In April, ABI Research asked 125 firms around the world 11 questions relating to IMS. These firms included fixed-network and wireless service providers, as well as infrastructure, handset, software and component vendors. Results of the survey show service providers and equipment vendors see faster service introduction as a main benefit of IMS. For service providers, blended services ranked highly, while network convergence, both fixed-line/mobile and voice/data, was important for equipment vendors. Ericsson's strong IMS strategy and products, as well as its successful track record of IMS contracts, helped propel it to the top of the vendor comparison.

The survey found that IMS is expected to become widely available in 2007-2008. Oscar Gestblom, external marketing director for IMS at Ericsson, says: "IMS is still in the early stages and operators are evaluating and testing it. Being perceived as the market leader means that operators look to us when they want to explore IMS possibilities.

"IMS is a standard, but Ericsson's advantage is that we offer a complete end-to-end offering for both fixed-line and mobile systems, and we can show interested operators concrete examples of our IMS systems in operation."

Ericsson has contracts, or is testing, for IMS with 27 operators, including Telefónica in Spain, TDC in Denmark, TeliaSonera in the Nordic region, TIM in Italy and Sprint in the US. Ericsson is integrating systems involving multi-vendor products, and installing wireline and mobile applications including IP telephony, push-to-talk, IP Centrex and the weShare solution (a mobile application for sending images while talking) for operators.

Ericsson has what it takes to become operators' preferred partner, turning IMS into business. Gestblom says: "Ericsson is the world's largest telecom services provider offering state-of-the-art expertise. We advise operators on IMS strategy, integrate systems and solutions into their existing networks, and ensure applications can be managed, charged and billed for. We can even host applications and manage the network for them.

"We have already helped hundreds of operators around the world to successfully implement new technologies and solutions: from large-scale network rollouts, to service network and telecom management solutions such as messaging, service assurance and prepaid solutions.

"The advantage is the breadth of our complete IMS offering, ranging from application servers, core system and service-creation environment, end-user clients via Ericsson Mobile Platforms, combined with our telecom services offering."

The ABI Research survey also notes that some of the main issues regarding IMS for service providers were quality of service, security and interworking between service providers. The perceived benefits of IMS for service providers were blended services, faster new service introduction, multimedia and VoIP (voice over IP) services, higher average revenue per user and lower operating costs.

Gestblom says: "Operators are interested in IMS because they want to introduce new and interesting applications and maintain their positions in the market and value chain. IMS can help them increase revenues through new revenue streams and lower their network operation and service introduction costs."