SMALL CELL ARTICLES
HetNet Integration Solution Helps Telcos Improve User Experience &
Increase Revenue
Huawei Blogs HUAWEI 2/20/2014
http://www.lightreading.com/experience-centric-operations/hetnet-integration-solution-helps-telcos-improve-userexperience-and-increase-revenue/d/d-id/707836?f_src=lightreading_editorspicks_rss_latest
The proliferation of smart phones and the mobile Internet results in massive data and network traffic growth.
Total mobile data traffic is widely forecasted to exceed 10,000 PB per month in 2015, with an
expected annual compound growth rate of over 100% from 2011 to 2015. Network traffic is now
converging on hotspot areas. 20% of sites in high-traffic areas carry 80% of the total network traffic. The
traffic rates of sites in high-traffic areas are 6.5 times that of common sites. Presently, telcos' primary
concern is to alleviate network traffic pressure and deliver excellent mobile user experience. Based on a
profound understanding of hotspot areas and rich industry experience, Huawei provides the HetNet
Integration Solution to help telcos improve user experience and increase revenue efficiently.
Coordinated indoor and outdoor coverage in built-up business districts, delivering a first-class
network while enhancing user experience
A large number of large buildings, shopping malls, and commercial streets are often found clustered in
crowded built-up business districts. Signals receptions in these buildings where many high-end subscribers
reside are garbled and susceptible to interference and signals on the streets between these buildings are
weak because of the building sizes.
Huawei adopts the industry-leading indoor/outdoor traffic analysis technology to address weak or excessive
coverage, improving traffic absorption. This technology assesses hotspot coverage and implements
coordinated indoor/outdoor coverage simulation and capacity planning to enable seamless coverage and
improve traffic absorption.
Huawei provides diversified solutions and customized product portfolios based on network requirements. For
example, micro cells can recover bottom-layer coverage holes in built-up business districts and the
LampSite indoor coverage solution can improve traffic absorption in shopping malls.
Coordinated coverage of multiple networks for large-sized stadiums, carrying ultra-large traffic and
improving telcos brand competitiveness
During a sporting event, large-sized stadiums have dense spectators and ultra-large traffic and signals in
these stadiums are subjected to strong interference. For example, in a large-scale stadium designed to
accommodate 70,000 spectators, tens of thousands of voice calls are made and some hundred GB of data
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traffic is generated during the event. Calls and data traffic peak at the beginning, during half-time, and at the
end of the event. Dozens of cell sectors are used to process the ultra-large traffic. Any interference between
these cell sectors may increase background noises and then cause network congestion.
With rich experience in serving over 400 major sporting events, Huawei provides dedicated solutions tailored
to large-sized stadiums. These solutions can accurately estimate the capacity of an event and customize
traffic bearer policies based on empirical traffic models for large-sized stadiums. These solutions can also
interwork with the G/U/L/WLAN Offloading Solution to dynamically balance traffic between GUL base
stations and Wi-Fi hotspots, improving traffic absorption and enhancing resource utilization.
Based on experience accumulated from serving over ten well-known stadiums, Huawei provides a highdensity cell sector solution designed to eliminate strong interference. This solution employs threedimensional simulation to calibrate models, power, and layout positions of antennas, effectively controlling
interference between cell sectors and maximizing the traffic capacity of each network.
Multi-telcos and multi-standard sharing in the metro, delivering high-speed service and achieving
double win
The metro operates in narrow and enclosed underground areas which provide limited space for installing
telcos devices. Usually, the metro is served by multiple telcos and thus has high requirements on
interference control.
Based on technical indicators of different telcos, systems, and frequencies, Huawei provides a dedicated
solution to detect and analyze interference sources in a multi-system environment and customize
interference control measures. Besides, Huawei provides a modular SingleDAS solution with flexibly
installed device modules to meet coverage requirements of different systems which can enable long
distance transmission and reduces device space occupation, allowing end users to enjoy high-speed data
services in express trains.
Dedicated solutions for school/corporate campuses with multi-functional areas, enabling resource
sharing and improving resource utilization
A school/corporate campus has many indoor functional areas such as teaching buildings, dining halls, and
dormitories as well as outdoor functional areas such as playgrounds and campus roads. Traffic generated in
these different functional areas is extremely uneven. Huawei provides dedicated solutions to analyze
possible traffic generated in these functional areas at different time based on their service requirements, and
then customizes a capacity model adapting to traffic changes. In these solutions, a 3-Layer network with
coordinated macro cells, micro cells, and indoor distributed systems is adopted to achieve seamless
coverage and multiple remote radio units (RRUs) are used to cover one cell to enable network capacity
sharing and improve resource utilization and the ROI.
Flexibly scalable and large-capacity solutions for transport hubs, helping telcos win more high-end
subscribers
With many large-scale buildings, functional areas, and roaming/high-end subscribers, a transport hub like an
airport has high requirements on user experience and is a hotly contested spot for telcos to win more highend subscribers.
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Based on the analysis of airport subscriber behavior and traffic models, Huawei accurately determines the
coverage and capacity requirements of different functional areas and then takes corresponding measures.
For example, the parking apron area is fully covered with signals to ensure passengers' fast access to the
network. This measure helps telcos win high-end international roaming subscribers. Based on current and
future traffic requirements, Huawei appropriately plans cells for areas such as departure halls and VIP
lounges that generate large traffic and also uses the remote capacity expansion feature of the LampSite
indoor coverage solution to dynamically expand capacity on demand.
To date, Huawei has provided indoor coverage services to 115 telcos in 64 countries all over the
world and set up over 26,000 hotspot networks. Huawei's indoor coverage solutions are adopted in
many landmarks such as the United Nations Headquarters, Mall of the Emirates, Brazil World Cup stadium,
Baku Crystal Hall, Paris metro, and Zurich Airport.
Steve Perlman's Amazing Wireless Machine Is
Finally Here
By Ashlee Vance February
18, 2014
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-02-18/steve-perlmans-amazing-wireless-machine-is-finallyhere?campaign_id=DN021914
It was almost three years ago that Steve Perlman began courting controversy by promising something of
a wireless technology panacea. A relentless entrepreneur and inventor, he unveiled a prototype called
DIDO in this magazine’s pages. The technology would do away with wireless network congestion by
giving each smartphone and tablet its own super-fast connection instead of asking these devices to share
bandwidth pumped out by a cell tower. The ins and outs of the technology were difficult to understand,
and plenty of critics dismissed Perlman’s claims as being misguided and trumped up.
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Courtesy Astro Studios for ArtemisThe Artemis
pWave transmitterPerlman tried his very best to prove the critics wrong today by unveiling a
commercialized version of his wireless innovation, now known as pCell or personal cell technology.
Perlman bills the wireless system as basically the successor to LTE, the current high-speed wireless
technology. In demonstrations at his laboratory, Perlman showed off iPhones, Surface tablets, and TVs
streaming massive files—the 4K UltraHD version of House of Cards from Netflix, for example—via his
own wireless networking equipment. The demonstration proved not only that the high-speed wireless
technology worked but also that it would work with existing devices that support LTE.
“That will shock people,” Perlman said in an interview. “It means we have hundreds of millions of
devices out there that are ready to go.”
The problem Perlman is trying to solve revolves around how current wireless networks are built.
Companies like AT&T and Verizon will put up a cell tower that sends out a signal, which must then be
shared by any people in range. The idea is to have the signals overlap at the edges of their range like a
series of circles nudging up against each other. The arrangement must be done very artfully because the
circles cause interference if they’re too close. As a result, there are spots in cities like New York,
Chicago, and San Francisco where you often have tons of people in the same cell all placing calls and
pulling down data to their devices at the same time, and their connections slow because they’re all
sharing the bandwidth in that given area. The congestion issue is expected to get worse and worse as
people keeping adding wireless devices and downloading larger and larger media files.
Story: What's Better for Wireless, Faster Infrastructure or Lower Prices?
Under Perlman’s pCell system, interference from the cells is not an issue. Instead of blasting out a dumb
signal across a given area, Perlman and his team of researchers have developed a smart transmission
system. Their networking equipment locates a device like a smartphone and uses complex mathematical
operations to create a unique signal—hence the personal cell idea—just for that device. The upshot of
this is that you can place the pCell transmitters anywhere and not worry about their signals bleeding into
each other. And instead of sharing a signal, each person gets to tap into close to the full capacity of the
transmitter. “We believe this is the largest increase in capacity in the history of wireless technology,”
says Perlman. “It’s like the wireless equivalent of fiber-optic cables.”
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Artemis Networks is the company Perlman has formed to sell this technology. It’s in the process of
putting pCell transmitters on about 350 rooftops in San Francisco, and Perlman is looking to work with a
telco or technology company like Google (GOOG) or Microsoft (MSFT) to get a commercial service
running in the fourth quarter. “We’ll do San Francisco first and then do New York, Chicago, Dallas, and
other congested cities,” says Perlman.
To work properly, a company backing the pCell technology would need to build out a large data center
in addition to deploying the transmitters. It’s in the data center where servers constantly crunch away on
the algorithms that form the unique wireless stream aimed at each device. As people move about, the
servers must keep recalculating and processing a new stream. Perlman expects that a single data center
could satisfy the needs of a city like San Francisco.
Story: A Startup That Lets You Pay for Wireless Data With Time
Perlman has spent about 10 years working on this technology with a handful of employees. I paid a
recent visit to their San Francisco laboratory and saw the technology working firsthand. Perlman had put
a few of the transmitters up near the ceiling and was able to direct a wireless beam right at a device in
my hand. Despite such demonstrations, Perlman has been unable to tempt venture capitalists with the
technology. “They invariably bring in experts who say it doesn’t really work,” he says. “I am showing
them a demo, but they remain convinced that it’s something else.”
Perlman, who made millions selling WebTV to Microsoft, has funded all of this himself, and he declines
to reveal the exact amount spent so far. He will show off the pCell technology at Columbia University
on Wednesday during a midday lecture
AT&T, Cisco promise Hotspot 2.0 Wi-Fi
roaming for MWC attendees
February 17, 2014
Read more: AT&T, Cisco promise Hotspot 2.0 Wi-Fi roaming for MWC attendees - FierceWirelessTech
http://www.fiercewireless.com/tech/story/att-cisco-promise-hotspot-20-wi-fi-roaming-mwc-attendees/2014-0217#ixzz2ttusUQAH
The backers of Hotspot 2.0 want the mobile industry to know that the technology is ready for prime
time, and there probably is no better way to make that point than to deploy Hotspot 2.0 for automatic
use by at least a portion of the attendees at next week's Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona.
AT&T (NYSE:T) is collaborating with a host of other mobile operators as well as vendors Cisco and
Accuris Networks to bring the service to fruition, if only for a week and only within the confines of the
Fira Gran Via convention grounds.
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In addition to AT&T, participating service providers in the demo include Bell Mobility, China Mobile,
Korea Telecom, MEO, Mobily, NTT DoCoMo, PCCW-HKT, SK Telecom and True. AT&T negotiated
with its roaming partners worldwide, including the participating mobile operators, to add Wi-Fi
roaming to their roaming agreements.
"Customers of the participating mobile operators with the latest compatible phones will securely and
automatically authenticate onto the Hotspot 2.0 Wi-Fi network when they walk through the conference
doors, just as easily as they roamed onto the mobile network when they landed in Barcelona," said a
release from AT&T, Cisco and Accuris.
Cisco is providing the carrier-grade Wi-Fi network, including Passpoint access points and controllers
certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance. The platform uses self-optimizing network (SON) technology.
Accuris Networks is responsible for enabling MWC attendees to securely and automatically connect
onto the Wi-Fi network. Its AccuRoam platform will enable authentication and billing management via
SIM cards, just as they are in the case of cellular-only roaming.
"As the Wi-Fi and cellular worlds merge, developing a common authentication mechanism with
standard roaming agreements is a natural next step," said JR Wilson, vice president of partnerships
and alliances at AT&T Mobility and chairman of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA).
The companies noted that once users can securely roam onto Wi-Fi as easily as they do onto cellular
networks, operators will be positioned to begin marketing new services that take advantage of indoor
location information and analytics uniquely provided by indoor small cells.
In related news, the WBA last week unveiled what it calls a comprehensive definition of carrier Wi-Fi,
which it noted has been loosely used as an industry buzzword but with no universally recognized
meaning.
"Achieving a common vision for the future of carrier Wi-Fi and what needs to be put in place to make it
a reality is imperative," said Philippe Lucas, senior vice president of standardization and ecosystems
development at Orange, which led the initiative along with Ruckus Wireless.
The WBA guidelines for carrier Wi-Fi capabilities address requirements such as consistent experience,
fully integrated end-to-end network and network management, which addresses quality, security and
manageability.
The WBA said it will also send the paper to other industry bodies for their feedback. The alliance has
started initial consultations with industry bodies including 3GPP, the Broadband Forum, GSMA, NGMN
and the Wi-Fi Alliance regarding the carrier Wi-Fi definition.
Analyst Angle: Go-to-market tune ups for small cell
infrastructure players
Page 6 of 59
Posted on 05
February 2014 by Aaron Blazar, VP, Atlantic-ACM. Tags
http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/20140205/opinion/analyst-angle-go-to-market-tune-ups-for-small-cellinfrastructure-players/?utm_source=Comcast++TWC+Analysis&utm_campaign=comcast+time+warner&utm_medium=email
Tower providers, fiber players, integrators and others are focused on capturing
business from the next round of U.S. mobile infrastructure expansion – small
cells. In my previous Analyst Angle, I posed the question of whether or not
the demand is real (i.e. when it’s coming or what will make it real).
The next step is to understand how vendors can win business from U.S.
wireless operators. At this point, with the carrier outdoor small-cell
deployment game in the early innings, there is no clear-cut approach to
winning business. Therefore, forming an understanding of what the
requirements are, who the potential players are and how to approach
opportunities will drive wins in the next round of mobile infrastructure
expansion.
U.S. mobile operators have yet to fully define small-cell infrastructure
requirements, resulting in an ecosystem with a wide array of players lined up
and ready to serve rollout needs. As clarity on deployment requirements
begins to emerge, business models will take shape and winning approaches to
the market will be defined. So, for today, the largest question in the market is
which solutions will win small-cell infrastructure business.
Two schools of thought
Two approaches have emerged for serving U.S. wireless operator needs –
turnkey and a-la-carte. Turnkey solutions, also known as small-cell-as-aservice, include site acquisition, site leasing, attachment rights, utility
contracting, backhaul and ongoing backhaul network management. Many
ecosystem providers are lining up to test the turnkey waters. Potential players
are leveraging existing infrastructure (tower operators or fiber providers) or
developing businesses as sourcing partners/integrators to deliver turnkey
solutions. Advantages to this model include the ability to drive scale/subsidies
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across existing products and the opportunity to become a one-stop sourcing
partner for wireless operators.
The a-la-carte model follows the classic macro-cell infrastructure trajectory
with fiber infrastructure companies providing backhaul and tower companies
providing site acquisition, leasing and other services. This model is simple,
yields no changes to the current mobile infrastructure ecosystem and drives
deeper competition in sourcing and access to a wider array of providers. It
also provides the operator with deeper control of vendors and underlying
infrastructure. We note that, as the wireless business has scaled up, operators
have favored greater infrastructure control, especially in the backhaul space
where dark fiber has become a key backhaul requirement.
