of handsets
already commercialized and equipped with this function,
thanks to Alcatel's client software which allows interoperability
with most of the devices on the market. It is based
on industry standard such as SIP (Session Initiation
Protocol) for signalization and RTP (Real Time Transport)
for voice broadcasting, following the early specifications
of the OMA* (Open Mobile Alliance) and uses the capabilities
of the IMS (IP Multimedia Sub-system) as specified by
3GPP. Through a user-friendly interface, the Alcatel
Push To Talk application offers an excellent voice quality
and the best latency times possible on a GPRS network
without optimization.
Leveraging on Alcatel's record performance of the unique
Proxy Platform software architecture successfully used
for the IP based multimedia products, the Alcatel Push
To Talk server is running on Intel® Xeon? processor
family-based servers using a Linux operating system,
thus allowing mobile operators to significantly reduce
their CAPEX and OPEX.
"Push To Talk is a key service and a turning point
in the mobile operators data strategy. Operators are
currently facing the challenge of introducing differentiated
data based services in order to generate new revenues,
but without rupture with the wildly used vocal services",
reported Jean-Michel Cornille, President of Alcatel's
mobile solutions activities. "The Alcatel Push To Talk
application significantly enhances telephone services
and gives mobile operators an immediate revenue opportunity".
This service has been widely successful in North America
everywhere carriers have launched the service. Alcatel
is now present on the Push To Talk market and has already
proposed its solution to some European customers following
successful undergoing trials and demonstrations. The
Alcatel Push To Talk applications offers a tremendous
opportunity for European operators to attract a wide
variety of end-users and corporate users.
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