Dubai-based operator du said it has signed a deal with Nokia to deploy the network manufacturer's IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology in preparation for the launch of IP-based services including voice over LTE (VoLTE).
Du noted that IMS technology "paves an evolutionary path toward an all-IP core, the core of choice for LTE networks which offer voice over LTE (VoLTE) and multimedia services."
Saleem Al Balooshi, executive vice president of network development and operation at du, said the deployment of IMS would also allow the operator to better support the Smart City and Smart Government initiatives in the United Arab Emirates.
As well as VoLTE, du plans to launch multimedia services such as high-definition voice, HD video, file sharing and instant messaging.
"We have seen in our 2014 Acquisition and Retention study how important the service portfolio is for the overall customer experience. IMS enables anywhere, anytime interconnectivity to further enhance the reach, personalisation and experience of du's services," said Tony Awad, head of customer team, Networks, Nokia.
Du has been in operation since 2006 and reported more than 7.5 million private customers and over 80,000 business customers at the end of the first quarter of 2014.
The company, which competes with Etisalat in the UAE, launched LTE services in 2012.
For more:
- see this Nokia release
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