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VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 4 • DECEMBER 2015

INSIDEPOWERING SMALL CELLS

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE UNLICENSED ARENA?

AN EFFICIENT APPROACH TO SMALL CELL DESIGN

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CONTENTS

WHAT’S INSIDE VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 4 • DECEMBER 2015

06 | Trending

08 | From the Editor

11 | Industry Insight

60 | ETC

FEATURES12 | Small Cells are Not a Trend, Neither are

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Five Reasons why fuel cells work for small cells.

18 | An Efficient Approach to Small Cell Design Some gentle guidance into launching a small cell design project.

24 | CASE STUDY: Bringing Wireless Connectivity to Commercial Real Estate

Robust mobile communications are emerging as a competitive advantage in the commercial property market.

26 | What’s Next for the Unlicensed Arena? The controversy of which unlicensed platform is best for what

continues, unabated. The discussion around LAA, LTE-U and LWA will be around for some time yet.

34 | 5G, Demand for Spectrum and Increased Capacity will set the Agenda in 2016

As capacity demand increases in 2016, operators will have a sharp focus on managing their spectrum more efficiently, and investing in new frequencies to support future services. This applies as equally to the RAN as it does backhaul.

36 | The Network Densification Integral to LTE+ and 5G

Network densification will be a huge force in driving the develop-ment of 5G technologies towards that magic year, 2020.

38 | Dishing up the Future Femtocells, Small Cells, Wi-Fi calling, FCC auction will dominate

carrier news cycle in 2016.

42 | Special Report: State of the RAN 2015 — Executive Summary

This is a special report that takes a look at the mobile network operators radio access network (RAN), what happened in 2015, and what the implications are, for RANs, going forward.

50 | Why Small is the Next Big Thing Small cells are revolutionizing the coverage, capacity and availability of

wireless data services across a wide range of applications. If quality of service is to be maintained, each of these cells must be provided with high quality uninterruptible power.

34

24

26

COLUMNS

4 AGL SMALL CELL MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 2015 aglmediagroup.com

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C3 | IWCE’s Network Infrastructure Forum

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55 | John Burns Construction Company

59 | Kathrein USA

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02 | Peabody Concealment

05 | Sabre Industries

10 | Solar Communications International

49 | US Department of Transportation

*C2, C3 & C4 denote cover pages

ADVERTISING INDEX

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From stadiums to boardrooms, parking lots to playgrounds, SCI has got your DAS covered and your customers connected. From stadiums to boardrooms, parking lots to playgrounds, SCI has got your DAS covered and your customers connected. For more than a decade, SCI has been out in front, engineering and manufacturing the most innovative concealment systems on the For more than a decade, SCI has been out in front, engineering and manufacturing the most innovative concealment systems on the

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9 5 1 . 6 9 8 . 5 9 8 59 5 1 . 6 9 8 . 5 9 8 5


TABLE OF CONTENTS

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TRENDINGto ship by the end of 2015.

Why? Because the latest technical advances in Wi-Fi have transformed the operators’ objectives for the service, from cost saving into revenue generating. On one hand, 802.11ac and WiGig standards offer great capacity improvement for today’s increasing data con-

sumption. Add to that standards like Hotspot 2.0, and you have a much better user ex-

perience through enhanced security and access mechanisms.

Wi-Fi calling is another example of enhanced services that will provide opportunities for non-mobile carriers

to enter and compete in the wireless market. Also, dual-SSID gateways allow

operators with massive home and enter-prise footprints to move into public Wi-Fi

segments through community Wi-Fi.Carriers nearly missed the boat on this. But often slow

to get on the edge of technology, this is one trend that is likely to gain momentum for the long haul and carriers are finally seeing the light.

MOBILE DATAAnother trend in the wireless industry is the offloading of mobile data to Wi-Fi networks. By 2018, an expected monthly data rate of nearly 16 exabytes will be swirling around the airwaves. Of that, 85 percent of this mobile data traffic will be handed off to Wi-Fi networks. That means carriers, fixed and cable operators, and third party players, like Microsoft and Google, will be slugging it out for their slice of the pie. New technologies like WiGig and new frequencies, up to 60 GHz, and even higher, will become the platform for mobile data, espe-cially with real-time streaming media, and over-the-top (OTT) services.

The revenue potential of all of this is staggering. Watch for the positioning battles to begin in 2016 and heat up in the next few years.

COLUMN

BIG DATA ANALYTICS GAINING MOMENTUMIt has been a while since Google, eBay and LinkedIn started experimenting with big data. In those last few years, big data has proven its worth in several areas — one being cost reduction. This addresses the issue of just processing and storing vast quantities of big data in warehouses and working on it constantly. Now, smart applications such as Hadoop can clus-ter information and move it in and out of the enterprise as needed, for production, and analysis applications, saving the cost of brute force analysis on the yottabytes of data being collected.

A second is decision making. Big data has added a new dimension to an-alytics. Driven by today’s advanced hard-ware and software, which can crunch though data like never before, analytic applications can now chew through vast amounts of data to fine tune if/then scenarios, forecast models, and other statistical probabilities for faster and better decision making results.

Third, and perhaps one of the more intriguing applica-tions, is product development and better analysis of user demands and desires. By analyzing vast amounts of con-sumer data, for example, one can get a much more accurate picture of what the consumer is doing, and much faster.

And these are just some of the areas, and organizations. Other trends show big data analytics showing up in sports, medicine, finance, infrastructure, and more.

CARRIER WI-FI — COMING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOODAfter getting off to a slow start, the carriers are beginning to see the value in carrier Wi-Fi. The fast-paced develop-ment of LTE-U standards, and the increasing number of its proponents had cast a shadow of doubt on carrier Wi-Fi. But, in spite all the hand wringing, the carrier Wi-Fi space continues to grow, even expanding by at-tracting other players like cable operators, andchameleons like Google. ABI Research expects nearly 2 million units


COLUMN

INTERACTLet’s talk Small Cell. Follow @AGLMAG on

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OTHER WI-FI TRENDSVenu Wi-Fi. Expect Venu Wi-Fi to come on strong. In 2014, the FIFA World Cup was one of the first successful demonstrations of a large-scale Wi-Fi deployment. Some say we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Venue Wi-Fi. In 2016, expect to see some venues take this to a whole new level. Included will be branded Wi-Fi that uses lo-cation-based information to offer users a per-sonalized service. For example, once the location software knows you are heading towards the snack bar, the large-scale Wi-Fi network, throughout the venue, will recognize where you are and send you a coupon for a free soda, for example. While you are standing in line, the same network will send you updates with real-time game stats. When it is all over, everyone’s smartphones will guide them to the nearest exit, enabling much better crowd control at the venue exits.

Monetizing free Wi-Fi. This is still going to be a difficult call. The trend seems to be that Wi-Fi pro-viders will start accepting the fact that in order to finance the network, the push model for advertising and offers, such as the networks do with television commercials and web sites do with banner ads, has to happen. Users are familiar with the idea of seeing ads and offers when they surf the net, so the next step is to do it at the venue. A clas-sic example is Starbucks. When you go to a one of the locations, and you log onto their Wi-Fi net-work, up pops an ad that will give you two scones for the price of one at that location, for example.

Another case is that of a city center. When visitors come to that location and log onto the Wi-Fi network, merchants can offer discount coupons, or meal specials. Of course, all of this is tailored to the

individual through location-based technology. And that can be extrapolated to just about any, currently free, Wi-Fi network.

SMALL CELLSSmall cells will take off in 2016. Yes, it has been forecast-ed to do that for the last two years, but the signs seem to be better this time. For one, LTE is moving. And, LTE will have to integrate small cells to handle the massive data tsunami coming in the next few years, and it can’t wait until it is here.

The outdoor small cell market is predicted to grow at roughly 48 percent though 2019, according to ABI Research. For that same period, backhaul is

forecast to grow 45 percent. Operators, according to Infonetics Research, plan

on diverting 20 percent, plus of their traffic to small cells by 2018.

And there have been some de-ployments. Let’s not forget the ramp up in technology. HetNets

are happening; and software-de-fined networks (SDN), and network-

function virtualization (NFV) are being deployed.Finally, once the IoE is in full bloom, small

cells will be the backbone of that platform. And again, the infrastructure can’t wait to build out in 2020, when all of this is supposed to be real.

“Users are familiar with the idea of seeing ads and offers when they surf the net, so the next step is to do it at the venue. ”


FROM THE EDITOR

For the last couple of years, I have seen dozens of the Internet of everything (IoE) reports, prognostications, opinions, and the like, from various established and credible firms such as Gartner, ABI, Forrester, iGR, Frost and Sullivan, etc. Most of them, in one place or another talk about how many devices will be part of it, and what the potential market will be in the next few years. Most of the reports tend to discuss, generally as 2020 approaches, that there will be at least 20 billion devices connected to the IoE. Cisco had said 50 billion, some others have stuck their necks out to as many as 75 billion. However, most of the numbers come in at 20 to 30 billion, and I tend to go along with that.

So imagine my surprise when I got an email contra-dicting that from a firm called Beecham Research (www.beechamresearch.com), who claim to be an internationally recognized “thought leader” in IoT market development. Thought leader? OK, I never heard of a “thought leader” so I did a little research. I will talk about the content of that report shortly, but bear with me for a few more words.

The best description of a “thought leader” that I found was the following. Seems it was first coined about 20 years ago, in the pages of Strategy+Business, the business magazine of technology consulting firm Booz & Company. But according to Forbes, the term “thought leader” is only reserved for those who are “capitalizing on the dramatically enhanced brand equity attained by being a thought leader.”

I was sent this report by an ad agency, so the “thought leader” term was, no doubt, creative marketing. But, who is Beecham Research and why have I never heard of them? Turns out, at least according to their web site, they are experts in the IoE (they still call it the IoT), and M2M, since 2001. Funny, I get a lot of M2M publications and,

still I have never heard of them (I was not able to find the actual report on their site, however).

Anyway, where I am going with this is that the report stated that Beecham Research, which calls itself the “Top” analyst and consulting firm that has specialized in the M2M and IoT markets for 15 years is “warning companies planning to get into the Internet of Things (IoT/E) market not to believe all the hype and over optimistic predictions.” They are calling the industry prognosticators who are forecasting the 10 to 50 billion devices by 2020, and tril-lions of dollars in new revenue by 2025, “unrealistic” and “potentially damaging” to the industry. If they are to be believed, “companies shouldn’t build business plans and funding expectations on such “false promises”. To them, “20 Billion connected devices in 2020 is pie in the sky.”

Really?! Out of the blue comes a firm I have never heard of saying the IoE is bogus, calling themselves the top IoT and M2M company, and that every other prognosticator is probably wrong.

Frankly, I think this is “shock” tactics to get some eyeballs. Sure, the IoE is still just a vision and exactly how it will shake out is unclear…but the fact is that we are moving to an “interconnect of everything” world. Call it the IoE, IoT, CoT (Cloud of Everything), WoE (World of Everything), or what-ever you wish, but that is where this civilization is going.

I have been in high-tech for a long, long time. I may not be a “thought leader” but I have seen a lot come and go. One thing I have learned is that technology waits for no one. There is little doubt that ubiquitous connectivity is happening, especially with the millennials, and the millennial generation will drive this even faster.

If I am wrong, in 2020, I will personally apologize to Beecham. But for now, I think they are full of it. —[email protected]

COLUMN

E r n e s t Wo r t h m a n

This Month’s Topic: Going Against the Crowd?


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

From stadiums to boardrooms, parking lots to playgrounds, SCI has got your DAS covered and your customers connected. For more than a decade, SCI has been out in front, engineering and manufacturing the most innovative concealment systems on the

market. Count on SCI to deliver the products and services you and your team deserve. Call us today to discuss your DAS projects.

DAS The Way To Do It. Expand Your Footprint Without Leaving A Mark.


9 5 1 . 6 9 8 . 5 9 8 5

From stadiums to boardrooms, parking lots to playgrounds, SCI has got your DAS covered and your customers connected. From stadiums to boardrooms, parking lots to playgrounds, SCI has got your DAS covered and your customers connected. For more than a decade, SCI has been out in front, engineering and manufacturing the most innovative concealment systems on the For more than a decade, SCI has been out in front, engineering and manufacturing the most innovative concealment systems on the

market. Count on SCI to deliver the products and services you and your team deserve. Call us today to discuss your DAS projects.market. Count on SCI to deliver the products and services you and your team deserve. Call us today to discuss your DAS projects.

DASDAS The Way To Do It. The Way To Do It. Expand Your Footprint Expand Your Footprint Without Leaving A Mark.


9 5 1 . 6 9 8 . 5 9 8 59 5 1 . 6 9 8 . 5 9 8 5


COLUMN

LTE deployments are accelerating at a rapid rate across the U.S., as well as globally. Data traffic will continue to increase exponentially over the next five years placing enormous demands on network infrastructure and, backhaul is no exception. Wireless backhaul plays a critical role in the growth of LTE and high capacity networks, particularly solutions that leverage spectrum in unlicensed bands, ad-dress speed, latency and interference mitigation.

The requirements of network backhaul are becoming increasingly complex because traffic patterns are in a constant state of flux as users access a wide range of services and applications from WhatsApp to Netflix. Legacy backhaul systems were not designed to deal with a con-stant stream of data throughput, and as a result operators are now adopting more advanced wireless backhaul systems. Data traffic aside, legacy backhaul systems will not be able to meet the data throughput, or latency requirements associated with LTE, or the shorter high speed links required as a result of network densification.

