As fast-growing traffic continues to stretch the capacity of 3G networks to their limit, fibre plays a vital role in ensuring sufficient bandwidth is available now, and in the future Today, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in mobile bandwidth requirements, driven by a wide range of developments. For one thing, theres the greater […]
Shibu Vahid, Head of Technical Operations, R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
As fast-growing traffic continues to stretch the capacity of 3G networks to their limit, fibre plays a vital role in ensuring sufficient bandwidth is available now, and in the future
Today, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in mobile bandwidth requirements, driven by a wide range of developments. For one thing, theres the greater proliferation of tablets and smartphones at work and at home. Also, as technology becomes more ubiquitous and people become more accustomed to being constantly connected, they have begun to access all of their data and applications, anywhere, anytime and from any platform.
Although 4G will ensure faster data transmission, it wont be available everywhere for some time. While telecom operators in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Oman have launched 4G services, research conducted by Informa Telecoms and Media in mid-2013 shows that there are just about 50,000 LTE subscribers across the entire Middle East and North Africa region. Even when 4G hits its stride, it will only be a matter of time until operators once again run out of bandwidth, as more and more demanding applications are developed. As 4G capabilities are added to existing 2G and 3G networks, or are deployed in green-field projects, cell site backhaul and aggregation network requirements will drastically increase from the high megabit/second into the gigabits/second capacity range.
Linking 3G wireless to a fibre backbone provides a future-proof solution. We could argue that this type of network convergence is, in fact, inevitable. There are many examples of converging networks today. Given the large bandwidth handling capabilities that fibre optic networks offer, it is quite conceivable that in the relatively near future telephony, internet, TV, in-building services and much more will all run over the same fibre backbone. Converged infrastructure provides enormous efficiency increases, both from a technical and business perspective.
Ethernet: dominant technology for mobile networks
In a mobile network, base stations which interconnect devices are linked to a core network through the backhaul portion of the overall network. 3G, and even 4G, mobile networks need fibre optic connections in the backhaul as it significantly improves both speed and coverage. Fibre networks are, in some areas, also a prerequisite for sufficient 3G coverage. For the latest generations of 4G and LTE, mobile fibre is even required in the fronthaul in the broadcast feed- to link the base station to the antenna.
To date, the largest portion of all wireless traffic was backhauled from cell towers to core networks over copper wires using T-1 technology. However, this is rapidly changing. Given that much of the infrastructure in the region is relatively new, Middle East operators have the advantage to learn from the experience of network providers in mature markets. In the US, AT&T and Verizon have already made it very clear that they will only accept fibre to cell towers. The T-1 service is relatively costly and for many telcos, mobile backhaul is proving to be a good revenue source. Many wireless carriers have been introducing programmes to transition their backhaul technology from T-1 to carrier Ethernet protocols. Research firm NPD In-Stat has claimed that very soon Ethernet will be the dominant technology for wireless backhaul, with 85% usage in base stations. Furthermore, 4G coverage can be built upon a GPON access network using the same technology as home connectivity.
Future-proofing with fibre
Investments in 3G and fibre internet infrastructure offer a higher quality and richer communication experience, which can prove to be a huge competitive advantage for a telecom provider. Once again, drawing an example from a mature European telecom market Stockholm’s large fibre network has facilitated the rollout of mobile high-speed networks like 3G and 4G/LTE, which means theres high-speed access everywhere. This has proved to be highly attractive for tech companies, real estate developers and others. Similarly, Portugal Telecom has launched a pioneer service merging GPON and WiFi for 3G/4G offload.
Wireless carriers everywhere are employing technology upgrades to contain their backhaul costs. Furthermore, operators that manage to combine their offers with, for example, WiFi at home and mobile broadband over LTE or 3G, have a clear advantage when it comes to keeping customers on board.
Making it all work
Rolling out a fibre network does bring a number of challenges, although the technology is mature and countless previous rollouts mean that the difficulties are known and can be easily tackled. The prime challenges when providing fibre to the antenna include saving on installation costs and keeping down power consumption of RRUs (radio remote units) and tower loading. This latter item relates to the dispersion of the towers own weight and that of all the attached network equipment, cabling and so on.
Fibre connectivity is another key point the smallest flaw can lead to vast loss of capacity and even the complete falling out of a channel or system. If one cable in a bundle is damaged, the whole bundling needs replacing with far-reaching consequences for cost and system performance. Fibres need to be handled and tested in the field, often under less than ideal circumstances. Installers must also bear in mind that during the set-up process, dirt is a major enemy.
Future-proof solutions
There are, of course, a number of solutions to these challenges. Some of these are readily available; others can be created with the help of installation and product experts. One key success factor is using pre-tested, pre-terminated fibre-optic cables. Taking this plug and play avoids the need for risky field splicing, speeds up installation and lowers cost. Also, less specifically trained labour is needed. Of course, taking certain practical steps plays an important part in optimising projects. Thorough cleaning of connectors and adapters before installation is a must, as well as fully testing the installation afterward.
When making decisions related to infrastructure, it is wise to think several generations of active equipment ahead. Cables may stay in place for decades, whilst the lifetime of active equipment might be a few years. The cabling infrastructure will have to work with several generations of active equipment that might even be from multiple vendors. The latest generation of optical fibres can secure deployed cable infrastructure for several iterations of system upgrades. This benefits different topologies and applications and helps unleash the full potential of the active infrastructure.
Today, the capacity of telecom networks needs to be optimised, whilst uptime, reliability and the customer experience must be maximised. The vast uptake of WiFi devices, the demand for more flexible infrastructure, and increasingly demanding applications are boosting demand for 3G wireless capacity and will even soon warrant the deployment of 4G networks.
Fibre provides the solution and as a result, mobile carriers are moving from T-1 to Ethernet carrier protocols. Even though Ethernet-over-copper technology is available from several vendors, fibre is the only way to really ensure future-proof connectivity, which will span several generations of end-user equipment and support future applications.
Shibu Vahid is Head of Technical Operations at R&M Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
