Challenges for SON Functions

and SON Management

Future Network &

Mobile Summit

3 - 5 July 2013,

Lisbon, Portugal

Colin Willcock,

Nokia Siemens Networks, Germany

Key Challenges

SEMAFOUR Vision

Use Case Selection

Concluding Remarks

Presentation Overview

2 SEMAFOUR

Key Challenges

3

Key Challenge: Market Pressure

4 * EU27: Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) 2007-2010 Source: Wireless Intelligence

„My Smart phone needs to charged so often it has almost turned into a fixed

phone again!“

Data Explosion

Reducing Revenue*

Key Challenge: Managing Future Network Complexity

5 SEMAFOUR

Multiple RATs Multiple Layers

GSM

LTE

HSPA

WiFi Macro (Coverage)

Micro (Capacity)

Femto (Hotspot)

Key Challenge: Managing Future Network Complexity

6 SEMAFOUR

Network Dynamism

Femto Cells

Energy Saving

Active Antennas

time

time

time

Which Areas Need to be Addressed?

7 SEMAFOUR

Active/Reconfigurable Antenna Systems

Automated Traffic Steering multi-RAT/Layer

Integrated SON Management

Dynamic Spectrum & Interference

SON

time

FP7 STREP Project

Develop the next generation of SON Solutions

Project Duration 09/2012-08/2015

SEMAFOUR Project

8 SEMAFOUR

Develop a Unified self-management system efficiently

operating a heterogeneous mobile network comprising

a multitude of radio access technologies and layers

SEMAFOUR Vision

9

– Integrated SON Management

– Policy transformation

– SON coordination

– Monitoring

– SON functions

– Single/multi-RAT/layer

– Self-configuration,

-optimization, -healing

– Decision support system

– Spectrum re-farming

– Technology upgrades

– Site deployment

– SLA management

SEMAFOUR Vision

10 SEMAFOUR

Integrated SON Management

*

Decision support system

*

SON functions

*

Use Case Selection

11

– Automatic traffic steering

– Multi-layer LTE/Wi-Fi traffic steering – Intra-LTE only

– Inter-RAT LTE and WiFi hot spots

– Idle mode mobility handling – Intra-LTE only

– Inter-RAT LTE and 3G

– Handover optimisation for high mobility users – Intra-LTE only

– Inter-RAT LTE and 3G

– Dynamic spectrum allocation and interference management – Intra-LTE only

– Intra-LTE multi-layer macro and femtocell

– Inter-RAT LTE and 3G

– Active/Reconfigurable antenna systems – Intra-LTE only

– Inter-RAT LTE and 3G

– Multi-flow from different LTE layers and technologies – Intra-LTE only

– Inter-RAT LTE and 3G

Proposed multi-RAT and multi-layer SON use cases and scenarios

12 SEMAFOUR

Automatic traffic steering

*

Dynamic spectrum allocation and interference management

Multi-flow from different LTE layers and technologies

Active/Reconfigurable antenna systems

– Operational SON coordination

– SON in high load regime

– LTE macro only

– LTE multi-layer (macro + micro/pico deployment)

– Multi-RAT LTE & 3G

– RAN sharing between different operators

– Decision Support System: Assistance to the operator for manual

optimization and enhancement of the network

– Spectrum and Technology Management

– Network Evolution

– Resource costs of ‘QoS’ as input for SLA management

– Policy-based SON management: automated derivation and

transformation of high-level objectives into dedicated technical

policies and rules for the execution of SON functions

– Input on operator objectives and KPIs on the operation of a SON-enabled

network

Proposed Integrated SON Management use cases and scenarios

13 SEMAFOUR

Operational SON coordination

Decision Support System: Assistance to the operator for

manual optimization and enhancement of the network

Policy-based SON management: automated derivation and

transformation of high-level objectives into dedicated

technical policies and rules for the execution of SON functions

Validation of Use-cases

14 SEMAFOUR

But how do we know the proposed Use-cases are really relevant for the mobile industry?

• SEMAFOUR aims to be industry driven

• Advisory board formed with key operators to give

broad feedback and interaction with the mobile

industry

• Detailed questionnaire and feedback from seven

international mobile network operators

Results on multi-RAT / multi-layer use cases and scenarios

15 SEMAFOUR

1,00 1,20 1,40 1,60 1,80 2,00 2,20 2,40 2,60 2,80 3,00

Autom. Traffic Steering - Intra-LTE

Autom. Traffic Steering - Inter-RAT LTE-WiFi

Autom. Traffic Steering Idle - Intra-LTE

Autom. Traffic Steering Idle - Inter-RAT LTE-3G

Autom. Traffic Steering High Mobility - Intra-LTE

Autom. Traffic Steering High Mobility - Inter-RAT LTE-3G

Spectrum and Interference Mgmt - Intra-LTE

Spectrum and Interference Mgmt - Intra-LTE + Femto

Spectrum and Interference Mgmt - Inter-RAT LTE-3G

Active Antenna Systems - Intra-LTE

Active Antenna Systems - Inter-RAT LTE-3G

Multi-flow Intra-LTE

Multi-flow Inter-RAT LTE-3G

→ Relevance (Higher)

↑ Timeline (Longer term)

Sho

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2 major groups of use cases / scenarios:

– High relevance with medium-term timeline (2-3 years towards

implementation)

– All automatic traffic steering

– Medium relevance with long-term timeline (longer than 3 years

towards implementation)

– Spectrum / interference management

– Active / reconfigurable antenna systems

– Multi-flow

In particular the automatic traffic steering within SEMAFOUR is fully

within timeline and relevance expectations of operators

LTE-macro, and multi-RAT with LTE and 3G are seen as the most

relevant network scenarios for the different use cases

Also taking into account the survey results, the multi-flow use case

will be put on hold within SEMAFOUR

Results on multi-RAT / multi-layer use cases and scenarios

16 SEMAFOUR

Results on integrated SON management

17 SEMAFOUR

1,00 1,20 1,40 1,60 1,80 2,00 2,20 2,40 2,60 2,80 3,00

SON Coord LTE Macro

SON Coord LTE Multi-layer

SON Coord Multi-RAT LTE-3G

SON Coord RAN Sharing in LTE

DSS Spectrum & Tech Mgmt

DSS Network Evolution

DSS QoS Resouce cost for SLA Mgmt

→ Relevance (Higher)

↑ Timeline (Longer term)

Sho

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Med

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All scenarios for operational SON coordination (run-time conflict resolution between different SON functions) have been ranked medium-high to highly relevant, and all scenarios have been considered as being relevant for implementation within a medium-term (2-3 years) timeline

– Also the RAN sharing scenario has been ranked high, showing the importance of RAN sharing in particular for LTE network deployments

All use cases for a Decision Support System have been ranked medium-high to highly relevant for implementation on a medium-term (2-3 years) timeline

The SEMAFOUR approach regarding SON coordination is fully in line with the relevance and timeline expectations of the operators

The Decision Support System approach gained high interest from the operators’ side, though the additional comments given on the DSS general value show that such a system needs to be well proven in practice to become trustworthy

Results on integrated SON management

18 SEMAFOUR

Concluding Remarks

19

Key drivers for self-management

– Complexity of future multi-layer/RAT technologies and

pressure to be competitive are key drivers for self-

management

SEMAFOUR has developed a vision for future SON systems

– Integrated SON management

– Multi-layer/RAT SON functions

– Decision Support Systems

The chosen areas and use cases have

been shown to be relevant for industry

Next we need Results!

Concluding Remarks

20 SEMAFOUR

See our Demonstration

Learn more at www.fp7-semafour.eu/

See the following related presentations

– Integrated Self-Management for Future Radio Access Networks:

Vision and Key Challenges

Remco Litjens, TNO ICT, Netherlands

– Impact of Realistic Mobility Modelling in the Context of

Propagation Modelling on the User and Network Experience

Dennis Rose, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany

For More Information

21 SEMAFOUR