| Comfone eNews October 2009 |
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Worldwide Data Roaming with Comfone GRX
Therefore a robust, reliable, cost-effective and fully end-to-end managed GRX service is essential for mobile operators today. To meet this growing market demand, Comfone has designed a highly scalable GRX data roaming solution which allows operators to adapt their connections based on their technical and commercial requirements. Comfone GRX also provides quality of service (QoS), security, monitoring, service management and reporting benefits to operators.
Fully compliant with the GSMA IR.34 Inter-Service Provider IP Backbone Guidelines, Comfone GRX is powered by multiple third party MPLS IP backbone providers and has been intelligently designed to act as a layer 2 MPLS transport network with a single AS number. Already serving over 50 direct mobile network operators, Derek Moser, Senior Product Manager, explained that, “each and every data roaming enabled mobile network operator with a GRX provider, whether Comfone or another, can be reached via connectivity to Comfone’s GRX. Comfone’s peering arrangements with all of the other major GRX providers make this possible.”
Comfone’s expert VPN/IPSec, MPLS and BGP know-how for technical network design and service support combined with a robust, resilient and scalable MPLS backbone ensure that Comfone GRX is positioned to meet the predicted increases in global data roaming.
Record highs of Wireless IP Roaming usage
With users roaming on average 2.5 hours per month, wireless user trends clearly underscore the growing importance that WiFi roaming plays for wireless operators. Laurent Freléchoux, Product Marketing Director WeRoam, explained that, “We are noticing a steady increase in average session time, a clear indication that end users find value in a WiFi roaming service which they now consider a standard service offering from all mobile operators.”
The outlook for traffic growth looks very positive as Comfone WiFi coverage grows and new operators such as TeliaSonera join the WeRoam Wireless IP roaming platform. As one of the pioneering WiFi network operators in the Nordic region, TeliaSonera brings 3’400 hotspots to Comfone WeRoam’s network, thereby significantly increasing WeRoam’s reach in Scandinavia. Already connecting to nearly 60 WiFi networks worldwide, Comfone WeRoam is not only well positioned to support new customers like TeliaSonera in extending their global WiFi coverage but also to dramatically increase the international WiFi roaming footprint of existing customers like BT Openzone. Comfone WeRoam has just added 6 new networks with a volume of 11’000 WiFi hotspots to BT Openzone’s growing WiFi estate.
Comfone goes Olympic
For this reason, Comfone is very proud that its innovative Roaming Hub platform, Key2roam, will be providing roaming services during the 2010 Winter Olympics; the biggest sporting event in the world. Key2roam offers mobile service providers an impressive roaming footprint of 130 live members and 2300 roaming connections. In addition, its ANSI-compatible technology makes it an ideal solution to rapidly increase global mobile network coverage during the Olympics and for future GSM growth in the North American market. For Key2roam members this is a chance to expand their roaming reach to North America and prepare for the record breaking mobile traffic volume expected during the 2010 Winter Games. If you are interested in achieving global connectivity and simplified roaming access with Comfone Key2roam, click here.
The Olympic Games symbolise performance excellence - be it athletic or engineering. Comfone is enthusiastic about delivering excellence in roaming to the 2010 Winter Olympics while the whole mobile world is reaching out to Vancouver.
New enhanced Signalling Services
Training session in Bolivia
There will also be time for specific questions and discussions related to Roaming Hubbing or other Roaming topics. Manuel Lopez and all other Comfone representatives at the event are looking forward to meeting and discussing roaming hubs with many delegates from the Latin American region during the event. Should you like to book an appointment or subscribe to the training, please contact our representatives or fill in the registration form.
For anyone who cannot attend this very informative training on the current hot topics in the hubbing industry, the Comfone Academy offers a vast array of course modules addressing the different technical and commercial aspects of international roaming. Click here to find all details about the next scheduled training.
Upcoming industry events where you can meet Comfone:
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With the advent of 3G networks and the popularity of data-enabled devices such as smartphones, data roaming traffic has increased requiring improved network quality and performance. Although still comparatively small, the global market for mobile data roaming and GPRS exchange services is now growing rapidly as mobile data and broadband traffic growth is accelerating. As mobile operators implement HSPA+ and LTE to support mobile broadband applications, content and internet access, data roaming traffic volumes are predicted to rise tremendously.
Comfone is experiencing record growth in WLAN traffic as the market demand for extensive WiFi coverage continues to increase. In the first 3 quarters of 2009, Comfone’s WiFi roaming service, WeRoam, recorded a 43% increase in WLAN traffic. Demand for WiFi hotspot coverage is particularly strong among travellers. Despite the global economic downturn, fully 80% of Comfone WeRoam traffic in September 2009 was generated by travellers – 72% in hotels and 8% in airports.
Olympic Games always draw the attention of millions of people, mobilise huge volumes of visitors and increase the need for mobile communication. This will also be the case during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada which will result in record breaking numbers of mobile traffic generated by the vast number of visitors to Vancouver and millions of spectators around the world.
Comfone has been providing its customers with reliable and quality signalling services for years and looks forward to further enhancing its Signalling Services and Solutions while continuing to guarantee its high level of service provision and optimisation of service quality for its customers. To achieve this goal, Comfone has selected Huawei Technologies to deploy its new signalling SCCP GW solution. Huawei’s innovative technical solutions will provide signalling, transmitting and charging services within Comfone’s future-proof and innovative signalling network.
During the GSMA LA plenary meeting scheduled in Santa Cruz, Bolivia from December 1st to 3rd, Comfone’s Director of Business Consulting, Manuel Lopez, will deliver a special Spanish language training session entitled “Explaining Roaming Hubbing”. The focus of the training will be to clarify the GSMA endorsed standards for Open Connectivity Roaming Hubbing. Options for connectivity at a network level, the exchange of billing information and an examination of NRTRDE and fraud prevention procedures in roaming hubbing scenarios will be addressed as well.
