Riverstone Networks 9500 manual Need for IP transformation, IP transformation drivers

The need for IP transformation

The growing demand for new broadband services requires more connectivity and additional ports at cell sites. Packet traffic growth drives bandwidth requirements higher (20 Mb/s to 30 Mb/s per cell site); it also has different capacity and quality constraints than voice traffic

As mobile network infrastructure evolves, IP-native base stations will have Ethernet interfaces rather than T1. This change in physical interface brings new challenges to backhaul networks. Because the transition will not happen overnight, backhaul networks must migrate gracefully while supporting a mixed payload of legacy TDM and growing packet traffic.

The evolution of microwave radio from TDM to packet technologies enables data-aware transport, which can support new high-bandwidth services while leveraging existing technologies. IP transformation typically seeks to achieve four major goals:

•Gradual transformation of the network, focusing on areas where compelling events force investment in a solution

•Return on investment in less than two years (as a result of OPEX savings)

•Minimized OPEX despite capacity increases; requires optimizing the use of scarce resources and aggregating all services over a single pipe, with no overlays

•Use of a multi-vendor model with standard protocols and no proprietary equipment

Data traffic is growing fast, but revenues are not increas- ing at the same pace; this creates a need to find more efficient ways to transport the additional packet traffic

Figure 2 shows the evolution of traffic and revenue.

IP transformation drivers

•The need for additional connectivity to introduce new broadband technologies and services, such as HSDPA, EVDO, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) hotspots, and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)

•Increased bandwidth requirements for new packet- based services (20 Mb/s

to 30 Mb/s per cell site)

•Ethernet interfaces to eliminate the need for separate overlay networks to support Ethernet connectivity and backhaul

Figure 2. Traffic and revenue evolution with a massive introduction of broadband services

Voice Era Data Era

Packet

Traffic

Traffic and

Revenue

Divergence

Revenues

Time

4 Alcatel-Lucent 9500 Microwave Packet Radio North American Markets