A recent Wall Street Journal article challenged mobile operators to relook the mobile business model with fresh eyes and warned operators that wireless Wi-Fi Calling and text messaging services soon to be provided by Google and Cablevision - organizations with significant brand, customer relationships and financial clout - will provide serious threats to mobile network usage and subscriber loyalty.

Mavenir provides innovative, disruptive technology that enables service providers to quickly and seamlessly transform existing infrastructure into next generation IP based services and provide a platform for future innovation around Wi-Fi Calling, Voice over LTE (VoLTE), and rich communication services (RCS). Mavenir, partnering with Tier 1 carriers, has successfully demonstrated that it is possible to re-invent mobile infrastructure and provide compelling subscriber services to meet these new competitive challenges.

The WSJ article has a good point - operators do need to respond quickly. Mobile carriers have conquered the mobile data onslaught with aggressive LTE launches, spending billions of dollars in network infrastructure, while Google, unhampered by any legacy investment, has leveraged the amenity Wi-Fi access provided by millions of business and by consumer home cable service, while spending orders of magnitude less on access infrastructure. Google is simply following the preferences already demonstrated by consumers and businesses. Wi-Fi accounts for the clear majority of smartphone users' data consumption.

But a few pioneering mobile operators did in fact recognize the power of Wi-Fi early on and are now established leaders in providing access independent user experience for both voice and data services. In the US in particular, T-Mobile became the first US wireless carrier to launch Wi-Fi Calling and texting service in 2007. In 2014, Verizon launched Advanced Calling 1.0, embedded on its 4G LTE-compatible devices, which included HD Voice and Video Calling and seamless handoff of video calls to Wi-Fi, when available. Outside of the US, other mobile operators, including H3UK and Singtel have also recognized the power of Wi-Fi and now provide access independent services for both voice and data services.

Wi-Fi, once a fallback service used by mobile operators primarily to offload overtaxed capacity or improve coverage, has now become a mainstream part of the network. With the addition of Wi-Fi Calling capability to the newest iPhone, "voice" has again taken center state. Operators can leverage the iPhone momentum to integrate Wi-Fi with other voice services and accelerate subscriber adoption of advanced calling. Rapid integration of Wi-Fi and other advanced voice services by numerous carriers around the world should soon follow.

Mavenir is bringing disruptive, innovative software based technology to market at numerous mobile network operators around the world , allowing them to quickly "move beyond" VoLTE and launch Wi-Fi Calling and other new services (such as HD Voice, Video Calling, Visual IVR, Intelligent Dialer, Multi-device Access and others) while maintaining 100% service parity with existing services. The comprehensive suite of Mavenir virtualized voice solutions has created new service revenue and also provided easy integration into existing infrastructure, rapid scalability and seamless user experience. Operational issues have also been resolved - for example, in the case of Wi-Fi calling, operators can fill coverage gaps without resorting to expensive roaming arrangements or escalating LTE build-out plans or buying more spectrum. Subscribers are assured of service continuity in areas of poor cellular coverage and while roaming abroad.With these powerful capabilities, operators can position enhanced VoIP service comparable in stickiness and functionality to popular over-the-top (OTT) competitive applications, retain subscribers and increase revenue. Mavenir is also working with service providers to explore other exciting service possibilities, such as IMS-PBX, enhanced Visual Voicemail/Video Mail, Direct Talk, Intelligent Dialer, and Visual IVR, which will be discussed in future blog posts along with real examples of Mavenir success with these operators.

According to Fierce Wireless, "voice service enhancements like VoLTE and HD Voice are just the tipping point. As operators look for ways to differentiate their offerings with better quality services without straining their networks, there will likely be even more innovations to come."

Using Mavenir innovative solutions, operators can move beyond VoLTE, disrupt the competition and successfully leverage their most powerful service - voice.

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For more information on how to transform your mobile network, please contact Mavenir.

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