23 July 2007, Shenzhen, China - ZTE Corporation, a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, today announced that after extensive tests, its IMS product portfolios support the MultiService Forum (MSF) R3 "NGN Guidelines" and comply with the MSF Release 3 Architecture. ZTE, one of the most active members of MSF, began its Global Multiservice Interoperability (GMI) testing at Verizon's lab in Waltham, Massachusetts in October 2006.

MSF recently issued R3 "NGN Guidelines' based on the MSF Implementation Agreements (IAs) after the validation in last October's highly successful GMI 2006. Representing a distillation of the technical specifications provided by the MSF IAs, within the structure of the MSF R3 Architecture, the Guidelines provide a coherent framework for the practical implementation of large scale Next Generation Networks.

The MSF Release 3 Architectural Framework provides the essential context for the implementation of the physical components required in a multi-service, multi-vendor, open architecture next generation network. The architecture describes how key NGN components work together, and identifies key open interfaces. MSF IAs describe in detail how these physical interfaces should be implemented, selecting not just protocols but also specifying options and required additional functionality to increase interoperability between components from different vendors.

"By demonstrating compliance with MSF Release 3 Architecture, we have once again proven to our customers and partners that our IMS solutions lead the industry in quality, interoperability and technology innovation," said Mr. Ye Zheng, general manager of IMS product line for ZTE Corporation. "Service providers everywhere can rely on ZTE for their most mission-critical IMS infrastructure needs."

For the GMI 2006 event, ZTE provided its P/I/S-CSCF (Call Session Control Function), BGCF (Breakout Gateway Control Function) and HSS (Home Subscriber Server) equipment. ZTE successfully participated in all six scenarios specified by the MSF, including roaming services across multiple network types, QoS (with Session Border Controller and Bandwidth Manager), 3GPP IMS & Mobile Core Network Interoperability, IP Carrier Interconnect/Internetworking, security interoperability and third party applications and service brokering.

In addition to the support of MSF architecture, ZIMS^TM, the IMS solution from ZTE, focuses on service creation and fixed-mobile convergence, and complies with 3GPP, 3GPP2 and TISPAN standards. This end-to-end solution encompasses terminal, access, core and service platforms.

The GMI Program, initiated by the MSF, provides an opportunity to put the components together in a multi-vendor, end-to-end network deployment scenario, and validates the current release of the architecture. The GMI event in 2006 (GMI 2006), jointly hosted by five of the top international carriers - British Telecom, Korea Telecom, NTT, Verizon and Vodafone - and The University of New Hampshire Interoperability Laboratory, focused on testing multi-vendor interoperability to achieve fixed mobile convergence supporting the IMS service framework.

ZTE has been a member of the MSF since 2002, and strongly supports the MSF and its interoperability activities including the GMI.

Media Contact:
Margrete Ma
ZTE Corporation
Tel: +86 755 26775207
Email: ma.gaili@zte.com.cn