The 4GPLUS project, overview and main results

Abstract

A 4G-environment is based on the integration of 3G mobile and other wired and wireless technologies into an all-IP network environment. Central to such an environment is a 4G-service platform, which offers services such as AAA, mobility management and session control, and also mediates between the users and providers of these services. Each service platform and its associated users, service providers and access networks constitute a service platform domain. Extension of offered functionality and expansion of coverage is obtained by federation between multiple service platform domains. In the 4GPLUS project a conceptual framework is developed for 4G-environments, which specifies the functionality and structure of the 4G-service platform and the concept of federation. Several key aspects of this framework have been refined, implemented and prototyped within this project. This paper provides an overview of the 4G-concepts developed within the project and the main results achieved. © Springer-Verlag 2004.