The 3GPP standards body has completed a specification update effort last week that added 3G (Iu-interface) support to the UMA/GAN standard. This announcement was made by UMA Today, an international consortium of companies leading the adoption of 3GPP UMA/GAN technology.

 

Following the completion of the 3G version of the 3GPP UMA/GAN standard, the vendor community is making efforts to develop UMA-based 3G dual-mode handset and femtocell products in anticipation of operator service deployments later this year.

 

According to Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for Infonetics Research (News - Alert), operators and vendors alike have recognized the need for standardization to drive mass-market femtocell network deployments. He noted that the addition of Iu interface support to the UMA/GAN standard is an important step in supporting in-home 3G service delivery.

 

Patrick Tao, vice president of technology for Kineto said in a statement that completion of the 3G UMA standard could not be timelier, with strong operator demand for both 3G dual-mode handset and femtocell services.

 

Tao pointed out that the vendor community is also preparing to deliver UMA-based 3G solutions. There have been recent announcements about UMA-enabled 3G dual-mode handset platforms from both Qualcomm and NXP in the dual-mode handset market. NEC (News - Alert), Motorola, Ubiquisys and Netgear have all announced UMA-based solutions as well as trials with O2 and Telia in the femtocell market.

 

UMA technology is the 3GPP global standard for fixed-mobile convergence. UMA/GAN enables secure, scalable access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over broadband IP access networks. Mobile operators can deploy UMA/GAN technology to deliver a number of compelling fixed-mobile convergence services.