Siemens Networks and Cingular Wireless are joining forces in an effort to better equip university students and researchers to push the envelope on third-generation IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) convergence applications. The 3G/IMS lab is being set up at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

The goal of the lab will be to research the creation of IMS convergence applications and services that bring together audio, video and data over computer networks, according to Siemens and Cingular.

Siemens Networks is outfitting the new lab with technology from its IMS portfolio, including IMS@vantage, a 3GPP-compliant implementation of IMS. The IMS@vantage product consists of the Multimedia Session Controller CFX-5000 and the Home Subscriber Server CMS-8200, as well as the Media Gateway Controller CFX-5200 and the Media Gateway CMG-3000. The IMS@vantage suite is designed to give network operators a platform to deploy multimedia services for fixed or wireless infrastructures.

BridgePort Networks has signed on to supply its NomadicONE IMS Convergence Server (ICS) software to the 3G/IMS lab. Azaire Networks is providing the lab with its TTG/PDG technology, based on ATCA platform, which supports 3GPP Interworking WLAN (IWLAN) functionality.

In addition to Siemens and Cingular involvement, the new lab is being co-sponsored by the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) and the Georgia Tech Research Network Operations Center (GT-RNOC)