Sprint Network Vision
IEEE Santa Clara
Michael Finegan
Manager, ESG Solutions Engineering
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
1
What is Sprint’s Network Evolution Plan
Key Plan Elements
• Replacement of multiple platforms
(CDMA, iDEN, WiMAX) with a single
multi-modal platform
• Integrated chipset on devices making
services seamless to end users
• Harnesses technology advancements
improve the reach and overall of
performance of our radio signals
• Optimization and improved utilization
of vast spectrum holdings across
800MHz, 1.9GHz, and 2.5GHz
• Move from hardware solutions to
software solutions
• Integral support for next generation
Push-To-Talk network
Customer Benefits
• Expected improvement in
coverage and capacity (Inbuilding coverage gets significant
boost)
• Simplicity (device & network
automatically chooses best service type
and frequency)
• Rapid network deployment
and coverage expansion
Sprint Benefits
• Lower cost for Sprint
• Improved operational
efficiency and reliability
• Future technology protection
• Environmental sustainability
(via reduction in power consumption)
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
2
Sprint’s Wireless Networks Today
A Simplified View
The Sprint wireless network is made up of CDMA and iDEN technologies. These networks are deployed
independently, but in some cases can share network hardware. In addition, the 4G network being built
by Clearwire shares some network hardware.
Network
Spectrum
iDEN
800/ 900 MHz
CDMA
1.9 GHz
WiMAX
2.5GHz
Network
Use
Towers
PTT
Voice
Some data
iDEN Towers
Voice 1xRTT
Data Rev A
CDMA PTT
IP Data only
CDMA & iDEN
Co-located
CDMA Towers
Cell sites dedicated
to WiMAX
Backhaul
T-1
T-1
• T-1 or many T-1’s
depending on # of carriers
and data consumption
• Significant OpEx
• Revenue to Vz & ATT
T-1
• Microwave rings
between towers with
dark or leased fiber at
one to three centers
• Connections to Internet
(Sprint link) bandwidth
changes depending on #
of channels and data
consumption
• Lower CapEx
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
3
Vision: Building Blocks to Evolution
Capacity Increase
Implement 1x
Advanced
Push-To-Talk Modernization
Expand CDMA PTT platform, operate on 1x,
enhanced features, iDEN migration
RF Performance
Enhancement
Reduce intrafootprint roaming
Spectrum
Redeployment
Effectively reuse
spectrum to
support current &
future
technologies
Site Modernization
Single Cell Site
Platform
Core Network
Modernization
Backhaul
Deploy
microwave
infrastructure
Consolidate MSC’s / Update
Infrastructure
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
4
Evolution: A Single Site
Today:
• Separate networks with a
technology and spectrum linkage:
iDEN at 800MHz, CDMA at 1.9GHz, 4G in 2.5GHz
Future:
• Decouple network/ frequencies relationship
• Multi-modal platform utilizes all frequencies
for any technology and any purpose
(voice/data)
1.9GHz
2.5GHz
1.9GHz
800MHz
2.5GHz
800MHz
1) Technology advancements mean greater reach and efficiency for each frequency
2) Utilization of all frequencies means more efficient use of capacity (e.g. 2.5GHz) and
reach (e.g. 800MHz)
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
5
Evolution Dramatically Reduces OpEx
Cell Site
(Future State)
Cell Site
(Current state)
Evolving to the site of tomorrow,
network technologies are
consolidated into a single
hardware element, each
technology becoming a blade or
card instead of its own unique
infrastructure
Separate boxes for each
technology
Power &
HVAC
iDEN 1xRTT
EVDO
WiMAX
Power &
HVAC
Blades or
cards in a
single box
for each
technology
4G 2.0
WiMAX
EVDO
CDMA Voice
PTT
OPEN
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
6
Sprint’s Wireless Networks in The Future
Network
Spectrum
Network
Use
CDMA Voice
PTT
800/ 900 MHz
1900 MHz CDMA EVDO
WiMAX
2.5GHz
4G 2.0
Towers
• All towers use all
spectrum
• All towers support all
network uses
• Able to reduce
number of sites by
one third and provide
more services
Backhaul
T-1
• Consolidate traditional T-1
backhaul to microwave
where feasible
• Use traditional wireline
backhaul on a site by site
basis
• Leverages Sprint’s core
IP network for transport
• Little or no capital
expenses over traditional
methods
Customer Value
Enhanced service levels means higher customer satisfaction
Microwave backhaul provides fast network growth flexibility
Broader coverage
Better in-building coverage
Sustainability - Network footprint for the future
Greener network design
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
7
Conclusion
•
•
•
•
A significant customer benefit of a multi-mode network infrastructure is improved coverage and
quality.
A major contributing factor to this improvement is the planned deployment of CDMA 1X
Advanced. This CDMA upgrade is expected to improve the reach and overall performance of
CDMA radio signals, while providing landline quality voice service.
In-building coverage should improve as a result of repurposing a portion of iDEN spectrum (800
MHz) for CDMA services, giving customers the benefit better coverage and quality inherent with
800 MHz spectrum.
The transition to a multi-mode platform provides the opportunity to offer devices with integrated
chipsets that can receive radio signals from multiple frequencies.
©2010 This information is highly confidential and subject to Sprint policies regarding use and is the property of Sprint and/or its relevant affiliates. This
content is considered restricted, confidential and privileged materials intended for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution
or disclosure is prohibited.
8