The downside of the a-la-carte model is it saddles operators with lots of
project management, including the sourcing of multiple vendors across an
increasing number of network points, with each point having more than one
infrastructure vendor. Since small-cell deployments are expected to occur at a
significantly higher order of magnitude than macro-cell deployments, the
scope and scale of this management will be challenging.
Early discussions with market players and data from Atlantic-ACM’s 2013 Metro Report
Card Survey suggest that a turnkey solution is not a requirement to win small-cell
infrastructure business – at least at this point. When we surveyed wireless operator buyers
about the services they expect to purchase along with small-cell backhaul, nearly 50% of
respondents identified ongoing network management and utility contracting as
complementary requirements while the remaining components of a turnkey solution were
each cited by 29% or fewer buyers. Hence, while the complexity and scale of small-cell
deployments favors single-vendor sourcing, desire for control of the build out process
exists with the majority of buyers generating plenty of opportunity for a la carte players.
Three players for the two models
The turnkey and a-la-carte models are both under development by three key supplier
groups – tower/real estate providers, fiber operators (ILECs, CLECs, metro fiber
providers, cable MSOs, etc.) and integrators.
Tower providers include the big tower companies like American Tower, Crown Castle,
SBA and others. The ability of players in this group to complete site selection and
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acquisition positions them well to help operators procure resources in small-cell market
expansion. While this expertise is powerful on its own, some tower operators have gone a
step further by investing in small-cell expertise. Crown Castle is the most visible player
in this regard as its acquisition of NextG provides it with a large base of distributed
antenna system business as well as a fiber footprint in major metro areas. As a result,
Crown Castle can provide a turnkey solution that includes not only sites but also carrier
services such as fiber backhaul.
Fiber operators are all about backhaul. Participants such as AT&T, CenturyLink, Verizon
Communications, Time Warner Cable, Charter, Cox, Comcast, Fiberlight, Fibertech,
Tower Cloud, PEG bandwidth, Zayo and many, many others are leveraging their wireline
network assets to ride the wireless demand tsunami. Other potential roles for these
players in small-cell build outs include providing local market expertise or full, turnkey
solutions to wireless operators.
Building metro fiber networks requires local knowledge (i.e. establishing rights of way,
negotiating commercial building point of entry agreements, etc.). Fiber operators will
leverage this knowledge to provide a broader solution for small-cell deployments to win
deals. The best current example is Zayo, which has established a mobile infrastructure
team, combining a strong base of fiber network with the ability to provide wireless
operators with additional small-cell network requirements. If the turnkey model becomes
a winning requirement, we expect other operators to follow Zayo’s footsteps in
developing robust mobile infrastructure teams and complete offerings.
Integrators such as ExteNet Systems and EdgeConneX lack underlying infrastructure
ownership but deliver the ability to single-source solutions in pieces or as a whole (the
proverbial “A-Z” menu). EdgeConneX, for example, combines deep knowledge of fiber
networks with deep expertise in site acquisition. These operators have considerable
know-how and have successfully built and deployed networks, but their lack of hard asset
ownership places them at a potential pricing disadvantage relative to the infrastructureowning tower operators and fiber providers. However, their vendor-agnostic value
propositions, combined with the real-world pressure they can place on suppliers during
the bidding process, go a long way toward mitigating those deficiencies. Overall,
integrators are fixated on the turnkey opportunity, whereas it’s easier for tower and fiber
players to straddle both models.
Which model wins
Ultimately, the winning business model will vary by operator, region and individual
buyer preference. Look for heavy testing of both sourcing options over the next six
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months. These tests will drive wider scale strategies that will dictate significant network
deployments in 2015, with the winners of the next mobile infrastructure boom beginning
to emerge at that time. For infrastructure players, understanding which geographic
markets hold the most opportunity and how to position existing assets to win business is
key. The next six months will be pivotal in driving the emergence of this ecosystem
trend. Atlantic-ACM will further explore U.S. wireless operator small cell infrastructure
requirements in an upcoming whitepaper that will be released later this quarter.
Aaron Blazar works as a VP for Atlantic-ACM on projects ranging from market sizing
and forecasting to corporate strategy covering both the wireline and wireless telecom
markets. Blazar has a broad perspective on the telecommunications industry and
expertise in market segmentation, market analysis, market entry strategies and statistical
analysis.
2014 Carrier Forecasts - The Good, the Bad & The Ugly
http://www.capacitymagazine.com/Blog/3291832/Capacity-Voice/2014-Carrier-Forecasts-TheGood-the-Bad-and-The-Ugly.html?utm_source=Comcast++TWC+Analysis&utm_campaign=comcast+time+warner&utm_medium=email
Dec 30, 2013
Like all years in our tech-centric industry, 2014 presents both opportunities and challenges for
carriers. Here’s a quick run-down on the Good, the Bad and the Ugly…
Let’s get the Ugly on the table first:
• Total US voice revenues will continue to shrink, driven by the Intercarrier Compensation
Reform Order (ICRO). Note the following ATLANTIC-ACM projections:
o US local wholesale voice revenues will decline from $6.1B in 2013 to $5.4B in 2014
o US long distance wholesale voice revenues will decline from $2.0B in 2013 to $1.6 in 2014
• ICRO implications will drive continued consolidation in the U.S. voice market, eliminating subscale networks that do not serve end users. Look for sub-scale wholesale voice providers such
as Peerless Network, Inteliquent, Impact Telecom, and others without deep end-user bases, to
be rolled up into larger, scaled, third-party voice service providers. These companies are likely
to follow IntelePeer’s sale of their voice peering business to Peerless Systems Corporation.
Now on to the Bad (but with silver linings):
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• The base of regulated T1 special access will decline as carriers and their enterprise
customers shift to Ethernet over everything (fibre, copper, coax). Although revenues for special
access bring more money for less bandwidth, Ethernet growth offers great opportunities for
prepared carriers. ATLANTIC-ACM expects wholesale Ethernet revenues to grow from $3.5B
in 2013 to $4.6B in 2014. While wireless drives $700m of the $900m y/y increase, carrier
spending on Ethernet will continue to grow as migration creeps along. (Fibre-to-the-tower will
play a major role in this growth, but end office connectivity to other facilities will increasingly
play a larger role in connecting facilities.)
• Tower companies emerge as competitors for fibre backhaul business with
testing of small-cell backhaul opportunities. As wireless operators continue to
explore the best paths forward for deploying small cells, tower companies’ roles in the smallcell ecosystem will shift from simply providing sites to developing additional services that
enable cost effective small cell deployments. Look for tower companies to follow the path of
Crown Castle, actively playing more of an all-encompassing role in small-cell deployments.
• MSO competition will ramp up and move well beyond backhaul. MSOs will continue to look
for ways to leverage their existing networks to generate greater revenue. Look for them to
actively sell Ethernet services delivered over fibre and coax into greater numbers of nonwireless operators. (Cablecos also will seek opportunities to leverage their technology
investments in the wholesale arena by selling services like hosted VoIP platforms, IP Transit
and cloud-based DVR platforms.)
• Cable company acquisitions will drive continued fibre market consolidation. Following Time
Warner Cable’s planned acquisition of DukeNet and Cox’s acquisition EasyTEL, look for other
cable companies to follow suit. Cablecos have long pursued clustering strategies in pursuit of
economies of both scope and scale, and in 2014 will pursue fibre companies that enable them
to increase density of their footprints and add greater data centre connectivity. (Meanwhile,
Time Warner Cable is itself being pursued by Charter, Comcast and Cox.)
Finally, the Good stuff:
• Fibre growth will continue, driven by the myriad of new end-user desires. From medical
records and contextual marketing to next-generation analytics, Big Data promises to continue
its march forward, driving increased demand for connectivity between users and users, users
and apps and, amid the API boom, apps and apps. At the same time wireless carriers facing
insatiable demand for wireless data to feed mobile connections for all those services just listed
will drive wireless carriers to seek future-proof builds with scalable fibre. And even small-cell
deployments will rely on fibre.
• Carrier investment in API capabilities will increase, driven by cost cutting and the need to
interface more effectively with wholesale customers. Carriers will move from adding APIs to
their voice platforms over the last two years to opening up APIs for interfacing with their data
services platforms. Look for carrier APIs to enable integrations of ordering, pricing and
provisioning platforms, making it easier for customers to do business with their wholesale
service providers.
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So raise a glass to our changing times, position yourself well, and savour the ride.
Analyst Angle: Small cell – what’s the deal (is it real?)
Posted on 27 November 2013 by Aaron Blazar, VP, Atlantic-ACM
Small cells may be one of the hottest topics in the wireless infrastructure space today, but
their impact has yet to show in the United States and many are beginning to question their
relevancy: Do they really matter, and, will they really play a major role in U.S. wireless
carrier networks and the marketplace? Or will they go the way of Ethernet exchanges,
VoIP peering, microwave backhaul, 40 gigabit wavelengths, WiMAX, and … well, you
get the idea.
With the initial LTE builds of Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility nearing completion,
the next steps in network expansion will revolve around densification. These efforts,
combined with continued capacity expansions, will drive new network requirements,
which is where we find the strongest theoretical case for small-cell expansion. This
expansion period can’t come soon enough for an entire ecosystem of equipment vendors,
tower operators, site acquisition companies, fiber backhaul providers and others, which
have little to show two years into what was billed by some as the era of the small cell. As
with most new network technologies, adoption has been slower than analysts expect,
but expansion needs remain. With business still in the early innings, questions about
small cells should be rooted more in whether or not there are alternatives that are more
economical or if key market impediments exist that need to be overcome in order for a
carrier-deployed, small-cell boom to begin. Let’s dig in further to have a look.
Wireless expansion is a foregone conclusion
At this point, all carriers are talking traffic growth and the need for network expansion to
support this growth. Ericsson recently released a report forecasting seven-fold growth in
North American mobile data traffic between 2013 and 2019. Cisco estimates dovetail
with this estimate, predicting five-fold growth from this year through 2017. Wireless
carriers have established even more aggressive targets for traffic growth, expecting LTE
expansion to drive adoption over the next five years in the same way smartphone
adoption drove usage well past estimates over the previous five. These carriers are
heavily focused on supporting this exploding end-user demand at a high quality of
service, but face restraints on spectrum availability and, therefore, are focused on
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building network density. Since adding cell sites directly improves service and network
capacity, small cells can play a role here, but the extent to which they impact the market
depends on which flavors carrier network expansions come in.
Small cell alternatives
Carrier-deployed small cells (metrocells, microcells, picocells and the like, but not
consumer-deployed femtocells) are not the only game in town when it comes to
bolstering network density. Simply adding more macro cell sites and/or splitting existing
cell cites provides a reliable alternative to small cell deployment, and on earnings calls,
tower companies have been vocal about already immense but also rising opportunities
surrounding these more traditional alternatives. American Tower, for example, recently
indicated that 40% of current contract amendments for business from U.S. operators are
coming from requests for additional co-locations at current sites compared to 30% in the
year prior quarter (the remaining 60% of requests are centered on pricing changes).
Additionally, in specific areas, distributed antenna systems (networks of antennas
connected to hubs) remain viable alternatives as well and have been effective in shopping
malls, sports stadiums and other areas associated with amplified coverage requirements.
Here again recent earnings calls highlight business development opportunities in these
areas, with Crown Castle (which entered the business through its 2011 acquisition of
NextG) and American Tower (which has taken an organic growth approach) reporting
ongoing demand for DAS solutions. In other words, just like macro cells and cell
splitting, DAS solutions offer market-tested alternatives to scaled deployments of small
cell networks.
It’s the economics, stupid
When considering the options outlined above, we must consider the costs of small-cell
deployments, each of which includes the upfront costs of site acquisition, permits and
zoning, construction and network engineering. Recurring costs include all those
associated with macro sites – network maintenance, backhaul, site leasing costs, utility
costs, etc.
While each of the cost elements has its own issues, Atlantic-ACM’s interviews with
ecosystem participants find that the key recurring cost item that remains a stumbling
block in the economics of small cells is backhaul. Wireless operators expect macro site
backhaul characteristics for each small cell but at significantly lower price points. In turn,
in many cases wherein backhaul providers would need a new builds to anticipated small
cell locations, challenges exist with respect to making return on investment targets fit
within expected prices. Thus, without sacrifices on backhaul technology, operators may
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struggle with deployments outside fiber-rich, dense central business districts. In the end
each of these cost components has the potential to jeopardize deployments and we can
easily conjure up scenarios wherein the net costs of additional macro cell deployments
are more favorable than small cell deployments. As a result of this reality, participants in
the small-cell ecosystem are searching for ways to work with operators to generate cost
effective solutions that make the economics work.
The bottom line
Small cells continue to present intriguing technologies with the potential to meet operator
requirements for expanded density (and capacity) and maximize the use of existing
spectrum assets. In the future as small-cell players innovate, driving stronger economic
viability, look for outsourced models wherein ecosystem players provide more than
single-element solutions, perhaps including outsourced servicing and maintenance that
enable carrier to better justify small cell expenditures. For now since the economics of
small cell deployments have yet to be fully defined and workable alternatives exist,
the long-term outlook for small cells also remains not well understood, and whether or
not they are relegated to niche applications or will generate the small-cell boom many
analysts have predicted remains to be seen.
Aaron Blazar works as a VP for Atlantic-ACM on projects ranging from market sizing and forecasting
to corporate strategy covering both the wireline and wireless telecom markets. Blazar has a broad
perspective on the telecommunications industry and expertise in market segmentation, market analysis,
market entry strategies and statistical analysis.
Towerstream to Participate in WBA's Next Generation
Hotspot Live Roaming Experience at Wi-Fi Global
Congress in Beijing, China
Demonstration to Feature Live Next Generation Hotspot Compliant
Networks
MIDDLETOWN, R.I., Nov 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX) -Towerstream Corporation , a leading 4G and Small Cell Rooftop Tower company,
announced they will be using their existing network to support the WBA in an upcoming
Wi-Fi live roaming experience to demonstrate the Wireless Broadband Alliance's (WBA)
Page 14 of 59
Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) initiative at the Wi-Fi Global Congress in Beijing,
China November 18 through the 21.
The WBA will offer an exclusive look at Next Generation Hotspots. The Wi-Fi live
roaming experience will be a collaborative experience from companies such as China
Mobile, Cisco, Aicent and Towerstream Corp.
For the demonstration, a select number of mobile phones will seamlessly roam between
cellular and Wi-Fi networks using the existing Towerstream NGH platform located in the
U.S. The phones will automatically recognize and pass through the connection to the
Towerstream Wi-Fi network in the U.S. thus taking the phones off of the current cellular
network and onto Towerstream's Wi-Fi network.
"This demonstration gets straight to the point of everything we have been working to
build the last several years," said Jeff Thompson, Towerstream CEO. "With the explosion
of mobile data traffic continuing to create significant performance issues, thanks to the
WBA's NGH process, we are now able to offer offload options across any of our
networks to carriers located anywhere in the world."
Arthur Giftakis, VP of Engineering and Operations at Towerstream added, "Towerstream
is excited about showcasing its NGH compliant network fully capable of supporting
carrier Wi-Fi at the Wi-Fi Mobile Congress. The demonstration offers a live example of
seamless roaming between a cellular and Wi-Fi network transparent to the end user. It is
our pleasure to participate."
