The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and Intel Corporation today announced that five more communications companies have joined the multi-country and cross-industry internetworking initiative to develop ...
24 February 2004 | For Immediate Release
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore and Intel Corporation today announced that five more communications companies have joined the multi-country and cross-industry internetworking initiative to develop standards for global seamless connectivity. This bring to total five telecom operators and ten communications companies involved in the IDA-Intel Wireless Hotspots and Network Interworking Initiative1 formalized in March 2003. The collaboration is significant for Singapore and Asia. It is the first of its kind to involve the participation of operators and vendors from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
ANTLabs (Singapore), Funk Software (US), Gemtek Systems (Taiwan), Huawei Technologies (China) and Transat (US) will provide the hardware, software and services for three other test-beds to validate the open standards-based architecture for Wi-Fi hotspots proposed by the IDA-Intel Wireless Hotspots and Network Interworking Initiative to ensure interoperability between different operators and telecomm equipment suppliers. There are in total four test-beds for this initiative.
"The IDA-Intel Initiative is gaining more momentum with five more companies on board to define the public-WLAN2 architecture and approach for validation efforts within the programme. The test-beds validating the architecture for seamless roaming is near completion. The results of the trial will be completed in July 2004 and the final report will be made available to the public at the end of the year. With these standards, a global WLAN roaming market is indeed becoming a reality." said Khoong Hock Yun, Assistant Chief Executive, Industry, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore.
"Intel is thrilled that more companies have joined the IDA-Intel project," says Kevin Kahn, director of Intel Communications Technology Lab and Intel Senior Fellow. "Additional validation on new test beds will allow us to expand interoperability to additional carriers, making the wireless experience better for even more customers."
Part of the IDA-Intel collaboration comprises the interworking study which contains the findings and recommendations by the vendors on this initiative. The interworking study explores ways to bridge communication in the Wireless LAN, Wireless WANs3 and Fixed Wide Area/ Wireline Networks4. It involves fixed and wireless network operators and equipment vendors to ensure industry feedback and consensus.
The interworking study culminates in a blueprint that defines the steps needed to achieve seamless connectivity by incorporating user roaming requirements and developing a harmonized interworking architecture. It also aims to address the following aspects:
- Flexible, multi-provider, subscription-based "one-bill" roaming between public WLAN, WWAN and WAN networks.
- An Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) system architecture to support roaming.
- Considerations on security issues, so that users have greater protection during roaming.
- A Direction for network equipment product planning and manufacturing, as well as for PWLAN deployment.
IDA and Intel will submit the proposed architecture to the relevant standards bodies5 for consideration. A working version of the interworking study is now available for feedback and consensus from the industry such as fixed and wireless network operators and equipment vendors. The final version will be released to the public when the project is completed at the end of the year. In the meantime, interested parties can go to www.intel.com/technology/IWS or email to wireless@imda.gov.sg for a copy of the interworking study.
JOINTLY ISSUED BY INFOCOMM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE AND INTEL
Notes to Editor:
1 Visit the IDA website at https://www.imda.gov.sg/ and Intel website at http://www.intel.com for previous announcements on the initiative.
2 Public WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) allows a mobile user to connect to a local area network (LAN) through a wireless (radio) connection (eg: within a building). The IEEE 802.11 family of standards, eg. 802.11b and 802.11a, specifies the technologies for WLANs.
3 WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) uses various devices - land lines, microwave links, and radio waves, to service an area broader than that which can be covered by a WLAN, although typically with lower bandwidth. Examples of WWAN technologies are GPRS, CDMA-2000 and W-CDMA. WWAN technologies are often categorized into 'generations' such as 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G.
4 WAN (Fixed Wide Area Network) is a fixed-line network that extends over a relatively large geographical area and enables broadband IP connectivity to a wide area public network (eg. the Internet). A user connects to the WAN through public access networks with technologies like ADSL and cable modem. The largest WAN is currently the Internet itself.
5 Standards Bodies. International standardization bodies related to this collaboration are: - the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP, www.3gpp.org); the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2, www.3gpp2.org); the GSM Association (GSMA, www.gsmworld.com); the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF, www.ietf.org) and the Wi-Fi Alliance (www.wi-fi.org).
About Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) develops, promotes and regulates info-communications in Singapore, with the aim of establishing Singapore as one of the world's premier infocomm capitals. To nurture an internationally competitive infocomm industry, IDA offers a comprehensive range of programme and schemes for both local and international companies. For more information, visit https://www.imda.gov.sg/.
About Intel
Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.
For media clarification, please contact:
Contact for IDA:
Stella Wong
Senior Manager, Corporate Communication
Tel: (65) 6211-1815
Fax: (65) 6211-2227
Email: stella_wong@imda.gov.sg
Contact for Intel:
Colleen Rubart
Regional Media Relations
Intel Semiconductor - Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2240-3782
Email: colleen.l.rubart@intel.com
Annex
About ANTlabs
ANTlabs is focused on the research and commercialization of wireless and broadband networks enabling technologies, visitor-based networking, and network security solutions. ANTlabs is Asia-Pacific's technology leader of zero-configuration wireless and broadband public access provisioning, AAA (Authentication, Authorisation, Accounting) service gateways, and Internet roaming solutions. The company's flagship product is the ezXcess(tm) gateway, which powers more than 500 hot spots in Singapore and Malaysia in 2003, and is being rapidly adopted by Asian carriers and wireless ISPs for an estimated 2,000 locations in hotel, buildings and airports by 2004. The ezXcess(tm)server is powered by Antlabs' internally developed Tru'Connect(tm) secure zero-configuration technology and is targeted to benefit ISPs, telcos, WAN system integrators, and building infrastructure developers. For more information, visit www.antlabs.com.
About Funk Software
Funk Software is a leading commercial developer of WLAN and RADIUS/AAA security solutions. Odyssey, the company's end-to-end 802.1X WLAN security solution, manages wireless user access and security on enterprise networks from small companies to Fortune 100 corporations. Odyssey comprises Odyssey Server, a RADIUS server customized for WLAN use, and Odyssey Client, a secure 802.1X access client offering fast and cost-effective enterprise-wide deployment. Steel-Belted Radius, the company's family of highly scalable AAA solutions for wireless operator, service provider, and enterprise networks, leads the market with deployments on thousands of public and private networks worldwide. Funk Software is the recipient of the 802.11 Report's Fiercest 15 award and Frost & Sullivan's 2003 Market Engineering Leadership Award for Standalone WLAN Security Software. The privately held company is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.funk.com.
About Gemtek Systems
Gemtek Systems, Inc. is the world's leading supplier of carrier-grade Wi-Fi public access solutions. Gemtek Systems was founded in 2002 and is a spin-off of Gemtek Technology Co. Ltd, a leading global manufacturer of Wi-Fi and 802.11 products for the consumer, SOHO and enterprise markets. Gemtek Systems is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with operating companies across Europe, Asia and China. Gemtek Systems is the world's only vendor that is 100% dedicated to Wi-Fi public access solutions. Gemtek Systems is also the world's only supplier of full, end-to-end access networks for WISPs, telcos and mobile network operators. Gemtek Systems enables its customers to enjoy the additional benefits of integrated and optimized hotspot solutions beyond the features and functionality of a multi-vendor network.
About Huawei Technologies
Incorporated in 1988 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, Huawei Technologies specializes in the R&D, production and marketing of telecoms equipment, providing customized network solutions in fixed, mobile, optical and data communications networks. Huawei is now a key player in China's telecom market and is quickly becoming an active participant in the global telecom market.
Huawei now focuses on such areas as WCDMA, CDMA2000, NGN, xDSL and data communications and, through its continuous investment and efforts, aims to become a global leading player in those areas. Huawei products have been deployed in over 40 countries including Germany, France, UK, Spain, Russia, Brazil, Egypt, Thailand and Singapore. Currently Huawei has 22,000 employees and sales in 2003 reached 3.83 billion US dollars. For more information, please visit http://www.huawei.com.
About Transat Technologies
Transat provides carrier grade network servers and client software to integrate Public WLAN services with legacy GSM, Wireline and broadband CATV networks providing enhanced access security and a single point authentication and billing, with minimal impact on the core network OSS. Transat Technologies is a member of GSMA and a founding member of the WLAN Smart Card Consortia which endorses existing standards and develops new specifications where needed to provide worldwide access to wireless LAN networks with Smart Card security, privacy, roaming and related capabilities. Transat is funded by Acorn, Bay Partners, Genesis and Intel Capital and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA. For more information, please visit www.transat-tech.com.
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