Generic Access Network - UMA/GAN Beyond Dual-mode

UMA/GAN Beyond Dual-mode

While UMA is nearly always associated with dual-mode GSM/Wi-Fi services, it is actually a ‘generic’ access network technology that provides a generic method for extending the services and applications in an operator's mobile core (voice, data, IMS) over IP and the public Internet.

GAN defines a secure, managed connection from the mobile core (GANC) to different devices/access points over IP.

Femtocells - The GAN standard is currently used to provide a secure, managed, standardized interface from a femtocell to the mobile core network. Recently Kineto, NEC and Motorola issued a joint proposal to the 3GPP work group studying femtocells (also known as ‘Home Node B's or HNB) to propose GAN as the basis for that standard.

Analog Terminal Adaptor – T-Mobile US once offered a fixed-line VoIP service called @Home. Similar to Vonage, consumers can port their fixed phone number to T-Mobile. Then T-Mobile associates that number with an ATA (analog telephone adapter). The consumer plugs the ATA into a home broadband network and begins receiving calls to the fixed number over the IP access network. The service was discontinued in 2010, however earlier subscribers were "grandfathered" in.

Mobile VoIP Client - Consumers have started to use telephony interfaces on their PCs. Applications offer a low cost, convenient way to access telephony services while traveling. Now mobile operators can offer a similar service with a UMA-enabled mobile VoIP client. Developed by Vitendo, the client provides a mirror interface to a subscriber's existing mobile service. For the mobile operator, services can now be extended to a PC/laptop, and they can give consumers another way to use their mobile service.