Data usage is being concentrated in dense urban and metropolitan areas, and operators are beginning to rollout a mixture of small cells and macro cells as they expand their networks to cover these populated areas. Advanced wireless backhaul solutions are now being rolled out to support this new network configuration.

Technological advances in wireless backhaul have enabled operators to leverage unlicensed spectrum for carrier-grade LTE backhaul, supporting small cell and macrocell network deployments in urban and metropolitan areas. These systems can be relied on to deliver the high data throughput and low latency requirements of LTE, and provide additional capacity to support the growth of wireless backhaul, and tolerate the RF interference, inherent in unlicensed bands.

The sub 6 GHz and mm-wave bands have the capacity to support the growth of wireless backhaul substantially over the next five to ten years, but they have other

characteristics that make them ideal for the build-out of high capacity networks. Wireless backhaul systems configured to the 5 GHz band are able to operate in challenging radio conditions. And, 5 GHz is ideal for advanced solutions that can maintain links in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions, circumventing physical

obstructions to propagate radio waves, an integral feature for backhaul systems deployed in urban environments. Millimeter wave technology supports very high speed links over short distances at low cost, which complement small cell configurations that are in line with network densification.

The gains from adopting advanced wireless backhaul solutions are significant. These solutions are configured to operate in unlicensed bands that offer a huge surplus of available capacity that can support the growth of wireless backhaul into the next decade, and beyond. Subsequently by having a reliable and sustainable backhaul spine in place to support their LTE propositions, operators will be able to continue expanding their networks to meet the insatiable demand for mobile broadband access from consumer, enterprise and vertical markets.

Kevin Duffy is the CEO of Fastback Networks

INDUSTRY INSIGHT: WIRELESS BACKHAUL WINS THE ‘BATTLE OF THE FREQUENCY BANDS’ TO DELIVER CAPACITY AND NETWORK GROWTH

B y K e v i n D u f f y

“...requirements of network backhaul are becoming increasingly complex because traffic patterns are in a constant state of flux as users access a wide range of services and apps from WhatsApp to Netflix.”

COLUMN


FEATURE

In October 2015, Toyota took the top slot in global vehicle sales. The demise of Volkswagen and their emissions scan-dal might have helped, but Q4 should show the real fallout. And while Toyota’s new hydrogen powered Mirai did not put them over the edge, their ability to harness new tech-nology, specifically alternate technology to power their vehicles, has given the public something to be excited about (especially when clean diesel is not really clean?).

Toyota’s expanding portfolio of fueling sources for their vehicles drives home the need for everyone to rethink the way they get power. The demand for alternative energy is not just for Greenpeace supporters anymore, it is a critical need, worldwide.

Many experts suggest that in the near future, our homes, cars and workplaces will be a hybrid of all types of power generators. In short, don’t place all of your eggs in one power basket — our world is changing and we have a responsibility as company stewards to drive positive change as it pertains to our heavy reliance on the commercial power grid and foreign oil.

Companies need to look at our overall business

operations, and take advantage of new technologies that are proven and reliable, with the ability to not only impact our environment positively, but the company’s bottom line. Just like many companies have a no single vendor sourcing rule, think about this as it pertains to power.

Batteries degrade, diesel generators pollute. Yes, they are familiar and comfortable technologies with both positive and negative attributes. And admittedly, it is simply unrealistic to get rid of them all, just yet. But there are real alternatives to those technologies today.

From wind to sun to the most abundant element on earth — hydrogen. Companies worldwide are finding new and innovative ways to deliver power, cleanly and affordably, to our cars, our homes and cell towers.

WHAT IS A FUEL CELL?Fuel cells convert chemical energy into electrical energy, with the only byproducts being water and heat which can be harnessed and used for other things. Hydrogen is an abundant element that exists everywhere from plants to trees to the water in our lakes and oceans. Hydrogen is an inexhaustible, renewable domestic fuel. It is non- toxic, and lighter than air.

Hydrogen-powered fuel cells have no pollution and can be much more efficient than traditional technologies. A conventional power plant generates at about a third of the maximum efficiency. Fuel cells generate at almost twice that, even without cogeneration. Fuel cells are quieter and have fewer parts, making them more suited to a variety of applications.

Hydrogen fuel cells are not new, but technological advances have brought them a long way lately. Some fuel cell companies still manufacture by hand, which make them unaffordable for mass production. Some companies focus on primary power applications, others on backup power.

The telecommunications industry has embraced fuel cells as a backup power source for some time now. With great success and the promise of a cleaner and more cost effective solution, why has it not gone more mainstream?

The answer to that is complex, but overall, the market is recovering from a number of misconceptions, and truth

SMALL CELLS ARE NOT A TREND, NEITHER ARE HYDROGEN FUEL CELLSB y A n d r e a L a u g h l i n

FIVE REASONS WHY FUEL CELLS WORK FOR SMALL CELLS

HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS HAVE A RICH LEGACY IN WIRELESS APPLICATIONS


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be told some realities that our industry had to address. Initially, the barriers to entry regarding mass production making fuel cells not commercially viable was a concern. This barrier has been broken with dramatic leaps in design and development as well as automated manufacturing and production advances.

Some fuel cell companies have tried, unsuccessfully, to launch without strong foundations in design and manufac-turing or a clear understanding of the market needs. The infrastructure for fueling, a real concern, is changing every day. We can thank Toyota and other major automobile manufactures of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for the dramat-ic momentum in the availability (and planned availability)

of hydrogen fueling stations to support the Mirai.Thanks can be given to the fuel cell manufacturers

who have addressed this issue with turnkey product and fueling options to meet customer needs. The U.S. government, as well, has several initiatives in place that support this greener power generation. The Department of Energy’s Fuel Cell Technologies Office covers a com-prehensive portfolio of activities with the ultimate goal of decreasing our dependence on oil, reducing carbon emissions, and enabling clean, reliable power generation.

IT’S TIME TO CONSIDER, OR RECONSIDER HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS.Hydrogen power generators come in many different shapes and sizes for a variety of applications from vehicles to data centers to telecommunications. The small cell mar-ket has unique requirements as it pertains to delivering

backup power. Small cells are a critical link in the chain of not only a connected city — but a safe one. With un-reliable grids to hurricanes to earthquakes, reliable back-up power is not just a nice to have, but a need to have.

But how do hydrogen fuel cells play in the small cell market? Nicely, we believe. Consider these five critical decision making factors before you invest in your next large battery or diesel generator purchase.

RELIABLE & PROVENMission critical operations are happening every day in every major metropolitan city, worldwide. Can we afford small cell networks with anything less than highly reliable

backup power? Built correctly, fuel cells provide reliable power for

extended runtimes. With rugged construction and simple maintenance routines, fuel cells can be far less susceptible to inclement weather and temperature extremes than legacy technologies.

The valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery commonly deployed to provide backup power at cell tower sites have l imited r untime capabil it ies , with most deployments providing less than the FCC 8-hour mini-mum runtime requirement. Even when installed in multi-unit strings, VRLA batteries typically deliver up to four hours of performance. Batteries cannot store enough power to provide sufficient runtimes to adequately back-up critical systems.

Limited runtime capabilities can expose network performance to extended downtime, as the nation’s

HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS HAVE A RICH LEGACY IN WIRELESS APPLICATIONS


with dirty emissions and a noisy output which further pollutes the environment.

COMPACT DESIGNAdvanced fuel cell design and engineering keeps in mind the need for small cell deployment to be compact and lightweight. Fuel cell deployment can be anywhere from rooftops to poles to wall mounted cabinets. Look for a company who has engineered the product with light weight as a key benefit to the system — not all fuel cell products are alike when it comes to size and weight. Understanding the need to fit into pre-designed cabinets is often a requirement fuel cell manufacturers are prepared to manage through with specific specifications

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power grid has proven vulnerable to periodic longer-term outages. Diesel generators often are necessary to supplement battery backup power and provide runtimes of eight hours or more, particularly in high-value markets, and severe weather regions. Extended diesel generator use, however, has been shown to lead to mechanical failure, and adding diesel generators to the solution results in higher cost and larger footprint requirements.

Fuel cells have successfully performed through many natural disasters — uninterrupted. Through Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Joaquin, and the Napa Earthquake, fuel cells have weathered the storms, while other legacy technologies failed. Telecommunications networks are modern in their technological advances, but still rely on antiquated backup power supplies, which have had little to no technological advances.

With applications in telecommunication, outside plant, critical infrastructure, emergency response and military and homeland security, fuel cells are proving themselves to industries who don’t take risks regarding their uptime.

CLEANER, GREENER POWERFuel cells are the cleanest backup power choice on the market with water as the only byproduct. Companies with sustainability goals can look to hydrogen powered fuel cells to dramatically reduce their carbon footprint. With small cells in large urban populations, the need to replace and recycle batteries can be a constant battle. Fuel cell systems eliminate this step, thus eliminating thousands of valuable man hours and budget dollars in maintenance.

It is important to look for fuel cells which are CARB- certified (California Air Resource Board) which can dramatically simplify regulatory compliance and CSA certification to facilitate permitting and installation. While most small cell applications will likely consider batteries for backup power, it is important to note that diesel generators are still deployed in traditional cell tower installations.

Large urban cities already have enough to contend with regarding pollution. Many cities are putting regulations and policies in place to manage and control pollution with the goals of improving air quality and reducing noise levels. Diesel generators only exacerbate the problem

EXAMPLE OF AN ALTERGY FREEDOM POWER™ SMALL CELL APPLICATION WITH FUEL CELL AND FUEL STORAGE.


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and designs from OEMs. Retrofitting existing cabinets where batteries are currently housed is another way fuel cells can be incorporated without redesigning or buying new boxes.

LOWEST TCOSmall cell infrastructure’s cost must be realized at a dramatically lower cost than a traditional cell tower, thus the need to source suppliers to meet this need. With the right partner, fuel cells can now provide the lowest initial CapEx, and reduce total cost of ownership up to 60% over a ten-year period, when compared to legacy backup power technologies. With lower acquisition and maintenance costs than batteries or diesel generators, larger scale small cell deployment can be realized at a more rapid pace.

FUELING OPTIONSSources for hydrogen are growing every day, so do not be surprised if your local gas station adds a pump next to the gasoline and diesel that says hydrogen. And not to belabor Toyota’s love of hydrogen, but there are rumblings that they are working on new technology where you can fuel your car in your own garage.

Look for a fuel cell company who offers a turnkey fueling option with your system. Deployment in small cell locations can be managed a number of different and cost effective ways based on customer requirements.

SUMMARYSmall cell technology is delivering a more reliable network to customers. Hydrogen fuel cells support that network with the most modern, reliable, compact, clean and cost effective backup power solution on the market today. The benefits are clearly bringing positive results to a world in great need for alternate energy solutions.

Andrea Laughlin is the Director, Marketing and Branding. Ms. Laughlin brings over 15 years of professional business to business marketing to Altergy from the manufacturing, hardware and software industry. Her assignments have included The Ardagh Group, Marco Plastics, Kazeon Software, Electronics for Imaging, Informix Software and Oracle Cor-poration. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, Arts and Sciences from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and a Masters of Business Administration degree in Marketing from George Washington University in Washington. For more information visit www.altergy.com.

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The momentum around small cells is stronger than ever in the industry. Not a day goes by without hearing of companies gearing up to build, install and deploy small cells. A simple Internet search will yield a wealth of documents on all aspects of design approach, deployment strategies and economic impact.

SMALL CELL BACKGROUNDSmall cells have been a discussion topic for over 20

years now. As soon as digital wireless technology started to emerge, microcells were proposed as a means for pro-viding large capacity offset to the macro or “umbrella” cells. The microcell was meant to reside well below the surrounding clutter and to provide more localized coverage to a high traffic area. Those areas were typical-ly characterized as dense urban areas. However, with the proliferation of smart phones and data devices, high traffic consumption areas have greatly expanded to most urban and suburban areas, increasing the demand for offloading data traffic.

In response, “small” cells kept getting smaller. Vendors released pico, and femto cells, which are designed to provide even more localized coverage, including indoors. While these names are sometimes used interchangeably, they are best differentiated by their power levels.

• Micro cells: 5-10 watts

• Pico cells: 0.5-5 watt

• Femto cells: <0.5 watt

The rest of this article, we will focus on outdoor deployed micro or pico cells, which are groups often categorized under “small” cells.

So why deploy small cells at all? This question has been debated for years. With the continued increase of smart phones, data consumption is growing at rates that are challenging the wireless network operators. Figure 1

shows the increase in global aggregate mobile traffic.Adding radios to the macro network infrastructure is

typically the fastest and cheapest solution and is the avenue most commonly taken. However, additional radios will eventually cease to be effective as available spec-trum is consumed. Once the cells saturate, spectrum reuse (cell splitting) becomes the only feasible alternative. Using small cells is the best solution to reduce the sizes of the cells to sometimes as small as only a few hundred meters.

When it comes to RF design and proper placement, small cells pose more significant design challenges than their macro counterparts. We discuss some of these challenges below. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONSCell Placement Precision — Traditionally, wireless carriers placed new macro sites, based on traffic reports from adjoining sites, or coverage deficiency reports. The RF engineers would locate an area between multiple sectors that is showing high utilization as a candidate location for new cells. This approach was effective for macro sites, but is not practical for small cells.

