Zahid Ghadialy tech Day 2

Operators strategy for supporting the ‘Mobile Data Explosion’

Zahid Ghadialy

Managing Director, eXplanoTech Ltd. 18/04/2012

Briefly about eXplanoTech

Non-Confidential © eXplanoTech Ltd.

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Technical Consulting • Requirement Analysis • Project Management • Architecture and Specification • Design, Implementation, Integration &

Deployment • Testing Services (inc. IOT, CAT, Conformance, Field) • Maintenance

Trainings • Technology trainings • Product trainings • Process trainings • Executive trainings • Trainings on integrating cultural aspects in work

Resourcing and Recruitment • Talent acquisition • Executive head hunt • Resourcing of projects • Managed Services • Technology and Business Intelligence domains

Agenda

Statistics and the Problem(s) summarised

A look at ‘Network Capacity’ calculation

Small Cells

WiFi

New features in 3GPP Standards

Spectrum Issues TV White Spaces (TVWS)

Carrier Aggregation

Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM)

Case Study of a US Operator

Non-Confidential

© eXplanoTech Ltd. 3

Mobile data exploding – Random scary stats

Median smartphone data usage at AT&T was up 888% and up 551% at Verizon this past year.

In 2009, the top 3% of heavy users generated 40% of wireless network traffic. Now, these users account for 70% of the traffic.

The heaviest users of mobile data watched videos 40% of the time, surfed the Web an additional 20%, and used up the rest of their online time in e-mails, social networking, file sharing and software downloads.

Non-Confidential


Data Explosion: Myth and Reality

The mobile data is not growing as fast as was initially expected.

This does not mean that the operators do not have to worry about coping with the data demand

Data traffic vs Revenues may not be as bad as initially thought

Non-Confidential


Time

Traffic

Revenues

Time

Traffic

Revenues

Initial Prediction

Based on current data

The Good News


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There is still a huge market for accessing internet/data on the phones

The Bad News


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Infograph Source: http://www.localytics.com/blog/2012/only-6-of-ipad-app-sessions-on-cellular-connection/

Users want ‘true unlimited’ data plans from their operators

WiFi is always the preferred choice of the users to access data: Its easy to setup and use in the modern devices

Different reports point out that most of data from the tablets do not go through the operators networks

More phone users are switching on WiFi for data usage

Localytics, an App analytic company found in the USA that 89.7% of iPad sold are WiFi only. Among iPad’s with 3G connectivity 55% usage is over WiFi and in LTE iPad’s, 64% usage is WiFi

http://www.localytics.com/blog/2012/only-6-of-ipad-app-sessions-on-cellular-connection/

















The problems summarised

Operators

How to generate more revenue and recoup investment in Next-G networks

How to get more users to use the mobile networks

How to optimise the networks so there are no bottlenecks

Increase network capacity to handle more users

Better cell edge coverage for the users

How to monetise the usage of WiFi

Users

How to get cheapest possible (unlimited) data plan with fastest possible access (4G)

How to avoid ‘Bill shock’ and reduce network usage

How to get better coverage and reduce latency

Why does the loading of pages fail sometimes

Why does loading of pages take too much time

How to get access to more WiFi hotspots without paying and worrying about login & security


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‘Network Capacity’ calculation


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Network Capacity

= Quantity of Spectrum

x Cell Spectrum Efficiency

x Number of Cells

(bps) (Hz) (bps Hz-1)

Since 1947 ‘Network Capacity’ has increased by a Million


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But Data Usage has exploded as well

The easiest way to increase the number of cells is to have more small(er) cells.

The easiest way to cope with this explosion is to increase the number of cells

Non-Confidential


‘Small Cells’ to the rescue

Small Cells has to happen: To improve speeds for users on Macro and on ‘small cells’

To offload traffic and improve capacity of the network

To improve coverage by reducing interference

Non-Confidential


But other problems may arise

Operators expect users to pay for the ‘Small Cells’ but most users expect them for free, especially business users

If ‘Small Cells’ are not planned properly then they can cause interference with the network and create coverage black holes

The data traffic still has to go through the operators network and handling high amounts of data can still be a problem for the operator

The ISP’s are not happy with carrying operator traffic and may cause problems or ask for compensation

Even though the Access security is improved for the user, the operator is exposing the network to potential hackers

Non-Confidential


‘WiFi’ – The real saviour?

