Nortel has selected Followap's Presence technology to power its IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) portfolio to unprecedented levels of personalization, mobility and security in communications.

IMS is designed to deliver uninterrupted, seamless communications regardless of network, making it possible for interactive services such as instant messaging, VoIP, push-to-talk and multimedia gaming to follow users in real-time as they roam across wireless, wireline or cable networks. Presence technology is an essential component of IMS that enables networks to be intuitive, allowing users to specify their availability and willingness to communicate via the network and device of their choice.

Presence technology enriches communications by providing real-time information about the status of subscribers. This information can include a range of details from whether a device is on or off, through to more advanced information about users' availability such as indicating whether they are driving or in a meeting. Presence can provide visibility on how best to communicate with other subscribers whether by text, voice or IM. Presence-enabled applications will allow subscribers to enjoy services such as multi-player gaming, location services and chat room dating. For example, gamers will be able to receive real-time status updates on whether their contacts want to play/chat and who is available online.

"IMS has enjoyed significant momentum across the industry as service providers look to this new standard and architecture as a means of enhancing their ability to become more service-agile by developing an array of new and innovative combinational services," said Tom Valovic, director of VOIP Infrastructure at IDC. "Leveraging new combinations of capability to advance mobile IM and presence such as that exemplified by Nortel's partnership with Followap is the kind of approach that can help service providers develop the necessary building blocks to improve communications and drive fixed/mobile convergence."

"Nortel is committed to delivering an open, standards-based IMS solution, which is essential for service provider success," said Sita Lowman, business leader, IMS, Nortel. "Followap's impressive presence technology for personalized, mobile and secure multimedia communications together with Nortel's IMS core technology and SIP application expertise is a powerful combination for positioning service providers to deliver a more personalized and enjoyable communications experience to subscribers, no matter where they are or what device they may be using."

Followap's Presence Platform (iFollow PSP), incorporating Followap's Presence Server and Group List Management Server (XDMS/GLMS), will power presence enabled IMS-based applications, allowing operators to presence-enable their existing services and design future services.

Dotan Volach, CEO at Followap said, "Presence is the personal enablement communication choice of the future and is a key component needed to seamlessly orchestrate integrated communications. Followap is pleased to be working with Nortel, one of the industry's leading providers of carrier VoIP/IMS technology, to deliver flexible, next-generation mobile services."

The iFollow PSP collects and broadcasts in real-time subscribers' availability and willingness to communicate to other subscribers and services. Such status information is displayed and updated immediately through the device's address book using Followap's XDMS/GLMS. The iFollow Presence Platform (PSP) will be integrated into Nortel's IMS Core solution, which is responsible for authenticating users and setting up IMS sessions using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). Once a session has been set up and user availability communicated through the iFollow PSP, data transfer will be handled by the appropriate media server or application.

The iFollow Presence Platform is standards-based, supporting OMA, IETF, 3GPP and OSA/Parlay standards. Using iFollow PSP, operators can quickly generate significant incremental revenues by incorporating meaningful presence information into existing and new value added services. iFollow PSP powers fixed-mobile converged (FMC) networks across mobile and fixed, public and private, voice and data networks.

For more information on this announcement, please listen to the Nortel/Followap podcast at www.nortel.com/podcast.

Nortel's IMS solution is access-aware and supports 3GPP (IMS), 3GPP2 (MMD), Packet Cable 2.0 and TISPAN standards. Nortel ranked number one in the global markets for service provider softswitches and gateways for the first half of 2006, according to Synergy Research Group. Nortel is currently engaged in IMS trials with leading operators in wireline, cable, CDMA and GSM/UMTS markets. Nortel is sponsoring GMI 2006, the world's first massive 'real network' trial of multi-vendor interoperability of the IMS service framework. For more information about this event, see www.gmi2006.com.