For more information on the event, please visit - http://www.wifiglobalcongress.com
About Towerstream Corporation
Towerstream is a leading 4G and Small Cell Rooftop Tower company. The company
owns, operates, and leases Wi-Fi and Small Cell rooftop tower locations to cellular phone
operators, tower, Internet and cable companies and hosts a variety of customers on its
network. Towerstream was originally founded in 2000 to deliver fixed-wireless highspeed Internet access to businesses and to date offers broadband services in over 13 urban
markets including New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, the San
Francisco Bay area, Miami, Seattle, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Nashville, Las VegasReno, and the greater Providence area. For more information on Towerstream services,
please visit www.towerstream.com and/or follow us @Towerstream.
Page 15 of 59
The Towerstream Corporation logo is available at:
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6570
About HetNets Tower Corporation
HetNets Tower Corporation ("HetNets") was formed in January 2013 as a wholly owned
subsidiary of Towerstream Corporation and offers a neutral host, shared wireless
infrastructure solution, either independently or as a turnkey service. Its wireless
communications infrastructure is available to wireless carriers, cable and Internet
companies in major urban markets where the explosion in mobile data is creating
significant demand for additional capacity and coverage. HetNets offers a carrier-class
Wi-Fi network for Internet access and the offloading of mobile data. Its street level
rooftop locations are ideal for the installation of customer owned small cells including
DAS, Metro and Pico cells. Other solutions provided by HetNets include backhaul,
power, and related small cell requirements. More information is available at
http://www.hetnets.com .
NGH Experience
First ever live deployment of a next generation Wi-Fi network at an
international conference
Making NGH networks and hotspots a commercial reality is one of the key market objectives of the
WBA in 2013. Therefore the Wireless Broadband Alliance is launching its first-ever live NGH
Experience during the Wi-Fi Global Congress (WGC) in Beijing this November (18th-21st) with
partners China Mobile as host operator and Cisco as the network infrastructure provider. This will
be the first ever live deployment of a next generation Wi-Fi network at an international conference,
offering attendees a real-life experience of seamlessly and automatically connecting to the venue Wi-Fi.
The NGH Experience will consist out of a extensive NGH network in the venue that can be used to
demonstrate different innovative services (e.g. location base services), as will also demonstrate the full
scale of NGH and roaming capabilities on Passpoint certified devices. Usage of the network is also
open to the vendor community, to demonstrate their devices, applications and services during the
event.
http://www.wifiglobalcongress.com/page.cfm/Link=68/t=m/goSection=1_47
Crown Castle CEO: Sprint, Verizon LTE overlays will pump up
tower activity
October 31, 2013 | By Phil Goldstein
Page 16 of 59
By the middle of next year most Tier 1 carriers' macro LTE buildouts are expected to be largely completed. Some
carriers, such as AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), have indicated that the next phase of network evolution, to LTE
Advanced, will be largely the result of software upgrades to existing network equipment. However, in an interview
with FierceWireless, Crown Castle CEO Ben Moreland contended that despite that trend, there will still be a lot of
cell site activity and amendments in the next few years.
He pointed to Sprint (NYSE:S), which has indicated it plans to build out TD-LTE service using its 2.5 GHz
spectrum to 100 million POPs by the end of 2014 on top of its existing 1.9 GHz LTE network and planned 800
MHz LTE service.
Sprint announced it will brand its forthcoming tri-mode LTE service as "Sprint Spark," and said it will bring the
service to the top 100 U.S. markets during the next three years with speeds capable of reaching 50-60 Mbps and
perhaps faster. The first markets with limited availability of Sprint Spark will be Chicago, Los Angeles, New York,
Miami and Tampa.
Sprint plans to have 5,000 2.5 GHz TD-LTE sites on air by the end of 2013, a goal in line with Clearwire's
previous buildout plans. Today Sprint counts a total of 55,000 macro cell sites, a level Sprint expects staying at for
the next few years. Sprint's current plan for Network Vision is to modernize 38,000 cell sites with multi-mode base
stations.
"Sprint hasn't done a lot of sites in the last six years," Moreland said. "As they build a very robust product with
Network Vision and add capacity with the 2.5 GHz spectrum, I would expect that they're going to need to come
back and add sites."
That contention fits with both comments from analysts and Crown Castle's competitors. SBA Communications
CEO Jeffrey Stoops told FierceWireless in October that SBA will look to get a piece of Sprint's planned nationwide
deployment of 2.5 GHz spectrum for TD-LTE services. "We're clearly interested," he said. "That's our business
and we expect to get at least our fair share."
"We expect that Sprint will repurpose the Clearwire tower sites and add an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 cell tower
sites, which will generate increased leasing revenue that the carrier pays to the tower companies," Gregory
Fraser, a Moody's Investors Service analyst, wrote in August. "These new tower sites will replace the 16,500
Clearwire sites scheduled to be decommissioned and will therefore eliminate the risk that lost rent from those
towers would not be replaced with new rental revenue."
New Street Research analyst Jonathan Chaplin predicted over the summer that Sprint's total cell site count would
increase to somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 sites, more than offsetting disconnects of old Clearwire sites.
Sprint's confirmation of maintaining a cell site count of 55,000 in the years ahead seems to confirm that.
It's not just Sprint that will have new cell site activity, according to Moreland. Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), for
instance, has said it will not commercially deploy Voice over LTE until its LTE network can produce the same
voice quality as its 3G CDMA network. Verizon plans to launch VoLTE in the first half of 2014. Moreland said
getting to that level of quality will require additional LTE cell sites. Further, Verizon is expanding its LTE network
from its 700 MHz spectrum to its AWS spectrum, with 5,000 sites planned for the end of this year, which could
generate additional tower activity.
Moody's also said that once AT&T acquires Leap Wireless (NASDAQ:LEAP), it "may take similar steps to those of
Sprint," which will likewise benefit independent tower firms. AT&T is expected to further its LTE deployment by
Page 17 of 59
taking advantage of Leap's underutilized spectrum on roughly 15,000 to 20,000 sites, including the 9,700 leased
sites AT&T will gain through buying the regional carrier.
Moreland said all of this activity will vindicate the company's strategy over the last two years of aggressively
acquiring U.S. assets. In September 2012, T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) agreed to sell the rights to 7,200 of its
towers to Crown Castle for $2.4 billion. In the T-Mobile deal, Crown noted that 83 percent of the towers were
located in the top 100 U.S. markets and 72 percent were located in the top 50 markets.
In October, AT&T agreed to sell and lease 9,700 of its cell towers to Crown Castle in a $4.85 billion deal. Crown
said that the towers are mostly in urban areas, with nearly 50 percent of sites in the top 50 U.S. markets.
Also, in December 2011, Crown agreed to pay $1 billion to acquire distributed antennas systems (DAS) provider
NextG Networks, which has given the tower company a leg up in small cells.
Moreland acknowledged that the T-Mobile portfolio has more towers in the top urban markets than the AT&T
portfolio, but he said that, ultimately, as carriers continue to densify their networks that distinction would not be
material. Taken together, he said, the nearly 17,000 towers are younger than Crown's legacy towers and have, on
average 1.5 to 1.75 tenants per site, leaving a lot of room for growth.
"All of it basically goes to our original strategic moves we've made over the last 18 months, which is to spend $9
billion on U.S. assets which we think are extremely well positioned to handle this path of growth from LTE,"
Moreland said.
Related Articles:
Sprint Spark to combine LTE in 800 MHz, 1.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz, will offer 50-60 Mbps peak speeds
Sprint to cover 100M POPs with 2.5 GHz LTE by end of 2014
AT&T sells and leases towers to Crown Castle in $4.85B deal
SBA: Tower consolidation will come via sales from carriers
Moody's: Sprint, AT&T LTE rollouts will boost tower companies
Analyst: Sprint's nationwide 2.5 GHz LTE network could be boon for tower companies
Read more: Crown Castle CEO: Sprint, Verizon LTE overlays will pump up tower activity - FierceWireless
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/crown-castle-ceo-sprint-verizon-lte-overlays-will-pump-tower-activity/2013-1031#ixzz2jhrJsQWM
Sprint Demonstrates 1 Gigabit Over-the-Air Speed at Silicon Valley
Lab
Sprint Spark Currently Delivers 50-60 Megabit Per Second Peak Speeds
Page 18 of 59
Sprint poised to deliver the industry’s fastest wireless network speeds to
approximately 100 of America’s largest cities
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (BUSINESS WIRE), October 30, 2013 - Sprint (NYSE:S)
demonstrated live today 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) over-the-air speed at its lab near Silicon
Valley, Calif. This was the highlight of a day that showcased the innovation and what’s
possible on the Sprint network as the company unveiled technology with the potential to
surpass wireless speeds of any U.S. network provider.
Named Sprint Spark, the super-high-speed capability demonstrates 50-60 Megabits per
second (Mbps) peak speeds today with increasing speed potential over time. Given Sprint’s
spectrum and technology assets, it is technically feasible to deliver more than 2Gbps per
sector of over-the-air speed.
“Sprint Spark is a combination of advanced capabilities, like 1x, 2x and 3x carrier aggregation
for speed, 8T8R for coverage, MIMO for capacity, TDD for spectral efficiency, together with the
most advanced devices offering both tri-band capability and high-definition voice for the best
possible customer experience,” said Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint.
Sprint plans to deploy Sprint Spark in about 100 of America’s largest cities during the next
three years, with initial availability in five markets today. Sprint 4G LTE service will be available
by mid-2014 to approximately 250 million Americans, and Sprint expects 100 million
Americans will have Sprint Spark or 2.5GHz coverage by the end of 2014. The first markets
with limited availability are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. The first
smartphones with Sprint Spark capability are scheduled for customer availability in early
November.
How Sprint Spark works
Sprint Spark combines 4G FDD1-LTE at 800 Megahertz (MHz) and 1.9 Gigahertz (GHz) and
TDD1-LTE at 2.5GHz spectrum, TDD-LTE technology (2.5GHz), and carrier aggregation in the
2.5GHz band. These spectrum assets, technology and architecture are designed to deliver a
seamless customer experience via tri-band wireless devices. Tri-band devices, named for their
ability to accommodate multiple spectrum bands, support active hand-off mode between
800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz, providing data session continuity as the device moves between
spectrum bands.
Sprint Spark components
Sprint is building the Sprint Spark capability using a unique combination of spectrum capacity
and network technologies. Today the company has approximately 55,000 macro cell sites; a
level Sprint expects staying at for the next few years. The company also anticipates using
small cells to augment capacity, coverage and speed. Small cell deployment is expected to
begin in 2014, continuing into 2015 and beyond.
Radio heads
Page 19 of 59
A key ingredient enabling Sprint Spark is equipment compatibility with the architecture of the
Sprint initiative known as Network Vision. Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Solutions and Networks and
Samsung have been selected to provide 2.5GHz radio heads and to enable Sprint Spark. Each
company will service approximately one-third of Sprint’s deployment markets. These 2.5GHz
radios are expected to have capabilities for 8 Transmitters 8 Receivers (8T8R), which will be a
first deployment of its kind in North America. These radios will be capable of improved
coverage, capacity and speeds when compared to the more traditional 2T2R or 4T4R radios
used by our competitors.
Devices
Sprint Spark comes to life for customers via their devices. Building on Network Vision’s
multimode capability, Sprint Spark is designed to accommodate all of Sprint’s spectrum bands
on a single device. These tri-band smartphones are designed to give users the best
experience by transparently shifting from one band to another, depending on such factors as
location or type of application.
The first tri-band devices will be available to customers in the next few weeks and offered by
HTC, LG and Samsung. For more information on devices, specifications and pricing, see
Sprint.com/newsroom.
How it will be used
Sprint Spark provides the capacity to greatly improve the performance of video and other
bandwidth-intensive applications while opening the way for futuristic applications. Today,
wireless networks and smartphones can book flights, locate children, store photos and music,
video chat and much more. Sprint Spark supports a new generation of online gaming, virtual
reality, advanced cloud services and other applications requiring very high bandwidth. (See
how applications like these could shape future lifestyles – “Vision of Connected Mobile
Lifestyle.”)
Sprint’s new 4G LTE network is a key component of its Network Vision program. Sprint 4G
LTE now covers 230 markets across the nation and is on track to serve 200 million people by
the end of this year and 250 million people by mid-2014. While both LTE technologies bring
significant enhancements in network speed, the 2.5GHz spectrum is crucial to the exceptional
capacity, speed and flexibility expected with Sprint Spark.
Also through Network Vision, Sprint is upgrading its 3G services with all-new equipment to
bring users improved coverage, better signal strength, fewer dropped calls and improved voice
quality. The Network Vision 3G capability includes High Definition Voice to make HD calls
Sprint’s new standard for voice quality. HD Voice is a next-generation technology for mobile
phones where background noise is virtually eliminated and sound quality is dramatically
enhanced. Sprint’s HD Voice offering reaches approximately 85 million people across the
Sprint network today, and the company expects 250 million to have access to HD Voice
capability by mid-2014. Sprint expects 12 million HD Voice devices in the customer base by
the end of 2013, growing to 20 million by the end of 2014.
Page 20 of 59
In addition to demonstrating the 1Gbps speeds via over-the-air wireless, Sprint has also
extended its leadership in wireline speeds by commercially deploying one of the longest
100Gbps circuits in the United States. That live transmission required no signal regeneration
over a distance of 2,100 km, or 1,304 miles.
For more information about Sprint Spark, visit Sprint.com/faster. There you’ll find videos and
other useful information on how Sprint Spark brings to life a new wave of applications and
innovations.
About Sprint
Sprint (NYSE:S) offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications
services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users.
Sprint served more than 54 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2013 and is
widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including
the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industryleading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost
Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities;
and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint
as the most improved company in customer satisfaction, across all 47 industries, during the
last five years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or
www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
Sprint unveils Spark, its ultra-fast 1Gb wireless service
Spark, which will start at 50 to 60 mbps and move to 1 Gbps, arrives in five
markets to select Sprint phones, including LG G2 and HTC One Max.
by Roger Cheng
October 30, 2013 10:07 AM PDT
Sprint wants to get back into the network speed discussion badly.
The company on Wednesday unveiled Sprint Spark, its brand for the ultra-fast LTE service that
eventually will offer a wireless connection capable of delivering data at a blazing 1Gbps. But initially,
Spark will be able to deliver peak speeds of 50 to 60Mbps.
Sprint, which has fallen behind in its deployment of a faster 4G LTE network, is in desperate need of
catching up with the competition. Sprint has been hampered by the shutdown of its Nextel network and
complications with business deals, including the acquisition of former partner Clearwire and a takeover
Page 21 of 59
by Japanese carrier SoftBank. The company lags behind at a time when consumers are focusing more on
the speed of their service.
Sprint earlier reported a return to profit in the third quarter, even as it lost 313,000 net customers,
including a troubling loss of 360,000 contract customers. Its loss comes at a time when T-Mobile has
thrown out promotion after promotion in an aggressive bid to win back customers, as Verizon Wireless
and AT&T busily lock up their most valuable subscribers.
Spark is part of Sprint's bid for comeback, but it's more promise than a full-fledged service. CEO Dan
Hesse demonstrated the network's ability to deliver a peak 1Gbps connection at the company's lab in
Burlingame, Calif. The service, however, won't be able to deliver that kind of speed anytime soon.
Spark is available today in five markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Tampa and Miami, Fla.
Sprint also unveiled a new set of phones compatible with Spark: the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy
Mega, and LG G2 -- all of which launch on November 8. The Spark-compatible HTC One Max will be
available "soon," the carrier says.
