ADC's All IP-RAN Network Architecture

WHITE PAPER

ADC's Solution for

All IP-RAN

Network Architecture Problem

Carriers are facing increasing challenges in earning a share of the customers spend, given the multi-dimensional nature of end-user services and applications (voice, data, and video). To overcome these challenges, carriers must expand their offerings to reach environments (e.g. home, office, mobile, etc.) outside their existing primary domain. Consumers (residential and enterprise) are demanding service ubiquity, and access from anywhere, and anytime using a single device for communication. Carriers must find a way to expand their portfolios to offer cost-effective services across many access technologies, while delivering bandwidth-intensive data services such as video to handset. These services will demand greater bandwidth, capacity and coverage leading carriers to evolve their Radio Access Network (RAN) to a cost effective and highly scalable access infrastructure.

Market Drivers for Change

Mobile operators are now in a position where voice volumes are steadily increasing, but voice revenues are not. Although data volumes are still low, most of the operators see future revenue growth coming from packet-based services, fueled by the arrival of broadband wireless technologies such as 3G, wireless LAN, and WiMAX. These next-generation, packet-based services embrace applications like mobile video that are likely to boost backbone bandwidth requirements considerably and also require operators to put in place technologies that guarantee quality of service (QoS). At the same time they need to hold down costs notably operating costs, which are moving upward in circuit-based backbones. Add to this the extra dimension of fixed/mobile convergence, and its easy to see why mobile operators are as keen as wireline operators on rolling out NGN infrastructure. They need to drive down bandwidth costs, and be able to roll out new services faster. They want to be able to control QoS and pave the way for offering services that can be delivered over any access network, wireless or wireline. They also want a single scalable infrastructure that is easy to manage and maintain.

ADC's All IP-RAN Network Architecture

The three most critical forces of growth in the wireless industry driving change are: 1. Capacity (Bandwidth) For services such as: Mobile TV Video Telephony IPTV on demand Instant messaging IP Telephony WebShare services High-speed Internet Push to X Multimedia services Carriers want to offer increasingly feature-rich applications that become key differentiators for them. These applications will increase the need for bandwidth on the data network leading to increased demand for larger backhaul bandwidth than todays T1s and E1s. Furthermore, these demands are creating a need for cell splitting and frequency reuse on already expensive RF spectrum.

2. Single Transport Network (Network Simplicity) Simple network access, security and authentication (single user sign-on) drive the integration of wireline and wireless network access. The demands for IP-based data and video services create a need for a unified network that delivers seamless access to the carriers network. Moreover, todays TDM-based (E1/T1) networks are difficult to manage and become bottlenecks in offering bandwidth-intensive data and video services. The increasing number of cells are creating a need for single management and control infrastructure. 3. Coverage (Mobility) Information anytime and anywhere for users is driving the need for mobility. Consumers are now spending 70 percent of their time inside buildings where they are using the same single communication handset. Carriers distant macro sites do not provide sufficient coverage (signal strength) to serve these handsets indoors and outdoors.

Radio Access Network (RAN)

CORE Network

Fiber BTS E1/T1 BSC

SGSN/GGSN

Fiber-based DAS

TDM Network

Fiber

MSC BTS BTS

Fiber-based DAS

Today: TDM-based GSM/GPRS Network

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ADC's All IP-RAN Network Architecture

ADCs All IP-RAN Architecture Solution

The current TDM-based network architecture must evolve to meet the business requirements of the new all-IP architecture vision. The challenge with carriers current network architecture is that it was not designed with convergence in mind and cannot deliver an optimal customer experience and cost structure. Given that carriers have already made large investments in TDM network infrastructure, the road map for the new network architecture requires a phased approach that allows carriers to extend the new network elements from their legacy networks to minimize incremental investments.

