Opinion Papers

The future of WCDMA/HSPA
Delivering exceptional MBB user experience everywhere

Ericsson White Paper - February 2013

WCDMA/HSPA enables hundreds of millions of people to access mobile broadband (MBB) through their smartphones every day. Today, new, low-priced WCDMA/HSPA smartphones are entering the market, and they will enable MBB for new hundreds-of-millions-sized markets. WCDMA/HSPA has evolved into a highly effective MBB technology that will continue to serve both new and traditional markets for years to come, either as the main MBB technology or as an important complement to LTE.

Whether or not operators are rolling out LTE 4G networks, they will need to focus their attention on the performance of their WCDMA/HSPA networks if they are to deliver a consistent, high-quality user experience throughout their coverage areas.

This document is made available here on the GSA website with the permission of the author.

Ericsson is a member organisation of GSA.

LTE Broadcast – a revenue enabler in the mobile media era

Ericsson White Paper - February 2013

LTE Broadcast offers mobile-network operators a profitable business proposition through service differentiation, new revenue opportunities, and more efficient distribution of live and other digital media.

The proliferation of mobile devices, mobile content and 4G LTE networks has led to a boom in mobile-video and digital media usage. Managing the growth of mobile-network traffic has created a significant challenge for mobile network operators (MNOs), which need to optimize their networks to accommodate the increase in demand.

This paper explores the revenue opportunities and cost benefits MNOs can realize through the implementation of LTE Broadcast, a mobile broadcast solution that complements LTE networks.

This document is made available here on the GSA website with the permission of the author.

Ericsson is a member organisation of GSA.

VoLTE power consumption

A White Paper by Renesas Mobile in association with the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA)

Renesas Mobile is a member organization of GSA.

ABSTRACT

Voice is a basic mobile service that generates significant, though declining, revenue for the operators. Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is a packet voice service that differs from the previous 3G and 2G circuit switched voice and provides increased functionality and performance. This paper compares VoLTE, 3G and 2G voice services and aims to show how the optimization of the VoLTE service makes a difference compared to non-optimized or suboptimal solutions. The device platform and its main components, modem and RF are scrutinised. The platform architecture (APE, modem and RF) and supported radio optimizations which are presented offer considerable power savings and hence offer battery stand-by time enhancements compared to 3G or non-optimized solutions.

Feedback by email to info@gsacom.com

Other white papers produced by Renesas Mobile on the website:

Renesas Mobile - GSA White Paper: Multiband Multimode transceivers for wireless communications
March 27, 2012

See link on www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/opinion_papers.php4

The Business Benefits of 4G LTE

This white paper discusses a number of ways in which 4G LTE is making feasible applications and use-cases that require reliable high-speed mobile data. LTE will also help applications that already work reasonably well on mobile devices, improving their performance, practicality and responsiveness.

Compared with previous mobile network technologies, 4G LTE offers much higher bandwidth (speed of data transfer), lower latency (faster response times from the network) and improved spectrum efficiency (increasing overall network capacity). In practice, this allows:

- More applications to be used on mobile devices, out of the home or office
- Faster or real-time sharing of large files and streaming media
- Near-immediate delivery of time-sensitive data, such as for real-time interaction or transactions.

The paper defines five general types of business applications (use-cases) and explains how their performance can be substantially improved by 4G LTE:

- Large file transfer
- Rapid workplace set-up
- Rich machine to machine and remote monitoring applications
- Videoconferencing, tele-presence and rich media collaboration
- Remote access to business applications

Author: Arthur D Little
Commissioned by EE

This document is made available here on the GSA website with the permission of the author.

Opinions expressed in the content posted here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of GSA. The content is provided for informational purposes only.

LTE in the 3500MHz Band (3400-3800MHz) - Whitepaper

Huawei - December 2012

This paper aims to share findings in terms of the 3.5GHz ecosystem, 3.5GHz interference solutions and recommendations.

Huawei is a member organization of GSA.

