WiMax
WiMax, which is placing the world on the threshold of a total transformation in
wireless broadband communications, is one of the disruptive technologies for
several players in India where the deployment is slated during the calendar
year.
| WiMax delivers
standards-based, high-speed voice, data and Internet connectivity in
licensed spectrum for both fixed and mobile applications |
WiMax is undergoing changes in line with customer demands. Sify
recently launched a first-of-its-kind WiMax solution with mobility features,
with the deployment of Proxim Wireless Corporation's advanced wireless
product. For this, Sify has chosen and deployed Proxim's Tsunami MP.11 WiMax
product line as the core communications platform for last mile access using the
5.8 GHz frequency band. Sify has deployed over 700 Tsunami MP.11 base stations
and 3,500 subscriber units to provide Internet access, voice and video broadband
services to enterprise, residential and cyber café subscribers in over 200
cities throughout the country.
WiMax delivers standards-based, high-speed voice, data and
Internet connectivity in licensed spectrum for both fixed and mobile
applications. Most importantly, it is the first technology that delivers true
broadband mobility at speeds that enable powerful applications such as VoIP,
online gaming, mobile TV and personalized infotainment. WiMax doesn't depend
on scattered hot spots. WiMax makes the world one big, never-ending hot spot.
Service operators can provide high-speed communications to customers whether
they're at home, at the office, or on the move. WiMax is about to make the
Internet, and truly personal broadband, as common as air.
As an open standard with interoperable capabilities, WiMax
provides a common language between equipment vendors and operator networks and
devices. With industry-wide support, high performance and substantial cost
advantages, WiMax is poised to play a key role in the transformation of wireless
networks on a global scale. Motorola is building a true end-to-end ecosystem for
delivering fully integrated WiMax solutions worldwide founded on our global
presence, technology heritage and industry-leading collaborations in mobile
broadband.
The WiMax protocol allows for high speed (up to around 70 Mbps)
and long range (several and in some cases several dozen of kilometers) wireless
communication. WiMax could potentially allow cheap, high-speed wireless
communication everywhere and find uses ranging from VoIP mobile phones to high
definition wireless TV broadcasting. Like Wi-Fi, the power consumption of WiMax
is considerable, and therefore is not suitable for use in small, low power
devices.
| From
HSDPA to HSUPA, and Beyond |
|
High-speed downlink
packet access (HSDPA) is an evolution of WCDMA. HSPA refers to both the
improvements made in the UMTS downlink, often referred to as HSDPA and the
improvements made in the uplink, often referred to as High speed uplink
packet access (HSUPA) but also referred to as enhanced dedicated channel
(E-DCH). HSDPA enables data transmission speeds of up to 14.4 Mbps per
user. Both HSDPA and HSUPA can be implemented in the standard 5 MHz
carrier of UMTS networks and can co-exist with the first generation of
UMTS networks based on the 3GPP Release 99 (R99) standard. As HSPA
standards refer uniquely to the access network, there is no change
required of the core network outside of the capacity increases that will
be required to handle the expected increase in traffic generated by HSPA.
From the first launches
of UMTS service in the Japanese Market by NTT DoCoMo in 2002, UMTS has
shown itself to be the fastest growing cellular technology in history.
Services such as video telephony, video streaming, mobile TV and mobile
email are now commonplace, and the public awareness of the capabilities of
3G networks and terminals has helped considerably in moving the public
perception of the mobile terminal from a pure voice and text communication
instrument to a multimedia device. The levels of speed and interactivity
offered improve utility to the end-user and significantly improve
productivity and opportunities for operators, end-users and enterprises.
Why will it Work?
