CCID Consulting reviews China's challenge in network integration. Traditional integration normally refers to integrating voice services, data services and video multimedia services into one body. International implementation experiences show that integration normally involves telephone networks, data networks and TV networks. The greatest concern at present is how to optimize and combine broadband into integrated services.


Network integration should cover the following networks: Public switching telephone network (PSTN), cellular mobile network, the Internet (IP network), broadcasting TV network and other components. The next 10 years will be a period of network integration and transformation. Traditional telecom networks will evolve from circuit switching to packet switching. Cable access and wireless access will be integrated at the control level. Individuals and terminals will have wider mobility between heterogeneous networks. Shielded telecom networks will diversity. Open service and application programming interface (API) will be used. Third party value-added services developers will be introduced.

Network integration will be specifically embodied on: wireless integration, such as the integration of WLAN, WiMAX and digital video broadcasting (DVB) with mobile networks; integration between fixed networks and mobile networks; and integration between mobile networks and the Internet.

Among them, the purpose of wireless integration is to shield users' perception of the diversity of wireless access networks. As for the integration between fixed networks and mobile networks, the key difference of the core network lies in that mobile networks have HLR/VLR and possess user authentication and mobility management functions to solve the mobility problem for terminals. Integration between mobile networks and the Internet is embodied in the integration at the technology level, including WAP technology, wireless access packet for mobile networks and network packet, as well as future packet of 3G core networks, and IP-based mobile terminals.

Currently, integration between 3G mobile networks and IP networks has started. 3GPPR5's IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) has defined the structure for UMTS core network to evolve towards total IP network. Similarly, 3GPP2 has also defined the multimedia domain (MMD) of the total IP grid structure. Also, the network structure and interface protocol are basically consistent with the former.

For the future mobile Internet, there is a need to solve the problem of how to organically combine mobile IP technology, IPv6 and cellular mobile networks. It should also be integrated with wireless communication and digital broadcasting technologies. Under the network integration situation in the 3G era, opportunities and challenges exist side by side. This is a crucial turning point for the communications industry as early preparations for each and every link of the integration will become the key to success.