The GSMA (News - Alert), a global mobile operator advocacy group, and the i3fourm, an IP industry group aiming to promote global IP-based voice communications, have partnered on an initiative to expedite the use of IP eXchange (IPX)-based interconnect to for voice traffic.

That's great news, and the next logical step for furthering the adaptation of IPX standards. IPX is a standardized private network that can connect a variety of services like mobile networks, fixed networks and content providers in order to exchange data, traffic and services bilaterally and multilaterally. It can control end-to-end quality of service and, perhaps more importantly, lowers the expenses for transferring information by addressing the problem of interconnect (linking all the networks and service providers together). 

"Fortunately, the GSMA was looking ahead and in 2006 started an initiative to define standards for an inter-operator interconnection framework referred to as the IP Packet Exchange (IPX)," TMCnet's Jim Machi explains. "The IPX was envisioned to provide a framework to enable Mobile Network Operators, Fixed Line Operators and Application Service Providers to seamlessly interoperate with each other."

What the new initiative aims to do is migrate live voice traffic to either IP-based interconnect or over IPX. This, the two groups announced in a statement, could help further new communication services like Voice over LTE (News - Alert).

"As we move to an all-IP world, customers will continue to demand high quality and high reliability for their voice services," said Alex Sinclair, chief technology officer of GSMA said. "By providing global interoperability, this initiative will help to drive the widespread deployment of services such as VoLTE, with the same quality of service that consumers have come to expect."

There are a number of mobile and fixed partners, ranging from Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Vodafone (News - Alert) and more, that will conduct pilots of voice over IPX later this year.