Initiative formed to simplify technology integration for operators and service providers

Sun Microsystems has announced a global cooperation with Ericsson and Nokia that aims to unite the network equipment provider (NEP) community and assist telecommunications operators and service providers.

Coming together as the Telecommunications Platform Initiative, members are jointly developing the requirements for a standardised, integrated telecommunications technology platform to simplify technology integration by enabling design, development and supply chain efficiencies.

"The Telecommunications Platform Initiative recognises that technology integration is a common challenge for all NEPs and shows our willingness to work together to find cost-efficient and open standards-based solutions for the industry. There is an excellent fit with Nokia's Operation Support Systems (OSS) middleware strategy and our Open EMS Suite platform product roadmaps," Jyrki Holmala, vice-president, OSS Software, Networks, Nokia said.

Sun, Ericsson and Nokia jointly recognised the industry need for common platform infrastructure that would provide a uniform foundation to help address these market pressures.

By collaborating on a series of publicly available requirements documents for the operations, administration and management layers (OA&M) and service layer environments, the members of this initiative will provide the broader telecommunications industry with new alternatives to improve time to service, time to market and, ultimately, time to revenues.

"We are faced with huge integration issues today when we purchase solutions from multiple NEPs," said Javier Gutierrez, enablers development senior manager of Telefonica Moviles Espana.

"The results of the newly formed Telecommunications Platform Initiative will help us simplify platform management, allowing us to focus more on rapidly launching innovative services for our customers."