Thus the 2G/2.5G BTS (handling GSM/GPRS, TDMA, and CDMA) uses TDM transport, while the Node B of early releases of UMTS R99 uses ATM and ATM inverse multiplexing (IMA). More recent 3G/4G developments (UMTS R5 and R6, and CDMA 2000) look to IP-overEthernet. Developments such as WiMAX are being built right from the outset around IP and Ethernet transport. While it is unlikely that all these access types would occur in a single RAN transport network, it is probable that several will coexist as the access network evolves, and as different available traffic feeds present themselves as being attractive in different parts of the network. So carriers need to understand what the evolution path is and to ensure that the transport layer is optimized around that path in their evolving terrestrial RANs.

RAN Evolution Toward IP-based Infrastructure

The mobile RAN shows a rich set of access speeds and types, as each mobile generation has brought an evolution in the mobile elements used to deliver the RAN traffic. Also, operators are using their ingenuity to incorporate a wide range of legacy transport mechanisms into the RAN, particularly as 3G rollouts often overlay the existing 2G footprint. Mechanisms include TDM, DSL, microwave links, ATM, IP-overmultilink PPP (MLPPP), and IP-over-Ethernet.

ADCs Residential, Enterprise, and Outdoor Solutions

The demands created by bandwidth-intensive applications are driving many carriers to procure technologies to extend their GPRS/EDGE RAN into residential, enterprise and outdoor applications. ADC is driving the next generation RAN evolution to IP-based RAN architecture with the FlexWave family of products. With 3G handsets becoming ever more popular and the mobile phone rapidly becoming a handheld entertainment center as well as a communications tool, the demand for consistent quality of service (QoS) continues to increase. Consumers expect to have the user experience that they have been promised by their service provider, regardless of their location.

Fiber-based DAS

IP-based Remote BTS Residential or Enterprise

BTS E1/T1

TDM Network

BSC

S G S N/ GGSN MSC

Internet

ATM-RAN

RNC

IP-RAN
Node B-R99

MGW

Fiber-based DAS Node B-R5/6

Evolving GSM/UMTS Networks Disparate RAN Backhaul Technologies

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ADC's All IP-RAN Network Architecture

The reason for this is that the size and structure of these large sites often inhibit effective signal penetration, making it difficult to offer the consistent coverage and capacity required for 3G services. Coverage is often compromised by the high frequency of 3G signals. The higher a signals frequency, the greater the likelihood that it will be absorbed by the buildings structure. Furthermore, the pilot signal, required for the handset to see the network within 3G technology, is not as prominent as in 2G. As a result, it is harder for mobile devices to lock onto the network within indoor environments. Additionally, site owners are often unwilling to have unsightly external antennas installed adjacent to their sleekly designed centers. Capacity is also key to the effective delivery of 3G services. However, relying on the traditional distant macro sites results in many users sharing the same capacity and diluting the potential data rate.

IP-based solution giving carriers the ability to rapidly address the coverage and capacity challenges in the residential, enterprise and outdoor (macro) areas while utilizing the existing 2G-based core network elements. The solution offers a potential 30-40 percent CAPEX savings by using a customers existing IP network to backhaul traffic to the MSC. Operators can realize these savings by utilizing the FlexWave BSS solution which is a complete GSM base station system delivering GSM over IP. The major components of the complete FlexWave Base Station solution are: FlexWave nanoBTS for multi-tenant residential and enterprise applications; FlexWave microBTS for outdoor, specialty applications; FlexWave Base Station Controller; and FlexWave Network Management System ADCs FlexWave nanoBTS for multi-tenant residential and enterprise applications delivers standards-based air interfaces to mobile handsets, utilizing IP for backhaul. ADCs FlexWave network elements are supported by a common network control and management system delivering a complete RAN solution. Further reductions to CAPEX are realized by utilizing the FlexWave WMX WiMAX and LoopStar products that create IP-based wired and wireless backhaul.

