Adding value to enterprise and residential communication in the evolved multimedia communications network

The present paper builds on to previous papers presented at ICIN. We present and evaluate trends in the IMS network. Specifically, we look at how Multimedia communication service, including, but not limited to, voice calls, video calls and messaging, can be enhanced with Value Added Services (VAS). VAS has, since its inception two decades ago, undergone architectural changes, in order to adapt to and integrate with the IMS network. Many papers have been written on this topic and product development has been done. With Multimedia Telephony (MMTel), Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) and Video-over-LTE becoming de facto standards for person-to-person communication in the 4G network, a renewed paradigm shift is needed for VAS. We have to ensure that VAS in the IMS/MMTel network does what it's designed for: augmenting the end-user communication session, not controlling it. This has led to new insights lately. VAS, as we have known it since its inception, will evolve towards a concept & toolbox for enriching multimedia in the 4G mobile network, including both public communication networks and enterprise communication networks.