Service providers around the world are trying to add innovative services and capabilities to attract new revenue and stay competitive. Adding mobile Unified Communications (UC) to their portfolio can be that enabler for service providers.

Cisco together with Ericsson, a leading provider of information and communications technologies to service providers, have been working together to deliver the next generation mobile UC solutions to Mobile Operators. The joint solution simplifies the delivery and integration of VoLTE mobility to service provider business unified communications.

Cisco and Ericsson have helped solve a critical challenge facing Service Providers in bringing together best of breed solutions from multiple vendors.  Scott Hoffpauir, the business leader for Cisco cloud calling added “Our work with Ericsson to standardize integration between our Business Telephony Application Server and the Ericsson network elements is one more step towards simplifying operations for our partners so they can bring their mobile UC offers out to market efficiently”.

By ensuring the major components of the service delivery infrastructure interoperate, mobile operators can be confident in the quality and reliability provided to the end user.  Sofia Isacsson – Head of Solution Line Communication Services stated, “We need to reduce the amount of Systems Integration activities that takes a long time and tie up a lot of capital.  Working with Cisco to standardize the integration between the two companies’ products is a good way forward to bring solutions faster to the market at the same time as we reduce the investment needed by service providers”.

Benefits to Service Providers

Mobile Operators offering a native business mobile experience can attract end users who often need a mobile only or mobile first business experience, while still having all the capabilities of an enterprise PBX.  Mobile operators with a business mobile offer can offer simplified billing and a seamless user experience, while maintaining their mobile subscriptions and optimizing the back end mobile network integration.

Flexible Deployment Models

Cisco and Ericsson enable a Mobile UC solution to be implemented based on each Service Provider’s unique network architecture requirements. The solution can be hosted by the service provider within the existing IMS core, as a standalone next-generation architecture peering with the mobile IMS core, or in a mixed-mode model where mobile numbers and endpoints are served within the mobile IMS core while the fixed numbers and endpoints are served via a stand-alone access network.

The UC solution provided by Cisco can be deployed fully within the Cisco cloud (Option 1 – Cisco-Ericsson Cloud UC Solution), or a combination where calling is implemented within the SPs cloud and collaboration capabilities hosted by Cisco, or fully hosted by the service provider. (Option 2 – Cisco-Ericsson Hybrid Cloud UC Solution)

Native Mobile Experience with VoLTE

The solution provides deep mobile network integration including VoLTE services, enabling the mobile device to be one of or “the only” user device. Service providers can quickly acquire new customers with this advanced mobile capability. The solution provides superior and consistent quality and works on any VoLTE device. Moreover, there are no downloads and a single number can be used across all devices and networks. Operators can provide all the typical enterprise telephony and UC features across all devices and identities.

Solution that addresses business needs

Ease of use

The mobile device becomes part of the Enterprise dialing plan utilizing the native dialer application. Users can make standard business calls without launching a separate application. Eliminates the need to use passwords allowing call logs in the native logging application and reducing battery drain. A Service Provider branded assistive application enables UC services such as a common enterprise directory and call logs, team messaging and collaboration, desktop and file sharing and user service configuration. The assistive application provides the ability for the user to easily escalate from a UC service to a video or voice call while maintaining the QOS provided by the mobile network infrastructure.

Call Quality and Service Reach

Deep mobile integration with the UC application enables an advantage over OTT players with by ensuring critical calls are completed using the purpose built wireless calling infrastructure and avoid lagging and dropped calls. Provides native voice and video QoS and calling area coverage on CS, LTE and Wi-Fi. Calls can seamlessly be moved between the user’s devices and other user’s within or outside the Enterprise environment.

Control and Compliance

With this solution providers can apply the enterprise policies on mobile calls to meet control and compliance requirements. Enterprise applications for device management, call recording, customer account tracking and billing, and enterprise private network dialing plans can be implemented with the solution by making all calls from every user device enterprise calls. This is all controllable by the enterprise themselves providing a unique “sticky” and sought after service offering for the Mobile Network Operator that differentiates them in the market place.

Collaboration and Business Applications

The mobile device is integrated with Collaboration and business applications to increase worker productivity and keep pace with the evolution of the working environment. Enterprise Users are able to participate in the with collaboration work stream effectively no matter where they are located.

The Cisco Ericsson Partnership

Cisco and Ericsson are strategic partners committed to enabling the next generation of service provider networking and customer experiences.  Together our partnership is focused on providing joint service provider solutions on a global scale spanning routing, mobility, telco cloud, and unified communications.

Learn More:

• Come visit Cisco to learn more about our Service Provider Unified Communications solutions at Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona, in Cisco Booth #3E30
• Check out the latest on Cisco BroadWorks R23 Release Blog.
• Read about Cisco Cloud Calling.
• For more information on the Cisco – Ericsson Partnership