IMTC completes 3G-324M real-time video telephony test

September 12, 2006

The International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium's (IMTC) 3G-324M Activity Group (AG) conducted a live, face-to-face interoperability testing event during its August 2006 session. In addition to standard testing suites, the group also included the ITU-approved MONA and 3G-324M Annex K as part of the testing activities. The test suites and ITU-T standards are key to enabling the industry to commercialize 3G-324M products and services. This latest event continues IMTC's long history of pursuing interoperable real-time telephony products and services.

"Our testing events provide the telecommunications industry a vehicle to overcome technology and interoperability barriers that hinder widespread adoption of real-time video telephony products and services including 3G handsets," said Tsahi Levent-Levi, RADVISION and co-chairman of the 3G-324M Activity Group. "Standardized features like fast call setup time, paired with assured interoperability, drive the market opportunity for all IMTC member companies and improve overall market acceptance of 3G multimedia devices and services."

Fifteen IMTC member companies, including new members Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, and Sunplus Technology, the world's leading consumer IC design company, participated in the interoperability tests. Member company Ericsson hosted the testing event at its corporate facility in Lund, Sweden. At the event, participating companies brought approximately 20 prototype products including handset and terminals, protocol stacks, servers and gateways.

"Emerging 3G services cannot be deployed successfully on a wide scale without organized and systematic interoperability testing of both services and devices," said Albert Wong, Dilithium Networks and co-chairman of the activity group. "The MONA fast call setup technology standardization was just approved by the ITU-T and the group was extremely excited to be testing these contributions so soon after their ratification. All of these contributions aid in moving the industry to further improve user experiences on video telephony."

Access to all IMTC interoperability testing events is exclusively available to IMTC member companies. Member companies who participate in these events also contribute and design all testing suites, standardized acceptance parameters, organize and structure each interoperability event, organize face-to-face and conference call events, provide feedback for improvements to national and international standardization bodies like ITU-T and 3GPP, and discuss implementation issues with other members on an informal and formal basis.

IMTC activity groups exclusively use IOTzilla, a state-of-the-art test management and tracking system, designed by ChasmLeap. ChasmLeap is a subsidiary of Ximpo. IOTzilla enables IMTC AGs to easily plan, execute, analyze, publish and centrally store testing process and results.

"Real-time test management and tracking capabilities are keys to conducting successful interoperability testing events, especially at this level, size and technical complexity," said Kfir Pravda, Vice President of Marketing for ChasmLeap. "We are very proud to have the IMTC and 3G-324M Activity Group use our product in these important industry events."

The 3G-324M Activity Group performs interoperability tests for real-time video telephony, according to the standards H.324, 3G-324M (TS. 26.111, TS 26.110, TR 26.911). Activity group members include Dilithium Networks, Emuzed, Ericsson, HTC, Intel, Ixia, Motorola, NMS Communications, Nokia, Omnivision, PacketVideo, Philips, Qualcomm, RADVISION, Samsung, Sharp, Sasken, Sunplus Technology, Tandberg, TTPCom and Vodafone.