Friday, April 15, 2011

Building Broadband for a Better Mobile World

Building Broadband for a Better Mobile World ; The recently concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona gave strong indications about the future of the telecom sector.

In the coming years, telecom focus will be shifted towards the application side and operators will be deploying mobile broadband technologies to offer innovative services. Consumers will be enjoy- ing mobile advertising, in banking, in health, publishing and televi- sion, among other things. The trend indicates the future will be the world of tablets. However, the success of tablets will depend on the availability of high-end video content.

Long term evolution (LTE) / 4G

The new mobile trend, as evident from the Mobile World Con- gress, indicates that LTE / 4G investments will go up in the coming years. Mobile broadband will fuel the growth of applications and devices, while LTE / 4G consumers will be attracted by multi-player gaming and live video.

2011 is also set to be the tipping point for LTE, with network deployments in 24 countries and the commercial availability of the first LTE-based smartphones and tablets driving more than four mil- lion connections.

Verizon Wireless and Alcatel-Lucent

Big equipment vendors and operators are fine-tuning their strat- egies to offer innovative services to consumers. Verizon Wireless and Alcatel-Lucent demonstrated a new development in this line with their interactive multi-player gaming and live video conferenc- ing between Barcelona and a moving 4G LTE-enabled vehicle in the United States.

According to Brian Higgins, executive director at LTE Ecosystem Development at Verizon Wireless, “LTE is here, and Verizon Wire- less is delivering end-user experiences that are changing the way we live, play and work.”

The figure tells it all

HSPA Mobile Broadband connections grew by 100% year-on-year, crossing 400 million globally. The industry adds 17 million HSPA connections each month, compared to nearly 9 million a month in the same period last year, according to GSMA.

LTE will grow from 4.2 million in 24 countries by the end of 2011, to 300 million connections in 55 countries by 2015. LTE will experi- ence significant growth from 2012, when operators start launching their Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services.

Over the past 12 months, operators have invested more than $70 billion in mobile broadband infrastructure and network upgrades, driving momentum for HSPA and paving the way for LTE.

What drives the demand?

According to GSMA, the mobile broadband growth is fuelled by demand for new devices, applications and services. Mobile broad- band will offer socio-economic benefits, especially in countries lacking fixed-line broadband infrastructure. The huge investments in developing nations will empower education, improve health ser- vices, increase trade and drive innovation.

LTE is expected to out-perform fixed-line broadband networks by delivering fast, highly responsive connectivity with peak rate speeds of up to 100Mbps. However, the industry is still debating whether consumers in developing countries need such speeds for broadband connectivity. Most of the developing nations are focus- ing on achieving 100% mobile penetration, and broadband may not be a priority for them.

Spectrum debacle

Lack of spectrum is a major roadblock affecting developing na- tions in their path towards LTE. GSMA warned that governments should ensure that suitable spectrum is made available for LTE roll- outs. If the governments can release LTE spectrum now, it will al- low LTE to generate economies of scale, bringing down the cost of equipment and handsets. This will help consumers gain access to better broadband connectivity.

The spectrum best suited for LTE includes the 2.5-2.6 GHz band, which has been identified globally by the ITU as the ‘3G extension band’, and ‘digital dividend’ spectrum in the 700-800 MHz band, which has been freed up from the switchover to digital television, according to GSMA.

Since LTE spectrum is not available, many operators will use HSPA as their primary mobile broadband technology. 341 live HSPA networks across 132 countries have more than 2,900 devices from 200 suppliers worldwide.

The Asian shift

It seems the global recession did not affect many telecom ser- vice providers in Asia. Most of them have continued to expand their geographical reach during the slowdown. The appetite was evident when SK Telecom, the number one mobile operator in Korea, an- nounced that it will triple its broadband capacity and offer five times faster data download and seven times faster upload speeds from July 2011.

The Korean operator has partnered with Nokia Siemens Networks to provide LTE infrastructure. SK Telecom will use Nokia Siemens’ Flexi Multiradio Base Stations and the NetAct network management system as well as implementation and care services. LTE is making inroads into several Asian countries following its earlier trials in Europe. Speed is one of the major demands of users. SK Telecom will introduce LTE services in Seoul in July 2011. SK Telecom will expand its LTE network coverage to other metropoli- tan areas by the end of 2012. Nationwide coverage is expected by the end of 2013.

Asia is also becoming a major destina- tion for operators’ subscriber additions. The Telenor Group announced that it has passed more than 100 million subscribers in Asia. This milestone marks another significant achievement in Telenor Group’s successful history in the region.

“With more than 100 million subscribers in Asia, Telenor Group continues to develop and reinforce its position as a leading pan- Asian provider of telecommunication ser- vices. This position is based on a long-term industrial commitment, a strong customer focus and a fundamental belief that the mo- bile phone would benefit emerging econo- mies as a vital tool in improving quality of life in the region,” said Sigve Brekke, execu- tive vice president of Telenor Group, and head of Telenor Group’s Asian Operations. With the two fastest-growing telecom markets in the world – India and China – the Asian continent is attracting big op- erators worldwide. Telenor Group entered Asia in 1996, and has since emerged as a leading regional mobile operator. At the end of 2010, Telenor Group’s five Asian operations were generating 39% of the group’s total revenues and obtained an operating cash flow above NOK 10 billion. In subscriber growth Telenor Group added more than 23 million subscribers in Asia in 2010.

