BridgePort Networks, a leader in convergence with its MobileVoIP solution offering, announced the availability of the company's SoftMOBILE solution. The solution brings together BridgePort Networks' NomadicONE Network Convergence Gateway (NCG), a standard mobile phone and a soft phone client designed for PCs or laptops to offer a full suite of mobile voice and messaging. Targeted toward the teen, young worker, work-at-home employee and road warrior; this combination enables GSM and CDMA mobile providers to offer converged, single-number service that is consistently delivered to the user interface of choice - mobile phone or PC.



Exemplified by services such as Skype, SoftMOBILE improved on the PC-phone concept by enabling mobile providers to utilize existing mobile phone numbers to receive and place calls over a PC with a broadband connection. In this way, mobile providers remain in control of the mobile network while extending services to the internet. Leveraging the SoftMOBILE solution, mobile providers will be able to increase value and convenience to subscribers, as well as generate revenue opportunities while extending the mobile brand online.

"VoIP has been one of the most disruptive forces in the telecommunications industry in recent history," said Mike Mulica, CEO of BridgePort Networks. "More importantly, through VoIP and convergence the traditional boundaries between service providers are blurring, as are opportunities for revenue and growth. The SoftMOBILE solution is a tested service that will give mobile providers a way to extend their value proposition to subscribers by making the mobile phone number the prime identity for all of there communications - regardless of location or coverage."

Using the SoftMOBILE solution, mobile providers can route calls to and from the soft phone. Mobile service subscribers will be able to maintain a single identity number that is used via their mobile phone or from the soft phone on their PC. The same soft phone can also be used to send and receive text messages, and will have access to voice mail.

To use the SoftMOBILE solution, subscribers will download and configure the password protected, mobile provider branded soft phone onto their PC or laptop. After selecting two configuration options when the application is initially launched, all calls and messages made to the user's mobile phone number can be received on the soft phone. Using a headset, the subscriber experiences the call as they would over the mobile phone. When the subscriber logs out of the soft phone (i.e. when the user needs to be mobile) calls and messages are received back to the user's actual mobile phone.

SoftMOBILE will also enable mobile providers to create new service bundles and rate plans to better meet the needs of subscribers, and tap into revenue opportunities that would have otherwise been lost to competitive offerings that are internet based. For example, subscribers would benefit from the convenience of using their mobile phone number while taking advantage of improved in-building coverage of Wi-Fi (e.g. at home, in hotels, etc.). Meanwhile, mobile providers would retain subscriber usage in a setting where a subscriber may have traditionally switched to a landline or a competitive VoIP service.

BridgePort Networks' SoftMOBILE solution was developed in conjunction with the company's MobileIGNITE partners and is based on SIP.