Spark is able to deliver higher LTE speeds because it juggles three spectrum bands, entailing Sprint's
spectrum, spectrum from its now defunct Nextel network, and spectrum taken from its acquisition of
Clearwire. Because the three swaths of spectrum run at different frequencies, it was seen as a potential
mess for Sprint. But the company's Network Vision upgrade plan allows its infrastructure to handle all
three bands. The four new phones will be the first wave of tri-band-compatible devices.
The Galaxy S4 Mini and Galaxy Mega will get a software update for tri-band compatibility shortly
after launch, while the G2 will get its software update early next year.
The company said the new phones -- once updated -- would be able to get peak speeds of 50 to
60Mbps on a limited basis in those markets. However, given that this is the theoretical peak, the
connection speed will likely be significantly slower. Still, it would be much faster than the standard
speed of around 10Mbps that customers would see on rival LTE networks.
Sprint said the network could increase the speed over time and that it is technically possible to deliver a
peak speed of 2Gbps over the air.
The company plans to deploy Spark in 100 of the nation's largest cities over the next three years. It
already said it expects to cover 200 million people by the end of the year. Sprint has bumped its estimate
to 250 million people by the end of 2014.
During a conference call earlier today, Hesse hinted at an announcement that would tie in with its
unlimited-for-life offering. The "for life" part could be significant for customers who hang on to get
Spark. Because for many people, it will be a long wait.
Page 22 of 59
Sprint Spark Currently Delivers 50-60 Megabit Per Second Peak
Speeds
Sprint poised to deliver the industry's fastest wireless network speeds to
approximately 100 of America's largest cities
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--October 30, 2013-Sprint (NYSE:S) demonstrated live today 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps) over-the-air speed at its lab near
Silicon Valley, Calif. This was the highlight of a day that showcased the innovation and what's possible
on the Sprint network as the company unveiled technology with the potential to surpass wireless speeds
of any U.S. network provider.
Named Sprint Spark, the super-high-speed capability demonstrates 50-60 Megabits per second (Mbps)
peak speeds today with increasing speed potential over time. Given Sprint's spectrum and technology
assets, it is technically feasible to deliver more than 2Gbps per sector of over-the-air speed.
"Sprint Spark is a combination of advanced capabilities, like 1x, 2x and 3x carrier aggregation for speed,
8T8R for coverage, MIMO for capacity, TDD for spectral efficiency, together with the most advanced
devices offering both tri-band capability and high-definition voice for the best possible customer
experience," said Dan Hesse, CEO of Sprint.
Sprint plans to deploy Sprint Spark in about 100 of America's largest cities during the next three years,
with initial availability in five markets today. Sprint 4G LTE service will be available by mid-2014 to
approximately 250 million Americans, and Sprint expects 100 million Americans will have Sprint Spark
or 2.5GHz coverage by the end of 2014. The first markets with limited availability are New York, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Tampa and Miami. The first smartphones with Sprint Spark capability are scheduled
for customer availability in early November.
How Sprint Spark works
Sprint Spark combines 4G FDD(1) -LTE at 800 Megahertz (MHz) and 1.9 Gigahertz (GHz) and TDD(1)
-LTE at 2.5GHz spectrum, TDD-LTE technology (2.5GHz), and carrier aggregation in the 2.5GHz
band. These spectrum assets, technology and architecture are designed to deliver a seamless customer
experience via tri-band wireless devices. Tri-band devices, named for their ability to accommodate
multiple spectrum bands, support active hand-off mode between 800MHz, 1.9GHz and 2.5GHz,
providing data session continuity as the device moves between spectrum bands.
Sprint Spark components
Sprint is building the Sprint Spark capability using a unique combination of spectrum capacity and
network technologies. Today the company has approximately 55,000 macro cell sites; a level Sprint
expects staying at for the next few years. The company also anticipates using small cells to augment
capacity, coverage and speed. Small cell deployment is expected to begin in 2014, continuing into
2015 and beyond.
Page 23 of 59
Radio heads
A key ingredient enabling Sprint Spark is equipment compatibility with the architecture of the Sprint
initiative known as Network Vision. Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Solutions and Networks and Samsung have
been selected to provide 2.5GHz radio heads and to enable Sprint Spark. Each company will service
approximately one-third of Sprint's deployment markets. These 2.5GHz radios are expected to have
capabilities for 8 Transmitters 8 Receivers (8T8R), which will be a first deployment of its kind in North
America. These radios will be capable of improved coverage, capacity and speeds when compared to the
more traditional 2T2R or 4T4R radios used by our competitors.
Devices
Sprint Spark comes to life for customers via their devices. Building on Network Vision's multimode
capability, Sprint Spark is designed to accommodate all of Sprint's spectrum bands on a single device.
These tri-band smartphones are designed to give users the best experience by transparently shifting from
one band to another, depending on such factors as location or type of application.
The first tri-band devices will be available to customers in the next few weeks and offered by HTC, LG
and Samsung. For more information on devices, specifications and pricing, see Sprint.com/newsroom.
How it will be used
Sprint Spark provides the capacity to greatly improve the performance of video and other bandwidthintensive applications while opening the way for futuristic applications. Today, wireless networks and
smartphones can book flights, locate children, store photos and music, video chat and much more. Sprint
Spark supports a new generation of online gaming, virtual reality, advanced cloud services and other
applications requiring very high bandwidth. (See how applications like these could shape future
lifestyles -- "Vision of Connected Mobile Lifestyle.")
Sprint's new 4G LTE network is a key component of its Network Vision program. Sprint 4G LTE now
covers 230 markets across the nation and is on track to serve 200 million people by the end of this year
and 250 million people by mid-2014. While both LTE technologies bring significant enhancements in
network speed, the 2.5GHz spectrum is crucial to the exceptional capacity, speed and flexibility
expected with Sprint Spark.
Also through Network Vision, Sprint is upgrading its 3G services with all-new equipment to bring users
improved coverage, better signal strength, fewer dropped calls and improved voice quality. The Network
Vision 3G capability includes High Definition Voice to make HD calls Sprint's new standard for voice
quality. HD Voice is a next-generation technology for mobile phones where background noise is
virtually eliminated and sound quality is dramatically enhanced. Sprint's HD Voice offering reaches
approximately 85 million people across the Sprint network today, and the company expects 250 million
to have access to HD Voice capability by mid-2014. Sprint expects 12 million HD Voice devices in the
customer base by the end of 2013, growing to 20 million by the end of 2014.
In addition to demonstrating the 1Gbps speeds via over-the-air wireless, Sprint has also extended its
leadership in wireline speeds by commercially deploying one of the longest 100Gbps circuits in the
Page 24 of 59
United States. That live transmission required no signal regeneration over a distance of 2,100 km, or
1,304 miles.
What’s igniting Spark? A look inside Sprint’s super-LTE
network
By Kevin Fitchard
2 hours ago Oct. 30, 2013 - 5:28 PM PDT
http://gigaom.com/2013/10/30/whats-igniting-spark-a-look-inside-sprints-super-lte-network/
Summary:
Sprint has finally tapped into the spectrum treasure trove that has sat dormant for so long in Clearwire.
It’s new LTE network is fast, but more importantly it has enormous amounts of pent-up capacity.
Sprint didn’t just launch a new 4G service today when it announced Spark, it also launched two new
LTE networks, one of which has been many years in the making and should give Sprint’s nationwide
competitors cause for concern.
That network is the 2.5 GHz time-division LTE (TD-LTE) deployment started by Clearwire back in
2011. It uses a funky of version of LTE that no other carrier in the U.S. utilizes, and it runs on a
spectrum band most radio network engineers consider atrocious for widespread and indoor coverage.
But it more than makes up for those faults in sheer quantity of frequencies it uses.
Sprint has more than 100 MHz of 2.5GHz in most cities, and while its not using all of the bandwidth for
LTE today, it’s strung enough of those frequencies together to produce a system averaging 50 Mbps to
60 Mbps on the downlink — at least according to Sprint’s marketing materials. To put that in
perspective, the other two plain-old LTE networks making up Spark use 10 MHz each and have
theoretical ceilings of 37 Mbps.
Sprint is also balancing out coverage and capacity, using its LTE networks at 1900 MHz and 800 MHz
(which occupies Nextel’s former spectrum) for coverage, while packing the weaker TD-LTE cells into
dense urban areas where capacity is most needed.
A new speed king?
Several U.S. LTE networks today are capable of breeching the 50 Mbps mark, though most of them are
averaging 10 Mbps to 20 Mbps. If Sprint can really deliver average throughput of 50 Mbps it will most
certainly take the speed crown away from AT&T. As of now, though, Spark’s full capabilities are only
in five cities — New York, Los Angeles, Tampa, Miami and Chicago — and its footprint in those cities
is limited at that. It appears it will grow slowly as well, covering 100 million people by the end of 2014.
Page 25 of 59
And Sprint will soon face a challenger in Verizon Wireless, which is set to launch a new LTE network
of its own using 40 MHz of spectrum in many cities. Early sightings of that new network in New York
City are showing speeds of 80 Mbps, but once launched commercially it may actually be much faster.
But Sprint has a lot of bandwidth to work with. In lab tests, Sprint demoed today an LTE link of 1 Gbps,
speeds it said it could eventually boost to 2 Gbps. It’s accomplishing this not only by patching together
all of its available spectrum, but also using new LTE-Advanced techniques like carrier aggregation and
multiple pairs of antennas. It’s unlikely that any user in the real world would ever see a 1-2 Gbps mobile
connection, but there’s a lot more to this demo than mere bragging rights.
Those kinds of lab connection speeds speak to the enormous pent-up capacity in Sprint’s airwaves. As
I’ve written before, Sprint has long talked about building the mother of all 4G networks, but it’s never
delivered. Now it seems as if it’s ready to make good on its promises.
Nokia asserts itself
Sprint’s TD-LTE networks were built by Samsung, Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia. While Samsung and
Alcatel aren’t surprises given their work on Sprint’s other CDMA and LTE systems, Nokia is a shocker.
It actually started work on Sprint and Clearwire’s original WiMAX networks — the predecessors to
today’s TD-LTE systems — before getting kicked off the contract for failing to deliver its equipment on
time.
This is a big deal for Nokia. Though a global powerhouse in LTE, it’s big weak spot has always been the
U.S. Before the Sprint deal, it’s only LTE contract of note was with T-Mobile. Nokia has long talked up
its TD-LTE technology, implying it could use the new LTE variant to outmatch its archrival Ericsson. It
appears that was more than just talk. Ericsson has won a piece of every major LTE contract in the U.S.
except this one, even though it’s currently Sprint’s largest equipment vendor.
Sprint adds 45 LTE markets, puts pressure on T-Mobile
The company now offers LTE service in 230 markets around the US, just off the
pace of T-Mobile's 233 markets.
by Don Reisinger
October 29, 2013
Sprint launched a major expansion of its 4G LTE coverage, the wireless carrier announced Tuesday.
Sprint rolled out it's high-speed service in 45 new markets, bringing its total coverage to 230 markets.
Sprint's rollout included parts of Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island, which finally brings its 4G
LTE coverage to all five boroughs of New York. Other areas to see LTE access turned on include
Abilene, Texas, Naples, Fla., and Red Bluff, Calif.
Page 26 of 59
Sprint has been slow to expand its 4G LTE coverage as it works to overhaul its wireless network. With
Tuesday's expansion, the carrier comes a long way in the ongoing race for LTE coverage around the US.
"Today's announcement means that we are continuing our nationwide network enhancements, tower by
tower, to provide even more Sprint customers the speed and power of Sprint 4G LTE," said Bob Azzi,
Sprint's senior vice president of network, in a statement.
Sprint is still slightly behind T-Mobile, however, which announced earlier this month that it's now
covering 233 markets. Verizon, the country's leader in LTE availability, has over 500 markets. AT&T
boasts that its network is the fastest and most reliable.
Here's a list of all of the new Sprint LTE markets.
Watch out AT&T: Verizon’s new LTE network
monster stirs in NYC
By Kevin Fitchard
Oct. 14, 2013 - 5:16 PM PDT Oct. 14, 2013 - 5:16 PM PDT
http://gigaom.com/2013/10/14/watch-out-att-verizons-new-lte-network-monster-stirs-in-nyc/
14 Comments
photo: Milan Milanovic
Summary:
Verizon’s double-wide LTE network has made its first appearance in New York — spotted by a
GigaOM reader. Clocking in at 80 Mbps, the network is already speedy, but it likely will be even faster
when it officially launches.
tweet this
Page 27 of 59
photo: Milan Milanovic
AT&T’s LTE service has been beating Verizon’s 4G network soundly in performance tests — as any
Ma Bell marketing exec will tell you if given half a chance — but the days are numbered in which
AT&T can claim the title of country’s fastest network. Since the past spring Verizon Wireless has been
planning a new LTE rollout that would put AT&T or any other U.S. carrier’s network speeds to shame.
And that network has quietly popped up in New York City.
GigaOM reader and mobile network tracker Milan Milanovic spotted Verizon’s awakening beast in
multiple locations in Midtown Manhattan. Milanovic happens to be the type of guy who carries around a
handheld spectrum analyzer — and I love him for it — which shows the new LTE signals in the 2.1
GHz Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) band. But you don’t have to own special hardware to see the
network in action. The new LTE signals are registering on smartphones that support 4G in that band,
such as those working on T-Mobile’s networks, and Milanovic was able to force his Verizon iPhone 5s
to connect to it.
Page 28 of 59
The results, according to Ookla’s Speedtest app, were download connection speeds of 80 Mbps and
uplink speeds of 15 Mbps. Verizon is able to achieve this by doubling up on frequencies. It’s deploying
its new LTE systems in many markets on a full 40 MHz of spectrum, making the new network twice as
powerful as any currently in the U.S. Verizon was able to piece together such a large piece of spectral
real estate by buying up all of the cable operators 4G licenses last year.
While 80 Mbps may seem impressive, keep in mind this is a trial network with no commercial users —
real-world speeds will be slower once the network is loaded. In fact, it’s actually quite surprising that the
Milanovic didn’t clock much faster data rates. A 40-MHz LTE network theoretically supports 150 Mbps
on the download, and while hitting that theoretical ceiling is impossible, a single connection on an
unloaded network should be getting close to that mark.
Milanovic hypothesized that either Verizon is artificially restricting data rates or that the fiber backhaul
connecting the cell site to its network core isn’t yet powerful enough to support these boosted speeds.
Both explanations are plausible. Milanovic said he has gotten reports of similar network sightings
from other testers in Chicago and Los Angeles, though I wasn’t able to confirm those reports. I
reached out to Verizon to ask about the network trials, but I’m still waiting to hear back.
Regardless, when this new network comes online, Verizon will have a powerful weapon to combat
AT&T in the 4G wars. AT&T’s current LTE network is averaging 16.7 Mbps, according to PCMag’s
most recent tests, and has a theoretical ceiling of 75 Mbps. AT&T, unlike Verizon, doesn’t have the
spectrum necessary to build a fatter pipe, at least not in the near term. Once Verizon takes this network
live — and hopefully drops its capacity restrictions — we’ll almost certainly be crowning a new 4G
speed king.
Verizon's rumored demands may help explain small cell
slowdown
By Tammy Parker
Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) wants to deploy small cells but only if they are inexpensive, according to
a recent rumor. If true, that could help explain why the wireless industry's expected small cell ramp-up
has not yet happened and, in fact, keeps being pushed out.