This document is made available here on the GSA website with the permission of the author.

Opinions expressed in the content posted here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of GSA. The content is provided for informational purposes only.

White Paper: LTE in the 2300MHz band (2300-2400MHz)
Enabling Europe’s Radio Spectrum Policy Programme with the 2300MHz band for LTE

Huawei - June 2012

This White Paper encourages national regulators to define in 2012 a clear schedule for the release of this frequency band, as well as the adoption at the ECC level of appropriate deliverables to eventually harmonise the 2300MHz band for mobile broadband usage.

Huawei is a member organization of GSA.

This document is made available here on the GSA website with the permission of the author.

Opinions expressed in the content posted here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of GSA. The content is provided for informational purposes only.

Multi-standard connectivity has become de-facto for smart phones and laptops but is emerging also to other more specialized gadgets like e-book readers. Such devices need to be designed for the best performance even when multiple standards are operating simultaneously. In the future, RF band allocations will make the scene even more complex especially in LTE evolution towards band aggregation. Once RF transceiver architectures have evolved to be compliant with modern CMOS processes new challenges will rise to guarantee smooth user experience in high-speed applications independently of protocol or frequency band. This means stricter requirements in mutual interference and miniaturization from antenna to ASIC's. However, interplay between protocols may also open new opportunities to consider transceiver architecture options suitable for multi-standard radios.

A White Paper by Renesas Mobile in association with the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA)

Renesas Mobile is a member organization of GSA.

UMTS MIMO Maturity, Leading to MBB Profitability

A White Paper by Huawei in association with the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA)


Huawei is a member organization of GSA.

Mobile Broadband: Surf the Broadband Wave With a Customer-Centric Business Model

A White Paper by Telcordia in association with the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA)

Abstract

With mobile broadband becoming more available all the time, and the introduction of smart phones and more applications and content, mobile broadband usage is poised to explode. Some would argue the wave has already hit the market. But if you think that means an automatic windfall for operators, you may be in for a rude awakening. They are challenged to manage this traffic growth, which is increasing at a much faster rate than revenues and creating profitability and customer experience challenges. And they are challenged to identify whether their mobile broadband strategy is to be a bit-pipe access player or to be a value-added player. In this paper, we�ll look at the imminent opportunity of mobile broadband, and assess the competitive threats every provider must grapple with. We�ll also explore ways operators can insert themselves into the value chain, protecting their relationships with their customers, and giving themselves every chance to cash in on what needs to be a significant source of future revenue potential.

Call Trace Probes Decline in Value, Cost More and Don't Work for Data

A White Paper by Velocent Systems in association with the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA).

When it comes to measuring the performance aspects of today�s wireless infrastructures, quantifying the level of network quality is probably the most important task. However, while mobile operators agree that network quality � or the lack thereof � is the primary reason for subscriber churn, there is little agreement across the industry on how to truly measure end-to-end session quality and thereby effectively manage the mobile broadband network.

Call trace KPIs that only monitor session set-up and tear-down signaling messages lack the monitoring capabilities necessary to ensure data-network quality. They do not monitor the user plane.

Leading mobile operators around the world want a solution specifically designed to provide the essential KPIs for monitoring and measuring the quality of their rapidly evolving broadband networks.

Armed with performance-measuring systems designed for the data world, mobile operators can effectively position themselves to succeed in the market, both in the near term and over the long haul.

A number of CDMA operators are facing falling market share and responding by switching to the GSM family (GSM/EDGE, WCDMA-HSPA) for business growth.

GSA's first survey "CDMA to GSM/WCDMA Migration" in June 2006 listed 25 CDMA operators using or planning GSM either as an overlay to a CDMA network, or as its replacement.

This latest GSA survey identifies 39 operators using or planning GSM either as an overlay to a CDMA network, or as its replacement.

The GSM technology family (GSM/GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA-HSPA) gained 6.3% market share between December 2005 and December 2007 to reach 86.6% share at 31 December 2007. CDMA market share declined to 11.6%.