Due to their small size, accurate placement of small cells is key to performance. Whether placed to patch a coverage problem or for supplemental capacity, small cells must be located in the area of the need. Coverage deficiencies are easily identified using readily available

AN EFFICIENT APPROACH TO SMALL CELL DESIGNB y M o h a m a d A l f a k i r

SOME GENTLE GUIDANCE INTO SMALL CELL DESIGN BY SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE NETWORK PLANNING ASPECTS

FIGURE 1. MOBILE TRAFFIC INCREASE — 2010 TO DATE.


RF survey tools, but capacity requirements are less obvious. Without the user equipment sending additional location information, a macro site covering a square mile can’t resolve the originating location of a data session. This results in the Operations Sub System (OSS) needing to be supplemented by third-party applications in order to provide the needed accuracy.

This data is available today at a premium. Tools such as Keima Overture™ and Newfield Truecall® integrate many sources of data into them such as:

• Drive testing and benchmarking

• OSS performance data

• Social networking (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

Such tools have engines that constantly compile data in

the background and new data is added continuously. The data combined with location data reported by mobile applications allow network planners to view traffic orig-ination locations with great precision, including vertical heights (floors of buildings).

Design and Cell Densities — Once placement is iden-tified, the next challenge is determining the required density for small cells, or alternatively, the spacing between them. Many technology factors come into play when deciding the inter-small cell spacing with the two key factors being the technology link budget and the radio frequency band.

The primary reasons behind the reduced size of small cells are the lower output power, and the lower height. The lowered output power (from 40 to 5 watts) implies a 10 dB reduction in signal levels compared to macro cells. The lower height causes the signal to attenuate faster due to the need to propagate through denser clutter, raising the

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Small cells easily installed.HUBER+SUHNER, North America’s leading supplier of remote radio installation solutions, has developed a broad portfolio of passive FO and RF components that make small cell installations mere child’s play. The latest development is the MASTERLINE Ultimate Small Cell system. This pre-terminated factory-sealed plug and play fiber optic system supports up to 3 RRHs and connects them with easy-to-install Q-ODC fiber optic jumpers. The small form factor allows deployment with limited space impact.

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USA_SmallCell_201502.indd 1 17.02.2015 17:49:12


propagation loss coefficient.A typical LTE macro site offering a downlink through-

put at cell edge around 5 Mbps, will experience a maximum allowable path loss (MAPL) of about 124 dBm, yielding a 0.75 km cell radius. The higher losses in the case of small cells, combined with the lower power output, will drop that radius to around 200 meters. This difference in radius translates to 14 small cells sites for every macro cell. On the positive side, much fewer users share the bandwidth of each cell.

Propagation StudiesMore elaborate and sophisticated propagation models are required for small cell coverage evaluation than macro cellular sites. Traditional methods for coverage modeling of macro cells are not effective for short distances, or below clutter. Outdoor small cells reside at, or below, the surround-ing clutter (buildings, trees, etc.), and require more sophis-ticated ray tracing models. Such models also require more granular underlying terrain and building databases to operate, which drives up the analysis costs. For a large area, this could become a significant expenditure.

Typical acceptable resolution of databases is from five meters down to one meter. In addition to cost, the RF designer needs to take into account the calculation time and the computing platform investment. Where a 30- meter grid for a macro site requires one calculation point, this same area, using 1-meter clutter grid, requires 900 calculation points.

Macro cells may, very well, propagate through multiple environmental categories, requiring a complex calibration of the model. Small cell environments, due to the smaller coverage area, would be more homogenous in nature, making model tuning simpler. However, every environmental category would need to be properly studied and the proper correction established to ensure model accuracy.

Backhaul PlanningFrom a backhaul perspective, LTE small cells present an unparalleled need of network access point (NAP) density. By the simple virtue of the previously mentioned ratio of 14:1, it is expected that there will be a need of as many network access points to replace the single NAP for a classical voice site requiring a single T1 (1.544 Mbps) voice trunk.

Today, most LTE small cells support a single carrier. The most common bandwidth configuration is 10 MHz. At such bandwidth, the typical maximum LTE channel useful sector (overhead removed) throughput is approx-imately 35 Mbps. Adding IP layer, and layer 2 overhead, the need rises to about 50 Mbps backhaul bandwidth to support such an LTE cell. Now, multiply this by 14 (50 x 14 = 700), and the result is 700 Mbps of required capacity compared to the 1.544 Mbps circuit sufficient for macro sites of yesteryear.

The math above presents the very minimum baseline capable of supporting current bandwidth demands of today. LTE small cells have begun to implement Multiple Input, Multiple Output (MIMO) in 2 x 2 configurations. This implies approximately twice the bandwidth require-ment, effectively requiring each small cell to have a 100 Mbps backhaul link to fully accommodate the additional traffic. As MIMO advances to 4 x 4 or possibly 8 x 8 configurations, that backhaul demand will continue to grow and continue to increase the demand for backhaul.

Furthermore, carrier aggregation is a very popular feature that allows a cell of two RF channels to increase capacity. One of the more commonly deployed scenarios is to aggregate two 10 MHz RF carriers and double the available capacity. This, naturally, requires a proportional increase in the backhaul capacity. With all these capacity enhancing features compounding, it is not uncommon to encounter backhaul requirements of 200 Mbps per small cell, or approximately 1,600 Mbps per Km2 of available backhaul capacity.

This figure is the leading cause of hesitation in small cell deployment. The high costs of laying dense under-ground fiber networks and the associated NAPs, render the small cell model less attractive. Attention, therefore, has shifted to evaluating alternative backhaul means.

MICROWAVE BACKHAULThe most obvious alternative to fiber is wireless microwave. Microwave has been successfully deployed for many com-munications links for years. Licensed microwave for small cells typically use higher frequencies (18 and 23 GHz). Antenna sizes are typically in the one to two foot diameter range, implying a reasonably compact footprint with an antenna-mounted amplifier. The primar y

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advantage of microwave radio is speed of deployment and low recurring costs. However, it also has its drawbacks:

• Requires licensing — This implies the additional effort of frequency coordination, FCC applications and various configuration studies.

• Limited bandwidth compared to fiber — Today, 1 GHz microwave radios are readily available and can easily be installed. Vendors, such as DragonWave, offer methods of stacking radios to increase capacities.

• Lease space — A microwave radio implies additional equipment on the pole and added capacity implies added equipment.

• Fading — Microwave radio is susceptible to rain fade, especially at higher frequencies, requiring shorter links to keep availability to four or five 9s.

Despite the above disadvantages, microwave radio is still a popular alternative in locations where fiber is difficult to install, such as canyons, across rivers and bays, urban infrastructure and other difficult topographical areas.

MILLIMETER WAVE BACKHAULMillimeter wave backhaul is gaining popularity in urban areas due to the shortened distances between sites in urban areas. It operates in the higher bands (60 to 80 GHz), thus requires smaller form factor equipment than traditional microwave. The advantages of millimeter wave devices are their large bandwidth and limited interference due to the large spectrum allocation in the upper bands.

The shortcomings are the limited range and higher cost of equipment.

LTE “RELAY”“Relay” is a feature of LTE advanced that allows the allo-cation of a certain portion of the spectrum to “backhaul” between sites (see Figure 2). This feature is useful where the installation of additional backhaul equipment (fiber, wireless) is not feasible due to regulations, space or struc-tural integrity of mounting assets. Naturally, relays con-sume bandwidth in the licensed LTE spectrum so the available bandwidth to subscribers is reduced. This requires care when network planning to ensure that the remaining bandwidth still meets the network perfor-mance and capacity criteria.

In most network deployment situations, no singular backhaul solution is exclusively suitable. While fiber is the preferred method, it is highly likely that a combina-tion of the above techniques would be required to meet the short deployment timelines of wireless service pro-viders. In some instances, short-term wireless links may be required to meet immediate needs, while fiber is deployed over a longer time frame.

DEPLOYMENT APPROACHMost small cells are deployed in groups, primarily in areas with high capacity requirements. Planning scenarios usually start with a polygon identifying the area to be cov-ered with small cells. Since these cells will usually overlap with the macro network coverage, they will require higher received signal strength than the macro network in order to act as the primary serving cell for the subscribers in the area. This is why we tend to see small cells designed with a higher coverage reference signal received power (RSRP) threshold than their macro counterparts.

Due to the high density of small cells, finding mounting assets to install the equipment is typically the next chal-lenge. The typical small cell mounting asset list consists of light poles, utility poles, billboards, building facades and similar structures.

Small cells, due to their precision placement require-ments, have minimal position tolerance. In most cases, there is little choice in the mounting location. Additional restrictions such as structural integrity,

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Figure 2. Simplified LTE relay scenario FIGURE 2. SIMPLIFIED LTE RELAY SCENARIO


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fiber connectivity, and space on the pole further com-plicate the location criteria. Therefore, small cells require more diligence in identifying every possible mounting asset in order to minimize the disturbance to the RF network plan. Bulk leasing of mounting assets, and agreements with utility, telephone, and advertisement companies becomes essential to expediting the deployment schedule.

NETWORK OPTIMIZATIONSmall cell networks require post-construction integration and optimization similar to macro cell sites. While the effort is reduced, due to the smaller coverage area, careful attention must be paid to all network operational parameters to ensure proper performance.

As previously mentioned, small cells should be the primary serving cells. Interactions with the macro cells fall into one of two categories:

• Filling gaps in small cell coverage by a macro site.

• Capacity relief by handing over traffic requests in excess of cell capacity to the macro network.

The first case is usually more troublesome to the net-work. Poorly designed small cell networks with many coverage gaps implies excessive handoffs to the macro network. This unnecessary signaling will result in poor quality connections and an additional load to the backhaul links. The best guard against such situation is to ensure that the junctions between small cells are of sufficient signal strength to enable handoff to the neighboring small cell, instead of to the macro site.

However, RF changes may not be sufficient. Additional adjustments to the network operational parameters may be necessary to ensure proper call flow. Two examples:

• Cell reselection. The criteria must be adjusted to accommodate higher cell edge coverage thresholds and favor selecting other small cells over the macro cells covering the area.

• Neighbor list definition. Adding the appropriate macro cells to the small cell neighbor lists ensures

the session continuity for outage areas.Capacity relief is a normal event. However, during opti-mization, it is important to set the network parameters to favor neighboring small cells first, then the overlay macro coverage (see Figure 3).

CONCLUSIONSmall cells are, without a doubt, the next evolutionary step in wireless networks. Since the mid-80s, when cellular sites started appearing on top of mountains and high structures, we have seen a steady increase in spectrum reuse, resulting in steady decrease in site heights. This tactic continues to be the primary mean for increasing transmission efficiency by the wireless service providers. Over the next few years, it is highly likely that the typical wireless site will become as dense as the household Wi-Fi access point. The result is a compact transmitter hung on a pole, serving a localized area of subscribers. With proper planning, small cells are destined to be our reliable means for telecommunications throughout the next decade.

Mohamad Alfakir is a Senior Wireless Technologist with Black & Veatch, an engineering, consulting and construction company. He has more than 25 years of industry experience in large scale wireless network deployment with a balance between technical system design, management of implementation and rollout. Mohamad is currently supporting the DAS and Small Cell group with architecture design and system implementation. He holds a M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering/Digital Communications from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He can be reached at [email protected].

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Figure 3. Cell overlap optimization

FIGURE 3. CELL OVERLAP OPTIMIZATION


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CASE STUDY: BRINGING WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY TO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

B y J M A W i r e l e s s

ROBUST MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS ARE EMERGING AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MARKET.

Today’s property managers are always looking for an edge in the highly competitive commercial real estate market. In fact, the U.S. office market vacancy rates are projected to hover around 12 percent for the next few years.1 To keep their properties full, managers must continue to ensure tenant satisfaction with building amenities above and beyond the standard offerings. Robust in-building cellular coverage and capacity is now becoming a must-have for commercial properties. Ever increasing data demands on traditional cellular networks

require investments to empower tenants who expect mobile connectivity anywhere, anytime.

WIRELESS COVERAGE CHALLENGESProperty managers of commercial properties have been experiencing an increasing number of pain points when trying to meet the wireless needs of its tenants. It is not an easy task to provide adequate cellular coverage and capacity in high-rises that are constructed of steel, and concrete and, oftentimes, now built to be LEEDS certified. This emerging scenario adds a level of complexity to

getting ubiquitous wireless coverage in what is already a challenging environment. The issue is further compounded by buildings located in dense urban areas.

Moreover, in such facilities a growing number of companies are installing bring your own device (BYOD) policies. Some even forgoing use of traditional landlines altogether. Almost 75 percent of businesses are using or planning to implement BYOD.2 However, BYOD presents new challenges to property managers. Since employees can choose their own device and service provider with

BYOD, facilities must ensure they can support multiple bands and multiple operators. Ten-ants demand ubiquitous cellular coverage and capacity, similar to the expectations for Wi-Fi. Wireless networks are taxed even further now that smart phones are often used as the main means for business communications.

To compound matters even further, wireless coverage and capacity must be available during emergency situations to not only meet the needs of tenants, but first responders as well. During a crisis people automatically reach for their cell phones to share texts, voice messages and videos. Lack of connectivity is unacceptable and can result in further mayhem.

DEPLOYING AN INNOVATIVE SOLUTION TO MEET WIRELESS NEEDSThere are two general solutions available to meet this demand — DAS and small cells. Which one is the best is determined by a number of factors. But both offer elegant solutions for this application, and the facility may deploy both.

