A handful of equipment vendors and US CDMA operator Verizon Wireless have banded together to take IP Multi-media Subsystem (IMS) technology to the next level.

Verizon, together with Cisco, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nortel and Qualcomm, is working to develop enhancements to the emerging IMS architecture.

The next generation architecture has been termed A-IMS (Advances to IMS) and aims to provide solutions to implement next generation services in current networks, as well as creating a foundation for the efficient roll out of both SIP and non SIP-based services in future networks.

The current outputs of the task force are a concept document and an architecture document that are being provided to industry players. The task force companies plan to make necessary standards contributions in the immediate future.

Paul Mankiewich, chief technology officer, Lucent Technologies Network Systems Group said: “We recognise the benefits of this collaboration, particularly in terms of multi-vendor interoperability, as we move into an all-IP mobility world. This effort continues to enable the delivery of blended voice, video, data and multi-media applications, what we call Blended Lifestyle services, to mobile end users.”