Small Cells New Order – Operators reveal LTE small cell deployment plans and innovations

Athens, Greece, New York City, NY and Singapore, October 29, 2013 – Market research firm ExelixisNet and advisory services firm Xona Partners have released their 2013 small cell deployment strategies report: “Small Cells New Order – a global status report.” The report reveals mobile operators plans for small cell network deployments and the new innovations that they will be relying on to make their investment in those networks a success.

Elias Aravantinos, Lead Analyst at ExelixisNet commented, “Densification of mobile networks has been talked about for nearly 10 years and the most recent manifestation of that vision – carrier deployed outdoor small cells – has been highly anticipated, but delayed. So what is the hold up? In this report we surveyed operators across the Americas and EMEA and the answers were surprising but encouraging: small cell network deployments are imminent but at the same time the first movers will be establishing a new order around how networks will be built in the future. This is disruptive for small cell equipment vendors.”

Small Cells New Order:  SELECTED KEY FINDINGS

• Over 50% of the surveyed operators say they want to deploy small cells in 2014.
• Cost is the fundamental challenge to small cell deployments. Half the of the surveyed operators have not yet fully ascertained the value proposition for small cells and are still working on the cost model for small cell deployments.
• Operators are keeping an open mind to solving the small cell backhaul challenge with many solutions in trials. The report compares the backhaul technologies and identifies the leading vendors in each category.
• Operators are asking overwhelmingly (over 50% of cases) for multimode LTE, 3G, and Wi-Fi outdoor small cells. This puts tremendous pressure on the backhaul network capacity.

Frank Rayal, Partner at Xona Partners added, “Evolving the current wireless network to a heterogeneous architecture that includes large and small cells running multiple access technologies is a major undertaking. Small cells are a catalyst for a wave of innovations that define the network of the future. Operators are in the process of implementing the fundamental technologies that will make operating this network cost effective. In our report, we reveal the vendors that operators have identified as ones with innovative approaches to the small cell deployment challenge.”

Small Cells New Order – a global status report runs to 40 pages. This report provides answers from the perspective of leading operators on fundamental questions to small cell deployments such as:

• What type of heterogeneous network meets operators’ operational expectations?
• What do operators see as the challenges holding up small cell deployments?
• Will operators deploy small cells in the same spectrum used for macro cells?
• What type of small cells will be deployed?
• What operators see as their primary small cell backhaul and how they rank the different solutions?
• Which vendors are operators considering for each backhaul technology?

Download the Brochure from here: ExelixisNet_Small_Cell report_brochure

Press Contact:

Elias Aravantinos, Lead Analyst
earavantinos@exelixisnet.com

Report inquiries, contact ExelixisNet: http://exelixisnet.com/research-reports

Microwave PtMP backhaul equipment market is expected to surpass US$ 300 million by 2017

Microwave PtMP  backhaul equipment market is expected to surpass US$ 300 million by 2017
PtMP licensed backhaul equipment is still in contention as a high-capacity technology for small cell backhaul

Athens, Greece and London, UK, 22 February 2013 – Point to Multipoint (PtMP) microwave backhaul shipments decreased 6% in Q4 2012 over Q1 2012, but a sustainable two-digit Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is forecasted by 2017, according to ExelixisNet’s latest report, “PtMP Backhaul Market for LTE and small cells”.

The relentless demand for network backhaul capacity is making mobile operators consider every possible option for efficient, sustainable backhaul solutions. Licensed point to multi-point microwave solutions continued to make inroads as an alternative to conventional wireless backhaul albeit a major European network breakthrough has still not occurred. Concerns over interference, spectrum availability and service guarantee issues, continue to present barriers for widespread adoption for PtMP. The breakthrough may not be that far away however with many operators looking seriously at PtMP solutions for small cell backhaul. “The new all-outdoor licensed-band radios look very efficient and competitive, even in the emerging 42 GHz band, compared to the NLOS solutions,  and are expected to become a key asset for backhaul links between lamp posts and the sides of buildings where small cells will be installed,” said Elias Aravantinos, author of the report and ExelixisNet Leading Analyst. The new outdoor small cell PtmP solutions will be tested during 2013 not only to prove whether they can deliver ease of installation, attractive form factor, and improved traffic handling benefits but also to evaluate whether the predicted lower overall cost of ownership (TCO) can be realized.