In fact, today many prospective tenants ask leasing agents if a property has a DAS or small cell network already installed, before they sign on the dotted line. Tenants realize that wall-to-wall and basement-to-roof-

“To compound matters even further, wireless coverage and capacity must be available during emergency situations to not only meet the needs of tenants, but first responders as well.”

CASE STUDY


top wireless coverage can help their business run more efficiently and ensure their mobile communications strategy is effective. These platforms not only attract new tenants, but also turns them into long-term occupants, which results in increased Net Operating Income (NOI), and building profitability.

One example of a DAS system is the modular Teko DAS. This system supports multiple operators and mul-tiple bands making it the perfect solution to support BYOD and maintaining long-term tenants. Even if a particular carrier does not want to invest in a building’s DAS, or small cell network, the Teko solution can still offer enhanced cellular coverage and capacity via a direct interface with the Base Transceiver Station (BTS), or with an RF repeater.

Modern DAS systems take advantage of optical fiber to distribute multiple frequency bands and multiple carriers from the rack mounted Master Unit to one or multiple Remote Units, making it a very cost efficient communications solution. For example, the Teko

configuration uses 50 to 75 percent less fiber than competitive offerings.

Finally, when deciding which system, or systems to deploy, keep in mind that systems must be “future-proof.” Systems such as the Teko DAS are developed with the future in mind. It incorporates a modular design that enables a commercial property to easily introduce new technologies or services into an existing network. Not only can current equipment be leveraged, but existing fiber can be used as well.

JMA Wireless is the leading global innovator in mobile wireless connectiv-ity solutions that assure infrastructure reliability, streamline service oper-ations, and maximize wireless performance.JMA Wireless solutions cover macro infrastructure, outdoor and indoor distributed antenna systems and small cell solutions. www.jmawireless.com.

1. Statista.com 2. Research: 74 Percent Adopting or Using BYOD”, Teena Hammond, January 5, 2015 ZDNet

CASE STUDY


The increase in mobile traffic grabs most of the attention in the industry today, but even more remarkable is the massive shift from wireline to wireless IP traffic over the last decade. Today, wireless traffic accounts for more than half of IP traffic, and most of that is not cellular but Wi-Fi — and transported over unlicensed spectrum, mostly still in the 2.4 GHz band.

In this context, it is difficult to overestimate the rele-vance and value of unlicensed spectrum. Initially allo-cated for niche applications, it has become a key enabler of wireless consumption worldwide, driven by the success of Wi-Fi.

Traditionally mobile operators have been wary of using unlicensed spectrum. In the last few years, though, they have started to warm to its use as they developed an appreciation of unlicensed spectrum’s versatility and potential in serving their subscribers, especially indoors. While estimates vary across regions, in most markets Wi-Fi accounts for more than half of traffic from mobile devices. Offloading cellular traffic into Wi-Fi networks — residential, enterprise or hotspot — has been a vital approach for mobile oper-ators under pressure to meet subscriber demand and retain control over profit margins.

MOVING TO 5 GHZMobile operators’ recent interest in extending LTE to operations, in the unlicensed 5 GHz band, is the natural extension of those efforts. Wi-Fi offload was the first foray into the unlicensed bands. It paid off handsomely, and now mobile operators want to expand their use of unlicensed spectrum and bring it closer to home — using the same technology they use for licensed access, LTE, so that licensed and unlicensed transmission can be natively integrated.

With LTE in the unlicensed 5 GHz band, mobile

operators can expand their network capacity in a way that is at once cost effective and easy to implement. To be clear, this is not an alternative to Wi-Fi, but a complement to it. Not even the most committed LTE unlicensed supporters question the dominance of Wi-Fi in residential and enterprise settings, or the role it will continue to play for mobile operators. The reason to adopt LTE unlicensed is not to unseat Wi-Fi, but to increase the spectral efficiency and capacity of the 5 GHz band, and to do so with a technology that is fully integrated within the mobile operators’ networks.

SPECTRUM EFFICIENCYThe efficient use of unlicensed spectrum is all the more important because, although traffic load has been on the rise, the average revenue per user (ARPU) has been stag-nant. That combination forces operators to find cost- effective means to increase capacity — which translates into improving per-bit economics by using available resources and assets more intensively. The efficient use of unlicensed spectrum plays a crucial role in increasing resource utilization.

But there is more to it. Mobile operators have moved away from a single service (e.g., voice) and a single air interface (e.g., GSM) for each subscriber. Instead, they are embracing multiple radio access technology (mulit-RAT) networks in which they can leverage the specific advantages of each technology for different services.

Like Titian’s painting at the beginning of this article, mobile networks are multi-faceted, with older and more mature technologies coexisting with new ones. The key challenge is to seamlessly inte-grate multiple network interfaces, technologies and bands to optimize resource utilization and improve subscriber experience.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE UNLICENSED ARENA?B y M o n i c a P a o l i n i

THE CONTROVERSY OF WHICH UNLICENSED PLATFORM IS BEST FOR WHAT CONTINUES, UNABATED. THE DISCUSSION AROUND LAA, LTE-U AND LWA WILL BE AROUND FOR SOME TIME YET.

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CONFLICT IN THE UNLICENSED ARENAMobile operators are not the only — nor the primary — users of unlicensed spectrum. Most unlicensed use comes from Wi-Fi networks installed in residential and enterprise environments. Service providers such as WISPs and cable operators also use Wi-Fi, to provide fixed or

mobile broadband services to their customers. Mobile operators may rely on this infrastructure for offload, but in most cases they do not own it or control it. The intro-duction of LTE unlicensed proposals has met with deep concern from Wi-Fi vendors and service providers, which have used the 5 GHz band for a long time and want to


continue to do so without being unfairly penalized by the introduction of LTE.

The addition of LTE unlicensed in the 5 GHz band will unquestionably increase the traffic load in the band, the contention for spectrum resources, and, eventually, the congestion. The 5 GHz band has hundreds of MHz of spectrum, and in most places it is not heavily congested today. But utilization of the band is growing quickly, and it is only a matter of time before different Wi-Fi networks and different technologies will have to compete.

A fair coexistence of multiple technologies — primarily, but not exclusively, Wi-Fi and LTE unli-censed — is essential to preserving equilibrium in the 5 GHz band as new tenants, namely mobile operators, join in with a new technology and as the traffic load increases. (see Figure 1). Wi-Fi was designed from the ground up to support fair coexistence through listen-before-talk (LBT) mechanisms that restrict access point (AP) transmission to the times when no neighboring APs are transmitting.

In contrast, LTE uses a scheduled-transmission model designed to operate in licensed bands over which it has exclusive access. Extending this transmission approach to the 5 GHz band has a detrimental impact on Wi-Fi,

and virtually everybody agrees that this is not acceptable, even if regulation allows it.

PLAYING NICEModifications to LTE are necessary for coexistence with Wi-Fi and other technologies in the 5 GHz band. What these modifications should be and how they should be incorporated into the 3GPP standards is at the center of the debate on LTE unlicensed today. As of mid-2015, multiple proposals are under consideration and the 3GPP standardization process is ongoing. This is a crucial moment: the standards specifications will determine whether LTE unlicensed will provide guarantees of fair coexistence with Wi-Fi, and high spectral efficiency sufficient to garner the necessary support from both the Wi-Fi stakeholders and the LTE stakeholders.

THE OPTIONSThere are different proposals on how to use LTE in unlicensed bands, and this has created confusion in the terminology. For this discussion, “LTE unlicensed” as the umbrella term that covers all implementations of LTE in the 5 GHz unlicensed band that use a licensed channel — referred to as a primary channel or anchor — for signaling to coordinate transmission among different channels. Regardless of how LTE unlicensed is implemented, it is fully integrated within LTE networks and it acts as a secondary channel that relies on carrier aggregation (CA).

There are two types of LTE unlicensed: LTE-U and LAA-LTE (see Figure 2). LTE-U is the version of LTE unlicensed that was proposed in 2013 by Qualcomm and Ericsson. LTE-U relies on 3GPP Release 10-12 functionality, with specifications defined by the LTE-U Forum, an organization established by Verizon in collaboration with Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qual-comm Incorporated, and Samsung.

Because it requires few modifications from licensed LTE, LTE-U will be the first version of LTE unlicensed to be available in commercial deployments. However, because it does not implement LBT mechanisms, LTE-U can only be used in markets where regulation does not require LBT, such as China, Korea, India and the USA.

FIGURE 1. WI-FI AND LTE-U SIDE BY SIDE.

FEATURE


LAA-LTE is the version of LTE unlicensed that 3GPP plans to standardize in Release 13 and that supports LBT in addition to CA. LAA-LTE is set to become a global standard as it strives to meet regulatory requirements worldwide.

However, because the standardization work is not completed yet, commercialization will take longer than for LTE-U. In the long term, expect operators and vendors, worldwide, to support LAA-LTE because it provides a globally harmonized solution that leads to better scal-ability and choice among equipment and device vendors.

WI-FI OR LTE UNLICENSED IN SMALL-CELL DEPLOYMENTS? A LOOK AT THE TRADEOFFSLTE unlicensed is squarely aimed at mobile operators because it requires an LTE licensed spectrum allocation that can be used as a primary carrier. Residential and enterprise Wi-Fi users, as well as WISPs, MSOs and other service providers using Wi Fi, may become involved by hosting or sharing access in LTE unlicensed deployments. It is expected that these deployments will be driven (although not necessarily funded) by mobile operators.

Mobile operators are assessing LTE unlicensed — running trials, participating in the 3GPP standardization, or announcing deployment plans as Verizon and T-Mobile in the USA have done. At the same time, mobile operators also rely on Wi-Fi for residential and enterprise offload, hotspot access, or carrier Wi-Fi, and their use of the technology is expanding as they become more comfortable using unlicensed spectrum for opportunistic access.

The choice they face is not between Wi-Fi and LTE.Mobile operators will continue to rely on Wi-Fi accessfor offload. Or, at a bare minimum, if they do not wantto engage directly with Wi-Fi, they have to accept thefact that most of the data traffic their subscribers generate goes through Wi-Fi. But, even the operators that deploy LTE unlicensed are likely to use Wi-Fi and, increasingly, carrier Wi-Fi, in the same types of locations where LTE unlicensed is used. As well, they are likely to step up their efforts to integrate Wi-Fi within their LTE networks.

Instead, the place where mobile operators face a complex decision of choosing between Wi-Fi and LTE unlicensed is mostly in indoor environments where they plan for a small-cell LTE deployment and must decide whether to invest in Wi-Fi, in LTE unlicensed, or in a mix of both.

Among all the factors, two have the heaviest weight:

• LTE unlicensed has greater spectral efficiency and better performance than Wi-Fi — although it is unclear how much that difference will be retained with the introduction of LBT.

• Virtually all mobile devices have Wi-Fi, making the integration of Wi-Fi in LTE networks possible

FIGURE 2. LTE-U OVERVIEW. WI-FI AND LTE-U SIDE BY SIDE.

FEATURE


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today. The inclusion of LTE unlicensed in mobile devices requires support from device vendors. Commercial availability will require a couple of years, and then wide adoption a few more years. At the same time, the marginal cost of adding LTE unlicensed in mobile devices is not high, and cost is not seen as a substantial challenge to adoption.

One additional advantage of Wi-Fi that is rarely mentioned is its wide AP footprint — in the enterprise and in public venues. This installed base can be used as a springboard for small cell deployments. In the deploy-ment of small cells, acquiring locations and backhaul connections to them for the equipment can be challeng-ing for mobile operators — almost invariably time con-suming and complex, and often downright expensive. Being able to co-locate small cells where Wi-Fi APs already exist can speed up deployments and reduce cost and complexity in enterprise locations and public venues.

SUMMARYWith a combined licensed and unlicensed LTE small-cell strategy, a mobile operator may find it more complex to gain access to these premises, because enterprises, real estate owners, city agencies, and public venue managers often have their own Wi-Fi networks and, reasonably, they want to protect their investment, retain the perfor-mance level of their networks, and be able to expand them as needed. An operator wanting to install LTE unlicensed in the real estate they control might be seen as an aggressive competitor, especially if those in charge of the property do not trust the fair coexistence that LTE-U and LAA-LTE promise.

Monica Paolini is the founder and president of Senza Fili. She is an expert in wireless She has frequently been invited to give presen-tations at conferences and has written several reports and articles on wireless broadband technologies. She has a PhD in cognitive science from the University of California, San Diego (US), an MBA from the University of Oxford (UK), and a BA/MA in philosophy from the University of Bologna (Italy). She can be contacted at [email protected].

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“THE FUTURE AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE.” —YOGI BERRA With 2016 just around the corner

what does the industry have

to say? This special section

presents perspectives from

some of the industry ’s

leading-edge players

taking a look at what

has been, and what

will be.

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With North American mobile traffic predicted to grow seven fold between 2014 and 20191, it’s clear that operators in 2016 must address the continued surge in capacity demand. Crucially, when coupled with recent reports stating revenues are flat and margins are declining, they need to do this in a way that creates a financially viable business case. Looking to next year, it is likely that this will prompt operators in the US to turn to emerging opportunities in higher spectrum bands and more advanced wireless solutions — across both the radio access network (RAN) and backhaul. With 5G research and preliminary technology trials set to take place in 2016, the industry will also gain a better understanding of future requirements and address the many unknowns that exist.

