Dan Jones is on sabbatical this week, but here are some of his remarks on the wireless infrastructure Top Picks:
AT&T Inc.'s MicroCell is the first 3G basestation to be launched by a major carrier in the U.S. This in itself makes the Cisco}-branded box an important proof point in the evolving femtocell industry: Will consumers spend the $100-plus (AT&T hasn't yet officially fixed an exact post-trial price) for better voice and data coverage? The MicroCell could prove to be just as important for AT&T itself as it will allow the carrier to off-load more 3G data from its cellular network onto a user's home network, helping ease recent network congestion issues.
Ericsson's RBS 6000 software basestation could prove to be the future of LTE infrastructure. The RBS 6000 uses software defined radio allows it to support multiple standards, including LTE. The box has been picked for LTE trials with Verizon Wireless and will also be used by MetroPCS Inc. for its nationwide LTE deployment.
Vihaan Networks Ltd. (VNL)'s WorldGSM solar powered basestation is a green telecoms dream: The units use the sun as their sole energy source, drastically reducing OPEX costs for developing world operators looking to deploy networks in hot climates by removing the need for diesel generators. Ed Begley, Jr. would be so proud.
Starent wants us to consider its ST40 Multimedia Core Platform, though we think Cisco's already done a decent job on that...
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A report published by Pyramid Research says that mobile data will account for 29 percent of the global mobile service revenue in 2012, up from 19 percent in 2007. As networks migrate to enhanced 3G and further to 4G, mobile operators will have to reinforce their networks for a surge in multimedia data traffic and growing subscriber demand. Starent Networks is dedicated to providing solutions for the multimedia network core and is helping many of the world’s leading mobile operators prepare for this explosion in data traffic–including Verizon, Sprint, Vodafone Germany, mobilkom austria group and many others. Starent firmly believes that the decisions operators make today will have a direct impact on their ability to handle burgeoning data growth in the near future.
Launched in 2007, Starent’s ST40 multimedia core platform is a breakthrough solution designed to specifically for the deployment in today’s multimedia-enabled network. The ST40 offers subscriber and network intelligence combined with powerful performance to address the needs of large, high-demand, multimedia deployments.
The ST40 platform delivers the high capacity, high availability and high performance required by today's multimedia broadband 3G networks, and is readily upgradeable to respond to evolving 4G radio networks. Its system intelligence can perform a detailed inspection of each subscriber session, shaping and managing the session based on subscriber, application or business policies. The platform utilizes deep packet inspection (DPI) technology, service steering, and intelligent traffic control to deliver this intelligence on a per-subscriber basis.
The ST40 is capable of supporting multiple network functions that operators require on the same system. Additionally, the Starent solution brings a new level of network and subscriber intelligence to the core network. This intelligence is becoming increasingly important as the variety of services crossing the mobile network expands. With these increasing services, it is critical that the mobile operator can understand what subscribers are doing and react to it appropriately to offer the most efficient and effective service for all of their subscribers.
ADVA believes it has a case for its backhaul platform:
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The ADVA FSP 150CC-GE206 marks the industry’s first device to integrate Synchronous Ethernet and 1588v2 with scalable MEF traffic management implementation and rich OAM capabilities, enabling the delivery of Ethernet services and synchronisation over fiber-based transport.
This is critical for mobile and backhaul service providers as they seek to respond to the explosive growth in mobile bandwidth demand. To meet this demand, the FSP 150CC-GE206 offers service providers a scalable solution to migrate from hybrid HSPA offload deployments in a first step to all-Ethernet backhaul supporting multiple service classes and synchronization options required in an all-packet backhaul environment.
In addition, the FSP 150CC-FE206 offers low-touch provisioning and remote OAM capabilities to ensure that unskilled craft can install and turn up services without any onsite provisioning.
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Again, the focus is on OAM capabilities..... is this better than the rest?
High-speed fiber has replaced slow copper in the backhaul of wireless base stations. The switch was necessitated by 3G/4G data-intensive services that simply became too much for copper. Ensuring proper installation and maintenance of these optical feeds is critical to the performance of wireless networks. If the fiber is not up to snuff, transmissions will be slow, if they are completed at all.
The MT9090 Network Master from Anritsu is the first optical test instrument designed to test the short fibers used in the wireless premise. Prior to its introduction, wireless operators and their sub-contractors had to choose either handheld OTDRs and/or fault locators that lacked the resolution and overall performance to find issues in short spans, or mini-OTDRs that were too large, expensive and difficult to use by technicians not at all familiar with fiber.
The MT9090 has <1 m Dead Zone that makes it perfect for short haul measurements. It also has an exclusive integrated launch cord for accurate front-end connector measurements.