ADC Realizes the Benets of Unied IP-RAN

ADCs FlexWave solutions are focused on delivering coverage and capacity for operators: from macro coverage via the FlexWave RRH and DAS using packetized RF, in-building coverage with the FlexWave residential and enterprise gateways, to ADCs LoopStar product family for backhauling multi-service wired IP traffic. ADCs FlexWave solutions are designed on the evolutionary approach to a path for an all-IP network of the future, building a foundation for fixed mobile convergence. The FlexWave solution is the industrys leading end-to-end
IP-Enabled Coverage and Capacity Solutions

Backhaul Solutions

C O R E N etw o rk

W M X W iM A X L in k

F le x W a v e M ic ro B T S

ADCs Converged IP Radio Access Netw ork (IP-RAN)

Internet

S G S N/GGSN

IP

F le x W a v e BSC

F le x W a v e NMS

W M X W iM A X L in k

MSC F le x W a v e nanoB TS

Internet

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ADC's All IP-RAN Network Architecture

The LoopStar products' ability to support multi-service traffic, providing Gigabit bandwidth interfaces to the WAN, make them a sound choice in building the first step to an all IP-RAN. Moreover, the integrated ADC FlexWave WMX WiMAX products ability to be deployed anywhere within Line of Sight (LoS) gives operators flexibility to optimize coverage by placing the BTS where required rather than placing it where wired TDM transport is available. This approach delivers great flexibility in optimizing the RAN to reduce cell splitting. ADCs FlexWave Solutions are designed to help wireless operators achieve the coverage they need while reducing their financial investment in an infrastructure by using the IP network to backhaul voice and data traffic to the MSC. ADCs all IP-RAN solution builds a foundation for wireless operators to evolve to an all IP-RAN for delivery of IMS-based services. FlexWave BSS Solution: Increases ARPU via increased customer loyalty; C  reates a foundation for fixed mobile convergence to support IMS services; R  educes CAPEX and OPEX via a single IP backhaul network for all services; Extends coverage and capacity in hard-to-reach areas; I ncreases network capacity to support bandwidthintensive services (video);
IP-Enabled Coverage and Capacity Solutions

Provides faster time-to-service; E  nables the simplest handoff control between in-building and the wide area cellular coverage; C  reates a single management and provisioning interface for residential, Enterprise and outdoor implementations; and I ncreases coverage and capacity (for bandwidthintensive services such as IPTV) where and when needed; on demand. As the carriers network evolves to an all-IP-based network delivering 3G-based converged services, ADCs FlexWave BSS solution will continue to evolve to support delivery of enhanced IP-based services and provide a seamless evolution to the IMS-based platforms of the future. In addition, mobile operators can use FlexWaves RRH/ DAS technology to provide enhanced coverage and capacity; while supporting multiple operators, effectively increasing the amount of sites each operator can reach. FlexWave solutions are designed to help mobile operators achieve their ultimate coverage and capacity both indoors and out while reducing their financial investment in the hardware infrastructure and OPEX. Carriers can now look to ADC to cost effectively deliver unique wireless solutions to solve common problems in more places than ever before.
Backhaul Solutions C O R E N etw o rk

F le x W a v e F ib e r D A S

BTS

F ib e r

L o o p S ta r 700 TD M over E th e n e t

S G S N/ GGSN MSC

F le x W a v e nanoB TS

L o o p S ta r 700 IP(GbE)

ADCs Converged IP Radio Access Netw ork (RAN)

Eth e rn e t L o o p S ta r 700 RNC Node B MGW F le x W a v e BSC

F le x W a v e W ire le s s RRH/DAS

F le x W a v e MMW

F le x W a v e M ic ro B T S

W M X W iM A X L in k

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ADC's All IP-RAN Network Architecture

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White Paper

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ADC Telecommunications, Inc., P.O. Box 1101, Minneapolis, Minnesota USA 55440-1101 Specifications published here are current as of the date of publication of this document. Because we are continuously improving our products, ADC reserves the right to change specifications without prior notice. At any time, you may verify product specifications by contacting our headquarters office in Minneapolis. ADC Telecommunications, Inc. views its patent portfolio as an important corporate asset and vigorously enforces its patents. Products or features contained herein may be covered by one or more U.S. or foreign patents. An Equal Opportunity Employer 104894AE 7/07 Original 2007 ADC Telecommunications, Inc. All Rights Reserved