VeriSign today announced immediate availability of new services that make global roaming easier for wireless operators and their subscribers.
These new services, VeriSign’s Protocol Interworking Services for GSM and the IMC Roaming Service Bureau, are available to operators including those participating in VeriSign’s Global Roaming Consortium (GRC). The GRC is an organization of more than 50 carriers in 25 countries throughout the world that simplifies the roaming dialogue between AMPS, CDMA, TDMA, and GSM networks.
While GSM networks in the Americas use ANSI-based roaming protocols, GSM networks in the rest of the world typically use protocols based on ITU standards. VeriSign’s Protocol Interworking Services for GSM operators allow these varying networks to seamlessly interoperate by providing the appropriate protocol and routing address conversions. As a result, operators are able to support international roamers in their markets while simultaneously allowing their subscribers to roam internationally on the networks of their roaming partners.
“Cost-effective global roaming is a key concern for both carriers and their customers,” said Vernon Irvin, executive vice president of VeriSign Communications Services. “These enhancements unlock the global GSM network roaming footprint for subscribers of GSM and CDMA/TDMA operators alike while leveraging VeriSign’s secure network interoperability.”
Through an agreement with International Mobile Communications (IMC), VeriSign is also introducing the IMC Roaming Service Bureau, allowing CDMA/TDMA operators to expand their roaming footprint. The Roaming Service Bureau option includes the networks of more than 150 GSM carriers in 120 countries worldwide. Subscribers can use their local number while roaming, regardless of the underlying technology of the visited network. A leading South American cellular operating group recently implemented the service to achieve affordable roaming with a significantly larger footprint.
“The IMC Roaming Service Bureau bundles each of the necessary services and technologies required to simplify interstandard and international roaming, and is the only turnkey service to connect the CDMA/TDMA wireless technologies with the worldwide GSM networks,” said Blake Swensrud, Chairman and CEO of International Mobile Communications, Inc. “Our relationship with VeriSign and affiliated international carriers has enabled worldwide roaming capabilities for operators in multiple countries through our Roaming Service Bureau.”
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