Development of the entire wireless industry is accelerating in kind with worldwide deployment of HSPA+ and LTE to keep up with rapid data traffic growth. Operators, however, continue to look for solutions to increase capacity to meet continuously growing user demands for a top-quality mobile experience.

To increase capacity, operators have traditionally simply added new sites, new spectrums and new technologies (including HSPA+ and LTE). According to the GSA, more than 145 commercial LTE networks had been deployed by January 2013, most supporting multiple bands and standards.

On most mobile broadband networks today, less than 20% of network hotspots process more than 80% of all network traffic, and the trend is rising. To ensure user experience at hotspots, operators are looking to deploy technologies that support coordination of resources for multiple network RATs, bands, cells and layers.

Comprehensive Coordination

Operators want to maximize the value of existing spectrum and site assets, and are looking to comprehensively coordinate these resources to boost capacity and spectrum utilization. A comprehensive solution for coordination resources is essential to maintaining consistent user experience in increasingly complex network environments.

Static network policies also cannot meet the needs of a network where there are dynamic differences between network RATs and layers for provided end user services and location. A comprehensive coordination solution helps integrate all strategy functions to enhance user experience and protect network investment.

Multi-Domain Innovation

A comprehensive coordination solution for multiple network domains is the innovative breakthrough that makes boosting capacity and improving user experience possible. Single Radio Controller (SRC) and Cloud BB are important parts of this solution. SRC supports resource coordination of multiple RATs, bands, cells and layers for five network modes (GSM, UMTS, LTE FDD, LTE TDD and WLAN). Cloud BB centralizes processing of inter-cell and inter-site scheduling with a cloud-based architecture for all-fiber baseband deployments.

Single Radio Controller

SRC comprises four network elements—ECO, RNC, BCS and WLAN AC—for coordination of five modes (GSM, UMTS, LTE FDD, LTE TDD and WLAN).

ECO realizes traffic steering for multiple RATs, bands, cells and layers, improving network capacity by around 10%. This helps SRC act as a “perfect node” for centralized coordination of LTE network frequency scheduling and time slot, significantly reducing LTE network interference and enhancing cell edge throughput by up to 180%.

Cloud BB

Cloud BB coordinates baseband resources to realize joint uplink signal receiving, significantly reducing interference experienced by UEs. Average uplink capacity is also improved by up to 50%, and cell edge throughput is enhanced by up to 200%. With coordinated downlink scheduling, Cloud BB can realize an average 50% capacity enhancement and up to a 220% cell edge throughput enhancement.

Mobile operators have looked to deploy Cloud BB solution in hotspot to provide a No-Edge™ user experience. Cloud BB also saves TCO by around 30% with BBU stacking in regions with high fiber penetration.