THE RANOn the RAN side, constraints on the amount of spectrum owned may see significant spending on new spectrum if it becomes available, as occurred with the AWS-3 auction at the start of 2015. We may also see a push from operators to utilize unlicensed 5 GHz spectrum for LTE-U, which until now has been the domain of ISP Wi-Fi services.

Although a solution to immediate capacity concerns, further utilization of the 5 GHz band has the potential to create noticeable congestion. If and when this happens, we are likely to see increased adoption of licensed bands above 6 GHz which will be the only viable option for ISPs to guarantee the quality of service and scale capacity of their fixed broadband services.

THE BACKHAULOn the backhaul side, operators will be looking to maximise existing spectrum assets through the evolving portfolio of highly efficient wireless technology that is now available in the US. We will also see growing use of higher microwave frequencies and millimetre wave as

new backhaul solutions come to market. As LTE networks grow, facilitating use of these spectrum bands is essential, as they have the capacity and county-wide availability to manage the anticipated rise in data traffic, along with properties which create more profitable business models.

ENTERPRISES WILL GET A BOOST FROM WIRELESSWe will continue to experience an explosion in mobile and broadband data in 2016 and see some highly innovative strategies adopted by operators to increase their competitiveness.

Increasingly we’ll see operators look to wireless tech-nology to build out new last-mile business connectivity. In some cases, this will involve upgrading legacy wireless networks, in others we will see a move away from leased fiber models, with more operators building their own wireless assets; a trend that has built steadily during 2015 due to its enhanced profitability. With ILECs, CLECs, ISPs and cable companies all looking to gain a foothold in the highly competitive enterprise market, the business model to build and own an independent wireless network is now highly attractive, brought on by a range of highly cost effective new solutions. This approach is enabling operators to decrease churn, quickly address new markets and differentiate their services.

While a variety of wireless technologies have been used to date, congestion in the lower frequency bands has caused operators a headache. Innovative technologies, such as licensed point-to-multipoint (PMP), has therefore gained strong traction in the U.S. due to its ability to offer guaranteed carrier-grade services and up to 50 percent total cost of ownership savings over point-to-point or fiber. This trend looks set to continue.

5G CONTINUES TO MAKE THE HEADLINESAs we move into 2016, we will see more research into 5G

5G, DEMAND FOR SPECTRUM, AND INCREASED CAPACITY WILL SET THE AGENDA IN 2016

B y D r . J o h n N a y l o n

AS CAPACITY DEMAND INCREASES IN 2016, OPERATORS WILL HAVE A SHARP FOCUS ON MANAGING THEIR SPECTRUM MORE EFFICIENTLY AND INVESTING IN NEW FREQUENCIES TO SUPPORT FUTURE SERVICES. THIS APPLIES AS EQUALLY TO THE RAN AS IT DOES BACKHAUL.

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as operators start to conduct preliminary technology trials. This research will play an important role in enabling 3GPP to undertake their phase one specification which is targeted for completion by Q2 2018.

Although 2020 seems a way off, we should not be surprised to see the progression of 4G positioning in the interim, with technologies such as LTE-A leading to “4.5” or “4.75G” integrated into operators’ vocabulary (much like we have seen with 3G).

In reality, 5G still has many unknowns. However, as these become clearer, operators will start to define the new network and backhaul strategies which will connect the increased number of base stations needed to launch successful 5G services and gain a foothold in this potentially lucrative market.

In some cases, base stations will take the form of out-door small cells, which could be deployed in much great numbers than for LTE. With Cisco predicting there could be as many as 50 billion connected devices by 2020, developing a greater understanding of the 5G ecosystem, and developing network strategies to cope with the rise in data traffic is going to be vital.

CONCLUSIONWhether analysing mobile or fixed broadband markets, the changing shape of network traffic and shifting market dynamics mean operators need to evolve their business models in 2016 to profit from the market potential. The new and innovative solutions coming to the market in 2016 provide an ideal opportunity to do this just this, along with learning what technologies may play a role in supporting 5G. With the capacity crunch showing no signs of abating, the new wave of wireless solutions (such as licensed PMP) will offer operators a quicker, more cost- effective and scalable means of delivering the services customer demand, both in the immediate and long term.

John co-founded CBNL in the year 2000 and managed all research and development activity until 2011. He is currently responsible for CBNL’s strategic technology direction as well as overseeing the company’s indus-trial liaison, thought leadership and intellectual property activities. Before starting CBNL, John co-founded the pioneering wireless company Adaptive Broadband and held a research position at AT&T Laboratories Cambridge. John has a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge and over 20 years’ experience designing cutting edge wireless technology.


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According to the Chinese calendar, 2016 is the Year of the Monkey, and the year of the Small Cell?

For the past few years there was an apparent battle between small cells and distributed antenna systems (DAS) — when to use one or the other, which technology is more robust, cost of deployments, etc. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief that this little skirmish is behind us. Many industry experts agree that to move ahead to LTE+ and 5G, network densification, marked by increasing deployments of small cells and, is a key component of

what will ultimately be central to the 5G standard. With data traffic in mobile networks skyrocketing,

advanced network functionality (specifically spectrum efficiencies as well as new spectrum allocation), and ulti-mately densification of the network is required. In the path to 5G realization, by 2020, carriers will continue to build out their macro networks, but will also need to fortify them using a combination of small cells, DAS, and Wi-Fi.

So what is the case for the year of the small cell? Small cell and ODAS antennas offer state-of-the-art technology coupled with unobtrusive design that allows for quick deployment that is easily concealed in existing streetscapes, decreasing the burdensome municipal regulations often associated with macro sites. Small cell and/or outdoor DAS sites are fast becoming the first option to improve network coverage and add capacity for carriers in dense, urban areas, where these sites must not only comply with local

zoning and installation restrictions, but must accommodate situations where ground leases are impractical. These small cell antenna solutions allow operators to place capacity and coverage where it’s needed most.

Real estate owners, commercial developers, and the hospitality segments must wake up to the ownership of wireless coverage in-building and across campuses and realize that this is a revenue opportunity. In-building and ODAS coverage is key to gaining significant traction from customers in verticals ranging from business parks and

hospitals to academic campuses, shopping cen-ters, hotels, convention centers and more — all places where we use, and consume data. And if we don’t have access we won’t shop, stay, or fre-quent these locales. Similarly, in-building coverage is also critical for the mobile operators; if a person doesn’t have adequate coverage where they work, more than likely they will jump to a competitor that does provide the necessary coverage.

As carriers race to not only lay the foundation for 5G, but also improve coverage and capacity for existing mobile networks, picking the best

hardware is a critical task. With the Internet of Things on the horizon and M2M becoming more of a reality, this just might be the impetus small cells have needed to take the leap in infrastructure deployments. It’s no longer a war between DAS and small cells — the real battle is in choosing the best combination of these solutions to lay the groundwork for successful 5G deployment. From our point of view, 2016 could be a big year for Small Cells.

Capricco Martin is the VP of Marketing for Kathrein. Ms. Martin joined Kath-rein in February 2015 and leads the overall marketing and product strategy for North America. Ms. Martin brings to Kathrein over 15 years of telecom-munications experience in: Switching Systems, Wireless Infrastructure, VoIP, SIP, Optical Networking, and Session Border Controllers. Ms. Martin previ-ously held positions at SOLiD, Santera, Netrake, and multiple product mar-keting roles during her tenure at Alcatel-Lucent/DSC Communications. She holds a BBA in International Business and Japanese from Baylor University.

THE NETWORK DENSIFICATION INTEGRAL TO LTE+ AND 5GNETWORK DENSIFICATION WILL BE A HUGE FORCE IN DRIVING THE DEVELOPMENT OF 5G TECHNOLOGIES TOWARDS THAT MAGIC YEAR, 2020

B y C a p r i c c i o M a r t i n

“With the Internet of Things on the horizon and M2M becoming more of a reality, this just might be the impetus small cells have needed...”

AN Wireless Towers









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AN Wireless Towers









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As the late great Yogi Berra once observed, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Still, in the absence of being able to jump into a time machine and see for ourselves what really happens a year from now, that’s not going to stop us from trying.

When we look back on 2015 it will likely be remembered more for all of the things that didn’t happen than those that did. We didn’t see small cells deployed by the tens of thousands. The incentive auction did not commence. FirstNet didn’t release their primary RFP (as of this writing at least). Dish didn’t put their spectrum to use via sale or partnership. There was no further consolidation among wireless carriers. The big two are still the big two and the next two are still the next two (albeit it in a different order). Cable companies almost consolidated, and then didn’t, and now are again.

2016 will almost certainly see more action in the industry. The incentive auctions should start in the first half of the year and FirstNet should be reviewing vendor proposals for the nationwide public safety network. Dish will probably enter into some type of transaction to put its spectrum to use as the clock keeps ticking on build out requirements and the need to drive a return on the invest-ment. T-Mobile will likely continue to fire shots at all competitors, whether via more ‘uncarrier’ like moves or their CEO’s Twitter account. The Tier 1 carriers will be spending on infrastructure again, but their budgets will continue to skew towards smaller sites and densification.

So, keeping in mind what we expect will ultimately happen in the industry in 2016, (mostly because they didn’t happen in 2015), here are some other predictions we think have the best chance of coming true:

Wireless carriers will begin exploring the use of small cells as a customer acquisition and retention tool in 2016.

Sprint, AT&T, Verizon (and as of early November, T-Mobile) have all deployed femtocells at various points over the past five years and with varying levels of marketing support behind them. In general, they have been used by telesales,

or tech support to retain a customer who has poor coverage at their home, but is otherwise satisfied with the network. The customer experience with these devices wasn’t always great — handoff to macro sites was unpredictable or non-existent and some required awkward installation near a window to secure a GPS signal. As a result, and in part because there was little opportunity to recover the device cost from the consumer, carriers didn’t aggressively push these units, and didn’t add femtocells to their enterprise sales force’s toolbox.

With VoLTE penetration increasing, the customer expe-rience will undoubtedly improve as handoffs between small cells, Wi-Fi, and the macro network become, more or less, seamless. Furthermore, several carriers are actively deploying small cells of different types and learning lessons on how to quickly and cleanly integrate them into the broader network. Finally, OEMs continue to improve these units to simplify deployment and integration, to drive costs down, and to meet various use cases (e.g., coverage footprints, capacity, spectrum bands, and physical footprint).

All of these improvements will eventually lead to cheap, effective, easy-to-install devices that can be deployed by a sales force or customer instead of network engineers. A sales team could use small cells of various types to entice a small or medium enterprise to acquire more handsets and they could do it without requiring weeks or months of network planning and coordination. The sales organization will, however, require at least some training. Account leads will need to better understand the equipment and how to artic-ulate its benefits to customers. Sales engineers will need to be able to do a basic indoor design, if only to intelligently place the units and to understand how many are required.

It’s our belief that we simply won’t get to that point in 2016. There’s still much too much to learn about integrating and optimizing small cells in the network and the OEMs still have more work to do to get the units to the right price point, size, and performance for mass deployments without significant engineering support. We do, however,

DISHING UP THE FUTURE: FEMTOCELLS, SMALL CELLS, WI-FI CALLING, FCC AUCTION WILL DOMINATE CARRIER NEWS CYCLE IN 2016

B y G r e g W e i n e r , S h a u n C o h e n , A n d r e w S h e r i d a n & D a n i e l V i t u l i c h


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expect that carriers will be looking seriously at how these devices will impact their ability to acquire and retain cus-tomers and the specific features and capabilities they’ll need. Sales teams will start to analyze their current and prospective customers and begin to develop the business cases for utilizing such tools. We won’t see how it manifests on the outside until 2017 and beyond; still, the foundation will continue to be established in 2016.

Wi-Fi calling will not emerge as a meaningful voice offload strategy for wireless carriers in 2016.

While we believe there will still be significant testing and discussion around the topic (all major carriers are enabling Wi-Fi calling for various reasons), Wi-Fi’s own technology characteristics will continue to make it a limited alternative to reliable cellular voice service. Further, we do not expect meaningful traction for Wi-Fi-first offerings for voice. These will remain on the periphery as

options for consumers but the lack of a meaningful footprint and the uncertain performance will prevent any significant voice traffic offloading.

Unlike cellular networks, Wi-Fi operates on unlicensed spectrum (there is no control over interference) and

doesn’t control the assignment of wireless resources to users and network elements. As a result, Wi-Fi through-put and capacity drop dramatically as the number of simultaneous users, surrounding APs, and non-Wi-Fi interference increases (which explains the NCTA, Google, Wi-Fi Alliance —the list goes on— concerns over LTE-U). Figure 1 presents the cellular vs. Wi-Fi footprints.

Public venues are the most graphical example of this: securing a connection to a public Wi-Fi hotspot in crowded locations like Times Square or at an airport can be a painful experience in itself. Actually being able to surf the web is an entirely different challenge. In fact, it is virtually guar-anteed that if you were lucky enough to place a Wi-Fi call that it would drop in short order (ever tried a Skype or WhatsApp call in a public or heavily loaded Wi-Fi area?).

Intelligent network selection is another open issue. Often times, phone devices are presented with a scenario where both cellular and Wi-Fi connections are active and

strong, yet the apps themselves don’t refresh appropri-ately (notifications/emails do not come through; messag-es don’t go out; etc.). Operators don’t want their custom-ers to experience this. Interestingly, those who have tested GoogleFi have seen that most times, both Wi-Fi

FIGURE 1A. CELLULAR NETWORK: CONTROLLED USE OF SPECTRUM AND INTERFERENCE AVOIDANCE.