The wireless PtMP backhaul equipment market is expected to surpass US$300 million by 2017, almost 3-fold growth from 2012 to 2017. ExelixisNet believes the overall PtMP wireless backhaul equipment market growth will reach its profitable peak early 2014, even 5-fold growth as a really high forecast, as the PtmP solutions could serve the small cell market’s uptake in a very satisfying, efficient and economic level, as described in the report.

Drawing from in-depth interviews with backhaul vendors and operators worldwide, the report provides a detailed look at licensed microwave PtMP backhaul technology, spectrum, and investment and market trends.

Selected Key Findings:

• Middle East is the fastest growing region for Ptmp microwave shipments between 2011 and 2012
• Africa maintained a continuous demand pace between 2011 and 2012, but Latin America is expected to uptake in the next 5-years
• Shipments of radios in the 26GHz band represented 47% of total shipments in H2 2011, a surprising increase of 100% from the previous half
• Lack of progress is observed in European Markets
• CBNL managed to maintain 50% of the market share mainly due to strong ongoing business in the Middle East and Africa.
• Intracom Telecom’s innovative small cell backhaul solution is expected to become a key player in the near future
• Hughes and its satellite solutions remain very attractive especially when securing communication during natural disasters
• Bluwan managed to turn the spinoff into a sustainable companyand a key player in delivering high speed and high capacity Point to Multipoint wireless backhaul

ExelixisNet is a global consulting firm focusing on LTE and broadband wireless technologies, regulation and other technologies and markets.

Press Contact:
Elias Aravantinos, Leading Analyst
Email: earavantinos@exelixisnet.com
Tel: (+30)6949732009

7 facts about the upcoming #MWC13

In about a month Barcelona will host the biggest and most exciting event and show of the year, the Mobile World Congress 2013 (25-28 February 2013). It is the 8^th consistent year that the event takes place in Barcelona and will continue till 2018. But what are some facts you need to know about this year’s event?

1. The change of venue might cause some issues to the visitors that were used to the previous central and very convenient location but also knew very well their way through the Halls. You should be ready to dive into the unknown. However the new venue (Fira de Barcelona’s Gran Via map) located close to the airport, although it will be hard to reach, no metro around just some buses, it is 30% larger than the previous one (94,000 sqm)
2. GSMA reports 10% more bookings than last year
3. 140 government representatives (for the first time) are expected to raise interest about spectrum issues and regulation, crucial for the smooth mobile market’s operation
4. Samsung  is expected to launch officially  the Galaxy Note 8 inch tablet, as Samsung’s mobile head JK Shin recently confirmed. It includes quad-core processor, 2GB RAM, 1280x800 resolution and 5MP rear camera.
5. The Near Field Communication (NFC) setup and experience is expected to assist the visitors with new applications. NFC center and interactive zones will allow the visitors to collect information about the exhibition venues, locations, events, places of interest etc. Interesting and progressive feature, however NFC is not supported from all smartphones.
6. The GSMA Connected City is one of the event’s highlights. A real city’s street will show how advanced mobile services can promote innovation, economic growth and new business ideas. The solutions will be supplied from AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, GSMA, KT, Telenor and Vodafone.
7. Greece, for the first time, will participate with its own national kiosk, sending the message, “Technology born in Greece goes global”, where 25 Greek startups and businesses will present their products and services.

Source: ExelixisNet, http://exelixisnet.com/?p=437

An all built-in 2012 presented flat growth for the microwave industry

Mobile operators continue to invest heavily in LTE networks during 2012 and towards 2013 offering more capacity to their 3G subscribers, very often they face the difficult task of choosing solutions that will allow them to seamlessly maintain their businesses during the transition to pure packet networks. The several microwave solutions are a good and cost effective option. These solutions across different frequencies and architectures are able to maintain enough capacity to ensure superb Quality of Experience (QoE) for end users as the demand for data consumption continues to grow.

2012 has been a very dynamic year, with lots of competition among vendors, where operators are as always  in the driver’s seat evaluating and maintaining two or even more microwave suppliers in quiet aggressive agreements. Lots of reforming and new products anticipating either an aggressive small cells evolution or faster LTE networks deployment. Overall it’s been a flat year (2012) with a small increase in the basket of shipped links or contracts for most microwave suppliers when other especially the exclusive E-Band suppliers managed to sustain business.