The key benefits of HSPA are improved speed and interactivity for end-user
applications, and improved network capacity for the operator. UMTS
networks deployed based on the 3GPP release 99 standard offer a maximum
data throughput per user of 384 Kbps. With HSDPA there is the possibility
to offer the end user up to 14.4 Mbps. This will bring new applications
such as high quality video streaming as well as faster music and
entertainment downloads, and improved time savings for ubiquitous
corporate email services. One of the major improvements with HSPA
technology is the improvement in network latency or round trip delay for
data applications. Many real time interactive services can be delivered
over HSDPA. This will be true for voice and video but also for
applications such as multi-user gaming where immediate real time
interaction with other users is key to stimulate high levels of game
usage. This will be the key enabler for the beginning of a new era of
mobile multimedia. Early tests and measurements indicate that the data
capacity available in the standard UMTS carrier bandwidth of 5 MHz is
increased by a factor of 5 with the upgrade to HSDPA. This will offer the
operator a much improved cost structure for offering data services with
the cost per bit reducing significantly. This should help drive adoption
rates of mobile data services, as the cost to deliver the services to a
wider audience will be significantly reduced.
What Next?
With all areas of the wireless industry developing rapidly, it has become
necessary for the UMTS industry and its constituent member to provide its
vision for the long-term evolution of UMTS networks and services. The 3GPP
has been active to provide a vision of this evolution through its
activities. Indeed, important milestones were achieved in 3GPP Release 6
with IMS, HSDPA enhancements, HSUPA, WLAN integration and IP Transport.
For Release 7 of the 3GPP specifications a number of key objectives have
been set in place.
The preliminary activities started in
March 2005 and the completion of the standards is expected in mid 2007. |
Trends
Consolidation is already taking place in the world in the wireless
infrastructure space. Because of consolidation, major wireless infrastructure
players will look at their business model (following the consolidation) and
their manpower base and this will lead into restructuring globally. This may not
be an indication of a slowdown, but their strategy for pruning costs and
improving productivity will see realignment in business.
However, technology will drive the market growth. New
innovations will continue as the entire global telecommunication market is yet
to be tapped and there is enough room for growth, but some geography throws some
tough hurdles. In this case, wireless telecom service providers and
infrastructure companies will have to work together to offer customized
solutions.
Motorola recently announced that it has signed an agreement with
the GSM Association (GSMA) and MTC Namibia to conduct a trial for wind and solar
power systems to support the African operator's remote GSM cell sites. This is
the first customer-based trial globally and the trial is expected to run from
April 2007 to July 2007.
Green Solution
The trial involves the installation of the Motorola wind and solar solution
at an operational MTC Namibia cell site where the solution will become the
electrical power source for the site. The cell site will remain a part of MTC
Namibia's current wireless network and continue to carry the same levels of
traffic.
|
|
| ATM on the move, thanks to
wireless technology |
This 'green' solution provides a feasible and efficient
alternative to using fuel generators when a main grid connection is not
available or it will take months or years to connect or finally, where
electricity tariffs are expected to rise sharply in the next few years. Once
installed, the cost of power is almost zero, and wind and solar powered cell
sites require minimal maintenance unlike a diesel driven generator which
generally requires, at a minimum, a monthly visit for refueling and they can
also be heavily prone to theft. This translates into added savings in operating
expenditure (OPEX), a key factor to emerging market network operators.
Companies are framing strategies to produce portions of the
Reach GSM equipment locally in order to provide low-cost solutions for rural and
urban cellsite deployments. As part of this initiative, Motorola announced a new
commercial and production strategy that aims to reduce initial network rollout
costs by having elements of its Reach GSM portfolio manufactured locally.
The reach strongbox, a DC outdoor enclosure for Motorola's
Horizon II macro BTS, will be the first product delivered under this strategy.
Phased deployments of over 1,300 units have been started in India to serve major
cellular operators in the local market.
This localized production approach brings benefits for cost of
production and lower duties and taxes. Motorola will also roll out this strategy
to other markets including China and Africa. The reach strongbox solution also
allows a full 2G to 3G upgrade by being able to house the Motorola Horizon 3G-n
Node B or combined 2G and 3G operation using a 3G-n Fiber upgrade to the
strongbox enclosure.
