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Carrier-class Wi-Fi: addressing the implementation challenges for mobile operators | 6

Analysys Mason Limited 2012 Wi-Fi has many advantages that have attracted operator interest in the technology

Access to services prohibited on the macrocell network: Some operators prohibit access to certain

services over their cellular networks to reduce the burden on them and ensure the quality of core services.

For example, operation of FaceTime, Apples video-calling solution, is limited (by design) to Wi-Fi on iOS

devices.3

Operators could, for example, prohibit the use of torrent file sharing on the macrocell network, but

allow it on the Wi-Fi network.

Relatively inexpensive backhaul: A recent filing by US MNO Sprint with FCC, noted that fixed network

operators are charging the same backhaul rates for microcells, which cover small areas, as they charge for

connections to macrocells with much wider coverage and generally much heavier use. Therefore, Wi-Fi

backhaulfor example, in an indoor deployment over a standard xDSL linecould be considerably less

expensive than backhaul for other types of small cell.

Furthermore, Wi-Fis limited range in comparison with mobile technologies is becoming less significant as

MNOs focus on more-targeted approaches to network management. Wi-Fis 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands do not

propagate very far because of radio-physical limitations and power limitations. However, the bottleneck in

mobile networks is typically the result of radio interface, because large cells have less capacity than smaller

cells. Operators are aware of the need to reduce cell sizes in order to increase capacityand Wi-Fi, becauseof its small cell size, is a so-called small-cell solution.

Wi-Fi hotspots have become an important part of operators offload solutions because of these advantages, and

will continue to be so. A recent Analysys Mason research report has shown that the cost of meeting growing

capacity demands can be substantially reduced using Wi-Fi (see Figure 4.1).4

Figure 4.1: Comparison of cumulative RAN costs (opex and capex) for capacity upgrade investments, 20112018

[Source: Analysys Mason, 2012]

3 Cellular functionality of Apples FaceTime will be enabled with the release of the iOS 6 operating system, which is

expected in the third quarter of 2012.4 For more information, see Analysys Masons ReportThe case for Wi-Fi offload: the costs and benefits of Wi-Fi as a

capacity overlay in mobile networks.

0

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2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

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LTE only Outdoor plus indoor Wi-Fi Indoor Wi-Fi only

http://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Reports/RRN06_WiFi_offload_Dec2011/http://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Reports/RRN06_WiFi_offload_Dec2011/http://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Reports/RRN06_WiFi_offload_Dec2011/http://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Reports/RRN06_WiFi_offload_Dec2011/http://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Reports/RRN06_WiFi_offload_Dec2011/http://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Reports/RRN06_WiFi_offload_Dec2011/

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Carrier-class Wi-Fi: addressing the implementation challenges for mobile operators | 8

Analysys Mason Limited 2012 The implementation of the Passpoint framework is the first step to carrier-class Wi-Fi

the user equipment simply looks for any SSID that is beaconing support for 802.11u, then automatically

negotiates with the access point to determine if the users subscription is supported. If the infrastructure has

access to authenticate the user, it will do so, using the details stored on the users SIM card, without the user

doing anything. This framework mimics the way in which users connect to mobile phone services when they are

out of their service area. The phone and the infrastructure negotiate the support and roaming agreements without

the users knowledge.

Wi-Fi roaming is likely to be an important part of operators value propositions because LTE roaming will be

difficult to achieveat least in the next 5 years. The 3GPP has designated more than 30 frequency bands for

LTE worldwide. Vendors will find it difficult to manufacture phones that can support enough of these bands to

guarantee high-bandwidth data access when roaming. Operators can achieve this by signing Wi-Fi roaming

agreement, using the same approach that they use for national and international cellular roaming agreements.

They can also reach agreements with hotspot aggregators, such as Boingo Wireless and iPass to increase

coverage for their customers on a national or international basis. Deals with aggregators will also help operators

avoid overlapping deployments.

Operators will begin to offer some sort of limited Passpoint service in pilot areas by the end of 2012. In

June 2012, the WFA announced the first range of Passpoint-compliant devices, access points and software

clients, from the following firms: BelAir Networks (now a unit of Ericsson), Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Intel,

Marvell, MediaTek, Qualcomm and Ruckus Wireless.

MNOs need to remember that they are not the only players in the Wi-Fi market. For example, three of the four

operators that have jointly agreed to trial Passpoint hotspots in the UK in late 2012 (BT, BSkyB, Everything

Everywhere and TalkTalk) are fixed service providers. MNOs will want to get into this area to maintain their

dominant position in the wireless space and to be able to capitalise if carrier-class Wi-Fi evolves from a free

service into a directly or indirectly billed one.

Three protocols underlie the Passpoint framework5.1

Passpoint combines three IEEE protocols: 802.11u, 802.11i and 802.1x (see Figure 5.1).

Figure 5.1: The three elements of the Passpoint framework [Source: Analysys Mason, 2012]

Passpoint

802.11i

Encryptionand security

802.11u

Network

selection

802.1x

Networkauthentication