LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies. a TMN Publication in Association with Radisys a T MN E Book a TMN Ebook: LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies

A TMN eBook In association with Radisys

LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies. A TMN publication in association with Radisys A T MN e Book A TMN eBOOK: LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies

Todd Mersch, Senior Director, Software & Solutions, Given this trend, operators are already planning their LTE-A deployments. Delivering true 4G speeds, Hi! Radisys. Todd is responsible for strategic direction LTE-Advanced LTE-A will boost data rates from 150 Mbps to 1Gbps. LTE-A will also provide enhanced cell edge and product management for the Radisys solutions performance, much improved radio interference and Trillium software product line as well as its and Small Cells: mitigation and spectrum re-usage. For subscribers, this translates to real-time HD comprehensive services business. voice and video services and fewer dropped calls. Techniques for a Tiered Operators implementing LTE-A can enjoy upsurges of network efficiency, monetised mobile broadband Mobile operators have a tremendous opportunity take advantage of LTE-A to deliver increased and increased network capacity. But what’s the best Sponsors Deployment Approach to both serve and benefit from the development bandwidths, reduced latencies and higher uplink approach for an LTE-A deployment? of new digital lifestyles across the world. To do and downlink throughputs to end users. that they must deploy networks that deliver the Most importantly, we see our role as enabling It’s no secret; we’ve all become data hogs. Maximizing spectrum with carrier best experiences for end customers and for operators to deploy the advanced features aggregation and interference mitigation content and applications partners. The operators in a phased manner,so they can control their As today’s smartphone users consume that do this most successfully will achieve market network development in line with their business ever-increasing network resources, mobile As with any new technology that brings vastly differentiation and access a broad range of value requirements whilst managing the increased different features than its predecessors, the opportunities. complexity of 4G networks. operators are rushing to deploy their LTE roll-out of LTE-A is best taken in steps, weighing I n t roduC ion Two technology roadmaps stand out to help This eBook, with a feature article from Renuka on the tactical advantage of each feature. operators develop the capacities they need to take Bhalerao of Radisys and market infographic from networks to meet subscriber demand. This phased approach will begin with the advantage of these opportunities: the development the team at The Mobile Network, explains the achievement of higher throughput through carrier of heterogeneous networks and the introduction of importance of that phased approach, and the aggregation and enhanced MIMO, and improved LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) features. At Radisys, we see relationship between the development of small interference mitigation through the implementation the two as symbiotic, as heterogenous networks cells and LTE-A. of Enhanced Inter-cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) techniques. Using LTE-A, mobile operators can implement carrier aggregation both practically and efficiently, by leveraging the use of their existing spectrum to help achieve a higher bandwidth and heightened speeds. Carrier aggregation - a chief benefit of LTE-A - allows operators to consolidate their non- contiguous 3G spectrum and LTE frequency bands to enable more data throughput at one time. In effect, portions of existing spectrum can be combined to attain higher speeds, enabling up to 100 MHz of usable bandwidth. Increased spectrum capacity delivers the 1Gbps data rates required for high-demand services, such as HD voice and video. It is worth nothing that the ability to aggregate small amounts of spectrum from across diverse bands will enable carriers with less optimal spectrum allocations to compete with operators that have much larger contiguous spectrum assets. A TMN eBOOK: LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies A TMN eBOOK: LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies

Taking a tiered approach to LTE-A roll-out. RISE LTE-A and small cells as the Macrocells - wide area coverage and mobility P Because the roll-out of LTE-A requires approach, as they represent a substantial ENTER MENTS next-generation solution for PLOY mobile - Source: Radisys numerous architectural changes, operators change in network architecture. DE are wise to deploy this technology in a With its powerful combination of capacity tiered approach, beginning with carrier and coverage, LTE-A supports the growing DOMESTIC aggregation and interference mitigation. relevance of small cells. Radisys recently MENTS DEPLOY This is aided by eICIC techniques that announced the world’s first LTE-A small enable better coordination in time domain cell solution, which has been enhanced between small cells and between small to include key LTE-A features that enable cells and macro cells, boosting cell edge operators’ phased LTE-A deployments. performance. Small cells will continue As part of a Heterogeneous Network, or to form a critical role in next-generation HetNet, the LTE-A small cell solution brings deployments. Using sophisticated enhanced capacity and coverage. techniques, eICIC mitigates interference on LTE-A addresses the growing needs of traffic and control channels. Because they mobile by bringing increased capacity and have many of the same features as LTE-A coverage, delivering true 4G speeds by networks themselves, small cells can be boosting data rates from 150 Mbps to 1 uniquely coordinated by LTE-A to provide Gbps. In order to meet rising subscriber enhanced cell edge performance. demands, boost network efficiency, OUTDOOR DEPLOYMENTS The second phase of an LTE-A roll- monetize mobile broadband and increase out will include Coordinated Multi-point capacity, a phased approach to deployment So as well as providing a technical edge, coverage to utilise eICIC techniques, LTE-A combining spectrum from 850MHz and Initial rollouts of LTE-A in Asia have (CoMP) techniques to ensure even greater of LTE-A is most effective for operators. The Carrier Aggregation promises to boost networks provide an improved solution 1800MHz bands to achieve a theoretical provided opportunities for many lessons performance is achieved at the edge. tiered approach - beginning with carrier competitiveness and enable new business for organising small cells and macro cells. maximum of 150Mphs. NTT DoCoMo has learned, including the realisation that, This complex technology is currently aggregation and interference mitigation models for some carriers. This ties back to carrier aggregation as it outlined plans to deploy small cells that can when it comes to capacity management, being tested in the lab, and will be -will offer operators the best opportunities As most of the traffic load will still be seen provides an effective means for mobile enable Carrier Aggregation in 2015, as part redirection alone is not sufficient. Instead, deployed at a later date. Relay nodes are to maximise efficiency, enhance cell edge indoors, small cells will play a crucial role in operators to use the available spectrum of an advanced Cloud RAN architecture sophisticated algorithms must be utilised another feature to be considered for phase performance and improve spectrum reuse global LTE-A deployments and will underpin in chunks rather for increased capacity that envisions up to 48 low power cells to ensure adequate coverage during two or three in this tiered deployment for an optimal user experience. the key features of LTE-A technology such and coverage, rather than relying on operating as add-ons to a high powered peak usage times, such as as carrier aggregation, key interference the rare availability of a large section of “Master Base Station” emergencies and rush hour. management features including Enhanced contiguous spectrum. While Asia is leading the rate of LTE-A While imperative for the future Carrier Aggregation (CA) - With Carrier Coordinated multipoint (CoMP) Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) LTE deployments in Japan are already very implementation, North American and of mobile, the robust Aggregation multiple component carriers transmission - CoMP refers to a set and range extension – all part of the LTE-A mature, and mobile operators are ready to European markets will soon follow, once functionalities of LTE-A add to are used to increase bandwidth in the of technololgies designed to increase body of standards. leverage LTE-A technology to solve these their LTE architectures are sufficiently the complexity of the roll-out network. LTE-A definitions support the coordination between small cells, and In many Asian countries, the dense issues. In addition, small cells deployments in place. In the USA, AT&T and Verizon process. The implementation of aggregation of up to 100MHz. between small cells and macro cells. deployment of small cells makes it in Asia often exist on a different frequency have both stated they will reported to be Self-Organizing Networks (SON) particularly prone to more interference and there is more available spectrum, looking at expanding capacity by using has served as a useful player in Range Extension - Balances the load Enhanced Inter-Cell Interference and thus imperative to extend beyond making LTE-A a natural fit. NTT DoCoMo, CA to combine their respective 700 MHz LTE-A deployment, in terms of between small cells and the macro layer, Coordination (eICIC) - Inter-cell interference traditional LTE with frequency reuse in Japan, and SK Telecom, in South Korea, and AWS spectrum holdings. In Europe, solving the practical issues that resulting in a more even distribution becomes a challenging issue in heterogenous to provide the carrier aggregation and have both outlined plans to introduce the UK’s EE has said it will trial Carrier come along with a mass rollout of radio resources between users. This network scenarios. eICIC uses advanced time interference mitigation capabilities delivered Carrier Aggregation. SKT has said that it Aggregation during 2013, with the operator and architectural changes, effectively expands the range of small domain scheduling techniques to mitigate