FIGURE 1B. WI-FI APS: NO CONTROL OF SPECTRUM USE, AND INTERFERENCE.


and cellular connections are available, and the device decides to place the call over a cellular connection.

It is clear that the lack of consistent network selection implementation and user experience across platforms will continue to make intelligent network connectivity an ongoing challenge as carriers slowly move to HetNet solutions tightly integrating Access Network Discovery and Selection Function (ANDSF) and Hotspot 2.0 (HS 2.0) technologies.

And, while HS 2.0 deployments have proliferated considerably over the last couple of years (see CableWi-Fi Alliance), there’s still a long way to seeing pervasive Wi-Fi coverage supporting this technology.

To date, the only place where Wi-Fi calling has proven to work relatively well is in the residential space, where APs are not necessarily exposed to excessive interference or access contention. Wi-Fi calling will continue to be tested as a ‘fall-back’ option, but until HetNet solutions are fully adopted across the entire technology ecosystem, we don’t expect it to become a meaningful voice traffic offload strategy for carriers.

The 600 MHz auction will not raise another record amount of money, even with Google and the cable companies playing a major role.The 600 MHz spectrum auction is the first attempt by the FCC to create a marketplace to match buyers and sellers, allowing higher prices to drive up supply. Although

more than 150 MHz of spectrum could be sold if the prices go above $1 per MHz-POP, it’s not clear that this auction will see the same level of activity as the recent (January 2015) AWS-3 auction.

Verizon and AT&T already spent record amounts on the AWS-3 auction, with the government raising a record $41B. In addition, the 600 MHz spectrum is harder to use for densification given the interference resulting from its long propagation characteristics.

This auction will be the first incentive auction, matching wireless carrier’s demand for spectrum with the economics of television broadcasters. Although some smaller television broadcasters may voluntarily go off the air, most are likely to share their spectrum or move channels in exchange for receiving a portion of the proceeds. Expect to see more contention around how the FCC repacks the remaining broadcast spectrum, and whether that repacking favors broadcasters or generates higher sales. Figure 2 shows some of the frequencies and their licensees.

Dish will finally make a deal for its spectrum assets. DISH Network’s Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Charlie Ergen is up against FCC deadlines to build out a network himself or sell the spectrum to someone who will (some is encumbered by requirements to cover 40 percent of POPs by the end of 2016, and 70 percent by the end of 2019).

Although T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon are busy deploying

FIGURE 2. FREQUENCIES AND LICENSEES AROUND THE 600 MHZ SPECTRUM.

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their recently purchased AWS-3 spectrum, the higher bands that Dish owns are better suited for further network densification. 700 MHz is great for solidifying the network foundation, but Dish’s 40 MHz of AWS-4 spectrum (2000 – 2020 MHz for the uplink and 2180 – 2200 MHz for the downlink) is much better for small cells, and indoor applications. T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are all candidates to purchase the spectrum, but only T-Mobile might be willing to make a deal which includes Dish TV. However, Verizon may outbid T-Mobile and ultimately purchase or lease the spectrum, leaving Mr. Ergen to figure out how to move a satellite television provider into something new.

2016 will be about finding the right intra-industry small cell deployment partnerships to make deployment economically viable.We believe this will differ from the previous DAS model in that carriers and service providers will form new types of partnerships, rather than simply aligning with landlords and business owners with a portfolio of viable deployment locations. Manufacturing and deployment partnerships will likely be sought, with the goal of creating manufac-turing models that drive down deployment cost and complexity. Manufacturing partnerships are likely to span more than simply telecoms equipment, though. Attempts will be made to create synergies across RAN equipment and civil equipment manufacturers, whether pole manufacturers, or other types of suitable street furniture, building infrastructure, billboards or the like.

In 2015 Verizon deployed small cells on various types of existing pole structures. In 2016 examples will likely include partnerships with utility pole manufacturers to cover both new pole installations as well as replacement programs for existing pole locations, with installations augmented to include electricity meters, etc. Attempts will be made to ‘productize’ the entire solution and drive down costs with suitable cross-in-dustry partners. Worldwide development on laying fiber for smart grids may increase the viability of certain partnerships.

The largest barriers to success will be the unfamiliarity of such synergistic business models, the ability to ‘sell’ them across two very different businesses, and the ability to fine-tune those business models in a manner that balances revenue and risk for both partners. Since many partnerships will need to be explored before the right fit is found, we’d expect 2016 to be more about

trials of these new models vs. wide-scale deployment.

SUMMARYOnly time will tell conclusively whether all of these prog-nostications will come to pass. As the synergies between new ways of doing business and the technologies available to deliver them intersect to create value for business and customers alike, the resulting outcomes are likely to establish an entirely new and in-demand class of carrier services. Such services may initially be considered the “next big thing,” soon thereafter as disruptors to the status quo, and finally, the new normal in the industry.

Until that time, we’ll end with another one of Yogi Berra’s famous non-sequiturs: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

Greg Weiner, Partner, Shaun Cohen, Partner, Andrew Sheridan, Principal, and Daniel Vitulich, Principal, all of Vertix consulting, collaborated to create, and write this intriguing peek at what the future might hold.

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SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE RAN 2015 — EXECUTIVE SUMMARYEditor’s note: This is a special report that takes a look at the mobile network operators radio access network (RAN), what happened in 2015, and what the implications are, for RANs, going forward.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIn this year’s edition of Amdocs’ State of the RAN Report, we identify trends affecting global mobile operators as they strive to deliver resilient wireless coverage and capacity, and superior services as subscriber demand for seamless quality of experience (QoE) — especially in

indoor environments — continues to grow. The research is based on analysis of more than 25 million voice and data connections at some of the busiest network locations around the world with high smartphone penetration in the past 12 months.

As a bridge between mobile operators and subscribers, RANs continues to be the biggest driver of mobile network experience. The exponential growth of mobile data traffic will be a long-standing trend as long as wireless coverage is available, and the RAN will continue to be

strained by the persistent data demands of today’s band-width-hungry mobile users.

Mobile operators can continue to invest in increasing capacity by hoarding costly and finite resources such as spectrum, but the rising availability of 4G-enabled devices, the increasing rate of mobile innovation, and the rate of technology evolution will guarantee that operators experience the same network traffic conges-tion challenges as they did with legacy networks. In order to truly future-proof existing wireless infrastruc-ture and profitability, it’s fundamental that operators

use advanced analytics supported by net-work automation to gain a holistic view of their subscriber needs and address demands before they adversely impact the quality of the experience. A proven method to tackle this is to optimize the use of readily- available resources on the network to enhance the customer experience.

OPPORTUNITIES IN THE RANThe continued roll-out of 4G LTE networks has increased broadband speeds around the globe, to support a new wave of smart devices with more advanced, and bandwidth-intense applications. The increasing use of smart devices, availability of flat-rate voice and data plans, and higher demand for streaming content will drive mobile data traffic to

increase at a CAGR of 42.5 percent over the next five years1. While this presents substantial monetization potential for mobile operators capable of managing the massive increase in network traffic, the cost of adding new data capacity can rapidly erode profitability.

Operators who are able to control the delivery of mobile data on their networks will be able to translate the increase in data volumes into an opportunity to differentiate.

Service providers that can deliver increasingly more data without a complete overhaul of their networks, while

“Service providers that can deliver increasingly more data without a complete overhaul of their networks, while continuing to increase revenues and create new revenue streams will have the competitive advantage.”

B y N e i l C o l e m a n


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continuing to increase revenues, and create new revenue streams, will have the competitive advantage. To do this, operators need to evolve from delivering dumb data to delivering smart data. They’ll need to deploy intelligent and automated network software to prioritize investment and allocate resources dynamically in order to maximize both customer experience and profitability.

MANAGING FOUR GENERATIONS OF NETWORKSThough the number of 2G and 3G connections are steadily decreasing, these connections will continue to dominate overall connections for the next five years. Analysts have predicted that the number of 2G subscribers will decline by 60 percent over the next five years as mobile users migrate to next-generation 3G, 4G, and eventually 5G networks and devices2.

Operators will eventually find themselves in the arduous situation of having to, simultaneously, manage four gen-erations of networks. This will stretch their operations and resources thin, ultimately impacting their ability to guarantee a seamless customer experience.

In the short term, LTE will provide relief to network congestion. In many countries LTE acts as a fast lane technology, with a relative small percentage of subscribers having access to 4G networks or devices.

LTE networks are not experiencing capacity issues — yet — since LTE only accounts for 385 million of the global wireless connections today, but it is expected to grow to 2.3 billion by 20193. Most problems with LTE are related to having the infrastructure built upon legacy networks. Some operators may not have deployed sufficient coverage or still have regions where they have yet to expand 4G into, while others haven’t put enough resources into preventing interference.

Another issue for many operators is that the addition of a fourth network will greatly increase network com-plexity. The result is that the RAN continues to be a sig-nificant driver of mobile customer experience with 80 percent of voice drops and 50 percent of low-throughput data sessions stemming from this part of the network. This complexity will continue as operators further expand their access networks to include Wi-Fi and small cells in heterogeneous networks (HetNets).

To minimize the impact of multiple networks and create

a seamless customer experience, operators need to deploy intelligent and automated solutions to help them address the increased network complexities within the limits of their operational resources. Such results can be achieved through RAN optimization technologies.

COMPLEX NETWORKS REQUIRE INTELLIGENT SOFTWAREAs the convoluted environment of HetNets continue to expand, operators will be forced to adapt to new technologies and approaches as they strive to ensure that maximum voice and data throughput are being delivered, and to maintain the highest possible revenue margins.

Many operators are being challenged by the administration of sophisticated interactions between 3G and LTE — as well as 2G in many parts of the world. Aligning 2G, 3G, and 4G RAN technologies while providing subscribers with seamless and uninterrupted services is a difficult feat for even the most seasoned network engineers.

To address this, companies like Amdocs recommends that operators adopt advanced network analytics software that links customer experience and demand to network perfor-mance. The resulting intelligence combined with self-opti-mizing network (SON) capabilities empowers operators to automatically address imbalances in network load and per-formance. This ultimately allows operators to address net-work complexity, ensure customer experience, and deliver smart capacity where and when it’s needed by subscribers.

STATE OF THE RAN: BY THE NUMBERS Analysis

Mobile data is now being consumed when most subscribers are technically not mobile. Subscribers are primarily using mobile data services at their desks, on their sofas, sitting and standing at sports and concert venues, and at transport hubs such as airports and train stations.


SPECIAL SECTION

The common denominator is that 80 percent of mobile data traffic consumption is happening indoors. This traf-fic is growing 20 percent faster than that of outdoor traf-fic, and this trend is only going to continue to prevail. We found that regardless of how much a service provider increases their indoor capacity, it will all be consumed. In one particular indoor deployment, we even saw that the amount of data consumption doubled as the amount of indoor cellular capacity increased.

Operator impactThis trend has a major impact on how operators plan and deploy networks. Most existing cellular networks were established to provide wide area outdoor coverage. Indoor coverage requires much more effort because of the physical barriers — that makes it more difficult to penetrate buildings and walls, but it’s something that must be addressed.

As subscribers increasingly consume mobile data in indoor environments, effective capacity planning is required of existing network infrastructure in order to provide a seam-less mobile experience. Whether it’s through distributed antenna systems (DAS), small cells, or offloading solutions, subscribers will utilize any and all capacity if it’s available — and more. With the right monetization strategies in place, new revenue streams can easily be realized.

THE RAN HAS THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON NETWORK CUSTOMER EXPERIENCEAnalysis

It’s consistent across all mobile operators worldwide, the RAN remains the biggest influencer of subscriber experience.

The RAN is the direct bridge between a mobile op-erator and its subscribers, and it’s no question that any issues within the RAN will ultimately affect cus-tomer experience unless it’s immediately addressed. In fact, an Amdocs survey conducted in 2013 found that 47 percent of subscriber respondents indicated that a lack of coverage for mobile Internet data was one of their top three annoyances when it came to their carriers.

Eighty percent of voice call drops are due to mobil-ity issues and 50 percent of data session interruptions are triggered by capacity issues. Today’s mobile users are not as forgiving as before and expect the same QoE no matter if they’re static or mobile. A single dropped session can mean the difference between unhappy customers and churn, and the optimal way to address this is to understand and analyze subscriber behavior and how it affects the RAN in order to minimize or ideally eliminate coverage issues before subscribers are impacted.

Operator impactNetwork and subscriber analytics can provide real-time, location-based data from the RAN to help operators monitor network performance and address issues before they affect subscribers. By identifying congestion hotspots, service areas with limited or no coverage, and areas where capacity is over-provisioned in order to meet peak demands at any given time, operators will be able to dynamically allocate radio resources to these areas to maximize the ROI of deployed radio resources.

Whether operators are manually programming where radio resources should be allocated to during certain times of the day, or have the process automated, the results are similar: a reduction in the total cost of own-ership (TCO) of the network, increased QoE, and more efficient use of limited radio resources.


SPECIAL SECTION

AnalysisRegions where LTE is deployed are witnessing a deceler-ation of 3G traffic growth with only marginal increases in data throughput year-over-year. Operators running legacy networks are seeing more and more data traffic being absorbed by the LTE network, giving them a temporary 50 percent capacity boost. Though LTE is relieving some of the strain on legacy networks, data demand is insatiable and the traffic strains faced by 2G and 3G infrastructure will eventually be experienced on next-generation networks.

