OKI Launches CenterStage® NX3200 Session Border Controller Featuring Industry-Leading Broadband Codec Converter Performance

- Provides seamless connections between telecommunications carriers operating various codecs -

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Targeting telecommunications carriers, OKI (TOKYO: 6703) today launched an upgraded version of its CenterStage^® NX3200 Session Border Controller featuring the industry's best-performing broadband codec converter. Already acclaimed by carriers for its carrier-grade scalability and reliability, the NX3200 now features blades with OKI's newly-developed industry-leading performance carrier-grade broadband codec conversion functions. The product achieves high functionality and low delays of 20 ms or less for high-volume concurrent communications as well as smooth service exchange between carriers especially when LTE (Long Term Evolution) takes off.

“In response to these infrastructure needs, OKI has achieved additional improvements in the performance of existing audio codec conversion functions, developing an innovative blade that provides the various broadband codec conversion functions described above and incorporating these blades in the NX3200”

Telecommunications carriers currently face increasing demands to support the expanding volumes of communications data generated by rapid growth in smartphone use, both by companies and consumers, as well as the emergence and growth of cloud services. Another factor is the steady shift to LTE in mobile networks to enable high-speed wireless services. Voice communications over LTE (VoLTE: Voice over LTE) use the AMR-WB next-generation codec for mobile networks in addition to the existing 3G AMR-NB and EVRC codecs. The spread of these broadband codecs will increase interconnections between different telecommunications carriers (including connections between mobile and fixed networks) to offer various services, including voice, video, and data transmission. Inter-connections with current OTT (Over The Top) carriers will also require codec conversion.

All this makes major performance improvements critical for codec conversions by session border controllers. While connections between IPs might accommodate codec conversion between different combinations, multiple codec conversions for communications between multiple carriers are likely to delay end-to-end transfer times significantly and affect communications quality (i.e., audio quality).

"In response to these infrastructure needs, OKI has achieved additional improvements in the performance of existing audio codec conversion functions, developing an innovative blade that provides the various broadband codec conversion functions described above and incorporating these blades in the NX3200," says Hidetoshi Saigou, General Manager, Info-telecom Systems Division at OKI. "These improvements also cap transfer delays at 20 ms or less to reduce audio quality degradation caused by codec conversion at multiple locations. To minimize transfer delays, OKI drew on extensive experience over the years with its e-Sound^® audio processing technology to enable high-volume concurrent communications between various audio codecs on mobile and fixed networks, in addition to existing codec conversion. This is expected to facilitate service exchange between carriers as services shift to LTE."

OKI plans to further expand its CenterStage Series lineup to incorporate features that meet the needs of telecommunications carriers, drawing on its accumulated store of transfer technologies for high-volume and high-quality data, audio, and video transmission, as well as carrier-grade hardware and software development technologies that achieve refined equipment reliability.

About OKI Electric Industry (OKI)

Founded in 1881, OKI Electric Industry is Japan's leading telecommunications manufacturer in the Info-telecom field. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, OKI provides top-quality products, technologies, and solutions to customers through its info-telecom systems and printer operations. Its various business divisions function synergistically to bring to market exciting new products and technologies that meet a wide range of customer needs in various sectors. Visit OKI's global website at http://www.oki.com/.

Notes:
- CenterStage is a registered trademark of Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. in Japan.
- The names of the companies and products mentioned in this document are the trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies and organizations.