David Howson, president of sales and customer management at fiber backhaul provider Zayo Group
commented during last week's Ethernet and SDN Expo that the female CTO of a major U.S. wireless
operator told him her company is on the hunt for cheap small cells. His comment was reported by Light
Reading, which deduced that the operator must be Verizon Wireless as its Nicola Palmer is the only
female CTO at a Tier 1 U.S. operator.
Alternatively, Howson might have been referring to AT&T's Kris Rinne, senior vice president network
Page 29 of 59
and product planning at AT&T (NYSE:T) , but his use of the term "CTO" sent speculation back toward
Verizon. For its part, Verizon neither confirmed nor denied Howson's comments, with a spokesperson
telling Light Reading that the operator "is not in a position to comment about elements of our business
strategy which have not been publicly announced."
Palmer said in February that Verizon would deploy 200 LTE small cells this year. In May, the operator
tapped Alcatel-Lucent (NASDAQ: ALU) and Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) to supply its LTE small cells.
Jay Brown, CFO of tower company Crown Castle International, highlighted the issue of cost when it
comes to small cell deployments in comments last month. Speaking at an investor conference, he stated
that small cells are "incredibly expensive to do" based upon the total cost of deployment and said
operators will only turn to small cells in locations where macro sites cannot fulfill their needs.
Given that most wireless providers are still testing and piloting small cells, Howson predicted small
projects will be tested and deployed in 2014 in preparation for more mainstream deployments in 2015.
That timeline is about a year later than many have been expecting, and likely reflects not just the cost
but the complexity of integrating small cells into existing wireless networks.
"The large service providers remain committed to their small cell deployment plans, but the pace of
deployment is much slower than expected due to a sad reality: Small cell and macrocell rollouts share
nothing in common," said Stephane Teral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier
economics at Infonetics Research.
According to Teral, because there is no "cookie-cutter template" for small cell deployments, operators
are wrestling with new internal business processes that can accommodate the diminutive base stations,
taking into consideration issues such as footfall, building dimensions, backhaul availability, and wireless
technology.
Infonetics forecasts the global small cell market to grow at a 48 percent compound annual growth rate
(CAGR) from 2012 to 2017, to $2.4 billion
Verizon and rival AT&T will likely take the lead in rolling out small cells in the United States. In a
recent interview John Donovan, AT&T senior executive vice president of technology and network
operations, addressed AT&T's aggressive push to deploy 40,000 more small cells by the end of 2015
under its Project Velocity IP (VIP). He said AT&T initially tries to fill coverage gaps by optimizing
existing macro cell sites. If that option fails, the operator will deploy small cells as suitable.
For more:
- see this Light Reading article
- see this Infonetics release
Related articles:
Small cell, DAS deployments could speed up under new FCC rules
Ericsson goes after enterprise, DAS market with Dot
AT&T's VoLTE efforts still in the lab
Crown Castle: Need for more network capex, tower space is not going away
Page 30 of 59
Verizon taps Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson for LTE small cells
AT&T will use small cells to strengthen VoLTE coverage
AT&T's Rinne: Small cells, SON and VoLTE coming in 2012, 2013
Verizon prowling for LTE roaming partners, to deploy 200 LTE small cells in 2013
Read more about: small cells
ThinkSmallCell Interview with Arthur Giftakis, Towerstream
The following article was published on Wednesday,
25 September 2013 17:00 www.thinksmallcell.com
http://blog.towerstream.com/2013/10/16/thinksmallcell-interview-with-arthur-giftakis-towerstream/
Written by David Chambers
We’ve heard a lot about Small Cell hosting services in Europe but not that much in other countries.
Towerstream has been quietly building up a portfolio of suitable sites for urban outdoor metrocells
across the US, and we spoke to Arthur Giftakis, VP Engineering and Operations, to learn how that
came about.
His view contrasts with the street level/lightpole only deployments promoted in other countries, serves
outdoor rather than indoors, and suggests wholesale Wi-Fi expanding to multi-operator cellular small
cells may be the long term solution.
Towerstream’s Background
This US listed company (TWER:NASDAQ) was founded 10 years ago to offer fixed wireless access
and has grown to serve 16 markets across the US, mostly by organic growth but also through a few
acquisitions (e.g. firesales of struggling small local fixed wireless (operators). They’ve built a
comprehensive wireless IP backbone which delivers anything from 1Mbps to 1Gbps for business
customers, with double digit quarterly revenue growth.
They recently formed a new subsidiary company, HetNets Tower Corporation, which is similar to a
tower rental business and leases space for Wi-Fi and Small Cells in urban outdoor rooftop locations.
Moving into Wholesale Wi-Fi for data offload
“As the iPhone and other smartphone traffic took off and cellular operator networks started to become
capacity constrained, we looked at offering a data offload solution to alleviate their capacity issues.
After trials, we settled on Ruckus Wireless as our Wi-Fi access point partner and have become a
premier customer. We deployed over 200 public Wi-Fi access points across Manhattan first, and
marketed the service to cellular carriers, MSOs and internet companies.
Page 31 of 59
“We soon found we had a crazy number of data sessions and traffic flow, and realised this was an
opportunity that could grow fast. We focused on site acquisition of rooftops suitable for both Wi-Fi and
small cells – typically 2-3 storey rooftops. This has become a bit of a “landgrab” scenario, with premium
properties such as at Times Square strongly in demand. We now have almost 2,000 outdoor Access
Points deployed across Manhattan, and substantial deployments in Miami, Chicago and San Francisco.
“Our wireless backhaul infrastructure is a real differentiator – most of these sites don’t have fibre
connections in place. We use standard 400Mbps point-to-point microwave radios from Dragonwave,
Siklu and Ceragon, meaning we don’t have any real backhaul capacity issues. Each site has its own
high capacity Ethernet switches, with 24 or more GigE ports equipped with PoE (Power over Ethernet)
allowing us to connect virtually as many devices as we want. Each site has plenty of access, space,
power and backhaul to meet our customers’ needs.
“So far, we are finding our proposition of being able to provide premier locations with backhaul available
over our fixed wireless network to be fairly unique
First to achieve WBA ICP certification
“The Wi-Fi Broadband Alliance publishes standards on the technical and commercial interfaces
between wholesale and retail Wi-Fi service providers. We are proud to be the one of the first to gain
Interoperability Compliance Program (ICP) certification. This makes it much easier to wholesale Wi-Fi
services to any operator. It’s now almost as straightforward as setting up another GSM roaming
agreement – the commercial and technical procedures are all in place.
“Hotspot 2.0 and Passpoint will also make it easier and transparent for customers to connect through
Service Provider Wi-Fi, which will continue to be an important component of a wider package of
wireless services provided by network operators.”
Like a tower company, but for small cells
“There are several large and well known tower site businesses, such as American Tower and Crown
Castle, who own many sites and physical towers across the country. Perhaps surprisingly, they have
less penetration in the urban areas.
“We effectively operate like a tower company, renting space and power but also backhaul in
capacity increments of 50Mbps. Our locations are suitable for small cells and Wi-Fi access points in
the urban high traffic areas.”
2-3 storey rooftop sites rather than at street level
Page 32 of 59
“We’ve been primarily looking at 2 to 3 storey rooftops, which form about 95% of our portfolio, with a
few first floor or awnings for special situations. We have not used light poles/lampposts because of
power and backhaul issues.
“Being down low at street level has advantages – the closest antenna to a device always wins – but the
flip side is if you position at door height, you would have a much smaller coverage footprint. We’ve
found that by using Ruckus Wireless and taking advantage of their smart antenna technology using
beam forming, we can achieve a larger Wi-Fi coverage outdoors of up to 300-400 feet radius even in
very noisy RF environments. These APs handle noise very well, reacting to interference and adapt
easily to a 2nd storey rooftop building location.
“By contrast, we’ve found some street level locations can become temporarily blocked by trucks parking
etc.”
Evolving to LTE outdoor small cells next
“Initial research with our partners indicates that LTE small cells would be positioned on the rooftops
with antennas tilted down to avoid macrocell interference.
“We expect each of our sites to evolve to host multiple small cells from different operators,
serving both 3G and LTE. Some of these cells may have an external antenna, and there’s plenty of
space to support either multiple or shared small antennas on the roofline.
“So far, we’ve not seen much interest in 3G small cells – here in the US, requirements are for LTE and
possibly dual-mode Wi-Fi/LTE products.
“Timing and sync will be important for LTE and is commonly provided using GPS. However even in
outdoor Manhattan, you are often limited to a sky view of only two satellites which can become a
challenge in some locations.”
Carrying outdoor rather than indoor traffic
“Building construction materials and higher frequencies used for Wi-Fi and cellular make it more difficult
to penetrate signals into buildings from outdoors.
“Today, a large number of macrocells deployed in downtown Manhattan are pointing into skyscraper
buildings to serve traffic indoors. This isn’t sustainable, and we’d expect more indoor capacity to be
installed in the future. One method involves the latest 5GHz Wi-Fi frequency band, which rarely leaks
out from modern buildings, reducing interference and allowing frequency reuse both inside and outside.
“Our approach is to provide capacity outdoors in the street and we do not attempt to penetrate
inside buildings from our outdoor deployments.”
Page 33 of 59
Visit www.thinksmallcell.com for more info.
Small cell ramp won’t happen this year
http://www.infonetics.com/pr/2013/1H13-Small-Cell-Equipment-Market-Highlights.asp
Campbell, CALIFORNIA, October 4, 2013—Telecom market research firm Infonetics Research released
excerpts from its latest Small Cell Equipment market size and forecast report, which tracks 3G microcells,
picocells, and metrocells and 4G LTE mini eNodeBs and metrocells.
ANALYST NOTES
“The large service providers remain committed to their small cell deployment plans, but the pace of
deployment is much slower than expected due to a sad reality: Small cell and macrocell rollouts share
nothing in common,” explains Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier
economics at Infonetics Research.
Téral continues: “Each technology requires its own internal business processes, which have been in place for
decades with macrocells but have to be built from the ground up for small cells taking into consideration
things like footfall, building dimensions, backhaul availability, and wireless technology. There is no cookiecutter template for small cell deployments!”
Co-author of the report Richard Webb, directing analyst for microwave and carrier WiFi at Infonetics, adds:
“Given that service providers are in the process of retooling their plan of attack, we’re not expecting the small
cell ramp to happen in 2013.”
SMALL CELL MARKET HIGHLIGHTS




Operators’ chief purpose for deploying small cells is to complement and enhance the macrocell layer
from a capacity standpoint, to enrich the mobile broadband experience
Beginning in 2014, 4G metrocells will become the main growth engine in the small cell market, driven
by in-building deployments in retail malls, stadiums, transportation stations, hotels, and event venues
Asia Pacific is where the action is and where it will stay through 2017: The largest macrocell network
density, with more than 100,000-site footprints, can be found in China, Japan, and South Korea
Infonetics forecasts the global small cell market to grow to $2.4 billion by 2017
Page 34 of 59
Verizon makes a foursome for NYC subway
DAS
August 21, 2013 |
Read more: Verizon makes a foursome for NYC subway DAS - FierceBroadbandWireless
http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/verizon-makes-foursome-nyc-subway-das/2013-0821#ixzz2cjtp9300
With a finalized agreement from Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), Transit Wireless has now signed all four Tier 1
U.S. mobile operators to its New York City subway distributed antenna system (DAS).
Verizon will begin to install its equipment in Transit's base station
facilities over the next several weeks, with an eye toward enabling
Verizon customers to start receiving service later this year in the 36
stations already online in mid-town Manhattan and Chelsea.
Transit was formed specifically to respond to the Metropolitan Transit
Authority's requirement to provide a shared wireless infrastructure
to enable commercial wireless services for the New York City
Transit Authority (NYCTA) riders within 277 underground subway
Click here for Transit Wireless' video.
stations. In addition to delivering wireless services to subways
travelers, Transit envisions the DAS enabling localized business promotion and providing a backbone for
digital advertising to New York's more than 1.6 billion annual subway riders.
The company's subway DAS buildout will be completed in seven phases, which are slated for ultimate completion
by April 2017. Phase two of Transit's DAS project, which will comprise 40 new stations including Grand Central
Station, is slated for completion in early 2014.
In April, Transit announced that its neutral-host DAS had already signed as anchor tenants AT&T (NYSE:T)
and T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS). Sprint (NYSE:S) signed on last month. Boingo Wireless is also using
Transit's DAS to expand its sponsored Wi-Fi hotspot offering within the New York City subway system.
Page 35 of 59
Read more: Verizon makes a foursome for NYC subway DAS - FierceBroadbandWireless
http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/verizon-makes-foursome-nyc-subway-das/2013-0821#ixzz2cjtgTRUL
Moody's: Sprint, AT&T LTE rollouts will
boost tower companies
August 21, 2013
Read more: Moody's: Sprint, AT&T LTE rollouts will boost tower companies - FierceBroadbandWireless
http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/moodys-sprint-att-lte-rollouts-will-boost-tower-companies/2013-0821#ixzz2cjsdIIsy
Both Sprint (NYSE:S) and AT&T (NYSE:T) are expected to deploy LTE on thousands of additional cell tower
sites, including sites gained through acquisitions and subsequently repurposed, which will lift the bottom lines of
independent tower companies, according to a new report from Moody's Investors Service.
The ratings agency pointed to Sprint's recent announcement that it will launch a nationwide TD-LTE network
using 2.5 GHz spectrum from its now wholly owned subsidiary Clearwire. Due to the weak propagation
characteristics of that high-band spectrum, Sprint said it will need to deploy more sites beyond the 38,000
Network Vision sites that it has already mapped out.
Sprint's strategy should benefit independent tower companies such as American Tower, Crown Castle
International and SBA Communications, Moody's said. It predicted each will enjoy a boost in EBITDA during 2014
due to Sprint's actions.
"We expect that Sprint will repurpose the Clearwire tower sites and add an estimated 15,000 to 18,000 cell tower
sites, which will generate increased leasing revenue that the carrier pays to the tower companies," says Gregory
Fraser, Moody's vice president-senior analyst. "These new tower sites will replace the 16,500 Clearwire sites
scheduled to be decommissioned and will therefore eliminate the risk that lost rent from those towers would not
be replaced with new rental revenue."
Moody's assessment echoes an earlier research note issued by New Street Research analyst Jonathan Chaplin,
who predicted Sprint's total cell site count will increase to somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 sites, more
than offsetting disconnects of old Clearwire sites.
Moody's also said that once AT&T acquires Leap Wireless (NASDAQ:LEAP), it "may take similar steps to those of
Sprint," which will likewise benefit independent tower firms. AT&T is expected to further its LTE deployment by
taking advantage of Leap's underutilized spectrum on roughly 15,000 to 20,000 sites, including the 9,700 leased
sites AT&T will gain through buying the regional carrier.
AT&T announced on July 12 that it intends to pay $1.2 billion for Leap. The deal is expected to close in the next
six to nine months.
Yesterday, AT&T disclosed the names of 50 additional markets where it intends to deploy LTE by year's end,
bringing its total LTE coverage to more than 400 markets and nearly 270 million POPs. The operator already
provides LTE coverage to more than 370 markets with 225 million POPs.
