4G Networks Related Research
Mobile Networks Research Service
With carriers increasingly depending on their revenues from mobile data and with voice becoming a commodity, mobile network infrastructure needs to keep up with the pace of change. The carriers realize that they need more agile, reconfigurable, scalable, easy to deploy and cost-effective equipment in order to meet next-generation service challenges.
Fundamental changes are occurring, from Single RAN base stations and RAN sharing on the radio access end, to IP based transport in the backhaul, and the evolution of the packet core network. To track these changes, the Mobile Networks Research Service covers the trends in the mobile infrastructure market from radio access to backhaul and the core network.
4G networks WiMAX and LTE are rapidly increasing in importance. Mobile wireless services are becoming bandwidth-intensive as users access the Internet more often and start to use other data-intensive services such as streaming video. The whole mobile wireless ecosystem is evolving to accommodate these changes. More powerful application processors and platforms are making their way into an increasing variety of devices that have better operating systems, user interfaces, and larger screens.
The only parts of the ecosystem that are barely keeping up with demand are the existing 3G networks that in some cases are already experiencing capacity problems. The pricing of plans, usage caps, and restrictions on applications are all coming into play, but at the expense of the consumer's experience and the mobile operator's ability to maximize revenue. The 4G Research Service addresses the whole ecosystem from a 4G perspective. 4G subscriber growth, 4G chipsets, 4G devices, and 4G infrastructure buildouts are all tracked and forecast in the 4G Research Service to address the interest in WiMAX and LTE developments across the ecosystem.
The femtocell market is now entering its most crucial and exciting phase. With equipment and component vendors having worked hard at convincing carriers that the technology works, carriers need to convince the end-users about the femtocell value proposition. With carriers across North America, Asia, and now Europe having launched commercial femtocell services, the market now seems to have the momentum that it was looking for. However, the most difficult phase for femtocells begins as customers across the world start to explore the benefits of femtocells - from improving voice coverage to enhancing the mobile broadband experience, as well as the possibility of adding innovative location and presence based services.
Having pioneered analysis of the femtocell market, ABI Research's Femtocells Research Service continues with research spanning femtocell silicon, access points, core network, services, markets, and business strategies worldwide.
Global Market Analysis of Subscribers, Services, Devices, Infrastructure, and Chipsets
This study provides an update on the latest developments in LTE. A 3GPP Release 8 standards update is included, as is information on the next two iterations of 3GPP standards, Releases 9 and 10. The report discusses primary components of LTE such as the enodeB and the evolved packet core. Various architectural configurations are also addressed, along with the pros and cons of each.
The research provides insight into a number of operators’ strategies, vendor solutions, frequency bands used and latest development in the IPR analysis. A list of all operators with defined LTE plans is also included, along with potential CAPEX spending. The report also includes multiple forecasts including: LTE subscribers, enodeb, gateways, modems, and handsets.
WiMAX Market Analysis and Forecasts
The Opportunity for Base Stations, CPE, and Mobile Devices
While the WiMAX market will eventually be dwarfed by the LTE market, there still exists a healthy near-term and long-term market for WiMAX infrastructure, CPE, and devices. While Clearwire and UQ Communications will receive much of the attention given to WiMAX services, there are many 802.16e networks being built around the world for fixed and portable use that can evolve for mobile use later.
This study examines major drivers and barriers for WiMAX and the potential for mobile WiMAX devices and services. The report contains forecast sets for 802.16-2004 and 802.16e-2005 that includes subscribers, ARPU, and revenue by region, and CPE and base station shipments, ASP, and revenue by various segmentations. Detailed segmentation is provided for mobile WiMAX devices, including external adapters, miniCards inside laptops, netbooks and MIDs, handsets, and consumer electronics.
4G Intellectual Property and Royalties
An Analysis of LTE, WiMAX and UMB
IP is fast becoming an important differentiating factor that enables a company to pick and choose where to play, and the lack of a strong portfolio significantly limits any company’s options and prospects for profit. While some have pointed to excess patenting as stifling innovation, major market participants’ recognition of the need for a strong IP portfolio has acted to spur R&D levels and innovation. This report provides in-depth analysis of the IP landscape for 4G technologies with particular focus on LTE, WiMAX and UMB, along with an analysis of the foundation technologies such as beamforming, fast power control, hybrid ARQ, MIMO, OFDM, OFDMA, SC-FDMA and SDMA. The report includes an analysis of the potential royalty scenarios associated with 4G terminals.
All IP Architectures, IMS, Mobile Backhaul, Mobile Softswitch, Session Border Controllers, Core Gateways
IP Transformation started in fixed-line networks over five years ago and is evolving to wireless networks. As these evolve to offer mobile broadband services, operators are faced with the same bandwidth constraint that wire-line operators once faced. They are moving their mobile networks to IP to simplify the architecture, reduce latency, lower costs and improve network performance.
Operators migrating their networks to all-IP are in different phases of the transformation process. This study addresses the network elements impacted by this transformation and provides analysis and forecasts for each element, including supported technologies. The report also discusses the impact of various technologies on the migration. Key areas of discussion include LTE Evolved Core, IMS, Session Border Controllers and Media Gateways.
Cellular Base Station and Site Leasing Markets
Antennas, Cabinets, Batteries
This study provides an overview of the global market for cell towers, cabinets, and antennae. Analysis of each segment provides insight into the market shares of the primary players and discussion of their products. The cell tower segment includes a business case analysis and discussion of regulatory impacts on the cell tower business. Drivers and inhibitors are also explained, along with an assessment of the total addressable market.