This paper has been prepared to assist regulatory authorities to develop and implement Universal Access programs for telecommunications and information infrastructure in rural and low-income areas in the new growth markets including Africa, India and Latin America.

GSM radio technology is continuously evolving to meet the needs of a changing world of ever more universal wireless communications. Data throughput of the GSM air interface has progressed to around 1 Mbps expected for the next version of EDGE with total backward and forward compatibility, while the network-compatible WCDMA technology provides up to 2 Mbps today and will reach 100 Mbps as it is evolved in the future. These higher data rates open new service opportunities for existing mobile operators, including converged services, and for new players. At the same time, supported applications have gone from simple voice and text to video telephony and full multimedia applications.

This paper concentrates on the Radio Access part of the GSM network, and examines the near future where the GSM community will be successfully exploiting seamless mobility with complementary access technologies to provide enhanced services and user experiences. The possibilities and opportunities of future technology innovations are discussed, including convergent developments of Fixed, Mobile and Broadcast Services Networks, Near Field Communications and Ultra-Wideband radio.
The GSM family has proved that it is fully compatible with new developments, thus providing the opportunity for multi-access in radio networks or access to the same user services via different channels. Major wide area coverage technologies are complemented with local access technologies.

Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) might represent one of the biggest opportunities since cellular telephony itself and SMS. This paper explains the drivers for the service and the financial advantage that it brings. It shows that from the users' perspective, PoC adds directly to the essence of cellular; that of keeping people closely in touch and together.
An update on market deployments of the Push to Talk service is provided, including the availability of PoC-enabled phones. It confirms Push-to-Talk as a differentiated voice service allowing operators to enhance the user experience, and build new service revenues.
Finally, the paper shows there are even more opportunities to be gained when features are added such as presence or location, which will drive deployment and revenue growth from a wide range of "Push To" services.

Also available in Spanish and Portuguese.
Translations courtesy of @LIS Program

Push-to-Talk over Cellular might represent one of the biggest opportunities since cellular telephony itself and SMS. This paper explains the background to push-to-talk, the operational differences between push-to-talk and conventional mobile telephony, why combining the modes on a cellular network provides benefits all round.

The commercial advantage that operators who have already deployed Push-to-Talk have gained is noted and it is explained how the service can be added to GSM networks easily and at relatively low cost by means of the new Open Mobile Alliance (OMA)-led standard, Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC). Finally, the additional ways in which PoC will enhance the user experience and the cellular market are predicted.

Also see:The Push to Talk on GSM Business Opportunity

AMR enables existing GSM radio resource assets to be used more effectively, nearly trebling radio network capacity and generating increased revenue without the need for extra base stations. Already in commercial service, users perceive higher quality however busy the network. Many AMR-capable handsets are on the market today. Development continues towards a wideband version.

EDGE - Enhance Data rates for GSM Evolution, is an open ITU standard radio access specification to support 3G services. Originally positioned as an in-band solution where new IMT-2000 spectrum was unavailable, EDGE has become an effective complement to WCDMA as the combination of EDGE and WCDMA offers the most spectrally efficient and lowest cost solution for 3G services delivery in all regions of the world.

Over the past 18 to 24 months the role of EDGE has been defined, enhanced and developed. No longer seen as a possible technology, today EDGE is a reality, impossible to ignore. EDGE is the technology, which will both complement future WCDMA deployment strategies and enhance existing GSM/GPRS resources, and allow an operatorto deliver 3G services today.

The move to 3G demands a fundamental shift in the manner in which mobile services and applications are billed. Not only are such services significantly different from the voice and primitive data offerings associated with 2G portfolios, but who supplies what to whom and the fragmented segmentation of next generation end-users will also mark a significant departure from the traditional mobile billing model.

3G represents the global development of mobile communications services, standards and technologies. It will deliver the future of all types of communication, touching our lives to create a rich multimedia environment and a new lifestyle approach to how we communicate.