The Future of Push to Talk Service and Technology

The Future of Push to Talk Service and Technology

PTT Standardization

OMA is standardizing the infrastructure and processes supporting Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC), which is the evolution of PTT from proprietary approaches to a more open approach that would operated uniformly and seamlessly between and among technologies and service providers.

OMA is seeking to offer the following infrastructure network elements:

PoC Server: Contains the PoC server-side logic, providing the following functions: end-point for SIP signaling and voice bursts, handles participant lists distribution, reporting to the charging system, and media distribution.

IMS Core: Contains SIP proxies and SIP registers. The Ue access the IMS Core for purposes of SIP signaling to the PoC Server. The IMS Core also handles AAA functions and triggering of personal and group instant talk sessions.

Group/List Manager Server (GLMS): Responsible for management of contact lists, group lists, access lists, and permissions management such as the Do-Not-Disturb (DnD) flag.
User Equipment (Ue): Terminal equipment (mobile phone) containing the PoC application software

OMA is also seeking to standardize the following processes: roaming, identification, addressing, and modes of operation (session establishment and answering).

Inter-carrier PTT

The evolution of PTT to encompass the ability to offer inter-carrier PTT service (the ability for end-users to engage in a PTT session between different mobile network operators), will entail network and service optimization in many areas including the following:
Interoperability: There is a need for basic interoperability between PTT systems, including interface and protocol interoperability.

Clearing and Settlement: There is a need for an efficient clearing and settlement system for managing charges between mobile network operators as they charge different rates for PTT service (e.g. supporting for roaming and any service charge differentials for things like international PTT)

Integrated and Robust Presence Detection and Management

PTT will evolve to encompass robust Presence detection and controls such as availability management. The ability for people to be able to very easily manage their settings will become increasingly important, fostering the need for a Mobile Contact Manager – see below.

Integration of Location-based Services

As with presence and availability, integration of LBS with PTT will add a whole new dimension to the PTT communications experience, as members of a closed user group (e.g. a certain community of interest) will be able to engage in a much improved Unified Communications experience.

Multimedia Integration with PTT

Integration of MMS and other advanced messaging features with PTT service makes sense because both services are a VAS, but perhaps more so, because of the service synergy opportunities. For example, a user could (1) detect a friend (Presence), (2) find a friend (LBS), (3) talk to a friend (PTT) and/or message with a friend (MIM), and then (4) send multimedia messages (MMS) or engage in other Advanced Messaging Services with a friend.

Mobile Contact Manager

The above use case example illustrates the point that perhaps, even more so than MIM, PTT will spawn rapid expansion of Mobile Contact Manager (MCM) service. MCM represents a service (extension to PTT, MIM, and others) that allows for the management of contacts (personal, professional, and even ad-hoc) in terms of presence and availability, location, and contact details (phone number and other alias/addresses such as IM). The ability to quickly and efficiently manage the communications experience, such as add/modify/delete both pre-determined and ad hoc contacts will be of particular importance and synergy with PTT service.
Expansion of MCM will foster the further development and use of various community of interest VAS applications such as friend finder service, interactive mobile games (in the physical and virtual worlds), and more.

Downloadable PTT Client for the Cellular Phone

Even if the PTT client itself is not standardized, a more-or-less standardized method for downloading the client onto the mobile phone will be of great use for those that seek to try PTT very easily (no need to go to the mobile phone store), rapidly accelerating the adoption of PTT.