Page 36 of 59
In November 2012, AT&T announced Project Velocity IP (or Project VIP), through which it will expand its LTE
network to 300 million covered POPs by the end of 2014 and deploy more than 10,000 new macrocells, 40,000
small cells and 1,000 distributed antenna systems (DAS) throughout its network.
For more:
- see this Moody's release
- see this AT&T release
Progress report: A snapshot of U.S. LTE deployments in 2013
Related articles:
Updated: T-Mobile is fueling MetroPCS' renaissance, will AT&T do the same for Leap?
Sprint pushes back Network Vision completion date to mid-2014
Analyst: Sprint's nationwide 2.5 GHz LTE network could be boon for tower companies
Could “T-Rays” Rescue Our “Wireless Economy” From the Broadband
Abyss?
Posted By Elizabeth Carney On
August 6, 2013 @ 6:25 pm
In Elizabeth Carney,Energy,Internet,Mobile Technology,Technology Stocks,Telecom |
If you’re looking for a relentless technology growth trend, look no further than the mobile revolution.
We’ve covered it many times before, and some of the forecasts are mind-boggling. For example…
By 2015, an estimated 15 billion mobile devices will be in use worldwide. That’s two devices for every man,
woman and child.
There are, of course, implications to such rapid growth.
With so many more devices connected to the web, data usage is going to explode.
In fact, it’s already happening…
Can You Say “Data Overload?”
We already created 2.8 zettabytes (a zettabyte is one quadrillion gigabytes) of digital data in 2012, according
to research firm, IDC. To put that in perspective, the entire world wide web totaled 0.5 zettabytes as recently
as 2009.
Suffice it to say, the data infrastructure is buckling under the pressure, with AT&T (T [1]) reporting that
mobile data consumption on its network has rocketed 250 times higher in just five years.
Worse… by 2015, that 2.8-zettabyte number is expected to double. And a 2,000% surge in global web traffic
is projected by 2020.
As more phones, tablets, cars and even watches go online, how the heck are we going to handle all this data
generation?
Behold… the Power of T-Rays
Some have suggested auctioning off bandwidth to the highest bidder. But a better solution may be to explore
lesser-known parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Page 37 of 59
Specifically, the rarely used terahertz (THz) frequency might be the answer. That’s because there’s 30 times
more bandwidth available in the THz region than in the entire allocated radio spectrum.
Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Leeds and University College London were recently granted
nearly $10 million to explore the commercial viability of the terahertz frequency. Says Program Director,
Alwyn Seeds, “This program will enable us to address the THz spectrum with the same precision and
sensitivity as is possible with radio frequencies, leading to this underused part of the electromagnetic
spectrum finally achieving its full scientific and commercial potential.”
A lofty goal, indeed.
But there are other advantages to “T-Rays,” as they’re known.
For a start, unlike X-rays, they don’t appear to be harmful to human tissue. And they boast a range of
applications – from homeland security (for example, the millimeter wave body scanners used in airports rely
on T-Rays), to medical scanning, to detecting fake art.
T-Rays are also making an appearance in law enforcement. Because they can penetrate long distances, a TRay scanner can quickly sweep a crowd for guns or explosive chemicals and penetrate walls during sting
operations. The NYPD has already deployed a “multimillion dollar” version of the scanner mounted on a truck.
The scanner comes from British security company, Digital Barriers (DGB.L [2]).
Companies Riding the Wave
Samsung is already looking to the THz frequency for the 5G network of the future. As my colleague, Louis
Basenese, wrote in May, Samsung announced that it had successfully developed 5G technology [3]. The
company is using the THz band to transmit data 100 times faster than current 4G networks over comparable
distances. That means you could download and send huge files (like high-def movies) in just seconds.
Samsung aims to roll out the new network by 2020.
In addition, IBM (IBM [4]) has developed a stable microchip the size of a penny in the THz spectrum. Such a
breakthrough means that current terahertz uses could get much smaller in scale. So those intimidating
scanners at airports could be transformed into a wand. A chip this size could also make its way into
smartphones several years from now.
Microsoft (MSFT [5]) sees a future for T-Rays inside 3-D printing. In conjunction with Carnegie Mellon,
Microsoft Research has developed “InfraStructs” – a tagging system that harnesses T-Rays to read embedded
tags inside 3-D printed objects. The advantage is that the system doesn’t disrupt the print job and, unlike a
QR code [6] or RFID tag, it can be hidden from view. It could also allow hobbyists with 3-D printers to identify
and connect their printed objects to the “internet of everything” as soon as they’re made.
As the technology matures, the researchers believe InfraStructs could be used for a range of other
applications. For example, keeping track of inventory, enabling systems to sense objects (even if they’re
stacked or hidden from view), helping robots to recognize and differentiate between objects, or encoding
information into custom gaming accessories.
There are a few drawbacks with tapping the terahertz frequency, however. Namely, the current machinery is
quite bulky and uses a sizeable amount of power. That’s why the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research is
looking to graphene as a conducting material. As I explained recently, graphene is a great conductor of both
electricity and heat [7]. And despite being ultra-light, it’s also the strongest material on Earth – and its superstrong properties make it an excellent contender for efficiently harnessing T-Rays.
Ultimately, though, T-Rays could rapidly replace X-rays. No more fear over X-ray exposure at the airport. No
more lead drape at the dentist’s office. In fact, those two reasons alone might be reason enough to embrace
the terahertz spectrum!
Page 38 of 59
Ahead of the tape,
Elizabeth Carney
Article printed from Tech & Innovation Daily: http://www.techandinnovationdaily.com
URL to article: http://www.techandinnovationdaily.com/2013/08/06/digital-data-t-rays/
AT&T hints at big news to be announced July 16
July 10, 2013
Read more: AT&T hints at big news to be announced July 16 - FierceWireless
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-hints-big-news-be-announced-july-16/2013-07-10#ixzz2YqUqArFB
AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) notified members of the media yesterday that it will be announcing news on July 16. The
email teaser invited us to "Get ready for what's next in wireless" on July 16 and included a bunch of testimonials
about the company's LTE network.
Although there was little detail about what the July 16 announcement will entail, an AT&T spokesman said the
company will not be hosting an event, just making an announcement. Because of the testimonials about AT&T's
network, it's likely the news will involve the operator's network. AT&T has said it will deploy LTE Advanced this
year and carrier aggregation, which is one component of LTE Advanced, is top-of-mind for the company.
In an interview late last year, Kris Rinne, executive vice president of network technology at AT&T Labs, said the
company will first deploy carrier aggregation in the 700 MHz and AWS spectrum and then in the 700 MHz and
1900 MHz.
Of course, AT&T isn't the only U.S. operator moving to LTE Advanced. Last month, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ)
announced that its LTE network is now "substantially" complete, covering more than 99 percent of its 3G footprint.
In addition, the company's chief network officer, Nicola Palmer, confidently said Verizon will lead in LTE Advanced
and will likely deploy carrier aggregation "where we need it and when we need it."
Read more: AT&T hints at big news to be announced July 16 - FierceWireless
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/att-hints-big-news-be-announced-july-16/2013-07-10#ixzz2YqUjsX00
Frontier, FairPoint, others find new wholesale life with wireless
backhaul
July 9, 2013
Page 39 of 59
As wireless operators expand their 4G LTE rollouts into secondary and tertiary markets, where they tend to have
little, if any, wireline facilities, they have turned to a host of independent telcos for wireless backhaul
services.
Take Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ). Nicola Palmer, chief network officer, said that its LTE network is "substantially
complete" with coverage in more than 500 markets and 298 million POPs nationwide. It anticipates that LTE traffic
will grow six to seven times in the next few years.
These buildouts have created a new wholesale service opportunity for Tier 2 and Tier 3 telcos, which are happy to
provide the same fiber and Ethernet-based backhaul services that are typically only available in larger Tier 1
cities.
Like the top four wireline telcos, the differences between members of this segment vary widely in terms of size
and focus.
The largest Tier 2 telcos, Frontier (Nasdaq: FTR) and FairPoint (Nasdaq: FRP), have launched aggressive
wireless backhaul network expansions that span multiple states.
FairPoint announced it would bring fiber and Ethernet services to about 1,800 towers in its New England footprint,
while simultaneously expanding its retail and wholesale Ethernet capabilities into other areas including Boston.
Likewise, Frontier provides backhaul services in the 27 states it serves. With the integration of the Verizon
wireline assets it purchased in 2010 completed, the telco last year began expanding its backhaul capabilities to
support 100 Mbps and future demands for 500 Mbps.
Then, there are smaller telcos such as Shenandoah Telecommunications (Nasdaq: SHEN) and Hawaiian Telcom
(Nasdaq: HCOM). Shentel mainly provides backhaul to its own wireless network and other tower companies over
its fiber network in Virginia and West Virginia, while Hawaiian Telcom provides services on the Hawaiian Islands.
In the second installment of our four-part FTTT series, we examine how the top seven independent ILECs are
tackling the wireless backhaul opportunity and the unique challenges they face.
Also, check out the first report in our wireless backhaul series: AT&T, Verizon, others hone their wireless
backhaul skills.
Read more: Frontier, FairPoint, others find new wholesale life with wireless backhaul - FierceTelecom
http://www.fiercetelecom.com/special-reports/frontier-fairpoint-others-find-new-wholesale-life-wirelessbackhaul#ixzz2YZwPThNg
Report: Cable companies will deploy 250,000 Wi-Fi
hotspots by mid-2014
July 8, 2013 | By Sue Marek
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Cable MSOs are planning a big push into the Wi-Fi space as a way to extend their broadband
footprint and add more value to their cable packages. According to a research report from
Heavy Reading, U.S. cable firms will deploy more than 250,000 Wi-Fi hotspots by mid-2014,
an increase of more than 60 percent on the current installed base.
According to Heavy Reading, the cable industry has already spent more than $175 million in
deploying Wi-Fi hotspots, and that will likely double to $350 million by mid-2014. Currently, the
cable companies have deployed about 174,000 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the United States,
which is up from the 150,000-plus hotspots deployed by the members of the CableWiFi
roaming alliance, which includes Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications,
Cablevision and Bright House Networks.
The cable industry's aggressive movement into Wi-Fi isn't surprising. Over the past few
months, major cable companies like Time Warner Cable, Comcast and Cox have all made
announcements about plans to deploy Wi-Fi in their service areas.
For wireless operators, the cable industry's growing Wi-Fi footprint could be used for Wi-Fi
offloading. However, some believe that the cable industry's widespread deployment of Wi-Fi
networks coupled with new roaming technologies could disrupt the current wireless
marketplace.
Last month, Jefferies analyst Thomas Seitz wrote in a research note that he believes the cable
industry will enter the wireless market in a disruptive, Wi-Fi/MVNO manner. These efforts, he
said, coupled with Passpoint Hotspot 2.0 technology that supports cellular-Wi-Fi roaming,
could allow cable companies to cut into a wireless industry currently dominated by the likes of
AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) and Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) as early as next year.
Read more: Report: Cable companies will deploy 250,000 Wi-Fi hotspots by mid-2014 - FierceWireless
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/report-cable-companies-will-deploy-250000-wi-fi-hotspots-mid-2014/2013-0708#ixzz2YaAwcd5T
Subscribe at FierceWireless
Cable Wi-Fi on a Hot Streak
July 05, 2013 | Alan Breznick |
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If you thought U.S. cable operators had already deployed lots of Wi-Fi hotspots, you ain't
seen nothin' yet.
That's one of the conclusions of a recent report from Heavy Reading, which predicts that cable hotspot
growth will continue apace as MSOs scramble to extend their broadband networks wirelessly, add more
value to their cable packages and guard against potential encroachment by over-the-top (OTT) video
players.
The Heavy Reading Cable Industry Insider report, From Wired to Wireless: Cable Uses Wi-Fi to Extend
Its Reach, projects that the U.S. cable industry will deploy more than 250,000 Wi-Fi hotspots by mid2014, an increase of more than 60 percent on the current installed base.
The report also estimates that the cable industry has already sunk more than $175 million in capital
expenditures into deploying Wi-Fi hotspots during the past couple of years. Heavy Reading expects that
total to double to more than $350 million by mid-2014 as the deployment pace picks up further.
"Wi-Fi has given cable a vital entry point into wireless," said Craig Leddy, a Heavy Reading
contributing analyst who authored the report, in an emailed response to questions. "We found that the
major MSOs are aggressively deploying hotspots and we expect that their role in wireless will
continue to grow. For wired service providers, wireless has become an imperative."
Indeed, just in the past month, Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications have all
announced aggressive new deployments of Wi-Fi in their service territories.
In the latest instance, Time Warner said it will install 10,000 hotspots throughout its New York City
service area by the end of the year, up from about 2,000 hotspots now.
As a result, cable operators have now deployed more than 174,000 hotspots throughout the U.S.,
according to the latest data tracked by Heavy Reading. That's up noticeably from the 150,000-plus
hotspots that the five big MSO members of the CableWiFi roaming alliance -- Comcast, Time Warner
Cable, Cox, Cablevision Systems and Bright House Networks -- reported at the Cable Show in
Washington, D.C. just last month.
Cablevision leads the way with more than 80,000 hotspots deployed in the greater New York metro area.
Comcast, which recently unveiled plans to convert wireless modem gateways in its customers' homes
into Wi-Fi "neighborhood" hotspots, follows with more than 58,000 hotspots rolled out throughout its
Northeastern, mid-Atlantic, Atlanta, Chicago and California markets. (See Comcast Turns Homes into
Hotspots.)
The Heavy Reading report also points out, however, that cable operators face numerous technical and
operational challenges in extending their Wi-Fi reach further. These challenges include quality of
service, scalability and security, with service quality probably topping the list.
"Wi-Fi is an unlicensed, best-effort technology that faces traffic congestion and quality issues as public
hotspots multiply," Leddy said. "So the nightmare for cable operators is if they roll out hotspots,
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promote mobile broadband and out-of-home video capabilities and then the Wi-Fi service just downright
sucks [and] customers can't get access."
In addition, Leddy finds fault with the five big cable partners for not doing more to take advantage of
their CableWiFi cross-MSO roaming capability so far. For example, he noted, although CableWiFi is
available across the New York and Los Angeles areas, few cable broadband customers are actually
aware of it yet. "The MSOs need to combine more hotspots and do more promotion to raise awareness
of CableWiFi," he said.
Bur Leddy expects that situation to improve as such technological enhancements as HotSpot 2.0 and
other emerging Wi-Fi capabilities are implemented, enabling more seamless roaming across wireless
networks. "Then you might see MSOs pay more attention to promoting CableWiFi as a metropolitan,
regional or even nationwide service," he said.
Although they now mostly offer Wi-Fi service for free, Leddy also believes that cable operators have the
opportunity to generate revenues from the service. He said MSOs have the potential to sell daily service
to non-cable customers, upsell high-speed Internet tiers and add revenue-producing business apps and
services. In addition, he sees financial promise in MSOs offloading smartphone data traffic onto their
Wi-Fi networks, much as they already do with cellular backhaul traffic.
Time is right for Wi-Fi integration
June 24, 2013
http://www.telecomasia.net/content/time-right-wi-fi-integration
Soaring demand for data is boosting the case for Wi-Fi integration in heterogeneous networks as a
means for operators to ease the burden on their cellular networks, and offer subscribers guaranteed
levels of service.
