“Wholesale” Shift of Mobile Backhaul Over Last 6 Months
Mobile backhaul strategy seems to be in a quite different place today than it was six months ago, when most survey respondents suggested they still were pursuing a hybrod strategy using both time division multiplex and IP and Ethernet.
But “we have seen a wholesale shift in backhaul strategies as operators try to reduce the costs associated with skyrocketing mobile data traffic,” says Michael Howard, Infoentics principal analyst. “Just last month when we repeated the survey, most operators told us they plan to use a single IP/Ethernet backhaul, whether over microwave, fiber, or copper.”
Mobile operators and transport providers now trust IP/Ethernet to do the whole job, including the tricky timing and synchronization required for most of the world’s mobile networks, he says.
Mobile backhaul equipment spending increased 21 percent in 2009, to $7.2 billion worldwide, and should grow to $10.4 billion by 2014, Infonetics Research says.
“The Ethernet-only microwave segment is poised for rapid growth over the next few years, out-performing hybrid TDM/Ethernet solutions,” says Richard Webb, Infonetics directing analyst.
Infonetics expects almost 1.5 billion new mobile subscribers and about 1.2 billion new mobile broadband subscribers between 2010 and 2014, which will require more base stations, more cell site connections, higher backhaul capacities, and equipment for each cell site connection.
“Despite NTT DoCoMo’s shift in topology aimed at cutting LTE deployment costs by leveraging the existing W-CDMA footprint with remote radio head (RRH)-based expansion, there is no slowdown foreseen in the LTE market, only acceleration, Infonetics says.
LTE subscribers could exceed 153 million by 2014, with most of them split between Asia Pacific and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
But it isn’t just LTE that is driving investment. Existing third-generation networks are being deployed as well. “With increasing numbers of telecom carriers around the world upgrading their networks to HSPA+ and LTE, Ethernet-based microwave equipment will get a nice boost in 2010 as carriers continue investing in enhanced mobile backhaul solutions,.” says Richard Webb, Infonetics directing analyst.Mobile backhaul strategy seems to be in a quite different place today than it was six months ago, when most survey respondents suggested they still were pursuing a hybrod strategy using both time division multiplex and IP and Ethernet.
But “we have seen a wholesale shift in backhaul strategies as operators try to reduce the costs associated with skyrocketing mobile data traffic,” says Michael Howard, Infoentics principal analyst. “Just last month when we repeated the survey, most operators told us they plan to use a single IP/Ethernet backhaul, whether over microwave, fiber, or copper.”
Mobile operators and transport providers now trust IP/Ethernet to do the whole job, including the tricky timing and synchronization required for most of the world’s mobile networks, he says.
Mobile backhaul equipment spending increased 21 percent in 2009, to $7.2 billion worldwide, and should grow to $10.4 billion by 2014, Infonetics Research says.
“The Ethernet-only microwave segment is poised for rapid growth over the next few years, out-performing hybrid TDM/Ethernet solutions,” says Richard Webb, Infonetics directing analyst.
Infonetics expects almost 1.5 billion new mobile subscribers and about 1.2 billion new mobile broadband subscribers between 2010 and 2014, which will require more base stations, more cell site connections, higher backhaul capacities, and equipment for each cell site connection.
“Despite NTT DoCoMo’s shift in topology aimed at cutting LTE deployment costs by leveraging the existing W-CDMA footprint with remote radio head (RRH)-based expansion, there is no slowdown foreseen in the LTE market, only acceleration, Infonetics says.
LTE subscribers could exceed 153 million by 2014, with most of them split between Asia Pacific and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
But it isn’t just LTE that is driving investment. Existing third-generation networks are being deployed as well. “With increasing numbers of telecom carriers around the world upgrading their networks to HSPA+ and LTE, Ethernet-based microwave equipment will get a nice boost in 2010 as carriers continue investing in enhanced mobile backhaul solutions,.” says Richard Webb, Infonetics directing analyst.
by Gary Kim
Here’s another look at latency differences between the faster HSPA versions of GSM and LTE.
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