Internet Access, Location, Multimedia, Media Broadcast, and Gaming
This ABI Research study examines the emerging 4G mobile consumer services market. It focuses on the suite of mobile consumer services that will be branded and provided by mobile broadband network operators to their subscribers over 4G broadband data networks. These services will be internally developed or externally licensed from third parties and monetized with recurring subscription fees. The report provides a definition of the market as well as a market development update, mobile consumer services descriptions, and selected ecosystem participant profiles. Market forecasts are also provided for device subscriptions and revenue, broken down by device and service segments.
How They Will Change Mobile Wireless and Cellular Infrastructure
Remote radio heads have become one of the most important subsystems of today's new distributed base stations. The remote radio head contains the base station's RF circuitry plus analog-to-digital/digital-to analog converters and up/down converters. RRHs also have operation and management processing capabilities and a standardized optical interface to connect to the rest of the base station. This will be especially true as LTE and WiMAX deploy. Remote radio heads make MIMO operation easier and they increase a BTS's efficiency and facilitate easier physical location for gap coverage problems. RRHs will use the latest RF component technology including GaN RF power devices and envelope tracking technology within the RRH RFPA.
This report examines the ways in which radio heads will capture an increasing share within the BTS marketplace. It includes shipments and revenue forecasts for 2009-2014 segmented by air interface, as well as ASP and vendor market share data.
Mobile Backhaul - Global Market Analysis and Forecast
CAPEX and Lease Revenue Opportunities for Carrier Ethernet, Microwave, MPLS-TE, PBB-TE, TDM, and Cable Backhaul Solutions
Ethernet is the layer 2 technology choice for backhaul whether it is delivered over microwave, fiber, or copper. Efforts by organizations such as the Metro Ethernet Forum strengthen operators’ confidence in Ethernet as a carrier class backhaul technology. By 2014, microwave backhaul penetration will increase in several markets but operators will switch from PDH microwave to high capacity Ethernet microwave solutions. Ethernet over fiber will gain significant traction in developed markets such as North America and some Asian countries, as operators upgrade their backhaul networks to meet the capacity demands of 3G and 4G traffic. Growing mobile capacity demands, reliability, and low-cost solutions are key factors for mobile backhaul evolution.
This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the global mobile backhaul market and provides insight into the opportunities and trends it presents. Market segmented data is provided to show the similarities and differences by region and technologies. ABI Research data shows that T1/E1 is still the dominant backhaul technology in markets such as Latin America, North America, and Eastern Europe. However by 2014, the use of T1/E1 for backhaul will disappear in most markets and will be significantly reduced in the rest.
Consumer, Enterprise, and Metro Markets
Femtocells are entering the next phase of their technology cycle. Market activity until now has been focused on completing work on 3GPP femtocell standardization and responding to operator RFPs. A few operators have been bold enough to launch femtocell services during this initial phase, although most of them have been controlled limited rollouts focused on delivering basic voice coverage at home. The next phase for femtocells is crucial. This should see them evolve from a niche technology with controlled rollouts to a mass-market commercial technology.
This study examines the challenges that need to be met, ranging from defining the business case to achieving system integration when deploying millions of femtocells in the field. The report also provides comprehensive coverage of value-chain activity and the format and architecture debates around femtocells.
Managed Services for Mobile Operators
IT and Radio Network Managed Services Market Forecast
Today managed services revenue represents only a subset of the total services opportunity. Operators need help lowering their operational expenditure which totals over $330 billion globally. Managed services providers in the IT and network segments can reduce this expense through a global staff of technical experts, and by economies of scale.
This study addresses the global market for managed services and provides regional breakdowns of each market. It provides details about the services gaining the most traction in each market. The key players in managed services are highlighted, with detailed description of service offerings, core competence, and analysis of their overall strengths and weaknesses. The research also includes global data, market share data and regional managed services data.
Market, Technology and Business Issues; Threats from Super Femtocells; and Opportunities in 3G Markets
Picocell technology has been around for many years, providing cellular coverage and capacity in areas with spotty or nonexistent cellular signals. However the market for picocells has been limited, with scattered usage. The reason has largely been the cost of installing, managing and planning picocell solutions. The recent interest in femtocell solutions has not helped the growth of picocells either. With femtocells promising zero touch, self-install, self-managing capabilities, operators are inclined to wait for femtocells rather than adopt picocells. There is also some confusion in the market about the terminology for picocells and femtocells, with both serving small coverage areas.
This study provides an in-depth look at picocells, explores their relationship with femtocells, and most importantly, explains the role of picocells in the context of other in-building wireless solutions such as DAS and repeater systems. The report provides recommendations to the market participants, identifying future opportunities and market strategies for picocells.
IMS Core Networks: A Dynamic Service-Based Architecture
Beyond VoIP, Push to X, Convergence, Unified Messaging, and Unified Address Books
IMS is not new and it is not an application, it is the foundation for service creation architecture. IMS enables operators to quickly develop and deploy new services. Operators can no longer compete on bandwidth and are now offering unlimited voice packages both in wireless and wire-line networks. As a result, they have to devise new means of generating revenue. In 2008, large operators such as Verizon will deploy IMS networks as a means of providing unified services across their disparate access networks. Cable companies will deploy IMS to migrate their non-resilient legacy architecture to a more flexible, service-oriented architecture. This will present a huge opportunity for vendors with strong professional or managed services organization. IMS is challenging to integrate and operators are looking to partner with vendors who can easily meet this challenge. This study provides a comprehensive look at the IMS activities in wireline and wireless access networks. It offers insight into how operators are using IMS, and its role in future network migration. The report also provides market data to help operators and vendors assess the true value of IMS and to quantify the market opportunity.