Besides this clear upgrade path, Reach GSM provides high
flexibility at lower cost by delivering low-entry cost network solutions with
scalable voice coverage and capacity, support for data services, and sustained
low operating expenses.
Fuelling Mobility
New developments and innovations are catching up in India too, mainly
because of the nature of the Indian terrain. Indian mobile operator Idea
Cellular, Ericsson and the GSM Association's Development Fund have formed an
alliance to develop biofuels as a source of power for wireless networks in rural
India. In a pilot project in Pune and Maharashtra, the three organizations will
begin using biofuels to power mobile base stations located beyond the reach of
the electricity grid.
The first phase of the project, which is testing the feasibility
of non-edible plant-based fuels, such as cotton and jatropha, is nearing
completion. The second phase of the project will entail setting up a supply
chain using locally grown crops to produce biodiesel to power between 5 and 10
base stations in the Maharashtra region. The goal is to have these base stations
powered by cotton or jatropha by mid-2007. Biodiesel has several important
advantages over conventional diesel as a power source for base stations.
Biodiesel can be produced locally, creating employment in rural areas, while
reducing the need for transportation, related logistics and security. Biodiesel
has a much lower impact on the environment than conventional diesel. The cleaner
burning fuel results in fewer site visits and also extends the life of the base
station generator, reducing operators' costs.
| 2000
1xEV-DO |
|
When the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) set forth its plans for advanced
third-generation (3G) wireless standards, the consensus was that CDMA was
a key technology. CDMA made highly efficient use of radio spectrum,
enabling wireless networks to handle more users simultaneously. It was
able to provide the higher data transfer speeds required by the ITU's
definition of 3G, and is backward compatible with second-generation CDMA
technology. Also, it was capable of supporting the advanced multimedia
services foreseen by the ITU and technology visionaries. Today, CDMA forms
the foundation for the two most widely adopted 3G standards-CDMA2000 and
WCDMA (UMTS).
Evolution for Betterment
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, a direct evolution of the CDMA2000 third-generation (3G)
wireless standards, enables high-speed wireless connectivity comparable to
wired broadband. CDMA2000 1xEV-DO (evolution, data-optimized) is leading
the convergence of wireless and personal electronics, spawning a new
generation of multi-purpose wireless devices. CDMA2000 1xEV-DO enables
individuals to send and receive email with large file attachments, play
real-time interactive games, receive and send high-resolution pictures and
video, download video and music content or stay wirelessly connected to
their office PCs – all from the same mobile device.
The EV-DO Path
QUALCOMM has forged a path of continuous innovation that has kept EV-DO at
the forefront of wireless network performance and functionality, while
ensuring a compelling migration path to protect operators' investments.
Currently, operators have three options for expanding system capabilities.
EV-DO Rel. 0 is a
high-performance, cost effective, wide area wireless broadband solution.
It offers high data rates, high capacity and lower costs for wireless
operators, enabling them to offer compelling, differentiated data services
to consumers and business professionals. EV-DO Rel. 0 provides a
combination of superior efficiencies and economic benefits, which are
unprecedented in commercial systems capable of mobile, portable and fixed
services. It provides a peak forward link data rate of 2.4 Mbps and a peak
reverse link data rate of 153 Kbps.
EV-DO Rev. A is a
leading-edge wireless technology, which adds even higher data rates and
higher system capacity, as well as improved QoS support for low-latency
packet applications. It is a fully backward compatible standard that
remains interoperable with deployed EV-DO networks and devices around the
world. On the forward link, the peak data rate increases to 3.1 Mbps while
the reverse link speed increases to a peak rate of 1.8 Mbps.
Still on schedule for
commercialization in 2007, QUALCOMM's chipset solutions for the EV-DO
Rev. B standard will support unsurpassed wireless data rates to provide
the springboard for delivering next-generation wireless data, music,
gaming and multimedia entertainment devices.
