Creating a Single, Coherent Infrastructure with Wireless and IP
The proliferation of smartphones, tablets and other devices makes it easy for end-users to wirelessly connect to the social and entertainment applications and business productivity tools. Yet this growth in data services comes at a price because it will not generate revenues in proportion to the demand. A wireless IP network, which seamlessly "merges" the wireless and IP domains, simplifies operations and services so that service providers can decrease costs while increasing revenues and differentiating services.
"Wireless IP is a tangible application for wireless networks. It brings the values of wireless and IP together in a coherent manner to solve and address the requirements of wireless service providers," said Nick Cadwgan, senior manager for wireless IP marketing at Alcatel-Lucent.
The need for an efficient and effective solution to meet emerging user needs for ubiquitous wireless services and connectivity is well understood and undisputed. One of the latest studies characterizing the rapid growth in demand comes from Alcatel-Lucent's Bell Labs. The research organization forecasts that wireless traffic will likely grow 30-fold over the next 5 years, spurred on by consumers' needs for ubiquitous access to rich, IP-based mobile services.
The skyrocketing pace of mobile data demand presents a dilemma for service providers because it comes with a price, caused by an imbalance between the traffic growth and revenues that are trending in opposite directions. According to Pyramid Research, data will account for the vast majority of traffic on mobile networks by 2014 but it will only contribute 37% to total revenues. The situation forces operators to continue to build efficiencies into their networks as they seek ways to monetize data traffic.
At the same time, there is also the need to optimize the network to make the best use of existing spectrum. One important reason is known as Shannon's Law. While working at Bell Labs in 1948, Claude Shannon theorized that the amount of error-free data that could be transmitted over a channel of any given bandwidth was limited by noise.
"Sixty-three years later, mobile operators have reached that limit and, lacking additional spectrum anytime soon, they need to leverage IP to rearchitect their RANs, enabling IP all the way from the radio to the core," said Stephane Teral, principal analyst, mobile and FMC infrastructure at Infonetics Research.
The migration to the next-generation cellular network standard LTE, which is underway and gathering pace, gives service providers an opportunity to transform their networks to an all-IP architecture. LTE introduces IP networking at the cell site, which can then be networked to work with IP-based equipment that extends from the backhaul, wireless packet core, and converged backbone, all the way to the applications users enjoy. Network elements that support 2G, 3G as well as LTE can be used to meet existing service needs while migrating customers to the new LTE network in a cost effective manner.
The shift to all-IP networks allows service providers to use common platforms and operating systems to support previously separate functions, such as mobile backhaul and the wireless packet core, which creates new capital and operating cost efficiencies. An all-IP network also makes it possible to dynamically manage traffic, configure and reconfigure applications and service delivery in response to fluctuating demands on the network and to optimize use of the network to ensure the best possible user experience.
Many operators have begun to commit to a wireless IP architecture as they have developed their LTE migration paths. One of the most recent is Verizon Wireless in the U.S., which committed to an all-IP approach for its 3G network expansion and LTE buildout, served by Alcatel-Lucent infrastructure, solutions and services. AT&T Mobility has also turned to Alcatel-Lucent to help support its end-to-end migration to an all-IP solution for its LTE-based mobile broadband services.
One of the more exciting aspects of the wireless IP architecture, according to Cadwgan, is its ability to use and adapt to new IP-based technologies that the industry is creating to further improve efficiencies and services in the coming years.
A wireless IP network, for example, will facilitate the use of small cells, such as those offered by Alcatel-Lucent, which improve coverage where networks need it while bolstering performance for end-users. A wireless IP architecture will enable the industry to revolutionize the RAN with solutions like the company's lightRadioTM architecture, which will minimize cell site physical requirements, operating costs and energy consumption. Wireless IP will facilitate the development of new network analytics and control technologies to create intelligent traffic management solutions. Wireless IP will also spur the development of a new ecosystem of devices, applications and content that form the customer experience.
Cadwgan notes that the technology migration to wireless IP will take more than a switch to new radios and IP technologies.
"It's not only about the network transformation, it's about the business transformation as well," he said.
Cadwgan stressed that professional services, such as those offered by Alcatel-Lucent, can help service providers transform their networks to accelerate time-to-market while minimizing costs and risks.
For more information, visit: http://www2.alcatel-lucent.com/wireless/achieving.php
