Essential Backhaul Economics
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The rise of 4th Generation (4G) mobile technologies, and primarily LTE, are expected to significantly challenge the architecture and performance of existing microwave backhaul networks. The evolution of 4G networks will initially be realized through the LTE transformation of macro cells, and ultimately through the deployment of small cells that will increase the size and capacity of the network. The major increase in mobile network throughput and advanced features, such as the Self-Organising Network (SON), necessitate new advanced backhaul technologies to be adopted end-to-end (E2E). The associated challenge is to select an appropriate backhaul solution that would fit the small-cell concept, techno–economically. The required enhancement on the backhaul domain can be seen as an opportunity to proceed with structural changes, which would techno-economically optimize the network architecture, through the adoption of different radio backhaul technologies (PtP, PtMP, E-Band, unlicensed).
This webinar aims to present and discuss the essential backhaul economics associated with a redefined wireless backhaul design concept. During this webinar, registrants will have the opportunity to hear how to converge backhaul technologies, implementing synergies through interoperability, and optimizing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a modern LTE backhaul network.
Key points to be addressed during this webinar include:
- Redefining the expectations for a modern backhaul network with an eye to the future
- Rethinking of the backhaul not as an infrastructure but as a service
- Discovering hidden value in common backhaul technologies and using them to improve performance
- Creating synergies of diverse radio technologies for TCO improvements
Tags; Archive, backhaul, Intracom, telecoms.com
Thank you for your questions today. This Q&A session is now closed. You can send further questions to Intracom by emailing them directly to atarnar@intracom.gr.
I am of the opinion that PtMP can’t provide the required BH capacity for these SmC’s. what is your take on this??
The PtMP technology that is available today, and supplied by Intracom too, can make available 160Mbps FDD using a 28MHz channel, which is adequate when planning to backhaul outdoor small-cells with 25-30Mbps each. There is capacity to backhaul several of those, reaching 4 to 5 SmC per PtMP sector making use of the busy-time capacity average.
Can you share your thoughts on using PTMP technologies for backhaul in a wholesale model scenario where an operator would sell backhaul services to say mobile operators? If the customer traffic is to be transparently transported in an “untouched” manner, the PTMP advantages such dissipated. I’m thinking of the contention which is lost, and locks the PTMP wholseller to just provide CBR services and not being able to fully utilize VBR services which is where the PTMP strengths are.
Sure the benefits of the PtMP are the multiplexing gain and the use of contention in order to provide a minimum but also up to peak capacity when needed. We have come across with similar cases, operators considering the backhaul as a service, and they found the PtMP as an attractive option considering a combination of committed capacity for critical traffic and best effort capacity for anything else.
Hi John, thanks for the presentation.
One of the problem we are aware about TDD-LTE is the need for a highly accurate time. This can be achieved by GPS, however it doesn’t seem to be a convenient solutions for small cells. The backhaul seems to gain more importance with respect to time delivery. What is your opinion on this problem?
The TDD-LTE is expected to rely on mechanisms already established in the industry, such as SyncE and IEEE1588 PTP. The requirements for micro-cell TDD-LTE are not expected to be so much different to those fo rmacro-cell. The backhaul options available in the market today have already embedded such mechanisms.
What do you estimate is the current split between wired and wireless backhaul solutions in cellular networks in the urban deployments that you refer to small cells targeting and how do you think this balance is likely to change with the introduction of small cells?
Presently, and according to independent analysts, the wireless has an advantage close to 5% against the wireline (55% vs. 50%). Talking about outdoor micro-cells and macro-cells, the introduction of micro-cells we expect to push for more wireless backhaul links, due to reasons relevant to the deployment strategies of the micro-cells: non-predermined locations for coverage and capacity enhancement
That’s great. Many thanks for this John and for an interesting presentation.
Do you see fiber having any part to play in this area?
Fiber is not excluded from being an option for backhaul, however we have to take into account the distinct requirements for macro and micro-cell deployment. For example, and for micro-cells, those may be deployed at lamp posts which may not have a fiber tail ending at that spot.
What is your take on backhauling on 10.5Ghz PtMP, is it assuming a dominant position?
We believe that the 10.5GHz is a viable solution for backhauling, similar or equal to 26/28GHz. I have to add that Intracom’s solutions at 10.5GHz reuse modules with the 26/28GHz ones.
Why is ADSL2+ and GPON not seen as possible technologies for small cell backhaul?
These solutions are appropriate for fempto cells, whereas the focus of this webinar was for outdoor micro-cell and macro-cells.
we will be posting the slides of this presentation at http://www.intracom-telecom.com, as well making it available to anyone asking for it