Operator impactIt’s imperative that operators consider options to manage the anticipated growth in mobile traffic beyond today’s architectures. LTE is still a relatively new access technolo-gy and has the potential to shift even more traffic from legacy networks. 80 percent of current LTE challenges are planning-related, but capacity will quickly become an issue as network traffic is expected to double year-over-year. The falling prices of LTE-enabled devices, increasing customer expectations, and exponential rate of technology evolution are driving the saturation of 4G networks.

There are multiple options to expand capacity, includ-ing costly investments in infrastructure upgrades and the even more costly option, to purchase additional spectrum. Re-farming or harvesting existing spectrum from 2G to 4G is also an alternative. However, the most cost-effective way to future-proof network investment and maximize return-on-investment (ROI) is by capitalizing on existing resources through optimization and automation solutions.

AnalysisBased on analysis in global cities with high smartphone penetration, network data traffic increased by 100 percent from December 2013 to December 2014. Not only are mobile users streaming more content from sources such as YouTube and Facebook, they’re also uploading more content to these outlets. The adoption of mobile devices drove the first wave of the data tsunami, but mobile content consumption and generation is currently fueling the second wave.

Operator impactWithout a proper data optimization strategy, operators will always be one mobile application away from a resilient network. Mobile devices have evolved from being primarily used for voice calls and simple Internet browsing to being truly smart devices with bandwidth-hogging functionalities. Smart devices are now massive data- generating machines and streaming content portals which cannot be taken lightly or else there will be significant negative impacts on the network and profitability.

“Regions where LTE is deployed are witnessing a deceleration of 3G traffic growth with only marginal increases in data throughput year-over-year. ”


DATA DEMAND IS FUELED BY NEW DEVICES AND THE “TECHNORATI” DOMINATE CONSUMPTION

AnalysisA majority of network data usage is being driven by only 10 percent of subscribers — the Technoratis. This segment of heavy data users consumes 3 – 5 times more data per session than the average user, comprising 80 percent of the overall network data.

Driven by more advanced smart devices including phones, tablets, and phablets, Technoratis engage in 65 percent longer voice and data sessions combined, and they naturally expect more resilience from their networks. If mobile apps, websites and streaming services experience longer-than-usual buffering or latency, Technoratis are quick to be disappointed and put blame on their service providers.

Technoratis are typically device-agnostic, persistently generating demand for network bandwidth regardless of which platforms they’re using, whether it’s iOS, Android, Windows, or others.

Operator impactOperators must deliver and monetize all the capacity that Technoratis demand while still addressing the relatively lower network demands of the rest of their customer base. It doesn’t make economic sense to invest in infrastructure upgrades or in more spectrum for only 10 percent of subscribers. At the same time,

throttling and bandwidth caps will result in decreased QoE and in turn, unsatisfied customers, potentially causing churn.

Operators need to identify which subscriber segments are creating a majority of network demand, empowering them to target specific groups with offload solutions to alleviate demand on macro networks and reduce CAPEX. Operators can concurrently implement intelligent opti-mization solutions to simultaneously and automatically address this small, yet influential, segment as well as the rest of their subscriber base.

HOTSPOTS CONTINUE TO GET HOTTER

AnalysisDemand for data increases across the entire range of a carrier’s service area; however, it’s extremely dispro-portionate at certain locations or “hotspots.” 20 percent of service areas in major cities worldwide with high smartphone saturation generate 80 percent of network traffic.

There is a similar 80/20 rule when it comes to net-work problems, with 20 percent of locations respon-sible for 80 percent of customer experience issues. There is correlation between data demand and customer experience issues based on the impact of congestion. At the same time, poor coverage and mobility issues also cause problems where demand is low.

SPECIAL SECTION


Operator impactWith the proper analysis and tools, operators can iden-tify demand and problem hotspots outside of the obvious transport hubs, stadiums and arenas, and educational institutions.

By focusing in on the areas where most network traffic is concentrated, operators will be able to dynamically allocate capacity to where it’s needed, when it’s needed. At the same time, operators will be able to identify and address network issues before they impact subscribers in order to provide a seamless and superior mobile experience.

AnalysisLive events are significant generators of mobile demand in a unique way. By their nature, live events put a signif-icant load on mobile networks as tens of thousands of people congregate within a small setting. We’ve seen traffic surges of 50 percent at some stadiums.

In certain cases, the influx of masses of subscribers into a city to attend live events, together with a general rise in chatter from city inhabitants about an event can increase network demand across the entire city by 20 percent.

The load they put on the network is distinctive. In the lead-up to events, voice and data traffic show patterns consistent with the growth and mobility of subscribers. As the event commences, we begin to witness the manifestation of second screen behavior. Voice traffic typically decreases by 50 percent during the live event while data traffic continues to grow as subscribers turn to social media and streaming video to complement their experience.

Operator impactThe expectation of the second screen to complement their live experience is evidence that subscribers expect

the same experience they get at home watching the event as they do in-person, live at the venue. During times of major live events when subscribers demand consistent network experiences, automatic, and dynamic allocation of capacity provides operators with the opportunity to demonstrate their prowess by delivering the highest levels of performance, coverage, and QoE.

AnalysisWhen advanced users — Technoratis — switch quickly to the latest device, we see a higher uptake in data consumption. We saw this with iPhone 6 Plus users using 40 percent more data than users on the iPhone 6. However, iPhone 6 users consume 20 percent more data than users on the iPhone 5s.

Technoratis are typically early adopters of new smart devices and technologies, tend to be heavy data users, and are the catalyst for increased volumes of data consumption and greater demand for capacity.

Operator impactAs smart devices continue to increase in screen real estate, and, are becoming capable of running more bandwidth- intensive applications, it’s going to generate more data traffic and contribute to network congestion. Operators must acquire actionable intelligence through subscriber analytics in order to keep up with higher data demands

By identifying subscriber segments — such as Technoratis — that utilize more advanced mobile technologies, applications, and larger screen real estate, operators can more accurately predict a service area where coverage and capacity is needed, anticipate network demands, and dynamically allocate radio resources to address these de-mands to ensure a consistent QoE.

SPECIAL SECTION


AnalysisIn markets with high Apple penetration, iOS devices are the key drivers of baseline mobile data demand. Technoratis aside, the Apple ecosystem lifts every subscriber’s usage. (This stat is skewed slightly by the fact that our research includes higher-end Android devices comparable to iPhones all the way through to lower-end handsets.)

On average, iOS devices show 50 percent more data consumption than Android devices. Although Apple users are more con-sistently concentrated on higher-end devices while the Android OS is installed on a broad range of devices — from affordable handsets to premium smart devices — Apple users are typically on stand-by to engage in any offerings made by the company, wheth-er it’s a new product launch or the availability of an updated iOS.

Operator impactWith a strong and dedicated follower base, any changes made by Apple to iOS and mobile app providers that target the ecosystem will have an immediate impact on network demand outside out of the generational upgrade cycle of smart devices. As a result, operators must track data consumption, particularly on Apple devices, and adapt their networks to deliver the best iOS backhaul experience to ensure network resources are sufficient to address demand from a high concentration of Apple devices.

The SolutionOperators must address the challenges posed by

sophisticated HetNets head-on. In today’s hyper- connected world, manual processes and fragmented tools are insufficient in allowing operators to effectively man-age the subscriber experience.

Gaining actionable intelligence into subscriber needs and managing the RAN in ways that enhance the sub-scriber experience requires advanced network analytics combined with the ability to automate actions on the network. This guarantees that the network is always-on and ready to address any issues that may impact and enhance the subscriber experience.

INCREASE NETWORK VISIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCYSolutions that give operators control over their network through increased network visibility and transparency are best-in-class. Multi-vendor, multi- technology software provides full visibility of network configuration, performance and the customer experience. This visibility provides actionable intelligence that enables operators to make intelligent decisions around when and how to manage and optimize their networks in order to deliver the right coverage and capacity, where it’s needed, when it’s needed.

SPECIAL SECTION

“Advanced analytics supported by network automation delivers the holistic subscriber view that operators need to address demands before they adversely impact QoE, while future- proofing their existing wireless infrastructure and profitability.”


AUTOMATE COMMON MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION ACTIVITIESA layer of customizable SON automation delivers ongo-ing management and optimization to improve network performance and reduce manual effort which are prone to errors.

Automation enables operators to reduce network performance problems by automatically optimizing key network parameters. It also dynamically allocates net-work capacity to maximize resource utilization and reduce congestion.

TACKLE KEY PAIN POINTSOperators must be empowered to identify priority activ-ities in network integration, management and optimi-zation that need to be not just done but done optimally.

BRIDGE IT DEPARTMENTS AND THE NETWORKThis increases the effectiveness of operations, cus-tomer care and marketing through access to detailed network and customer intelligence. At the same time, RAN departments can leverage business insights to accurate-ly plan their networks and prioritize their responses to issues.

This allows the segmentation of network demand and experience by subscriber, allowing a much more accurate assessment of how network performance impacts customers and how to allocate network resources for maximum ROI.

CONCLUSIONOur analysis of more than 25 million voice and data connections at some of the busiest network locations around the world with high smartphone penetration revealed invaluable insights to the challenges operators face in providing ever-increasing network capacity, great-er coverage and consistent customer experiences.

The trend of unprecedented growth of mobile data traffic will persist as long as wireless coverage is available and RAN will continue to be the biggest driver of the mobile network experience. To continually meet growing demand and address increased network complexities, operators need to deploy intelligent and automated net-work software to prioritize investment and dynamically allocate resources. Advanced analytics supported by network automation delivers the holistic subscriber view

SPECIAL SECTION

that operators need to address demands before they adversely impact QoE, while future-proofing their exist-ing wireless infrastructure and profitability.

Neil Coleman is the Head of RAN Marketing, Amdocs. Neil draws on over 17 years of industry experience in marketing, product management and R&D roles at Amdocs, Actix, Micromuse and IBM. In the 7 years prior to the acquisition of Actix by Amdocs, Neil was responsible for bringing Actix’s ground-breaking suite of mobile analytics and optimization solutions to market. At Micromuse Neil was instrumental in the development of their service management product line.

1. Analysis Mason, Wireless Network Traffic Worldwide: Forecasts and Analysis. 2014-2019, October 2014. 2, 3. Ovum World Cellular Information Service

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FEATURE

WHY SMALL IS THE NEXT BIG THINGB y P a u l S m i t h

SMALL CELLS ARE REVOLUTIONIZING THE COVERAGE, CAPACITY AND AVAILABILITY OF WIRELESS DATA SERVICES ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS. IF QUAL-ITY OF SERVICE IS TO BE MAINTAINED, EACH OF THESE CELLS MUST BE PROVIDED WITH HIGH QUALITY UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER.

The use of wireless data worldwide is expected to exceed 197,000 Petabytes by 20191. The traditional macro cell, installed throughout the United States on the ubiquitous wireless tower, is no longer able to support the addi-tional capacity and coverage required at these data levels. The use of small cells (and distributed antenna systems [DAS]), which network smaller communications nodes across a defined area to fill in the gaps and add additional capacity to existing high user density areas, is growing rapidly.

In locations, and venues such as stadiums, resorts, malls, campuses etc., there is a large demand for additional data capacity and reliable coverage. These ap-plications are well served by small cells, and are becoming increasingly important as the majority of wire-less traffic is now generated indoors. Small cells also create a new level of demand visibility by enabling location-based applications which can sense both user presence and location to customize information and applications.

SMALL CELLS DEFINED There are many classifications of small cells, and DAS systems, with varying definitions (this article focuses on small cells, but many of the power solutions will work for distributed antenna systems, as well). Figure 1 outlines some of the general classifications, performance parameters and powering options.

Small cell networks, ranging from femtocells in consumer applications, through pico, metro and micro cells (see Figures 2 and 3) in enterprise and urban appli-cations, are dramatically improving wireless data cover-age, capacity and, availability.

POWERING OPTIONS Telecommunications engineers can draw on a wide range of power options for small cell networks, depending on their facilities and requirements (see Figure 4). Among them are:

FIGURE 1. GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS, PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS AND POWERING OPTIONS. SOURCES: AT&T 2011, NOKIA SIEMENS NETWORKS.


FEATURE

• Local Power — Powering a small radio set with un-interruptible power requires a battery backup to maintain the network during utility interruptions. The remote radio heads typically used by small cell architectures can be AC, (110/240 volts), or DC, (-48 volts), powered. Local power requires the provision of an AC outlet and a suitable UPS.

• Small UPS - UPS systems (see Figure 5), either AC or DC, can be provided at each remote location.

• Remote Power from a Central UPS.

• Provisioning of a larger UPS to power many remote radios from a central location.

FIGURE 2. SMALL CELL NETWORK APPLICATIONS.

FIGURE 4. DAS AND SMALL CELL POWER.

FIGURE 3. SMALL CELL EXAMPLES.

FIGURE 5. LOCAL POWER / SMALL UPS.


REMOTE POWER FROM A CENTRAL UPSProvisioning of a larger UPS to power many remote radios from a central location (Figure 6) offers many advantages including reduced maintenance, and replacement costs associated with multiple battery locations. This applies to AC, or DC UPS systems (see Figure 6), and offers many advantages including reduced maintenance, and replacement costs associated with multiple battery locations.

