A New Shared Access Method for IMS-Based Services

IMS as an IP connectivity and service control architecture is increasingly drawing more attention as the future architecture of the core network. At the same time, the cellular backhauled Wi-Fi has been constantly gaining ground as data rates of commercial cellular network continue to increase rapidly while the cost of data services declines at a similar pace. This paper presents a methodology using which IMS-based services can be offered to multiple user devices across a Wi-Fi network. The primary user in the case considered is a bona fide IMS user and Wi-Fi network backhauled by a cellular network. The proposed shared services method will enable sharing of IMS-based services that a UMTS/IMS user has subscribed to, by taking advantage of the authentication scheme specified in 3GPP TR 33.978 security aspects of early IMS, and the availability of cellular backhauled Wi-Fi network.