[January 17, 2013] |
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Infonetics Research: Small Cell Operators Face Myriad Operational and Financial Challenges
CAMPBELL, Calif. --(Business Wire)--
Market research firm Infonetics
Research released excerpts from its Small
Cell and LTE Backhaul Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey,
which provides insights into operators' current and future plans for
outdoor small cells and backhaul.
ANALYST NOTE
"The challenge is on for small cell operators. They've been scrambling
to test and trial a large number of technologies, products, and
topologies for outdoor small cells, and they're under growing pressure
to make the rubber meet the road-not only from their technology and
operations people, but even their business planners," notes Michael
Howard, co-founder and principal analyst for carrier networks at Infonetics
Research.
"But it won't be easy," continues Howard.
"These operators face some daunting challenges: outdoor small cell gear
isn't small enough or cheap enough yet, and there are problems
backhauling in dense urban areas, not to mention municipal regulations
regarding the look, size, and color of the equipment and who can mount
equipment on streetlights, utility poles and building sides. Even if
they managed to solve all these issues, they're still going to have to
pass the fiscal test. Outdoor small cells won't fly without a viable
business model."
SMALL CELL AND LTE (News - Alert) BACKHAUL SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
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86% of operators surveyed plan to backhaul small cell traffic to
nearby macrocell sites via a variety of locations, including
buildings, streetlights, and traffic and utility poles
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Fiber is the preferred backhaul technology among respondent operators
when available and cost effective, but the various forms of
microwave-non-line-of-sight (NLOS),
standard microwave, and millimeter wave-will be deployed most often
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When it comes to cost of ownership, a majority of respondents require
the 5-year TCO
of a small cell deployment to be within 10% of a typical macrocell
deployment
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By 2016, those surveyed expect in-building and outdoor small cells
(microcells, picocells, and public access femtocells) to handle around
1/4 of mobile traffic
Infonetics analyst Richard
Webb is hosting a Scaling Small Cell Backhaul webinar
on Feb. 19. To learn more or attend, visit http://bit.ly/VV9eJd.
SURVEY SYNOPSIS
For its 36-page small
cell and LTE backhaul survey, Infonetics interviewed
purchase-decision makers at 22 independent wireless, incumbent,
competitive, and cable operators from EMEA,
North America, and Asia Pacific about their current and future plans for
small cell and macrocell backhaul. The study provides insights into
mobile traffic handling and specific backhaul issues related to outdoor
small cells, in-building small cells, and macrocells. To buy
the report, contact Infonetics: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp.
RELATED RESEARCH
UPCOMING RESEARCH
Download Infonetics' market
research brochure, publication calendar, events
brochure, report highlights, tables of contents and more at http://www.infonetics.com/login.
UPCOMING INFONETICS WEBCASTS
Visit https://www.infonetics.com/infonetics-events/
to learn more or register for Infonetics events.
-
WEBINAR: Integrating
Carrier WiFi with the Mobile Network, with Ruckus (Feb. 5)
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WEBINAR: Session
Border Controllers in VoLTE, with Metaswitch (Feb. 12)
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WEBINAR: Scaling
Small Cell Backhaul, with Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert), Ceragon, Vitesse (Feb.
19)
-
WEBINAR: 100G
Optics: Why Operators Are Upgrading Now; Cisco (News - Alert), Cyan, Oclaro (Mar.
5)
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WEBINAR: Core Routers Move to the Metro, with Alcatel-Lucent,
TBA
-
WEBINAR: Diameter Signaling Control: Managing Mobile Broadband
Growth; Ericsson (News - Alert), TBA
-
WEBINAR: Service Provider SDNs: Here to Stay (Sponsorships
available)
-
WEBINAR: Routing vs. Ethernet for LTE Backhaul (Sponsorships
available)
-
WEBINAR: Small Cells Reality Check (Sponsorships
available)
TO BUY REPORTS, CONTACT:
N. America (West), Asia, Latin America: Larry Howard, larry@infonetics.com,
+1 408-583-3335
N. America (East), Texas, Midwest: Scott Coyne, scott@infonetics.com,
+1 408-583-3395
Europe, Middle East, Africa: George Stojsavljevic, george@infonetics.com,
+44 755-488-1623
Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp
ABOUT INFONETICS
Infonetics Research (News - Alert) (www.infonetics.com)
is an international market research and consulting firm serving the
communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking
emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics
helps clients plan, strategize, and compete effectively. View
Infonetics' About Us slides at http://bit.ly/QUrbrV.

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