Finishing touches: Infrastructure vendors showcase network polish

Even as they position their network systems as complete core packages, wireless infrastructure vendors are turning to outside assistance to provide services that can give their networks a performance edge.

That trend was evident at the Personal Communications Industry Association's PCS '97 show held earlier this month in Dallas. In addition to showcasing smaller base stations, enhanced switches and improved intelligent network functions, several infrastructure manufacturers were showing how their associations with third-party software developers can help wireless carriers customize their networks.

Lucent Technologies used the event to showcase solutions that can help carriers acquire more minutes from the wireline side. The company focused on intelligent network solutions and its third-party Open Systems Innovations software development program.

Carriers need to add applications and capabilities to their wireless networks that will provide a draw for traditionally wireline customers, said Scott Erickson, vice president of marketing for Lucent's wireless systems division.

"The challenge we have is to work within the network to provide that change," Erickson said.

Lucent has struck cooperative agreements with several software developers to test and develop wireless network solutions in Lucent's lab, he said. New services and partners announced at the show included RF fingerprinting from Corsair and Cellular Technical Services, prepaid services from Subscriber Computing, four-digit dialing from Centigram, location-based services from SignalSoft, roaming verification from T-Netix and authentication services from Synacom.

Lucent also introduced a new Enhanced Channel Unit for capacity increase on its code division multiple access networks, and hardware and software modifications that can provide more radio channels without adding base stations.

DSC Communications likewise approaches the enhanced services issue from an open architecture perspective. The services end users want are those that are familiar and effortless, said Luis Pajares, senior director of wireless networks for North American Sales at DSC.

"When we talk about intelligent services, they're going to be those services that the subscriber doesn't have to be skilled at using," Pajares said, pointing to services such as caller ID and even voice-activated dialing as examples. DSC introduced its new IP 4000 intelligent network-based voice activated services platform at PCS '97.

Pajares pointed out that the push for enhanced services traditionally has come from the technology side. For those services to catch on, responsibility for implementing them must be passed to the marketers, he said.

"We're trying to change the paradigm to where the business case drives enhanced services, not technology," Pajares said.

Other wireless infrastructure vendors carried the open architecture theme over to the switching and base station interconnection side. Alcatel introduced an IS-634 open interface for its 1000 S12 mobile switch that will allow interconnection with multiple base station manufacturers. The company has already entered an OEM agreement with Qualcomm and has several more in the works, said David Owen, vice president and general manager of mobile products at Alcatel Network Systems.

"We're positioned now to offer operators the option of mixing and matching," Owen said.

Programmable switching companies Excel and Summa Four used the PCS show to tout new capacity and developments. Excel demonstrated its subrate switch controller that quadruples the capacity of land lines carrying traffic to and from switches, allowing wireless carriers to significantly decrease leased-line expenses within their networks.

Summa Four showcased its new Integrated Communications Controller, which the company said will allow it to provide 4000 ports in a single switching platform. Using Summa Four's midplane architecture, the ICC can be connected to a series of connection modules and performs all signaling and protocol processing independently.

AMERITECH EXTENDS CDMA HOLD Ameritech Cellular has turned up a CDMA system in Detroit and begun offering commercial ClearPath service to customers in Southeast Michigan. The carrier launched its first CDMA network in Chicago in July.

SPRINT PCS SIMPLIFIES PCS PRICING Sprint PCS has established a unified pricing structure for the 65 metropolitan trading areas its networks cover. Home Rate USA allows customers to make and receive calls from anywhere on the Sprint PCS network at home airtime rates for a $4.95 monthly fee. Toll-Free USA provides 1000 long-distance minutes for $19.95 a month.