Mobile Radius from Siemens sets new standards for presence and personalizing services in the mobile internet

Siemens Information and Communication Mobile (IC Mobile) is now offering a new version of its Mobile Radius, an AAA (Authorization, Authentication, Accounting) radius server that supports applications in mobile radio networks with presence and personalizing services. The highlights of Mobile Radius Version 2.0 include Online Notification Push. This notifies applications such as Location Dependent Services, Messaging, and Entertainment as soon as a user who may be a potential online game player is present in the network. New mapping and feeding functions allow Mobile Radius to pass on user data such as identity, location, and user profile to WAP gateways and mobile applications. The applications are also able to access user data in a dynamic session profile database. This makes it possible to personalize the mobile services, tailoring them to specific users. Mobile Radius Version 2.0 is based on Radius Server 5.1 from Interlink Networks and will be available in the fourth quarter of 2001.

The functionalities of Mobile Radius far exceed those of conventional radius servers (Radius = Remote Authentication Dial In User Service). These servers generally only have to check whether users are permitted network access (authentication) and what their access rights are (authorization), and supply accounting data. Mobile Radius additionally makes information such as a user's presence and location available. Siemens' radius server also supplies personalizing data allowing mobile services such as user-specific content, instant messaging, and online gaming.

A dynamic session profile is created in the session profile database as soon as a user goes online (is in an online session). This profile contains both network information on the session and the user profile with information on, for instance, individual users' preferences and the services they have booked. The session profile data in the database makes Mobile Radius accessible to the mobile applications.

Growing demand for access to the mobile internet has led to an increase in both network load and management costs in mobile radio networks. That is because every mobile application requires information from the mobile radio network on the presence and personal profile of users who are online in the mobile internet. Until now, applications have had to fetch this information from the mobile radio network and various databases located both within and outside the network themselves. This increases the volume of data traffic in the network and, in particular, management costs. It also reduces the bandwidth that ought to be reserved for transporting the mobile services to users, and makes it more difficult to integrate and maintain new, revenue-generating applications.

Mobile Radius combines all AAA services in one high-performance, scaleable, and reliable solution, regardless of the core network's technology and the mix of mobile applications.

The Siemens Information and Communication Mobile Group (IC Mobile) offers the complete range of mobile solutions including mobile devices, infrastructure and applications. Devices include mobile phones, wireless modules, mobile organizers and cordless phones as well as products for wireless home networks. The infrastructure portfolio includes the complete range of GSM, GPRS and UMTS mobile network technologies from base stations and switching systems to intelligent networks, e.g. for prepaid services. Applications cover mobile services for Unified Messaging, Location Based Services, and Mobile Payment. For the fiscal year 2000 (which ended September 30, 2000), IC Mobile recorded sales of EUR 9 billion and EBIT of EUR 758 million. The group employs 29,840 employees worldwide. (March 31, 2001).

Further information about Siemens IC Mobile can be found on the internet at: http://www.siemens-mobile.com

Readers should please address any inquiries to: info.solution@icn.siemens.de