The GSMA today announced significant advancements in Rich Communications, including updates on launches by mobile network operators, device availability, a new global specification and the creation of a new consumer facing-brand, joynTM. Rich Communications will enable mobile network operators (MNOs) to provide consumers with familiar services such as enhanced messaging and voice, as well as new services like video calling and the ability to share documents and photos simultaneously during calls, all from the phone\u2019s contact book, regardless of the network or device used.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is clear consumer demand for enriched messaging and voice services, and Rich Communications provides mobile network operators with solutions to address these consumer needs, as well as paving the way for future, innovative IP-based voice and messaging services,”\u00a0said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. \u201cThese services will be delivered to consumers in a seamless way and with the level of innovation, quality of service and attention to privacy that they have come to expect from their mobile operator.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rich Communication Services (RCS), which provide MNOs with a means of transitioning voice and messaging services into an all-IP and LTE world, has gathered significant pace in America, Asia and Europe. \u00a0Carriers from the around the globe supporting the RCS standard include\u00a0 AT&T, Bell Mobility, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, KPN, KT, LGU+, Orange, Orascom Telecom, \u00a0Rogers Communications, SFR, SK Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telef\u00f3nica, TeliaSonera, Telus, Verizon and Vodafone.<\/p>\n
“We at Deutsche Telekom\u00a0are very pleased and committed to support Rich Communications. As\u00a0it is the natural evolution of our core communication services, voice and messaging, this new standard has already been embraced by the leading carriers and manufacturers in our industry,\u201d said Rene Obermann, CEO Deutsche Telekom. \u201cSince Rich Communications will be fully integrated in devices, there is no need for our customers to download or install anything. Ease of use is thus ensured and it will just work. We are looking forward\u00a0to offer\u00a0new services like\u00a0text chat, file\u00a0and live video sharing during a call to our customers soon.”<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, the three major Spanish MNOs, Orange, Telef\u00f3nica and Vodafone, published an update on their interoperability trials which form an important part of the preparations for a launch of commercial services, anticipated by the summer of 2012. In addition to the progress in Spain, operators in France, Germany, Italy and Korea have committed to commercial launches in 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cOrange sees tremendous potential for RCS to deliver a truly compelling customer experience through easy-to-use, integrated communication solutions and we are delighted to be part of the increased momentum in the industry to deliver them. To this end, we are committed to accelerating the roll-out of RCS, beginning with Spain in Q2 2012 and France in H2 2012,\u201d said Jean-Paul Cottet, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Innovation and New Growth Activities, Orange.<\/p>\n
Device availability is key to the acceleration of the adoption of Rich Communications and top handset makers including HTC, Huawei, LG, Nokia, Research In Motion, Samsung, Sony, and ZTE have announced support of Rich Communications in their handsets, many of which will be on display at Mobile World Congress. Infrastructure vendors including Acme Packet, Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei, Mavenir and Nokia Siemens Networks also support RCS and will be showcasing their latest Rich Communications solutions at Mobile World Congress. Rich Communications will be available on new devices and as a downloadable app for legacy devices and will be on show on these vendors\u2019 stands as well as the GSMA Pavilion in Hall 8, Stand C118.<\/p>\n
A new global specification has been developed and will represent the interests of a wide range of operators. RCS5.0 will ensure that voice, messaging, and all future communication\u00a0services continue to be available on both existing and all-IP LTE networks. The specification will support services across mobile and fixed networks and includes such features as high quality IP-based voice and video calling; geo-location, where a user can push accurate location information to others on the call; cloud storage for customers to store all messages for secure access from any connected device; and live video in IM chat, in which video share can be introduced during an IM chat session.<\/p>\n
\u201cRCS 5.0 will not only provide our customers the services they\u2019ve come to expect – like voice and texting – but will bring new services like live video calling and the ability to share documents and photos simultaneously during calls, regardless of the network or device used,\u201d said Kris Rinne, Senior Vice President of Architecture and Planning, AT&T. \u201cWe look forward to further interoperability testing within the carrier community as we move towards commercial readiness\u201d<\/p>\n
In order to facilitate consumer recognition and understanding of RCS, a consumer-facing brand has been developed. The GSMA today launched the new brand, joyn, which represents ubiquity, security, service quality and interconnection and will be available for operators to use in order to give one global \u2018face\u2019 to RCS services. \u00a0Through the joyn brand users will know that the device is RCS enabled , which means it automatically \u2018knows and shows\u2019 ways to share with contacts via chat, video, call or files, at any moment in time.<\/p>\n
\u201cjoyn will act as a mark of assurance to customers that they will have simple and direct access to enriched voice and messaging services wherever they are and whatever network they are using,\u201d\u00a0 continued Bouverot. \u201cOur key message is: \u00a0\u2018it\u2019s just there, it just works.\u2019<\/em>\u00a0\u201c<\/p>\n Interoperability will be ensured by an extensive and continuous testing process which has been developed by the GSMA, and supported by leading MNOs, infrastructure manufacturers, device manufacturers and application developers. Devices, networks and services will have to complete the interoperability testing and pass a certification process in order to use the joyn\u00a0 brand; this process that further underpins the assurance of the quality, security and ubiquity of the services customers will use.<\/p>\n Visitors to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona will be the first to experience joyn for themselves. Downloadable joyn apps for Android 2.3 devices will be available as part of extensive trials live at MWC. Users who are customers on Vodafone\u2019s Spanish network will be able to download an app from the Android Market free of charge. Those registered with Telef\u00f3nica will be able to do so shortly afterwards. Feedback from users will help operators fine-tune services for commercial launches, anticipated by the summer from all three major Spanish operators. iOS apps and native devices\u00a0with joyn built in will follow in the coming months.<\/p>\n – ENDS –<\/p>\n RCS 5.0 is the latest in a series of specification releases for Rich Communication Services developed by the GSMA. As with all previous specifications, it will be subject to a period of public scrutiny and peer review before the final version is published. Rich Communication Services launched in 2012 by operators under the consumer facing brand joynTM will be built to the RCS-e specification that was announced in 2011. RCS 5.0 will benefit from the same principles of evolution and compatibility that have been applied previously.<\/p>\n The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide.\u00a0Spanning more than 220 countries and territories, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world\u2019s mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.<\/p>\n For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at\u00a0www.gsma.com<\/a>\u00a0or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile communications industry, at\u00a0www.mobileworldlive.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n joyn<\/em>\u00a0is a certification trade mark of the GSMA<\/p>\n For further information, please contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n Abigail Faylor:\u00a0+44 (0)2070 670 851 The GSMA today announced significant advancements in Rich Communications, including updates on launches by mobile network operators, device availability, a new global specification and the creation of a new consumer facing-brand, joynTM. Rich Communications will enable mobile network operators (MNOs) to provide consumers with familiar services such as enhanced messaging and voice, as well as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3],"tags":[37,21,142,26,107,25,1133],"algolia_discover_type":[6627],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nNotes to the Editor:<\/h3>\n
About the GSMA<\/h3>\n
\nafaylor@webershandwick.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0press@gsm.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"