Cellular networks are designed on the assumption that subscribers will need to maintain a continuous connection with the network so voice calls won't be interrupted. To ensure this, cell phones usually keep the same IP address even when the user has traveled far from home, though the phone drops the address when it is shut down, Bowman said. Because that IP address is associated with the mobile operator's local network in the user's hometown, packets need to go through that network before arriving at the phone in whatever remote location the user may be visiting.

In addition to unnecessarily delaying packets going to and from the subscriber, these detours take up precious capacity on the carrier's core network, Bowman said.

NetScaler will provide network address translation to change the home-based IP address to another one associated with a local network. In addition, it will find the most economical Internet route for the traffic and will coordinate with content delivery networks (CDNs) so data is directed to the phone from the most nearby cache operated by the CDN, Bowman said. Using the NetScaler-Sandvine solution will eliminate all network latency except the delays caused by the radio access network, Bowman said.

Sandvine's EPC system will allow carriers to deliver the benefits of mobile IP offload selectively based on service plan, handset or application, Bowman said. The types of mobile data sessions that require a continuous connection, such as voice over IP calls, will not be offloaded from the traditional back-end network of the operator, he said. The NetScaler-based system is in trials and available now, the company said.

The IDG News Service