Telstra added a policy control capability to its Next G network. The policy control and subscriber data management is set to enhance Telstra's Next G mobile network, as it seeks to address demands of its customers for new services.

The capabilities are part of an implementation by Nokia Siemens Networks of its policy control and subscriber data management platforms.

Telstra (Network & Access Technologies) Executive Director Mike Wright said: "The enhancement of the Next GTM network with policy control and subscriber data management is key to the ongoing evolution of Telstra's world-class mobile network. It will also deliver efficiencies in the use of its wireless network infrastructure."

"The Policy Control server provides crucial functionality by enabling Telstra to optimize traffic based on a set of business rules, while the Subscriber Data Management System allows us to manage our customer profiles in real time."

Nokia Siemens Networks' innovative solution is based on its highly scalable PCS5000 (Policy Control) and One-NDS (Subscriber Data Management) platforms.

According to Nokia's website, Subscriber Data Management is a "a flexible solution that can be deployed and developed in line with Service Provider business and network migration strategies such as: converged core infrastructure consolidation, data unification through a Service Delivery Framework, deployment of a network-wide Common User Repository."

In adopting Nokia's technology, Telstra is joining 74% of global Communication Service Providers which decided to move to a more subscriber-based delivery model the last 12 months.

"Creating a subscriber-centric network is the foundation stone to unleashing new business models and evolving to the new breed of Telco 2.0 operators," said Nokia.

Subscriber Data Managment will also provide Telcos with services, provisioning, billing and support, breaking down of service silos, understanding of their customer behaviour and needs and allow them to reacting to these behaviour and need quickly.

Telstra' implementation of Nokia's subscriber data management platform will provide for "a whole eco-system of third party applications and innovations which would then allow Telstra to lead in the marketplace.

Telstra operated Next G which is a 3G UMTS mobile network. Next G is currently used for Telstra Mobile, which is Australia's largest mobile telephone service provider, and is also the fastest mobile network in the world, with network speeds of up to 21Mbit/s, as of 2008.