Perhaps its most important feature, though, is its simple GUI. Most of the technicians responsible for the maintenance of base stations are familiar with wireless technologies but not fiber optics. An intuitive wizard-driven interface has no user set ups and provides automated testing sequences, fixed parameters, and PASS/FAIL capability, so the technicians can push 1-2 buttons and ensure performance.
4G wireless technologies promise faster performance and more applications. In order for those applications and performance to be realized by consumers, the fiber in the backhaul must deliver. With the MT9090, carriers can ensure that those optical feeds are up to the task.
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Don't count out the test platforms! Especially those with an easy-to-understand GUI! Is this too niche, though?
Accedian reckons it's kickin' some in wireless backhaul...
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I’d like to nominate our MetroNID network interface device as a Top Pick in the wireless infrastructure category.
The reason this device is stirring up so much interest in the mobile backhaul space (and trouble with traditional network equipment vendors) is because it can outperform and replace switches and routers for a fraction of their cost. In addition to acting as a network interface device providing full QoS / SLA monitoring from MSC to each cell site, it also offers advanced networking functions such as MEF service mapping, OAM, traffic shaping and multi-port aggregation – all implemented in hardware (no software or network processors to slow down traffic).
This unit is currently being deployed nationwide in the US by both a Tier-1 mobile operator and their wholesale backhaul providers (often one checking on the other) as the cell site termination equipment at tens-of-thousands of towers, echoing similar 3G initiatives and pilot deployments of WiMAX and LTE worldwide. Currently over 85 providers use this technology, most just at the onset of their rollouts.
Some of unique features suited for backhaul monitoring include the ability to measure one-way latency and jitter to microsecond resolution, and the capacity to monitor thousands of circuits and individual service classes in full-mesh configuration – required for LTE backhaul over MPLS and verifying self-organizing networks that can communicate tower-to-tower for direct roaming and data transmission control.
To make these units a snap to deploy we’ve also introduced Plug & Go provisioning, a feature that reduces deployment and setup time (from box to monitored circuit carrying live traffic) to less than a minute. This allows Ethernet backhaul to be quickly rolled out and centrally configured, greatly reducing the time it takes to build out new markets (typically 300-500 cell sites). This OpEx cost efficiency and speed is an enabler to rapid deployment of 3G and 4G services, and has resulted in accelerated service deployment plans at a number of national operators.
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A heavy focus there on OA&M -- is that the hot area?
High-quality timing synchronization is extremely important in 2G GSM, 2.5G GPRS, 3G UMTS and 4G LTE/WiMAX mobile networks for a successful call signal hand-off between cellular base stations. However, existing solutions for clock synchronization function only as a dedicated timing gateway, while in realistic implementation at the field the requirements are heading toward carrier-Ethernet enabled services including OAM, traffic management and SLA assurance. As a result, MRV has developed a revolutionary approach that enables universal support of legacy and next generation 4G LTE and beyond cellular networks.
The OptiSwitch 904-MBH is a compact Carrier Ethernet purpose-built cell-site demarcation device that enables high-quality timing synchronization over packet switched networks. The device delivers support for synchronization over Ethernet (SyncE) and precision time protocol (PTP-1588v2) paired with very robust traffic management capabilities and end-to-end visibility of mobile services and applications by incorporating enhanced OAM tools at ultra-precise nano-second accuracy.
Many carriers are looking to replace circuit switched backhaul with IP because it is less expensive way to meet increasing bandwidth needs on mobile networks driven by increased data traffic.The flexibility of the OptiSwitch 904-MBH enables end-to-end synchronization with maximum investment protection of the existing network. With the MRV OS904-MBH, carriers can build their timing solution to support their 3G networks of today, and leave it in place as they migrate to 4G networks.
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Migration, synchronization, and timing -- a killer combo?
There are some things, like wine and cheese, which are good by themselves, but together, create something greater than just the sum of disparate parts. For example, when Ixia and Catapult Communications joined forces, the outcome was a new LTE product that incorporated the best of each company’s respective technologies; the industry’s first comprehensive, end-to-end 4G network test, which includes testing all the way to the radio edge.
Other 4G tests can look at pieces of the network, or test a particular transport technology. Ixia now offers the only 4G testing solution that tests under real-world conditions from the core to the radio edge. As 4G will drive more video-rich data applications, Ixia’s LTE solution makes sure all the unforeseen glitches in the system are discovered, and that the user experience is top notch, before the network has to perform in prime time.
Mobile operators that can deliver both the highest quality of experience and network reliability when they roll out 4G will have a huge competitive advantage- yet another example of how an intelligent pairing can result in a something beyond expectations.
LTE may be the hot TLS (three letter acronym) of the moment, but I'd suggest we might find some Top Pick candidates in the AIG (access-independent gateway) sector that's set to be hot. See
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