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Wireless       Network Interconnection and Evolution for Super Carriers In the Telecom world, the term "super carrier" refers to the largest telecommunications providers which own multiple, geographically separated, heterogeneous wireless and wired networks. As most super carriers have grown through acquisitions, they often operate a patchwork of network technologies and protocols, including both TDM and IP, across various regions. And with the advent of technologies such as 4G, super carriers are hastening to move to an all-IP core network. To remain competitive in today's market, super carriers must lower costs and continue to support existing services while moving to newer, IP-based technologies. In order to accomplish this, network interconnection is key. Dawn M. Hogh       Carrier Challenges for Tomorrow's Connected Enterprise More and more office equipment -- printers, whiteboards, monitors, projectors, cameras, etc.-- is being used by employees remotely, whether they’re in the office or not. And technology is already coming to market to enable "smart" meeting rooms that will interact with the people meeting in them whether or not they are physically present. Dr. Badri Nath       Dynamic Performance Management for Mobile Data Networks Most wireless data networks are being managed in a "static" fashion. On the "supply side," network management systems and drive tests provide snapshots of congestion and quality levels, and capacity is then allocated to maintain target performance and utilization levels. On the "demand side," traffic can be managed in two ways - Through pricing plans, which can increase or decrease usage based on their structure, or through policy management, which is currently based on core IP traffic consumption by end-users and devices. Michael J. Schabel, Ph.D.       To 4G or not to 4G: Supporting Exponential Mobile Traffic Growth We often hear debates about the best 4G access technology, typically framed in terms of LTE vs. WiMAX. While there are technical differences between the two in terms of maximum peak user data rates (often touted through demonstrations on unloaded test networks), these access technology differences are of secondary importance when it comes to what really matters to subscribers. In order for users to experience 4G services that are not just incremental improvements on 3G, there must be major increases in typical user data rates, as experienced on actual loaded networks. Consider the networks. Joe Schraml       Top Ten Considerations for a Successful Evolved Packet Core Deployment The Evolved Packet Core (EPC) is the next generation multimedia core network for 4G access and is required to deploy LTE radio technology. It provides optimized access for 2G, 3G, non-3GPP and potentially even fixed access networks. Here are top 10 considerations to analyze when deciding your architecture, deployment strategy and vendors. Jon Morgan       Ethernet-based Access in Fiber-to-the-Home The fiber access build-out tsunami is swelling. Today more than 750 million households connect over copper and only 20 million over fiber. While it will take years to make a full transition to a fiber-based infrastructure, a rapid transition is in progress. There will be a mix of several technologies (EPON, GPON, 10G PON, WDN-PON, Active Ethernet, LTE, HFC) fighting for Ethernet-based access deployments. Thomas Eklund       Wireless Backhaul Addresses the Broadband Stimulus Challenge The economic stimulus funding for RUS and NTIA will drive tremendous broadband service deployment to rural and underserved areas in the next few years. Delivering broadband services will create a huge backhaul challenge, especially in the RUS case which is targeted at rural areas, with limited backhaul infrastructure. Microwave backhaul is expected to deliver a solution for this backhaul, but there are many considerations that will be important to delivering a successful Microwave backhaul network for this application Greg Friesen       Next Generation Wireless and 802.11n: Enabling the Video Experience While 802.11a/b/g networks face capacity constraints when it comes to video, next generation wireless networks alleviate this constraint. Based on the new 802.11n protocol, the capacity of next generation wireless networks increases to up to 200Mbps with a data rate of 300Mbps. This addition of up to 9x in capacity easily provides the additional capacity for video applications. However, 802.11n presents additional benefits beyond client throughput and network capacity. Here's a look. Sean Ginevan       Building Migration-Ready Mobile Backhaul Networks with High-capacity Microwave The major change in mobile operators’ current service mix is that data services do not generate the same revenue-per-bit as voice. Today, service revenue increase can no longer offset the cost of deploying additional TDM-based systems. In other words, TDM can no longer match demand and capacity bit-for-bit in an economically viable manner. But there’s an up side too. Aviv Ronai       Environmentally Friendly Wireless Backhaul