INSTALLATION COSTSIn the case of unprotected AC and DC wiring, local codes and the National Electric Code (NEC) require all power wiring to be installed in conduit. This can be a labor in-tensive and costly process. NEC requirements also apply to local powering, where both AC and DC UPS units re-quire an AC power source at each remote location. In certain power-limited cases, NEC installation standards allow non-conduit deployments to be used.

POWER LIMITED HIGH VOLTAGE DC CIRCUITA power delivery infrastructure using high voltage DC (+/-190 volts) with a 100 volt-amperes (VA) power limit per circuit (see Figure 7) can be installed using an appropriate cable, without the use of a protective conduit. As most remote radios do not accept +/-190 volts DC directly, a down converter is used. The use of high voltage allows the delivery of power over greater distances with smaller cables.

PARALLEL CIRCUITS To achieve a load power greater than 100 VA, multiple circuits also can be combined. By combining the outputs

of individual down converters higher power loads can be powered (see Figure 8). Each circuit can use heavier gage wire or multiple conductors to achieve a greater reach,

provided each circuit is limited to 100 VA.

REACH CALCULATIONS Each of these remote powering approaches offers its own set of performance attributes and distance ca-pabilities for individual communications nodes (see Figure 9).

FEATURE

FIGURE 6. REMOTE POWER/LARGER AC AND DC UPS.

FIGURE 7. REMOTE POWER / POWER LIMITED HIGH VOLTAGE DC.

FIGURE 8. PARALLEL CIRCUITS — MULTIPLE 100 VA LIMITED HIGH VOLTAGE DC CIRCUITS.


FEATURE

POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE CIRCUIT A power delivery infrastructure using low voltage DC (-48 volts) with a 100 VA power limit per circuit also can be installed using an appropriate cable, without the use of a protective conduit (see Figure 10). Because many remote radios can accept -48 volts DC directly, a down converter is not needed. This power delivery

infrastructure is called a Class 2 power limited circuit by the National Electric Code.

REACH CALCULATIONS All power delivery infrastructures using copper wire are subject to Ohm’s Law. The amount of power available to each circuit is limited to 100 VA due to safety mandates. Losses in the cable will ensure that 100 VA or less always reaches the far end (see Figure 11).

When utility power is interrupted the battery voltage gradually drops, and can reach as low as 42 volts DC, so to ensure consistent operation reach calculations must be performed using 42 volts as the starting voltage.

By boosting the voltage of the limiter input so that it is a constant higher voltage even during battery discharge, the reach calculations can be performed at this higher voltage and the reach extended. This is easily done with a DC to DC converter that can operate at inputs down to 42 volts and provide a constant output voltage (Figure 12).

The output voltage is typically chosen to be 57 volts DC, which gives a dramatic improvement in reach while FIGURE 10. REMOTE POWER — POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE DC.

FIGURE 9. REACH CALCULATIONS FOR DIFFERENT WIRE GAGES. FIGURE 11. REACH CALCULATIONS — POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE DC.

FIGURE 12. SINGLE CIRCUIT — POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE DC WITH DC BOOST CONVERTER.


still providing a margin of safety below the maximum safety extra-low voltage (SELV) voltage of 60 volts DC (see Figures 13 and 14).

For the 12 American Wire Gage (AWG) wire with a 50 W (36 volts) load, the reach using 42-volt battery voltage is 1,263 feet.

Using the 57 V converter boosted voltage, the reach is 4,421 feet, an increase of 250 percent.

To compare the reach of a 12 AWG cable with and without the voltage booster, see Figure 14.

The results plotted in Figures 12 and 13 are calculated by the GE Power Express calculator tool. Other tools can be used to obtain similar results.

LARGER LOADS — MULTIPLE CLASS 2 CIRCUITSFor loads requiring 80 W or less, the 100 W power lim-ited circuit can have sufficient reach. The power limitation can become restrictive when longer reaches are required or higher power loads are needed. Multiple circuits can-not be directly paralleled to provide additional power or reach, as this would negate the Class 2 safety features by allowing larger potential fault currents (see Figure 15).

Multiple circuits may be run in parallel, however, if a combining device is used to isolate fault currents from parallel circuits. This can significantly increase the load power that can be supplied or increase the reach of the combined circuits. (see Figure 16).

FEATURE

FIGURE 13. - REACH CALCULATIONS — POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE DC WITH BOOST CONVERTER.

FIGURE 14. REACH CALCULATIONS — POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE DC WITH AND WITHOUT BOOST CONVERTER.

FEATURE

FIGURE 15. CLASS 2 POWER DELIVERY CIRCUITS CANNOT BE DIRECTLY PARALLELED.

FIGURE 16. CLASS 2 POWER DELIVERY CIRCUITS PARALLELED USING A COMBINER.

FIGURE 17. REACH CALCULATIONS/SECONDARY LOW VOLTAGE DC WITH VARIOUS WIRE GAGES.

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LARGER LOADS - NON-POWER LIMITED LOW VOLTAGE CIRCUITSSeveral system manufacturers are now using remote radios that require more than 100 W of input power. These require the added complexity of multiple Class 2 circuits and combiner(s) to accommodate the high-er power level. In many cases this is justified by the reduction of installation cost, due to the elimination of the conduit.

If the power limiter is removed, the low voltage circuit can be used to power larger loads, or span longer distanc-es. However, NEC now mandates that the circuit must be protected by running it in a conduit. This increases installation costs, but may be needed if the user must power larger loads, and does not want to take the multi-circuit high voltage route.

Class 2 circuits are limited to 12 AWG cables by the NEC. This limitation does not apply to unlimited, or secondary circuits, so larger wire gages are presented in the reach graphs of Figure 17, which also compares the reach with, and without the boost converter option. The boost converter can be seen to more than double the reach of each circuit type at a given power level, as in the power limited case.

TOOLS — REACH CALCULATORS Figures 18 and 19 show screen shots of the GE Reach Calculator tools for Class 2 and Secondary circuits for some typical loads and applications. In both illustrations, the use of the voltage booster is assumed (57 volts min-imum input). The GE tool were used for example. Other tools can provide similar results.

Figure 20 details the input voltage range and input power ranges, and the reach for both Class 2 and Secondary circuits.

HYBRID FIBER CABLE When the power circuit, such as a Class 2 circuit, does not need to be installed in a conduit, as is the case when the circuit is power limited (100 VA), this opens the door for routing the power cables in the same raceway as the fiber cable. In fact, fiber optic cables are available with built-in power conductors, referred to as hybrid fiber cable. This means that both power

and fiber can be installed in a single operation, con-necting each remote to the central communications and power location.

These cables can be used with high, or low voltage, power limited power circuits and are available with dif-fering fiber types, counts and copper wire.

COPPER/FIBER COMPOSITE CABLE Rugged, easy to use composite cable consisting of flex-ible stranded Copper conductors and integrating com-munications links utilizing fiber optic technologies. The breakout design provides additional protection from both the copper and fiber channels by individually pro-tecting each with insulated jackets and all-dielectric strength members. For applications requiring remote low-voltage power, and high speed communications, these designs provide an efficient single-installation option where space is of a premium and devices are not easily accessed.

COST CONSIDERATIONS It is important to understand all the factors that affect the cost of a remote power installation. The initial cost of equipment and installation are key parts of this equation, but the cost of operating and maintaining the installation are equally important.

MATERIALS In a centralized power scenario, there is, generally, a larger power plant, and batteries in place of many small plants. In this case the larger power plant is typically more cost effective. Some of this cost advantage will be offset by the cost of power limiters if these are used to provide Class 2 protected circuits.

Materials used to connect the power to the remotes will also vary. The cost of conduit material can be elimi-nated by the use of Class 2 power circuits.

INSTALLATION Installation costs are dramatically affected by the particulars of the configuration. However, one of the most significant parts of the installation cost can be power. Providing an AC drop (typically with ¾" conduit) to each remote location can be very costly when there are many remotes.

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Typical job estimates show that the cost of running power cable in conduit can be three to four times the cost of installing a Class 2 cable. With larger systems, the costs become significant.

The remote will always require the installation of a fiber optic cable for data communications, so the use of a hybrid fiber cable will not impact the cost of installing that fiber if a Class 2 circuit protector is used. In this case, power installation is “free” because it costs no more to install the hybrid fiber cable. The cost of a hybrid fiber cable will be higher from a material standpoint, but

probably no more than the combined cost of individual fiber and copper cables.

OPERATION Operational costs of each powering scenario are similar, since the power used by the remote does not vary significantly, whether it’s AC or DC.

MAINTENANCE Maintenance costs are difficult to quantify; each operator and situation will require different maintenance.

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FIGURE 18. REACH CALCULATOR/POWER EXPRESS EXTENDED REACH CLASS 2 CIRCUITS AGES.

FIGURE 19. REACH CALCULATOR/SECONDARY CIRCUITS.

FIGURE 20. TYPICAL REMOTE DC POWER REQUIREMENTS.

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However, maintenance of many small battery installations will be much more difficult and costly than maintaining a single, large, centralized battery system.

SUMMARY There are many ways to power DAS and small cell equip-ment. The main driver for alternatives to a UPS for each and every remote location is the sheer number of systems required — and the costs incurred in installation, oper-ation and maintenance. When the required user expe-rience dictates the use of uninterrupted power, elimi-nation of the costs associated with battery proliferation

is a key consideration.Each of the powering scenarios discussed has advan-

tages and disadvantages, and the user must decide which is most appropriate for the particular installation. See Figure 21 for an abbreviated summary of these factors for each of the scenarios discussed.

Paul Smith is the marketing manager at GE’s Critical Power business. He works with telecom and data center customers to build, and sustain com-munications networks and data capacity.

Sources: AT&T 2011, Nokia Siemens Networks 2012

FIGURE 21. REACH CALCULATOR/SECONDARY CIRCUITS.

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The mobile data explosion shows no sign of slowing any time soon. In a June 2015 report, Gartner predicted that mobile data traffic would grow by 59 percent in 20151. The actual number is yet to come in, but they are usual-ly pretty close in their predictions.

This growth is driven, primarily, by streaming mobile video, and music, and ubiquitous smartphones and tablets. That trend means that mobile operators will have to provide robust, reli-able mobile connectivity everywhere, but they really have only a limited number of ways to do so. To compound problems, spectrum is only doled out over time, and LTE leverages the limits of over-the-air modulation. So it becomes a question of how operators can meet this commitment in a timely fashion.

SMALL GETTING BIG, SMALLER GETTING BIGGERToday, small cell technology has become a vital tool in meeting end-user connectivity expectations. Taking into account Wi-Fi, DAS and femtocells, small cells have been around for a while, helping operators provide the required levels of additional capacity and coverage in stadiums, enterprises and urban environments.

3G and 4G LTE have been central to the mobile data explo-sion, 5G is on the horizon, and the vast majority of mobile network operators (MNO), worldwide, say they expect small cell technology to be essential for the future of mobile networks.

But there are significant challenges to deploying small cell technology successfully, with site location being a key factor. There is also backhaul and power to consider. As well, permitting and aesthetic issues have become vital in the planning process. So how do we overcome these challenges?

BEST PRACTICES TO HELP GET DEPLOYMENTS PERMITTED Effective concealment of small cells is one way to aid suc-cessful deployment. FCC Wireless Infrastructure Report and Order 14-153 helps clarify requirements of wireless site build and permitting expectations in the United States, even defining the permissible volume of equipment, but the path to get there remains a clean slate.

One issue in making site aesthetics amenable to permitting is that the dimensions and look of small cells units varies greatly. Additionally, the appearance of small cell equipment changes over time with advances in technology. Now, multiply this problem by the number of radio providers and technologies that operators can have in their network in any given time.

By mounting small cell radios inside a unit containing all the site equipment within a single inconspicuous unit, including backhaul and ancillary RF components, sites can achieve a sort of uniformity over time regardless of technology changes while fitting in with the overall aesthetic environment. Moreover, sites can be made to support multiple radio technologies and/or operators simultaneously, including Wi-Fi, LTE, and 3G, while meeting regulatory compliance in terms of the space consumed.

Another challenge exists with RF delivery and the anten-nas themselves. Radio waves thrive on high gain antennas which require longer antennas. Longer antennas enable better control over the transmitted signal, which greatly improves network performance and reduces site count. FCC Order 14-153, which calls out exclusions to their Section 106 review process and draws upon a prior PCIA proposal, specifies an overall antenna volume of three cubic feet (six cubic feet in aggregate for co-located antennas).

This is large enough to permit use of a broadband or dual band antenna with enough electrical downtilt to optimize cell edge performance. While the overall dimen-sions of the radio and backhaul equipment may shrink in time because of technology advances, the antennas remain at the mercy of the laws of physics.

SUMMARYThe importance of successful site permitting cannot be understated, with aesthetics playing the primary role. Unfortunately, technological and physical limits impede the industry’s path toward that goal.

Nonetheless, operators, equipment vendors and municipali-ties must work together to ensure mobile broadband access continues to thrive, expanding economic development. The look and design of modern small cells equipment is intrinsic to this.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Conference: March 22-23, 2016Exhibits: March 23-24, 2016Las Vegas Convention Center

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Join us for IWCE’s Network Infrastructure Forum, a new event presented

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HetNets, DAS, small cells, spectrum, Wi-Fi, and business issues.

Exhibit Hall: Meet face-to-face with exhibitors showcasing the latest

products and services that are vital to infrastructure.

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Reap the benefits and save 20% off our regular rates. Use promo code AGL1. Pricing good through January 28, 2016.

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