The theory is simple. Embedding Wi-Fi into a heterogeneous network allows operators to use the
network in conjunction with 3G and 4G networks. The network steers consumers to the best radio access
technology available based on real-time analysis of traffic
While the ability to smoothly move subscribers between radio access technologies is one clear benefit of
Wi-Fi integration, it is not the only one. Mobile operators can also use the technology to boost coverage
in areas where their cellular networks are weak, such as indoors.
Andres Torres, strategic marketing manager for South East Asia and Oceania at Ericsson, notes the low
output power of Wi-Fi equipment, combined with its use of the 5-GHz frequency, offers hundreds of
MHz of additional spectrum, making Wi-Fi “a perfect technology to use for both indoor and outdoor
short range deployments.” He also notes that a growing number of devices now incorporate Wi-Fi chips,
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providing operators with additional subscriber opportunities beyond the obvious smartphones and
tablets.
The growing availability of devices can only add to the current surge in demand for mobile data.
Ericsson’s annual Mobility Report, published early June, shows mobile data traffic hit just under 1,600
petabytes in 1Q13, double that of 1Q12, and predicts traffic of at least 10 exabytes per month in 2017 –
the majority of which will be video traffic.
ABI Research also predicts surging data traffic, noting the figure rose 69% year-on-year in 2012. It
forecasts traffic will hit 23,000 petabytes this year, and at least 131,000 petabytes in 2018.
Jake Saunders, vice president and practice director for core forecasting at ABI Research, says mobile
operators have several options to handle the growing data traffic, however, he notes that by end 1Q13
“only a handful” had committed to a small-cell strategy incorporating Wi-Fi hotspots and 4G LTE base
stations. Those carriers are mostly based in Asia Pacific, with Softbank, NTT DoCoMo, SK Telecom,
and KT among those pursuing a “comprehensive small cell strategy”.
Informa Telecoms & Media principal analyst, Dimitris Mavrakis, adds Vodafone UK to the list, noting
the firm began trialing small cells combining 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi in March. He predicts public access
small cells in busy urban areas will become “one of the defining mobile network trends in the coming
years,” and that vendors that succeed in the market “are going to win the lion’s share of small cell
revenues”.
Recent research by firm for the Small Cell Forum shows the number of installed small cell units now
stands at close to 11 million, and forecasts the number will hit 92 million in 2016. It also tips the value
of the small cell market to hit $22 billion by 2016.
Consumers come first
Wi-Fi integration offers the potential to match consumer’s expectations of broadband access. The
public’s habits have been formed in the all-you-can-eat world of fixed internet, meaning they expect the
same level of service on mobile networks. Ericsson’s Torres said developments including Hotspot 2.0 –
a new WFA Wi-Fi device standard designed to simplify discovery of, and access to, the networks – and
SIM authentication are aiding Wi-Fi’s cause, with the latter making verification on Wi-Fi networks “as
simple and secure as it is on current 3GPP (mobile) networks”.
While Hotspot 2.0 goes some way to addressing Wi-Fi integration, Torres argues that the standard alone
can’t offer carriers the same ability to control radio access technology selection as embedding Wi-Fi,
because the new standard can’t cope with the rapid changes smartphones can need to make in access
technology.
“The network is the entity that should be making this [access] decision by steering the traffic to the most
appropriate radio technology, based on the network’s underlying knowledge of performance across
different connectivity alternatives at any given time. This makes much more sense as the network knows
both the situation on the cellular side and the Wi-Fi side and also has information about user
subscriptions, services and location.
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“What is important with the network-centric approach is that it is handled by the operator’s RAN.”
Torres says Ericsson’s approach is different to that of other vendors, because it advocates putting the
network in control of steering mobile data traffic, rather than end-user devices. Indeed, the vendor
claims to be the only firm supplying real-time steering of traffic on cellular networks with integrated
Wi-Fi.
Carriers’ integration efforts may well be boosted by the 3GPP’s recent standardization of the S2a-GTP
based interface for anchoring IP addresses in the core network. Operators that have already invested in
the standard can utilize it for Wi-Fi users, meaning subscribers’ devices don’t need to acquire a new IP
address when they switch access technology.
Business benefits
The main benefit of integrating Wi-Fi into cellular networks is improving network performance. A
recent study from Ericsson reveals that 30% of smartphone users experience problems daily when web
browsing or using apps. The figure doubles when measured on a weekly basis.
Network performance is one of the drivers of loyalty for a mobile operator, according to the firm’s
research, and improving the quality can have twice the impact on loyalty compared to improving areas
such as customer support.
Improved loyalty will have obvious benefits on subscriber churn, but integrated Wi-Fi has more to offer.
Carriers can offer multiple business models by uses virtual access points, which enable a single physical
access point to provide several secure and independent branded Wi-Fi services to subscribers. Those can
also be offered to other network operators and businesses as a managed service. The management
element also opens the door to providing services to large venues or for special events, based on a fixed
fee, a consumption based tariff, or even sponsorship deals.
Other options for mobile operators include packaging Wi-Fi access into subscription bundles, and
selling wholesale access to other carriers, or local authorities seeking to offer Wi-Fi hotspots.
Future developments
In addition to Hotspot 2.0 and S2a-GTP, the 3GPP is also working to expand current Access Network
Detection and Selection Function (ANDSF) capabilities to Wi-Fi. ANDSF is a commonly deployed core
network policy enforcement tool, so the goal is to extend it to cover devices accessing Wi-Fi networks
by enabling the network to distribute policies to end-user equipment.
Torres says Ericsson has demonstrated ANDSF at the Mobile World Congress 2013 last February and
predicts the first compatible devices will appear in 2014. Despite conceding the standardization efforts
will improve the overall performance of Wi-Fi networks, Torres does not believe they are an instant
cure. He notes that because user connectivity isn’t qualified in real time, carriers with LTE and Wi-Fi
may see most users sitting on the latter network even if the cellular network is empty.
A proliferation of free public hotspots in places including cafes, bars and airports means consumers have
come to expect the service to cost nothing, meaning operators may struggle to monetize a Wi-Fi loving
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subscriber base. It also means consumers are just as likely to enter a café or bar to enjoy free access,
rather than using carriers’ 3G and 4G networks.
The standardization efforts may offer mobile carriers a key advantage over rival Wi-Fi hotspots, though,
by ensuring seamless access to the networks – currently regarded as a major problem for consumers
trying to access Wi-Fi alone.
However, Torres argues the power is nothing without control, noting that operators need visibility
into the quality of experience on Wi-Fi networks, and that the network itself is best placed to steer
traffic to the best available access technology.
Staff writer
T-Mobile’s plan to supercharge LTE: A whole lot of antennas
June 4, 2013
http://gigaom.com/2013/06/04/t-mobiles-plan-to-supercharge-lte-a-whole-lot-of-antennas/
Summary:
Exclusive to GigaOM: Over the next 12 months, T-Mobile USA will bolt thousands of new LTE
antennas to its cell towers, utilizing a technique called 4X2 MIMO. It’s not LTE-Advanced, but it will
create a faster and more resilient network.
T-Mobile USA has been talking some smack lately about how its brand-spanking-new LTE network
gives it an edge over the competition. Being the last major U.S. carrier to launch LTE means T-Mobile
is using the most up-to-date radio access gear and is thus better positioned to implement future LTEAdvanced techniques and other fancy next-generation network technologies.
T-Mobile, though, has been short on specifics, so far keeping mum on what particular tweaks it plans to
make that will beat out its rivals. But talking to T-Mobile’s equipment vendors, GigaOM has learned
some of those details of its network roadmap. The most impressive upgrade on its list is a plan to blanket
its network with extra antennas in order to achieve significant performance gains.
The smart antenna technique is called 4×2 MIMO (shorthand for Multiple Input-Multiple Output) and TMobile will be among the first if not the first global operator to implement it. Those of you familiar with
4G probably have already heard of 2X2 MIMO, which is used in all LTE networks today. It sends the
same data transmission over parallel paths from two antennas at the tower, which are then picked up by
two antennas at the receiver. 4X2 MIMO actually doubles the number of antennas — and thus the
number of transmission paths — at the tower while the number of antennas in the device remains the
same.
In English, that means there are a lot more signals flying at your smartphone, and there will be a lot
more antennas at the tower to pick up your phone’s generally weaker return signals. That increases your
chance of getting a decent link at the edge of a cell’s coverage zone where connection speeds tend to
trail off. 4X2 MIMO won’t increase the maximum speed of the network beyond its 50-to 75-Mbps
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theoretical limits, but it will ensure that customers at the fringes of the network get much better
connections.
How much better? Nokia Siemens Networks North American head of technology Petri Hautakangas said
that in lab trials, T-Mobile and NSN are seeing speed gains at the cell edge as high as 100 percent on the
uplink and anywhere from a 50 percent to 60 percent increase in downlink bandwidth. Simple geometry
means overall network gains would be big (the further the distance from the tower the more space is
covered). The end result is a big boost in the real-world capacity of the cell — it can support more
simultaneous connections while making more of those connections faster and more resilient.
The best news is for T-Mobile’s accountants. Implementing 4X2 MIMO on T-Mobile’s network will
require simple software upgrades to Ericsson and NSN’s base stations as well the installation and the
mounting of new antennas on T-Mobile’s towers – many of which are already in place. Since 4X2
MIMO is already in the baseline LTE standard, most current generation handsets will automatically
support the technique.
As for timing, Hautakangas had to be a little cagey when talking about a customer’s rollout plans. “I can
say that in less than 12 months we’ll have a commercial 4X2 MIMO network rolled out with a major
U.S. operator,” he said during an interview. NSN has only one Tier 1 radio infrastructure customer in
the U.S., and that’s T-Mobile.
I talked to T-Mobile VP of radio network engineering Mark McDiarmid, and while he wouldn’t discuss
the specifics of T-Mobile’s network blueprint, he did confirm that 4X2 MIMO was one of the multiple
LTE and LTE-Advanced technologies T-Mobile was considering for future use.
“We have a very good handle on what 4X2 MIMO can do for us,” McDiarmid said. “And we’re one of
the few that are in a position to use it.”
As for other technologies on T-Mobile’s roadmap, both Ericsson and NSN confirmed that their network
gear will support the eventual upgrade to carrier aggregation, the first of a long list of LTE-Advanced
techniques (though it’s still a far cry from being LTE-Advanced ready as T-Mobile likes to claim).
Carrier aggregation bonds two disparate LTE bands together creating a super-fast connection. T-Mobile
already uses carrier aggregation in its HSPA+ network, which is how it achieves 42 Mbps speeds over
what is technically a 3G network.
Again McDiarmid wouldn’t comment on T-Mobile’s specific plans, but he said T-Mobile is weighing
the use carrier aggregation in two ways. First, it could glue together different parts of its current LTE
network in the Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) band, giving it bigger channels in markets where it
doesn’t have contiguous spectrum. Second, when it launches LTE in the PCS band, it could bind
together two completely separate frequency bands, creating the mother of all mobile broadband
connections.
Jeb,
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With every negative, there is a positive. Please see the highlighted lines below in yellow… As you
know TWER has the ONLY carrier-grade Wi-Fi network in the country, so the CTIA show next week
should probably be very interesting for them… I will be attending the show, as well as, specifically
watching TWER’s CEO give his presentation on the small cell network panel.
Sincerely,
Philip S. Brown
President
Quantum Group, LLC
15130 Broadmoor Street
Overland Park, KS 66223
913.239.9303 ext. 226
913.424.9938 cell
913.239.0366 fax
_____________________________________________
From: mschmidt@qmerge.com
Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2013 2:56 PM
To: Phil Brown
Subject: 5G (and 4G improvements) likely to take center stage - CTIA 2013
(http://www.fiercewireless.com)
5G (and 4G improvements) likely to take center stage - CTIA
2013
May 16, 2013 | By Mike Dano
By Mike Dano
Samsung's announcement this week that it is working on "5G" wireless network technology is one of the
first shots across the bow in an area that will likely dominate trade show discussions for years to come:
What comes after LTE? As wireless operators across the globe put the finishing touches on their LTE
network deployments this year, next year and beyond, vendors like Samsung are sure to begin pushing
the next, best thing.
To be clear, Samsung's technology works in the millimeter-wave Ka bands and likely won't be ready for
prime time for another decade or so. But the company's announcement serves to highlight the growing
interest in technologies beyond LTE.
Page 48 of 59
Already in the United States, Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) expects to complete its initial LTE buildout
this year. AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T), Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) are
each expected to complete their own LTE buildouts in the next year or two. Thus, Tier 1 U.S. operators
likely will attend CTIA next week with an eye toward improving and expanding their LTE networks and
planning their next steps.
At next week's CTIA Wireless 2013 show, "I think we are going to see more talk about 5G, LTEBeyond, or whatever label vendors are slapping on LTE-Advanced," said Daryl Schoolar, an Ovum
analyst and FierceWireless contributor. "Obviously we are starting to see some movement in that area
(LTE-A) with small cell deployments. However, as the U.S. is one of the leading LTE markets, I fully
expect the LTE-Whatever talk to heat up."
LTE-Advanced is generally described as a collection of technologies meant to enhance LTE, and small
cells have been pegged as a major element of the LTE-Advanced push. At next week's show, Radisys
plans to show off its LTE-Advanced small cell solution along with live demonstrations of HD VoLTE
calls and Rich Communication Services including video ringback tones, video conferencing and more.
Separately, Aeroflex will be discussing its new LTE-Advanced product developments; Ceragon
Networks will show off its Holistic HetNet Hauling approach to organizing the HetNet's wireless
hauling requirements; and SpiderCloud will display its small cell system designed for use indoors.
The larger network players will also be on hand: Nokia Siemens Networks has a press event scheduled
for Wednesday morning at the show to discuss "Making money with Mobile Broadband," while
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has promised to show off how its "vision of the future, the Networked
Society, is being realized." Finally, both Qualcomm's (NASDAQ:QCOM) Peggy Johnson and AlcatelLucent's (NYSE:ALU) Allison Cerra will participate in CTIA's Day One keynote session, starting
Tuesday at 9 a.m.
Other network-focused events at the show that could generate interest include the FierceWireless
"Designing Tomorrow's Wireless Network" breakfast on Tuesday morning; the CDMA Development
Group's CDMA-LTE Interworking event on Tuesday afternoon; and the Tower & Small Cell Summit
that runs both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ovum's Schoolar said that, aside from LTE-Advanced, carrier-grade Wi-Fi could also be a big topic at
this year's CTIA show, as carriers continue to investigate Hotspot 2.0 (a technology intended to
introduce the roaming and security protocols from cellular networks into the Wi-Fi realm).
Finally, Schoolar said he expects "plenty of action around network optimization and big data analytics.
These topics are going to be everywhere for the next couple of years." Indeed, AirSage will be at the
show to discuss how it can provide "anonymous data from more than 100 million mobile devices, which
is almost 70 percent of all U.S. cellular devices." Razorsight and Ciena too plan to show off similar
analytics technologies.
Source URL: http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/5g-and-4g-improvements-likely-take-centerstage-ctia-2013
Page 49 of 59
Per PwC 2012 N.A wireless industry survey
http://www.pwc.com/us/en/industry/communications/publications/north-american-wireless-industrysurvey.jhtml
Page 50 of 59
http://www.pwc.com/us/en/industry/communications/publications/north-american-wireless-industrysurvey.jhtml
3G, 4G & Wi-Fi: AT&T Plans Small-Cell Threesome
May 09, 2013 | Dan Jones |
AT&T Inc. is planning to combine 3G, 4G LTE and Wi-Fi access in its radio access small cells and aims
to deploy 40,000 or more of the tiny base stations through 2015.
