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Mobile Backhaul

17/08/2011
Significant operators are using fibre as backhaul
Mobile Backhaul - Trends and Telcos\' Strategies


IDATE has just released the new edition of Mobile Backhaul report. This report spotlights telcos’ strategies regarding backhauling and fixed mobile convergence, how the transport network is evolving within the migration to all-IP and which choices telcos take to meet the increasing demand of bandwidth. The study analyses the evolution of backhaul networks, its investment control and the necessary implementation with the legacy infrastructure.

“Operators are increasingly considering the reuse of existing FTTH infrastructure as backhaul”, comments Tiana Ramahandry, Head of Project, Senior Consultant. “We believe mobile backhaul can be a major driver for fibre deployment. In the years to come, more important synergy between fixed and mobile access infrastructure is anticipated.”

One major key to backhaul upgrade is to mutualise FTTx and LTE backhaul investments
A backhaul upgrade is definitely a superb opportunity for operators to mutualise fixed and mobile investments. It offers them a clear chance to benefit from using existing fixed access loops to backhaul mobile traffic. The interest lies is the cost savings achieved by minimising network-related costs while improving the access layer capacity.

IDATE estimates that 25% of cell sites will be provisioned with fibre in EMEA, more than 40% in APAC and 50% in the USA in 2016.

Today, in their strategic plans, operators clearly take into account the interest of deploying and/or expanding their fixed broadband coverage alongside meeting mobile backhaul requirements. It is a long-term mutualisation strategy to reduce network-related costs while delivering high capacity. The reality is that LTE operators such as Verizon and TeliaSonera are using existing infrastructure whilst several other operators including Deutsche Telekom/T-Mobile are accelerating the connection of cell sites with fibre. In Qatar, the Vodafone subsidiary, which originally relied on microwave for backhaul, has started to deploy fibre. Clearly, mobile backhaul can be a major driver for fibre deployment for integrated operators.

Project Manager
Tiana RAMAHANDRY

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