by LTE-A. Because traditional LTE networks will have commercial Carrier Aggregation expected to look at combinations between as well as effectively aiding in G L O SSA RY cells deployed within a macrocell. interference between cells. do not supply the necessary capacity and enabled in its network by September 2013, holdings in its 1800MHz and 2.6GHz bands. interference mitigation. A TMN eBOOK: LTE-A and Small Cell Deployment Strategies DoCoMo launched a NTT TE femtocell /L p la n s access P u bl i c dual mode 3 GT during December 2012. More than two thirds of small cells deployed Small cells and LTE-A: SKT and KT have launched L in 2017 devoted to small cells for public access. TE LTE-FDD or TD-LTE why a small cell strategy (Mobile Experts) must take note of LTE-A AT&T O2 Verizon Vodafone SKT 2016: 40k by London 2012 2H 2013 Tri-mode 3G & LTE 8x 2015 success tests already > TODAY: 92m ed SMALL CELLS 2 ad 56% he Public access small of all base is cells keep rolling... 11.5m Installed base of small cells is set fic 3 LTE-A stations globally LTE S M ALL CELLS af to grow from 11 million units in tr SMALL CELLS (InformaTM) the February 2013 to 92 million units in re 30% he of mobile traffic Downlink peak data rates up to 3Gbps. Uplink data rates 2016 - an 8x increase - with a total W over small cells market value of over US$22 billion and WiFi in 2013 up to max 1.5Gbps .Support for up to 100Mhz bandwidth. A Mass market? (Infonetics Research) Maximum 8x8 MIMO downlink, 4x4 uplink. Higher spectral 1m 1 million deployments, by end 2012. 60% efficiency, from a maximum of 16bps/Hz in R8 to 30 bps/ of all mobile traffic Hz in R10. Carrier aggregation for better spectrum flexibility LTE-A 2013 LAUNCHES PLANNED PERCENT over small cells and (JUST COOKING) S M ALL CELLS 1m and higher bandwidth. CoMP and eICIC for improved mobile operators SAY WiFi by 2016 1 million+ by early 2013 98 co-ordination. Enhanced SON techniques going beyond > (Juniper Research) Small cell solutions with carrier “Small cells are self-initialisation. Relaying for outdoor range extension. 1 100K 100K aggregation early 2014. 100k+ 100k+ jan 2014 > > essential for LTE network future networks” progress 2013: “LTE-Advanced is gearing 55% 55% What’s next for LTE-A 100K Several hundreds of 248 in 87 for true 4G prime time” and Small Cells? thousands in the UK. countries by (Infonetics) 3GPP Release 12 - completion expected end 2013 LTE September 2014.Small Cell enhancements Public access will account for only 175 in 70 subscriber LTE-A and the HetNet focus on smooth integration in the countries end macro network, address improved 4% of small cells sold, but 73% of of May 2013 growth In LTE advanced, the possibility for coordination between small cells and the market value efficient heterogeneous network macro, introducing dual connectivity. planning is increased by the Operators with diverse spectrum holdings say

200+ million introduction of eICIC and extensions 2012 to aggregate multiple smaller carriers. public access 70 to the X2 protocol that allow for Carrier aggregation also key for improving

in JAN

4% 12 million better coordination between macro TD-LTE throughput. Improved energy countries end of May 2013 most important 175 V 73% and small cell layers, for both efficiency through development of the “! interference mitigation and mobility. Cloud RAN. Can your network boost maximize the bottom-line? spectrum utilization with Radisys small cell solutions

The deployment of small cells, the emergence of HetNets (heterogeneous networks) and the leap towards LTE-Advanced’s promise to maximize spectrum utilization—is making networks more efficient, increasing capacity and coverage, and enabling operators to monetize mobile broadband.

For small cells, Radisys offers complete software that supports the latest standards including LTE-Advanced, is deployment-proven for both 3G and LTE networks, and is integrated with leading specialized small cell silicon.

World’s 1st LTE-A Small Cell Solution