That plan was unveiled by Bill Smith, president of network operations at AT&T, on Thursday morning
at the Jefferies 2013 Global Technology Media and Telecom Conference in New York City as he
provided some insight into what was characterized as AT&T's "lead" in U.S. small-cell deployments.
Small cells are tiny, standalone base stations that, in theory at least, help add voice capacity and
enhanced data access in high usage areas such as urban centers.
"The early small cells that we're deploying today are single-technology ... our plan is to go to units that
can support UMTS [3G], LTE and Wi-Fi," Smith said.
AT&T has previously said it plans to deploy 3G HSPA+ "metrocells" that are currently being installed
across a significant portion of the U.S.
"Yesterday morning I was in St Louis looking at one of early trials," said Smith of the operator's smallcell efforts so far. He explains that AT&T has been covering a residential neighborhood using cells
attached to every third or fourth street light pole and connected back to the metro network via a VDSL
connection.
This will be one of the uses for small cells for the operator -- working around the "not-in-my-backyard"
mentality that greets macro cellular deployments by using much smaller and more discreet radio access
units. "As beautiful as I think a new cell site might be, you know, not everybody does," Smith quipped.
Initially, however, AT&T will be using early small cells to bolster in-building coverage. "Most of what
we do this year ... will be indoors," says Smith.
"Shopping malls are a problem for us," he added.
All of this involves a lot more work than just bolting down a small cell and connecting it to the network.
The network head says AT&T has learnt a lot from its deployment of 3G femtocells during the past few
years. They work well in a rural area where macro cellular coverage is unavailable, Smith explained.
"The real challenge," Smith said, is when the small cell battles the macro network for a device that is
attempting to connect to the network. Dealing with this, he said, involves having more intelligence and
visibility at the network control. For instance, if a user is in their car connected to the macro network,
Page 51 of 59
AT&T does not want that user roaming onto a small cell located in a restaurant on the street as they pull
up at a stop light and then losing the connection as they drive away.
AT&T has been working on its own and with others to deal with some of these issues for several years,
Smith said. "I think we ultimately will get to point where we characterize each connection at the control
plane and define where they go," he said.
This is part of the reason why AT&T's planned combo LTE/3G/Wi-Fi Multi-Standard Metrocell (MSM)
small cells are still in the lab right now and not expected to arrive on the network until some time in
2014 or 2015. Putting in the smarts to decide the right connection for the right application while not
fighting the larger macro network gets exponentially more difficult when layering together and
managing 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi connections.
Smith says that AT&T is working with technologies such as "Hotspot 2.0" in a bid to fix some of these
issues for Wi-Fi. All this will lead to an eventual goal that every cellular small cell deployed by AT&T
will also have Wi-Fi onboard.
The CEO of AT&T's major rival, Verizon Wireless, said Wednesday at the conference that it will be
deploying its first small cells sometime in 2013. (See Verizon CEO: Small Cells Coming in 2013.)
— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Light Reading Mobile
Verizon CEO: Small Cells Coming in 2013
May 08, 2013 | Dan Jones |
The CEO of Verizon Wireless says small cells will start to be deployed in its network later this year.
Dan Mead told the Jefferies 2013 Global Technology Media and Telecom Conference in New York City
Wednesday that the operator regards small cells as "complementary" to its larger 4G LTE networks.
Small cells are tiny base stations that can be deployed in high-traffic areas to increase call capacity and
data speed.
"We're going to have small cells deployed in our network later this year," Mead says. He says the
deployment of the tiny radios will become more dense in 2014. (See Verizon Ready for LTE Small-Cell
Advance.)
"We're going to be aggressive in that area," he said.
Mead talked about small cells after being asked whether the operator would need more dense LTE
coverage for voice-over-LTE services. He once again reiterated that Verizon is planning to
"commercialize" VoLTE services in 2014. (See Verizon Promises Voice-Over-LTE in 2014.)
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"We’re going to make sure it's an exceptional experience," he said of the deployment, saying it will be a
"value-add" service that will layer in video calling and other messaging updates.
He pointed out that Verizon has a 4G voice advantage over rivals because it has by far the largest LTE
network in the U.S.
"You can't have VoLTE without the LTE network ... we're around 95 percent complete now," Mead says
of Verizon's 4G deployment. The network is expected to be "substantially complete" by the end of the
year.
The Small Tech Solution to America’s
Massive Mobile Problem
Published Wed, May
8th, 2013 Louis Basenese, Chief Investment Strategist
Picture the scene…
One minute, you’re happily tapping away on your smartphone. The next minute… nothing.
You’ve hit a “dead spot” and the signal is lost.
That important call you were on… dropped.
Whatever business you were doing… hold, please.
The streaming music or video you were enjoying… how about silence instead?
It’s happened to all of us. And these days, it’s not surprising.
With the incredible growth of smartphones and tablets – and the applications available on them –
our digital data consumption is exploding and putting an incredible strain on telecom networks.
And as mobile data demand continues to rise, the capacity problem is only going to worsen.
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That’s why the tech and telecom sectors’ biggest names are busy looking for an equally “mobile”
solution…
More Phones… More Data… Same Old Network
The amount of digital data we created last year hit 2.8 zettabytes, according to research firm, IDC.
Of that, three-quarters of it comes from consumers.
What’s a zettabyte?
Well, it’s one quadrillion gigabytes. And as we noted a few weeks ago, the entire World Wide Web
only contained half a zettabyte of data as recently as 2009.
What’s more, that 2.8 zettabyte number is expected to double by 2015, with a whopping
2,000% surge in global data traffic by 2020.
But as the number of mobile devices grows – and data usage grows with it – the existing network
infrastructure isn’t keeping pace. AT&T (T) alone says mobile data consumption on its network
has rocketed 250 times higher in just five years.
So how do we go about effectively connecting all these devices to networks and handling the everincreasing amount of data that they produce?
As it turns out, the cure for mobile problems is… mobility itself…
A Small Solution to a Large Problem
There’s simply no way for mobile networks to keep up with the insatiable data demand without
some help.
But this problem has opened up a big opportunity for companies trying to solve it.
Mobile chip giant, Qualcomm (QCOM), and wireless providers are tackling the growth of mobile
data by essentially becoming more mobile themselves.
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And they’re doing it through small cell technology.
We pinpointed this technology as one of our Seven Most Investable Technology Trends of 2013
back in January.
Simply put, small cells are cellular base stations that are installed in homes and neighborhoods to
complement the existing network infrastructure from traditional cell towers.
Unlike cell towers, however, these small base stations are obviously much cheaper and easier to
install. In fact, Qualcomm’s Chief Technology Officer, Matt Grob, says a station is small enough to
work with a regular home router.
The goal is make these base stations available to mobile users in the surrounding area, offering
better, more reliable connectivity and faster speeds.
This is a little-known, yet massive, growth trend. By 2016, the number of small cell stations is
expected to top 60 million, according to ABI Research – around 900% growth from the six
million deployed last year.
Quoted in MIT Tech Review, Grob, confirms, “We’re working extensively with operators on this
particular project.”
The company has also installed 20 stations around its San Diego campus, which means mobile
users get a better, faster connection as they pass by.
The question is: Will consumers go for this “communal connectivity”?
Wanna Borrow My Wifi?
There’s no doubt that in densely populated areas, where mobile and data usage is higher, networks
could use a hand.
But in some areas, it’s already happening. MIT says Verizon (VZ) and Sprint Nextel (S)
customers living in areas with patchy connectivity, who’ve received base stations for “personal” use
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to improve their signals, may also be helping the masses – even if the owners don’t know it.
Verizon and Sprint disable the personal/private configuration feature by default, whereas AT&T
does not.
Grob says there needs to be more transparency – both in design and marketing – making it clear
that these stations are for the public infrastructure, in addition to their own needs.
But the model is attractive in terms of finding an innovative way of beefing up bandwidth without
needing to build more expensive, unsightly cell towers.
He says companies like Qualcomm could work with mobile and cable operators to install base
stations in routers. Qualcomm and AT&T have found that it wouldn’t take many base stations in
local homes or offices to improve coverage and essentially serve as another network.
Of course, any plan would need to ensure that the connectivity of homes and offices that actually
own the base stations isn’t weakened and that online activity is secure.
But with mobile connections expected to increase five-fold between now and 2015, and mobile
operators already offering more public Wi-Fi to ease the data burden, this small cell technology and
home base station model is the next step toward handling the smartphone and data overload.
Ahead of the tape,
Louis Basenese
P.S. The companies I’m most bullish about in this area are ones that make equipment and
components for this small cell technology. One of them is a member of our WSDI portfolio.
With sales already rising, I believe it’s only a matter of time before the company is acquired. I just
crunched some numbers to find out how much it would be worth in a takeover – between 100%
and 171% higher than its current share price. To get the name of the company – and all the others
in our portfolio – sign up for a risk-free trial to WSDI here.
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Carrier-Grade Small Cells to Outnumber Consumer
Femtocells in 2016
April 9, 2013 | by Dawn Hightower | Backhaul | No Comments
http://agl-mag.com/carrier-grade-small-cells-to-outnumber-consumer-femtocells-in-2016/
Mobile Experts has released a small-cell market forecast, which predicts more than 5 million metrocells to be
shipped in 2017. The company predicts slow growth for residential femtocells at only 12 percent per year, based
on weak shipment data during 2012. As mobile operators push hard for high-capacity small cells, faster growth
will come from capacity upgrades.
The research company predicts that outdoor metrocells and indoor capacity nodes will overtake residential
femtocell shipments in the 2016 time frame. More than 100,000 public small cells are already deployed in Korea
and Japan. “The Asian market is stretching the femtocell into areas where small cells are handling capacity
effectively for operators like KT, SKT and NTT DoCoMo. Other operators around the world will follow this example
as the LTE macro rollout is completed and capacity tightens up in North America, China, Latin America, Europe
and the Middle East,” explained Joe Madden, principal analyst at Mobile Experts. According to Madden, the
bottom line is that small cells are 65 percent less expensive than macro base stations, for adding mobile capacity.
Eight different types of small cells, by architecture and by power level, are identified in the forecast. In this year’s
analysis, Mobile Experts included low-power remote radio head units, multiband small cells, and carrier
aggregation into the forecast, with 33 band combinations identified for interband CA. The report breaks down
small-cell shipments by frequency band and identified 38 frequency bands for small-cell deployment.
TowerStream Launches Shared-Infrastructure Subsidiary
April 7, 2013 | by J. Sharpe Smith | DAS-1, Small Cells, Wi-Fi | No Comments
TowerStream has formed Hetnets Tower Corporation, which will offer wireless carriers and others a range of
shared infrastructure services and access for mobile wireless Internet services.
“We are excited to launch our new subsidiary, Hetnets Tower Corporation,” said Jeffrey Thompson, Tower Stream
president and CEO, during the company’s fourth quarter earnings call. “The explosion in mobile data in urban
markets is driving a migration to small cell architecture, and the major carriers are presently focused on the
densification of their networks.”
TowerStream’s fixed wireless infrastructure includes 1,500 rooftops with 3,000 Wi-Fi nodes. “Our fixed wireless,
backhaul network and street-level rooftop locations enables us to quickly deliver solutions to the challenges
associated with small cell deployments,” Thompson said.
Since 2010, TowerStream has been exploring opportunities to leverage its fixed wireless network in major urban
markets to provide other wireless technology solutions and services. With the rise of mobile data placing a
tremendous demand on the networks of the carriers, TowerStream concluded that its Wi-Fi network can serve
carriers’ data offload needs.
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“Densification is now the focus of the carriers. The densification calls for very large quantities of small cell and WiFi antennas. We will align our rollout with the surgical approach and roll out with them as we sign each anchor
tenant,” Thompson said. “Our buildup over the last 1.5 years has given us a significant first-mover advantage and
has put us in a leadership position in small cell wireless shared infrastructure.”
The strategy of the wireless carriers in terms of small cell and Wi-Fi offload has evolved since the advent of Big
Data. When TowerStream built its first test network two years ago, the business opportunity looked to include only
pure Wi-Fi offload and it was considered by some to be short-term solution to the data congestion.
“Carriers expected through consolidation to acquire the spectrum needed for capacity,” Thompson said. “The
consolidation did not end up being the solution, and the carriers have now looked to small cell network
architecture and heterogeneous networks, also called hetnets, to meet the capacity demands. Wi-Fi is now part of
the small cell architecture and part of the long-term solution along with metro cells and picocells.”
To serve this need, Hetnets Tower Corporation plans to rent space on street level rooftops for the installation of
customer-owned small cells, which includes Wi-Fi antennas, DAS, and metro and pico cells. Channels on
TowerStream’s Wi-Fi network will also be available for rent for the offloading of mobile data. Additionally, the new
company will rent cabinets, switch ports, backhaul, transport, and power and power backup. The company will
operate in 13 major metro markets, including New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, the San Francisco
Bay Area, Miami, Seattle, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Philadelphia, Nashville, and Las Vegas/Reno.
Mindspeed Reaffirms Small Cell Leadership Position
with 63% Market Share
in 3GPP, press-release, Mindspeed, Small Cell, HSPA, LTE
Feb 12, 2013
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.-- Mindspeed Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MSPD), the industry leader in technology for
small cell base stations, announced today that according to Infonetics Research, it had 63% of the 3GPP small cell
market. Most of these shipments were for commercial deployment of HSPA small cells.
With LTE small cells starting to deploy, Mindspeed announced that it is in pole position in this segment too with
commercial deployments in SK Telecom, Korea Telecom and other operators around the world. The company has 34
design engagements for LTE and dual-mode small-cells, including market-leading OEMs and is well positioned as
operators launch. Finally, the company has deployments in China for TD-SCDMA and has announced a technical
collaboration agreement with China Mobile Research Institute.
"Mindspeed has a very strong position in small cells," said Richard Webb, chief analyst of Infonetics. "It is clear that
they have the leadership position in 3G small cells and a strong place in the emerging segment for LTE. We believe
that the economics will favor dual-mode and multi-mode small cells, so having this portfolio will help Mindspeed in
their position as the market evolves and competition intensifies."
Mindspeed is the only SoC company with commercially deployed products for both 3G and LTE. Additionally, it is the
only company to have demonstrated both FDD and TDD versions of LTE. Finally, Mindspeed is the only company
with an SoC solution for TD-SCDMA. As such, Mindspeed has, by far, the most mature and the most comprehensive
range of small cell SoCs.
Many semiconductor companies are looking to the small cell segment. Based on Infonetics' data, Mindspeed has 63%
of the 3GPP segment. The remaining 37% is shared between all other suppliers.
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"Small cells represent one of the most exciting segments in the wireless market today, and we are proud of our position
in it," said Raouf Y. Halim, chief executive officer at Mindspeed. "A year ago Mindspeed acquired Picochip, who had
pioneered this market and built a dominant position. In the twelve months following the acquisition, we have extended
our lead — not only are we number one in 3G, we are number one in LTE and are still the only SoC company with
field-proven products in both technologies. We have integrated the teams, gained the synergies we had aimed for and,
as a result, are the only SoC company with credible dual-mode solutions."
The company will be hosting small cell technology demonstrations for service providers, OEM customers, press and
analysts during Mobile World Congress 2013 at stand 7E.104 from February 25 - 28, 2013 at the Fira Gran Via in
Barcelona, Spain.
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