The Hindu Business Line : Taking the mobile beyond the handset

Cisco's vision is to take the mobile to several gadgets. "Today, mobility is restricted to handsets. Tomorrow, it will be accessible from multiple devices (cars, laptops, televisions, PDAs) to deliver the true experience of seamless mobility."

Massimo Migliuolo

MASSIMO Migliuolo, Vice-President-Global Mobility, Cisco Systems Inc, in a chat with eWorld, shares his take on where mobile communication is headed and Cisco's plans. Excerpts:

Cisco has always been focused on the enterprise segment. Has the service provider segment, especially mobile, emerged as a new opportunity?

Service Provider has always been a key focus for Cisco.

Cisco identified mobile operators as a key segment five years ago and set up a separate vertical team to address this segment.

We started delivering on our strategy for this segment two years ago and our role is becoming increasingly apparent as mobile operators migrate to IP.

Today, there is no question that mobile is the biggest productivity and convenience driver. Cisco is simply extending the definition of mobile above and beyond what it is today.

Our vision is to take mobile to multiple access environments. Today, mobility is restricted to handsets. Tomorrow, it will be accessible from multiple devices (cars, laptops, televisions, PDAs or personal digital assistants, etc) to deliver the true experience of seamless mobility — the same look and feel and consistency of service as the handset offers.

What kind of solutions does Cisco have for mobile operators?

Cisco delivers value to mobile operators through its IP Next Generation Network (NGN) architecture. The Cisco IP NGN architecture has two parts to it.

First, we help mobile operators build an IP-based core infrastructure that enables them to integrate not only their multiple mobile networks such as GPRS, UMTS, CDMA, Wireless Lan (WLAN) and WIMAX, but also other service networks such as fixed and broadband, among others. This allows the operators to invest only in core network based on IP as against multiple core networks like they currently have.

Second, we help mobile operators expand the scope of this IP-based core network by building intelligence into it. The Cisco Mobile Exchange solution allows operators to enable mobile services, tailor them for specific subscribers as well as monitor, authenticate and manage them on a single platform.

For example, if you are in the office and want an application/service on the laptop and not the handset, it can do that. It also understands your profile and uses that information while delivering services. So, if you are a gold credit card holder, it will allow you quicker access to e-commerce sites. If you don't want your children to access porn sites through their mobiles, you can enforce it through their profile or for that matter enterprises can check spam or enforce surfing or Net access policy for employees.

Simply put, the Cisco mobile exchange enables mobile operators to know what the service is, who is the user, where is the user and on what device, and cross check with the policy filters against that user before delivering the service.

In addition, we partner with mobile service providers for a joint `go to market' strategy targeted at the enterprise segment as we have immense vertical expertise in it.

We also partner with application providers for them to build applications/services on our solution platform for operators. Billing application is an example.

How do Cisco solutions help mobile operators drive revenues?

The Cisco IP core network allows service providers to collapse their multiple existing mobile networks on it, making for a single common core network.

This results in significant capital and operational expenditure savings and reduces the complexity of the network.

The IP core network can also be extended to fixed, broadband and other service networks as well, further enhancing the savings. Integrating all these multiple networks on IP allows operators to provide `seamless mobility' to their subscribers. Today, most of the leading mobile operators worldwide are migrating or have migrated to an IP MPLS core.

The Cisco mobile exchange solution allows operators to drive true `service convergence' by commissioning services on a single platform and offering it across multiple networks (fixed or broadband or a GPRS/UMTS/WLAN/WIMAX) and multiple access devices.

This enables them to drive greater revenues from services as they can target a larger audience base. Further, the integrated billing system allows them to send a single bill to the subscriber instead of generating network-specific or access device-specific bills, which also results in savings.

In addition, seamless mobility across networks and services convergence across devices helps operators differentiate and drive customer loyalty in a highly competitive market environment.

Could you share examples of some mobile operators that Cisco is working with and the kind of solutions deployed?

Cisco is working with several mobile operators worldwide and has deployed more than 100 Cisco Mobile Service Exchanges already.

Two service providers that we can share are Vodafone and Swisscom. Cisco has a Linksys wireless access router that has a slot for a PCMCIA card built into it. Vodafone is offering this box along with a 3G PCMCIA card to enterprises.

This allows enterprises the flexibility to offer a wireless LAN environment to their employees anywhere and everywhere.

So if a group of employees go for a meeting to a hotel and they need access to the Web, they can just place the Linksys box on the table and plug in the 3G PCMCIA card, instantly creating a wireless LAN environment allowing them to share access from a single card.

This offering is relevant to enterprises that have mobile workforce teams, to provide broadband access where there is no existing broadband access such as construction sites, for small and medium businesses (SMBs) and the Home segment to create a wireless network and connect various devices such as printers and DVD players, among others.

Swisscom Mobile offers a service called `Mobile Unlimited' to business customers who need `anytime, anywhere' access for their laptops. It allows subscribers the freedom to access data from the fastest transmission technology (UMTS, GPRS or WLAN) available in their current location.

Whether travelling by ferry, train or bus, users can have confidence in an uninterrupted connection as they roam between technologies.

With the Cisco Mobile Exchange technology, Swisscom Mobile is able to track the connection as the subscriber roams between GPRS, UMTS and WLAN networks and bill appropriately.

Who are some of the traditional wireless vendors that Cisco has partnerships with?

Cisco has partnerships with Nokia Networks, Siemens Mobile and Motorola to deliver solutions to the mobile operators.

Are Indian mobile operators looking to deploy similar solutions from Cisco and what stage are they at currently?

There is a lot of interest among Indian mobile service providers for these solutions. In fact, most major mobile service providers are already deploying IP MPLS core networks, which is the first step.

The coming in of 3G will further accelerate this process. Solutions like the one Vodafone is offering are ideal for a market like India where there is low fixed and broadband penetration. India is the perfect ground to ignite mobility services, as the country has a strong knowledge system and the mobile market is maturing fast.

Add to that, the fact that local service providers aren't burdened with significant investments in legacy networks.

tkt@thehindu.co.in

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