OKI Launches CenterStage® NX3200 Session Border Controller Featuring Industry-leading Broadband Codec Converter Performance

Provides seamless connections between telecommunications carriers operating various codecs

CenterStage NX3200

TOKYO, October 24, 2012 -- Targeting telecommunications carriers, OKI (TOKYO: 6703) today launched an upgraded version of its CenterStage® NX3200 Session Border Controller(*1) featuring the industry's best-performing broadband codec converter. Already acclaimed by carriers for its carrier-grade scalability and reliability, the NX3200 now features blades with OKI's newly-developed industry-leading performance carrier-grade broadband codec conversion functions. The product achieves high functionality and low delays of 20 ms or less for high-volume concurrent communications as well as smooth service exchange between carriers especially when LTE (Long Term Evolution)(*2) takes off.

Telecommunications carriers currently face increasing demands to support the expanding volumes of communications data generated by rapid growth in smartphone use, both by companies and consumers, as well as the emergence and growth of cloud services. Another factor is the steady shift to LTE in mobile networks to enable high-speed wireless services. Voice communications over LTE (VoLTE: Voice over LTE) use the AMR-WB(*3) next-generation codec for mobile networks in addition to the existing 3G AMR-NB(*4) and EVRC(*5) codecs. The spread of these broadband codecs will increase interconnections between different telecommunications carriers (including connections between mobile and fixed networks) to offer various services, including voice, video, and data transmission. Inter-connections with current OTT (Over The Top)(*6) carriers will also require codec conversion.

All this makes major performance improvements critical for codec conversions by session border controllers. While connections between IPs might accommodate codec conversion between different combinations, multiple codec conversions for communications between multiple carriers are likely to delay end-to-end transfer times significantly and affect communications quality (i.e., audio quality).

Diagram to illustrate tasks with conventional model

"In response to these infrastructure needs, OKI has achieved additional improvements in the performance of existing audio codec conversion functions, developing an innovative blade that provides the various broadband codec conversion functions described above and incorporating these blades in the NX3200," says Hidetoshi Saigou, General Manager, Info-telecom Systems Division at OKI. "These improvements also cap transfer delays(*7) at 20 ms or less to reduce audio quality degradation caused by codec conversion at multiple locations. To minimize transfer delays, OKI drew on extensive experience over the years with its e-Sound®(*8) audio processing technology to enable high-volume concurrent communications between various audio codecs on mobile and fixed networks, in addition to existing codec conversion. This is expected to facilitate service exchange between carriers as services shift to LTE."

OKI plans to further expand its CenterStage Series lineup to incorporate features that meet the needs of telecommunications carriers, drawing on its accumulated store of transfer technologies for high-volume and high-quality data, audio, and video transmission, as well as carrier-grade hardware and software development technologies that achieve refined equipment reliability.

Glossary

• *1 :SBC: Session Border Controller

  A device connecting IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) networks; allows communication between terminals on IMS networks operated by different carriers using methods such as SIP (session initiation protocol) differential absorption and media conversion. This allows (for example) use of individual codecs in video conferencing between mobile terminals and PCs for seamless video transmission.

• *2 :LTE: Long Term Evolution

  A new mobile phone communications standard developed by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), an organization responsible for standardizing mobile networks, with service commencing in 2010. 3GPP has also established a standard for transmitting audio via LTE known as VoLTE (Voice over LTE). The latter technology entered service in 2012.

• *3 :AMR-WB: Adaptive Multi Rate Wideband

  Audio codec standardized by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), an organization responsible for standardizing mobile networks; expected to be used in future broadband services.

• *4 :AMR-NB: Adaptive Multi-Rate Narrowband

  Audio codec standardized by 3GPP (Third Generation Partnership Project), an organization responsible for standardizing mobile networks; widely used in 3G mobile networks.

• *5 :EVRC: Enhanced Variable Rate Codec

  Audio codec standardized by 3GPP2 (Third Generation Partnership Project 2), an organization responsible for standardizing mobile networks; widely used in 3G mobile networks.

• *6 :OTT: Over The Top

  Service providers who provide video, audio, data, or messaging services over broadband lines using all kinds of terminals, including TVs, STBs, and smartphones, as well as PCs.

• *7 :Transfer delay

  Delay generated by network-side processing when transmitting audio. Excessive transfer delays can degrade audio quality and create other issues. Transfer delays and the resulting audio quality degradation are especially significant for codec conversion.

• *8 :e-Sound

  Audio processing technology developed by OKI to achieve high-quality, natural-sounding audio communications; incorporates OKI's proprietary audio-refining technology and allows conversations with minimal delays. Supporting a wide range of audio encoding formats, the technology is ideal for devices such as smartphones, PCs, mobile phones, IP phones, and digital home appliances. It can also be installed on LSIs and a wide range of platforms.

About OKI Electric Industry (OKI)

Founded in 1881, OKI Electric Industry is Japan's leading telecommunications manufacturer. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, OKI provides top-quality products, technologies, and solutions to customers through its info-telecom systems and printer operations. Its various business divisions function synergistically to bring to market exciting new products and technologies that meet a wide range of customer needs in various sectors. Visit OKI's global website at http://www.oki.com/.

• CenterStage is a registered trademark of Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. in Japan.
• The names of the companies and products mentioned in this document are the trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies and organizations.

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• * Information in the press releases is current on the date of the press announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice.