28 January 2011, Shenzhen – ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, today announced the global availability of its IMS-based PSTN/ISDN Emulation solution, after a series of successful feasibility tests and commercial deployment projects in 2010. ZTE is currently the only company in the industry which offers a user transparent IMS-based PSTN/ISDN Emulation solution that supports multiple legacy access modes at same time, including H.248, V5, PRI/BRI, H.323, MGCP, NCS and IETF SIP, etc.

The solution was developed to address the challenges faced by network operators who have a large number of PSTN/ISDN users. The challenge is how to deal with legacy switches and lower OPEX while at the same time keeping the user equipment unchanged. Fully compliant with the PSTN/ISDN Emulation standard as defined by TISPAN, ZTE's IMS-based solution incorporates AGCF（Access Gateway Control Function） as a key element in the IMS core. When implemented with ZTE’s Multiple Service Access Gateway, it is able to emulate the functions of old switches. This solution greatly reduces room rent and power consumption, while simplifying operation and maintenance.

The entire solution was put through an extensive series of ISDN emulation tests, which were conducted in the MVTC (Multi Vendor Test Center) of Vodafone in both Dusseldorf and Eschborn. The test assessed the AGCF function, PSTN/ISDN services emulation and service interworking, which verified the feasibility of ZTE's PSTN/ISDN emulation solution.

Also ZTE has taken the lead in the trial and commercial use of IMS in PSTN/ISDN emulation. ZTE has successfully replaced the class 5 switches with IMS network in Fujian Telecom commercial deployment, which allowed traditional POTS and PRI users to be connected to the IMS network seamlessly and inherited all the existing PSTN/ISDN services. In addition, taking advantage of IMS's flexible service triggering mechanisms, the solution provided users with integrated multimedia broadband services, including Multimedia Ring Back Tone, Multimedia Conferencing, Multimedia Caller ID, Converged Centrex, SIP Push, Web IMS, Video Call Center, etc.

In addition to providing narrow band access, ZTE's IMS-based PSTN/ISDN emulation solution is also capable of supporting multiple broadband access technologies, including LTE and xPON, in order to avoid investment overlap. The solution also helps to increase ARPU by unifying the operation and provisioning/charging system, user date management and open service capability.

"Based on its rich experiences in fixed network field, ZTE deeply understands the requirements and challenges faced by fixed network operators. ZTE provides comprehensive IMS solution to smoothly migrate the existing legacy network and quickly deploy new multimedia services, enabling the operators to achieve successful business transformation," said Wang Xiaoqiang, Vice President of ZTE Core Network Products.

ZTE is the only equipment manufacturer in the world to provide a complete range of IMS-based fixed network transformation equipment that are all based on ATCA (Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture) platform. This unified ATCA hardware platform can dramatically increase the integration level of systems, support flexible networking and smooth network expansion, and effectively reduce TCO for operators.

ZTE is one of the leading IMS suppliers worldwide. As of Q4 2010, ZTE has globally signed more than 110 commercial and trial IMS contracts with operators in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Poland,  Saudi Arabia, U.S. and China, etc.