Over 1 billion units of WLAN chipsets are expected to ship this year

Expected to double by 2014

Operators that have deployed Carrier WiFi

China Mobile – 1 million hotspots by end of 2013

China Telecom – 1 million hotspots by end of 2012

SK Telecom – 60,000 hotspots by end 2011

Korea Telecom – 100,000 hotspots by end 2011

KDDI, Japan – 90,000 by Q2 2012

Skyhook (a company that pioneered WiFi based positioning system) has already have over 250 million access points in its database [June 2011]

Australian operator Telstra closed their Carrier WiFi network in Feb. as they rolled out ‘Mobile WiFi’ based on LTE.

Non-Confidential


WiFi v/s Small Cells

WiFi (802.11n)

No Spectrum constraints

40MHz available in the 2.4GHz band

Latency is better than mobile networks

Throughput upto 600Mbps in 40MHz BW using 4x4 MIMO

Radio cheap and already in most new mobiles, laptops and tablets.

Small Cells (HSPA+/LTE)

Licensed Spectrum only

Large bandwidths not always possible

Latency not as good as WiFi

HSPA+ DL in Rel-11 upto 672Mbps and LTE DL in Rel-10 upto 600Mbps in 40MHz BW using 4x4 MIMO.

Radio expensive and not as easily available in laptops and tablets.


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Benefits of Carrier WiFi

‘Offload’ mostly at traffic hotspots like airports, shopping malls, etc.

Reduced price data on ‘Pay as you use’ schemes.

Reduced price data roaming internationally. MVNO’s can cash on this big time.

‘Onload’ when the data speeds are low due to network congestion.

Can be offered to subscribers using non-cellular devices as ‘perk’.

Non-Confidential


New features in 3GPP standards

New features are being developed by 3GPP that are intended to provide a value addition to the Mobile Broadband offering and making it more integrated with WiFi for value addition

Local IP Access (LIPA) – Release 10

Selected IP Traffic Offload (SIPTO) – Release 10

IP Flow Mobility (IFOM) – Release 10

Continuity of Data Sessions (CSN) – Study item in Release 12

Non-Confidential


Local IP Access (LIPA)


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IP Core Network

Residential/Enterprise IP Network

Scope for Local IP Access

Logical connection for mobile operator IP traffic HeNB

Selected IP Traffic Offload (SIPTO)


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IP Core Network


Logical connection for mobile operator IP traffic HeNB

Internet

Data Traffic

IP Flow Mobility (IFOM)


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IP Core Network


Data Traffic Path 1

Internet

Data Traffic Path 2

Continuity of Data Sessions (CSN)


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HeNB

IP Core Network


Scope for Local IP Access

Logical connection for mobile operator IP traffic

TV White Spaces (TVWS)

Main driver for TVWS is that they are in the sub 1GHz band that can increase coverage significantly

Non-Confidential


Sub 1GHz band is ‘Platinum Band’ in Japan

Non-Confidential


Interference is the biggest Issue

Non-Confidential


Carrier Aggregation (CA)

Contiguous and Non-Contiguous

Multi-carrier Two 5MHz carriers in 2100MHz to make a 10MHz carrier

Multi-band For example 5MHz from 2100MHz and another 5MHz from 900MHz

LTE Inter-mode Carrier Aggregation Aggregating FDD and TDD bands

Inter-technology Carrier Aggregation For example LTE & HSPA+

Licensed-Unlicensed Carrier Aggregation LTE + WiFi

Non-Confidential


Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM)

Non-Confidential


Things to remember for any Dynamic Spectrum Management Techniques

The operator network would have to implement the technology but the devices would have to support the bands

The Spectrum would be generally available for use by all operators and maybe other devices/technologies and it would also vary from one area to another. As a result a central authority would be required to handle this

The government/authorities would not let this spectrum be used for free, forever. As soon as a workable solution is available they are bound to ask for some kind of fees.

The whitespaces would be auctioned or sold in future and it would have to be decided in advance if there is a case for using them for a certain duration of time.

Non-Confidential


Case Study of a US Mobile Operator


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Data reproduced with kind permission of Keima Wireless

using the ‘Overture’ tool


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D.H. Ring, Bell Labs - Telephony - Wide Area Coverage, 11 December 1947 D.H. Ring, Bell Labs - Telephony - Wide Area Coverage, 11 December 1947

1947


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2012


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2012


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Putting it all together


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Non-Confidential


Zahid Ghadialy tech Day 2

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