BellSouth and (NASDAQ:ERICY) Ericsson today announced the wireless provider's plans to strategically deploy up to 56 Ericsson AXC 627 Tigris Access Servers in 28 of BellSouth's Mobile Switching Centers throughout its footprint.
The servers, part of Ericsson's Integrated Access System wireless solution, will complement a massive, ongoing upgrade of BellSouth's TDMA infrastructure by Ericsson, allowing BellSouth to offer wireless email and fax capabilities, mobile Internet access and a host of next-generation services via Wireless Application Protocol (WAP).
The Tigris Access Servers will enable BellSouth's existing TDMA network to communicate directly with the Internet, without relying on other go-between networks for transport. Such a topology sets the stage for BellSouth's millions of subscribers to access web-based information or even browse websites using specially equipped mobile phones and other handheld devices.
"It's an impressive, forward-thinking move by BellSouth Mobility," said Mike Thurk, president of Ericsson Datacom Inc. "By placing Tigris access servers throughout their TDMA network, rather than centralizing their Internet gateways to only a few switching centers, BellSouth is now ready to accommodate the inevitable demand for next-generation wireless services."
Using Ericsson's SS7 signalling gateway technology and the Tigris servers, circuit-switched TDMA traffic from BellSouth's wireless network will be converted directly into Internet Protocol (IP) packet data, and vice versa, allowing information to flow unimpeded between the two networks. With the Ericsson access servers in place, data will traverse BellSouth Mobility's wireless network as fluently as voice traffic does today.
"We are expecting tremendous demand for advanced wireless applications and services and are eager to move forward as quickly as the technology permits," said Rick Clawson, vice president engineering and operations of Bellsouth Mobility. "In fact, we will launch wireless Internet access service on our GSM networks in July of this year. This Ericsson platform is a key step in full deployment."
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