The demand for access to wireless technologies is still on a growth trend, propelling the rate in which mobile service providers deploy small cells. These cells must serve to cover tight areas of high-density, high-traffic urban areas. As a result, the cost of the base stations and supporting 4G mobile backhaul will be considered critical.
This Accedian Networks
blog stressed the importance of cheap backhaul cells, regardless of the supporting technology. According to Andy Sutton (News - Alert), principal architect for Everything Everywhere,
4G mobile backhaul has to be “massively cheap”. He referred to small cells as existing within a financial envelope, which makes it that much more challenging to execute on a successful deployment strategy.
Why is cost so important for small cells? Accedian highlighted the relatively low usage of the small cells in comparison to a macrocell, and the number of
sites to support. Small cells will end up covering a distance of roughly 50 square meters, or 538 square feet. This equates to an area of about 23 feet by 23 feet, or the average range of a router in a consumer’s home.
There are some that believe this approach to supporting 4G mobile backhaul will require the use of unlicensed spectrum, relying on adaptive directional antennas with predictive channel management and smart meshing technology. Service providers in North America, however, traditional rely on preferred fixed line connections to 4G mobile backhaul, even when using licensed spectrum.
For its part, Accedian
delivers an accurate in-service 4G mobile backhaul
service assurance, providing micro-second delay and delay variation measurements, remote loopback testing, hitless throughput, advanced traffic control from edge-to-edge and mesh-network support.
The company enables packetized services in real-time across 3G, 4G, WiMAX and LTE (News - Alert), which require inexpensive, mobile backhaul with strict performance requirements. Committed throughput must be met at all times as only a few milliseconds of delay or delay variation are tolerated. This requires the establishment of managed Ethernet links with high availability and premium quality of service, while also keeping OpEx in line.
The MEF (News - Alert) 22 compliant High Performance Service Assurance Platform is readily available from Accedian for those wireless operators seeking the ability to
monitor and assure their backhaul networks. The company’s platform manages traffic from MSC (News - Alert) to cell site and over microwave or wireline, optimizing the network services with end-to-end service level agreements.
While overall operational efficiency will be essential for those service providers seeking support for the 4G mobile backhaul, a close focus will remain on cost and latency, ensuring the necessary components for the right competitive advantage.
Want to learn more about 4G wireless technologies? Then be sure to attend the 4GWE Conference, collocated with TMC’s ITEXPO East 2012taking place Jan. 31-Feb. 3 2012, in Miami, FL. The 4GWE Conference provides unmatched networking opportunities and a robust conference program representing the wireless ecosystem. The conference not only brings together the best and brightest in the wireless industry, it actually spans the communications and technology industry. To register, click here.
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Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by Juliana Kenny