Today Telenor Group controls mobile op- erations in 5 Asian markets with Grameen- phone in Bangladesh, Uninor in India, dtac in Thailand, DiGi in Malaysia and Telenor in Pakistan. For almost 15 years Telenor has been driving service innovation and cus- tomer experience in the mobile sector in Asia. Telenor Group’s unique segmentation and distribution platforms have become a competitive advantage, enabling its local operations to connect millions of previous- ly unconnected people with basic mobile phone services.

Innovation thrust

Innovation was at its peak at the Mobile World Congress. The event provided a plat- form for leading vendors to come out with innovative technologies. Semiconductor major Freescale unveiled the QorIQ Con- verge, which is a highly integrated base station-on-chip portfolio built on advanced heterogeneous multicore technology, which can support all wireless telecom ser- vices.

QorIQ Converge is the first Comprehen- sive Portfolio of Multimode Solutions, which will support voice centric to data telecom services (including 4G). QorIQ Converge will enable higher performance, lower cost, and improved power efficiency.

As a result of QorIQ Converge, small cell sites will help bolster the mobile broadband network. These sites will feature equipment small enough to be deployed anywhere eas- ily.

Freescale’s system-on-chip (SoC) supports anywhere between 8 and 64 multimode (WCDMA, LTE) users depending on the configuration, while innovative QorIQ Qon- verge platform provides integration, perfor- mance, energy efficiency and unmatched scalability.

Alcatel-Lucent’s small cells

Alcatel-Lucent introduced its 3G small cells approach for indoor and outdoor high-traffic areas such as shopping malls, airports and railway stations, and the sec- ond generation of its 9362 Enterprise Cell. Alcatel-Lucent also unveiled its concept for the 9361 Home Cell X-Series. As per the new concept, the compact range of USB-powered small cells will deliver high-capacity data and crystal-clear voice for up to eight users simultaneously.

The company’s ongoing small cells in- novations are crucial to the creation of this new, more powerful mobile network archi- tecture – bringing major coverage, capacity and services benefits to service providers and subscribers alike.

Alcatel-Lucent’s 9363 and 9364 Metro Cells extend 3G wireless coverage and ca- pacity to high-traffic public spaces, indoors and outdoors. These Metro Cells will func- tion in shopping malls, hotel lobbies or airports, and open up the networking pos- sibilities in remote locations.

The plug-and-play and self-organizing networks (SON) capabilities combine with macro-like, real-time management enable operators for easy deployment and control. Operational expenses for operators will be under control. Service providers can use these Metro Cells to offer outstanding per- formance in public spaces, at a lower opera- tional expense.

Qualcomm’s FlashLinq

Qualcomm, one of the major telecom innovators in the world, demonstrated its latest advancement in peer-to-peer wire- less technology. Qualcomm’s technology innovation – FlashLinq – will allow devices to discover each other automatically. The innovation enables mobile devices to com- municate, peer-to-peer, at high broadband speeds and without any intermediary in- frastructure.

FlashLinq advances proximal communi- cations. The enhancement allows mobile consumers to connect, disconnect and communicate directly with other mobile users at broadband speeds. The innovative technology is expected to complement tra- ditional cellular-based services and serve as a scalable platform for new types of applica- tions.

“By expanding the operator model of managed services to the frontier of proxi- mal communications, Qualcomm continues to demonstrate its leadership in wireless technology and innovation,” said Ed Knapp, senior vice president of business develop- ment and engineering for Qualcomm.

VoLTE from Ericsson

With the Voice over LTE (VoLTE), net- work operators will have the ability to offer enhanced voice services on LTE net- works around the globe. VoLTE enables customers to enjoy additional mobile services such as presence, video and chat. The new benefits can be available from any device, location or service provider in both mobile and fixed broadband data networks.

At Barcelona, Verizon Wireless and Sam- sung made one of the world’s first LTE voice calls over a smartphone with an IMS client for Voice over LTE (VoLTE) according to GSMA specifications. The companies accomplished this over Ericsson’s LTE demonstration net- work based on commercial products and us- ing Samsung’s 4G LTE smartphone, which will be available through Verizon Wireless in the United States later this year.

“Verizon Wireless has always been an innovator in the technology industry, and VoLTE is the most recent example,” said Tony Melone, chief technology officer, Veri- zon. “We expect to have commercial VoLTE services available in 2012.”

“Samsung is proud to have played a key role in today’s successful trial and demon- stration of the power, speed and connectiv- ity of voice over LTE communications,” said Tom Jasny, vice president of 4G and mobile broadband for Samsung Mobile.

LG Optimus 3D

Offering the world’s first full mobile 3D experience, LG presented the LG Opti- mus 3D smartphone, featuring innovative technology, to be rolled out globally start- ing in Europe in the second quarter. The presentation speaks to the industry’s new- est hot ticket—3D. Several exhibitors dem- onstrated cool 3D technology for wireless, including Innanosys, offering a compact full 3D camera module for handhelds and Isra- el’s Comodo Console, specifically designed for the car with 3D graphics.

The Mobile World at Barcelona

The GSM reported record attendance for the mobile industry’s largest event, with more than 60,000 visitors from 200 coun- tries, including more than 3,000 CEOs. The record attendance to this year’s Mobile World Congress is an indication of the im- portance of innovation in technology and telecommunications for the sector. Mobile will continue to transform the way the world communicates, how business is con- ducted and how people live their lives.

BRIEF

Telecom innovations were at its peak at the Mobile World Congress. Many companies exhib- ited their innovative products and services at the event. Mobile broadband fuelled by LTE / 4G will be the thrust area for telecom operators in coming months. Tablets and hi-end devices will find space in the pockets of more consumers. Despite reces- sion, Asia attracted huge investments in telecom networks.
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