SANTA CLARA, Calif.-Motorola Inc. and Telcordia Technologies Inc. revealed plans to develop a next-generation call agent as Telcordia’s contribution to the Aspira platform-a multicompany vision to merge wireline and wireless networks in a third-generation Internet protocol environment.
The two signed a memorandum of understanding to establish the 10-year technology alliance. In that time, Motorola and Telcordia plan to create and co-manage a virtual joint design center and call agent for the Aspira wireless communications network architecture.
The call agent will orchestrate all the activity of a call and determine how it should be connected in a combined wireline and wireless environment, essentially acting as a local office virtual switch.
Its role in the Aspira platform is particularly significant. Aspira is Motorola’s vision to provide an IP-based, switchless, high-availability open wireless/wireline architecture.
While the name has been tossed around in past weeks, at last week’s Wireless I.T. show, Motorola introduced the complete vision for the first time. Telcordia’s call agent is an important element, it said. Motorola also has partnered with Cisco Systems Inc. and Sun Microsystems Inc. in the effort.
The idea, Motorola said, is to increase flexibility and openness in networks, thus reducing ownership costs to carriers, while providing end users with the ability to send and receive Internet data, voice, video and multimedia through 3G broadband digital networks.
Trials of the system are not expected until late 2000.
