Advanced MBMS for the future mobile world

Objective

This project aims to evolve MBMS technologies towards the 'beyond 3G vision' of a converged global network based on the usage of multiple broadcast transport bearers. It will address both resource efficiency and service flexibility issues, by close coupling of broadcast and communication capabilities on all layers, covering the radio access, the core network and the service enablers, across multiple technologies, and providing a smooth migration path for MBMS evolution.

This evolution will be in step with the vision of a federated global multicast broadcast transport and with existing 3G cellular standards as well as emerging beyond 3G standards. C-MOBILE project brings together institutes and organisations that have key strengths in the MBMS deployment and technology chain from service content to service delivery. Specific objectives within the RAN are to develop new radio interface technologies, radio resource management and new topological approaches in the architecture. The coupling and feedback between Radio Resource Management and the scheduling of multicast-broadcast services end to end across the MBMS system is critical. C-MOBILE aims to develop new RAN technologies for an efficient support of enhanced MBMS services allowing a commercially attractive implementation. It is a major objective of C-MOBILE to understand how best to organise and schedule MBMS content from BM-SC through the Core Network and RAN to the user.

Since this is multimedia content it is expected that there will be interaction with 3GPP IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS). An objective is to make this explicit and to investigate how best MBMS can make use of capabilities provided by the IMS. The concept of one to many or group communication is narrow within the current MBMS specification. For systems beyond 3G one would expect a more developed group concept. An objective of the project is to explore how to expand on this concept.

Programme(s)

• FP6-IST - Information Society Technologies: thematic priority under the specific programme "Integrating and strengthening the European research area" (2002-2006).

Topic(s)

• IST-2004-2.4.5 - Mobile and Wireless Systems and Platforms Beyond 3G

Funding Scheme

Coordinator

Participants (12)