EV-DO Rev. B will be
highly integrated with advanced functionality, support the operation of up
to three simultaneous channels of 1.25 MHz each for higher-speed data
rates and deliver significant space-savings for devices that are thinner,
smaller and lighter. The EV-DO Rev. B standard supports up to 4.9 Mbps in
each channel for a combined three-channel data speed of up to 14.7 Mbps on
the downlink.
Specifically Engineered
In addition, MediaFLO's mobile broadcast technology will complement
wireless operators' WCDMA/HSDPA and CDMA2000/EV-DO cellular network data
and voice services, delivering content to the same handsets used on these
3G networks. MediaFLO technology is built around FLO, a globally
recognized, open-standard, air-interface technology designed to increase
capacity and coverage, as well as reduce cost for multimedia content
delivery to mobile handsets.
Engineered specifically
for the mobile environment, MediaFLO technology offers several advantages
over other mobile multicast technologies, including higher-quality video
and audio, faster channel switching time, superior mobile reception,
optimized power consumption and greater capacity. Specific performance
features of MediaFLO technology in an 8 MHz channel are support for
transmitting up to 30 streaming channels of QVGA-quality (320x240 pixels)
video at up to 25 frames per second with a constant quality of service, 10
stereo audio channels (HE AAC+ parametric stereo) and multiple clipcasting
downloads per day (short-format video clips) and an average channel
switching time of approximately two seconds.
Collaborations
MediaFLO and MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom announced a multi-year
licensing agreement under which MTV Networks will provide channels branded
MTV, Nickelodeon and COMEDY CENTRAL to MediaFLO USA's mobile
entertainment service. MediaFLO USA intends to offer this compelling,
full-length content to subscribers 24/7 via their mobile phones in
partnership with wireless operators.
QUALCOMM and British Sky
Broadcasting (BSkyB) have successfully completed two joint technical trial
of QUALCOMM's MediaFLO System in the United Kingdom. The first technical
trial, conducted over two months in Cambridge, featured 11 channels from
the BSkyB content menu delivered to non-commercial devices from QUALCOMM
and aimed to demonstrate the performance of the MediaFLO System in both
laboratory and mixed field test environments. This second technical trial,
conducted in Manchester, featured BSkyB content delivered to
non-commercial devices from QUALCOMM. |
Cost-efficient Solutions
Aimed at cost reduction and better efficiency, network upgradation and
sourcing of next generation products will be one of the key trends. For
instance, Bharti Airtel has signed an estimated $1 bn network expansion contract
with Ericsson. The contract will enable Bharti Airtel to rapidly expand its
mobile services footprint further and reach out to all towns and cities in 15
telecom circles in the country. The three-year service contract with Ericsson is
towards the design, planning, supply and installation commissioning of Airtel
networks in these circles. Ericsson will also upgrade the network with mobile
softswitch (Media Gateway and MSC Servers), the solution that paves the way to
an all-IP network. Bharti Airtel will be able to reduce the operational costs
and introduce new services in a cost-efficient way. With this, Bharti will be
able to deliver better customer experience. In addition, Bharti will also be
sourcing next generation products that will allow it to deliver innovative
products and services to our customers.
And, India is the hot bed for WiMax innovations. Alcatel-Lucent
recently announced that C-Dot Alcatel-Lucent Research Centre (CARC), Chennai,
has successfully completed India's first live WiMax IEEE 802.16e-2005 (also
called Rev-e) field trial, saying this technology is ready for commercial
deployment. The trials were conducted using the 2.5 GHz band and successfully
demonstrated applications in moving conditions such as video streaming,
high-speed file downloads, voice over IP (VoIP) and Web browsing. WiMax Rev-e is
a revolutionary broadband access technology and it has the potential to provide
the country with widespread broadband access that can usher in economic growth,
better education, healthcare and improved entertainment services.
As GSM operators expand their network coverage into new areas,
one of the biggest challenges is to overcome operational issues associated with
the lack of basic infrastructure.
Baburajan K
baburajank@cybermedia.co.in
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