for WiMAX and LTE As we plan for next-generation WiMAX and LTE services, how does the backhaul radio systems relate to "environmental friendliness"? Although, many positive environmental impacts are obvious (i.e. reduced power consumption), many of them are not so obvious or secondary in nature. In this latter category, among other things, are factors such as the use of safe and/or recyclable materials, ability/option to use solar (or other) powering and reductions in the consumption of earth minerals, minimization of the disruption of natural habitats during network build-outs. Erik Boch       Defining the Layers of Wireless Ethernet -- also known as Mobile Broadband Wireless Ethernet, or Mobile Broadband is a term often associated with the deployment of next generation mobile networks -- so called 4G mobile networks. Such networks are typically designed in "layers," each of which must be equally broadband capable. Erik Boch       The Standards-based Case for IMS Most carriers recognize that IMS provides the golden path to telecom nirvana because its advanced multimedia services enable differentiation and revenue generation. Often not as well understood is the most affordable, simple and seamless path to getting there. Michael H. Cooper       Multi-gigabit 4G Backhaul with 80 GHz Bands Traditional backhaul technologies consist predominantly of copper circuits running up to 45 Mbps and 6-38 GHz microwave radio links that can provide up to 350 Mbps in a single radio channel. As dense urban 4G LTE and WiMAX deployments become main-stream, wired backhaul must transition to fiber to provide sufficient, scalable capacity to base station sites; wireless backhaul will move largely to the new 80 GHz spectrum band that can provide up to 10 Gbps of full-duplex bandwidth using a cost-effective single radio channel design. Here's the pitch Gregg Levin       Mobile Applications: Killer App vs. Killer Environment High-growth applications will be worth $66bn by 2010, projects an INSIGHT Research report. So with economic incentives in place and IMS architecture readily available, it begs the question. Why has the killer environment taken so long to develop? Patrick Fitzgerald       4G Wireless Location Services will Drive Powerful, Content-Rich Applications Location-based services are already available on today's 3G networks—most notably on the Apple iPhone 3G—however, these applications are primarily centered on basic turn-by-turn navigation tools. More pervasive and interactive mobile social networks, multiplayer gaming, geo-fencing based coupon advertising promotions and asset tracking will drive the need for high-accuracy, high-yield and low-latency location-based services on 4G networks. And it is the all-IP 4G networks that will act as an enabling platform for these"beyond navigation" applications.  Dr. Martin Feuerstein       All Things Connected: Usability in a Connected World With mobile devices, the number of the entities involved in delivering new services—and the complexity of the associations among these entities—is increasing rapidly. So one good metric for determining the usability of a new service is how much twiddling is required during the lifecycle of that service. Dr. Badri Nath       Femtocells -- Picking up where the Macro Network Left Off Dropped calls, spotty reception or the dreaded no service zone -- are femtocells the answer? Femtocells are low-power, wireless access points that operate in the home or small office to connect standard mobile devices to a wireless operator's network using the broadband connecction. Alan Lefkof       Improving the Business Case for IPTV Despite delays introduced by technological uncertainty (need I mention the MPEG4 AVC set-top box false starts?), content challenges, and a business case burdened by big up-front investment, we now see a clear maturation in the IPTV industry. This maturation is marked by a myriad of high-profile commercial successes, lower costs of equipment and deployment, and the emergence of new deployment models optimized for the unique requirements of distinct market segments. Let's take a close look at these changes, the new alternatives that they spawn, and how they affect the continued maturation of the IPTV industry technologically, operationally, and financially. Geoff Burke       The Rationale for RFoG The HFC-DOCSIS network continues to serve as the access mechanism. However, network operators are beginning to look for the next generation of access technology as service demands stretch the limits of HFC/DOCSIS systems. Most agree that an optical network is key to their strategy, but getting from HFC to an optical infrastructure is the challenge. One option is RF over Glass (RFoG). Shane Eleniak       Prime Time for MPLS In the beginning, MPLS was driven by the need to scale the public Internet and large corporate intranets. Remember "Tag Switching"? The migration to converged service networks is real and accelerating. Service Providers have selected MPLS to power the any-play services of voice, video, data, and mobility. Stephen Liu [1/3] Send us your response to this article.