Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings

The HSPA Decision IS Your Evolved Packet Core Decision

By atesmeh | July 23, 2009

Share

Over the past several years, the Internet and mobile communications have drastically changed the way people communicate, stay informed and entertain themselves. As these drivers have now merged to become the mobile Internet, mobile operators have adjusted their business models to exploit the opportunity for increased revenue.

Jonathan Morgan
Morgan

This evolution is now generating three major disruptions in the industry that, when combined, will result in a traffic tidal wave that must be addressed with a true, next-generation multimedia core network.

  • Mobile broadband—EDGE/WCDMA networks are evolving to HSPA offering broadband speeds of 3 to 14 Mbps today – and 28 to 42 Mbps around the corner, with LTE not far off providing over 100 Mbps speeds. With HSPA and LTE, mobile networks reach true broadband speeds.
  • Consumer-friendly billing plans—Market dynamics and competition are changing billing models from usage-based to flat rate and/or service-based. This results in increased network usage and a diversification in applications running over the network.
  • Multimedia device usability—New multimedia devices and services provide drastically improved usability. Users now have devices that can easily access a wide variety of applications on the network.

These factors are fueling data traffic usage beyond expectations and are placing inordinate pressure on the packet core network. Over the next five years, the projected number of worldwide HSPA subscribers is expected to surpass 1 billion, with traffic growth an order of magnitude higher. HSPA moves from a minor portion of the network to the dominating technology for multimedia core networks. However, today’s non-HSPA packet core networks are designed to handle EDGE and WCDMA services that peaked at 384 kbps.

HSPA and LTE Evolution Options

With the multi-megabit performance of HSPA and the accompanying increases in subscribers and traffic, operators must design multimedia core packet networks that can handle this rapidly increasing usage. The packet core network also must change drastically to provide the intelligence, performance and scale required for HSPA mobile broadband – especially in the advent of always-on services. The networks also must be ready for LTE.  As it stands today, traffic is increasing at a rate larger than revenue.  To maximize profit, operators must look at HSPA and LTE products and technologies that lower the cost of the network as traffic grows. 

One evolution option is to continually “throw” additional 2G/2.5G platforms at the problem to address the throughput, signaling and capacity requirements. While providing a temporary Band-Aid, this option makes the network more complex and expensive and provides inferior, just-good-enough performance with little to no intelligence. This approach also does not address long-term network needs. HSPA is a mobile broadband network that requires a next-generation multimedia core solution that meets today’s HSPA requirements and is positioned to address LTE requirements tomorrow.

A more favorable evolution option is to deploy a solution optimized for HSPA and LTE; therefore, significantly lowering the capital and operational costs per byte and session even as the traffic increases. For operators, making the wrong choice in HSPA infrastructure equipment will limit LTE deployment options. 

For example, a new platform will be required for the LTE/EPC core elements, such as the MME, while existing platforms, such as the 2G SGSNs, will not be upgradeable nor support the scale required for the EPC functions. This eliminates the option of migrating to an EPC through software upgrades, while also eliminating network architecture flexibility, such as integrating network functions, for example SGSN and MME, on the same platform. 

The HSPA core network solution must be designed to scale from HSPA to HSPA+ to LTE or directly from HSPA to LTE. By deploying a solution optimized for both HSPA and LTE, operators can have a platform that is only a simple software upgrade away from offering LTE EPC core solutions. 

Summary

A tidal wave is about to hit your packet core network, driven by simultaneous, seismic disruptions to mobile operator business models. You cannot wait for LTE alone to save your packet core.  The decision for the LTE Evolved Packet Core network is today.  It is the HSPA decision.

Morgan is senior director of product marketing for Starent Networks.


Filed Under: Infrastructure

 

Related Articles Read More >

Do Sensors Make Infrastructure Safer?
Crawling Robots and Flying Drones May Help Missouri’s Bridges
Viasat and Facebook Collaborate to Expand Internet Connectivity in Rural Mexico
Smartphone-Based System to Monitor America’s Crumbling Infrastructure

DESIGN GUIDE LIBRARY

“motion

Enews Sign Up

Motion Control Classroom

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Renishaw next-generation FORTiS™ enclosed linear encoders offer enhanced metrology and reliability for machine tools
  • WAGO’s smartDESIGNER Online Provides Seamless Progression for Projects
  • Epoxy Certified for UL 1203 Standard
  • The Importance of Industrial Cable Resistance to Chemicals and Oils
  • Optimize, streamline and increase production capacity with pallet-handling conveyor systems
  • Global supply needs drive increased manufacturing footprint development

Design World Podcasts

June 12, 2022
How to avoid over engineering a part
See More >
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • Advertising
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Engineering White Papers
  • LEAP AWARDS

Copyright © 2022 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • 3D CAD
    • Electronics • electrical
    • Fastening & Joining
    • Factory automation
    • Linear Motion
    • Motion Control
    • Test & Measurement
    • Sensors
    • Fluid power
  • Learn
    • Ebooks / Tech Tips
    • Engineering Week
    • Future of Design Engineering
    • MC² Motion Control Classrooms
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • LEAP AWARDS
  • Leadership
    • 2022 Voting
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guide Library
  • Resources
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Women in Engineering
  • Supplier Listings