|
The success of the iPod and Blackberry, the rollout of Mobile TV and the proliferation of mobile multimedia devices demonstrates that anytime, anywhere access to information is rapidly becoming a reality. Mobile operators, fixed operators, and other service providers are eager to offer subscribers a new generation of mobile broadband services to improve customer loyalty and increase revenues. It is becoming apparent that one access network cannot meet all the needs of operators and customers — 3G networks are expensive and have in-building coverage problems; fixed networks don’t provide mobility; and
WiFi ( News - Alert)
and WiMAX networks can’t match the broad reach of cellular. This leads to a desire by service providers and customers to utilize multiple access networks to remain “always best connected” to their data and services. Multiple access networks can be utilized by devices sporting multiple radio technologies and connected to service providers that embrace a hybrid access network approach. The new business urgency for different access networks has triggered a crop of companies claiming to offer fixed/mobile convergence in the past six months and numerous approaches have complicated the FMC market — so what really works?
The
IP Multimedia Subsystem (News - Alert)
(IMS) architecture, first proposed for use in mobile networks and now being adopted for use in fixed and cable networks as well, promotes a flexible service oriented network architecture that promises everything from improved service development flexibility to exciting new broadband multimedia services, and provides an important technology advance for networking providers today. However, the combination of an IMS enabled core network, with a hybrid access network approach gives a network service provider unprecedented flexibility and reach.
Today’s Market Challenges
Fixed and mobile operators today face many daunting challenges. Voice revenues, the “bread and butter” of most operators, are crumbling. Competition has appeared from a variety of sources, including cable providers and pure VoIP companies such as
Skype ( News - Alert)
and
Vonage (News - Alert). In addition, content providers such as
Google (News - Alert)
, MSN, and Yahoo! now offer the ability for consumers to create a “personal portal” that includes voice among their other services.
At the same time, consumer attitudes are shifting. Many are realizing the personal computer experience isn’t so “personal” i.e., PCs remain hard to use, heavy, slow, and prone to viruses and other problems. Consumers today want their information, when they want it, wherever they are. Their needs can be summed up as, “always on, fast, simple, and convenient.” They are frequently multiplexing — playing games, checking e-mail, and IM’ing their buddies. Mobile devices are clearly better suited to these consumers’ needs than stationary or even laptop computers.
Integrating IP Access to Offer Mobile Broadband Services
Operators and service providers are realizing they are in a new business. In the future, networks will focus on what users want, rather than what the network infrastructure allows the operator to offer. Rather than providing discrete voice phone service or cable TV service, these providers understand they must provide consumers with a complete broadband service package that meets the needs of the “me” generation. And, in addition to simply providing voice service over a handset or cable TV through a box, providers realize they must make voice, data and multimedia available over a wide range of devices. And, providers must make these services available with “always on” mobility.
However, no single access network today can combine mobility, high bandwidth, and low cost in an economically feasible solution. The cost and time required to implement a pure 3G solution are prohibitive. In addition, mobile data usage patterns tend to differ somewhat from traditional mobile voice usage. Data usage occurs indoors more frequently, and tend to cluster around centers of business or entertainment venues. Mobile data capacity requirements can compete with voice capacity, and while networks that combine voice and data services can be more spectrally efficient, capacity management is more difficult.
To meet these significant challenges, fixed operators, mobile operators, and service providers are increasingly turning to a combination of cellular and IP-based services — hybrid networks. Each technology brings distinct advantages. Cellular networks provide mobility, IP-based fixed networks enables a low-cost solution that also provides improved coverage in-building. Users enjoy the best of both worlds — Mobility and IP network bandwidth.
Advantages of Hybrid Networks
Hybrid networks enable operators to offer 3G services to mobile users outdoors, while WiFi provides high-speed, low-cost, in-building coverage. Hybrid networks address three significant operator challenges.
They enable operators to:
· Reduce CAPEX by lowering the cost of 3G deployment;
· Increase revenues by offering the mobile broadband services consumers demand; and
· Increase customer loyalty by providing a consistently better service.
Hybrid networks seamlessly integrate any voice access technology (such as GSM, UMTS and UMA) with all data access technologies (WiFi or fixed IP today, WiMAX and beyond tomorrow). Once a hybrid network approach is adopted, service providers can easily add additional technologies as they arise by connecting them to their core network as additional access nodes. The services rendered, including those provided with the new IMS architecture, become available to devices regardless of access network used.
An important benefit of hybrid networks is the ability to integrate the IMS architecture for managing new applications. IMS architecture will allow operators to manage a wide range of new IP-based services delivered over any network. “Management” of these services means integrating the control components of each application — policy enforcement, QoS, service authorization, billing, and others.
Users also enjoy many benefits from a hybrid networks approach: they can quickly and easily sign up for new services, tailor the functionality of a new service for their specific needs, and receive a single invoice for all of their voice, data, and multimedia services.
Hybrid Networks Facilitate the Evolution to IMS
Operators have historically been cautious in deploying new services, knowing that the “if you build it, they will come” mentality does not apply to mobile broadband services. Adoption of IMS will follow a similar evolutionary versus revolutionary pattern. Hybrid networks enable operators to pursue this evolutionary approach — helping operators avoid an “all or nothing” scenario of deploying new network architecture before gauging user interest, or doing nothing and risking missing an opportunity to leapfrog competitive operators.
Hybrid networks represent an important evolutionary step for operators as they move to become providers of comprehensive mobile broadband services. By definition, hybrid networks enable operators to integrate a variety of different services and provide a common approach for QoS, AAA, and other control services. IMS is based on the same premise of creating an architecture onto which operators can add, modify and delete new services quickly and easily.
Jim Grams is the Chief Technology Officer for Azaire Networks. For more information, please visit the company online at www.azairenet.com.
|
SUBSCRIPTIONS
TMCnet LOGIN
WEBINARS
