Convergence, Philippines: Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) and Nokia have set up a Next Generation Network (NGN) laboratory to develop and test end-to-end fixed-mobile convergence prior to commercial launch.

Nokia has been the main GSM network supplier to PLDT Group’s mobile arm Smart Communications since 1998. For PLDT’s Chief Operations Adviser Don Rae convergence is an opportunity to provide customers with “new innovative services that will drive the future growth of our business…Convergence is an important part of PLDT's vision, and the Next Generation Network Laboratory provides us with a test bed where we can trial new ideas and services before commercial launches."

As an example of the new services development, PLDT and Nokia organised a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) contest for Filipino application developers called the "SIP Challenge". Forum Nokia provides the developers’ training and assistance, and they can test their IP-based applications at the NGN Laboratory.

The Nokia unified core includes the company’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), VoIP Server, MSC Server System (MSS), Media Gateway (MGW), Intelligent Service Node (ISN), Intelligent Content Delivery (ICD) for multi-access control and data services charging and D500 IP DSLAM.

* PLDT operates through its three principal business groups: fixed line, wireless and information communications technology, offering telecommunications services across the Philippines' most extensive fibre- optic backbone and fixed line, cellular and satellite network.

More information: www.pldt.com.ph and www.nokia.com