3g femtocell: moving towards mass...
TRANSCRIPT
3G Femtocell: Moving towards Mass Deployment
Dr. Xinjie Yang
NEC Europe
Contents
• History of 3G femtocell and why?• Femtocell is more than a home base station• Benefits? To whom?• Design a 3G femtocell network• A glance at the commercial world: how far from
the success?• Why operators launch the femtocell network?• Challenges towards mass deployment• Where could academic research help?• Summary
Page 2
Femtocell – a not very exciting term?
• Definition of femto
• Logic behind its naming– Macrocell Microcell Picocell Femtocell
• It is also referred to as:– Home base station– Home Node B (HNB) – 3GPP terminology– Home access point– Small cells
Page 3
Prefix Symbol 1000m 10n Decimal Since
femto f 1000−5 10−15 0.000000000000001 1964Source: Wikipedia
History of femtocell – it all started in 2002
Page 4
In 2002, a group of engineers at Motorola in Swindon, England, started a skunkworks team, called the "AFG", to develop new technologies. Some of their major achievements included the world's smallest full-power UMTS base station, one of the first demonstrations of television to mobile, and the invention and development of the access point base station (ie. Femtocell) –from Wikidedia
Some of them later founded Ubiquisys in 2004
Femto Forum was founded in 2007
3GPP included 3G femtocell standards in Release 8 and 9
Making femto standard
• Is there a clear definition of 3G femtocell? – e.g. Femto Forum one– Low power wireless access points
• Original 3GPP requirements based on modification of picocell requirements• not valid any more, greater femtocell and outdoor femtocell concepts
– Operated on licensed spectrum • differentiator from WiFi
– Connect standard mobile devices• Provide standard air interface• Support all legacy mobile terminals
– To mobile operator’s network• Not to public IP network
– Using existing broadband/xDLS for backhaul transmission• differentiator from picocell
– Plug-and-Play – easier installation than wireless routers• Rich SON feature, everything self & auto
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Femtocell is more than a home base station
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Home / Residential
•Improve voice and data quality
•Single FAP or IAD
•Small form factor
•Low power
•Future proofed for the digital home
•4-8 calls
Home + Office(SOHO)
•Home workers
•Small Office ~10 staff
•Single FAP or IAD
•Superior voice & data quality
•Advanced features
•High Throughput
•4-8 calls
Business (SME/SMB)
•Small-Medium Business ~50 staff
•Excellent voice quality
•Replaces PBX and Landline phones
•Single or Multiple access points
•HD-Voice Option
•8-16 calls
Corporate
•Larger Business with 100+ staff
•Multiple sites/buildings
•Superior voice & data quality
•Multiple APs
•High Security needs
•Integration with Corporate IT and Voice Network(s)
•HD-Voice option
•16-32 calls
Public / City
•Universities, City Centres, Shopping Centres, Airports
•Picocell / Microcellalternative
•Public Access
•High Capacity
•Wide Coverage
•Robust yet discreet
•16-32 calls
How femtocell can help?
Page 7
Cost per bit has to be reduced new technologies e.g. LTE
Network cost (Capex and Opex) to be reduced Femtocell can kick in
Low profit data offload Femtocell can (~64% traffic generated indoor)
Voice dominated
Data dominated
Traffic volume
Revenue
Time
Network cost
TB: Tera Byte
Why? – for operators1. Improved mobile system coverage and increase system capacity
Extension to macro layer for the coverage fill-ins Increase total system capacity by adding multiple small cells Off load traffic from macro layer to ease the capacity demand
2. Reduce TCO Reduction on the cost for site acquisition, civil works, tower construction, backhaul
equipment, RAN, CN and other CAPEX/ OPEX. Plug & play eliminates need for radio & coverage planning
3. Leverage the presence of mobile operator in the home Enable operator to provide additional services such as home-location based service—
home monitoring, remote home control, etc,.
4. Reduce customer churn Enhanced indoor coverage and improved data throughput With bundling service and new converged services Femtocell brings entire families or Groups into single agreement
5. Increase revenue Data ARPU increase-- by stimulating users’ exposure to data-centric services more
often using Femtocell solution. Voice ARPU increase– in-home excellent coverage will stimulate user to use mobile
phone more often
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Why? – for operators
Page 9
Internet &Broadband
RNCLeased Line/Own backhaul
SGSN/GGSN
HLR/HSS
MSC
Mobile CNBS Backhaul
Operator ○ ○
User
BS Backhaul
Operator
User ○* ○
DSL/FTTx/Cable
WhoPay?
Macro
Femto
*: Some operators consider the cost sharing model.
Why? – for customer1. Improved signal quality and data throughput with cheaper tariff
Home 3G network for your own with best signal quality – no coverage issues 3G HSPA data pipe dedicated your own – no need for WLAN Flat rate for voice and data usage
2. Seamless communication experience Enjoy excellent quality voice service and feel free to roam inside and outside of
home by premier radio condition of femtocell Enjoy high-speed data applications such as videos, gaming, photo sharing, IPTV,
etc.,
3. Enjoy new services to be created by femtocell home-location based service (presence service, automatic music/streaming
download)
4. More convenient service experiences Unlike Wi-Fi service which requires dual-mode handset and set-up
configuration on handset, Femtocell solution has no special requirement for handset.
Continuity of cellular services in the home Personal phone book, Handset feature
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Design a 3G femtocell network – step 1
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Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Internet &Broadband
Some sort of box Core NetworkPublic IP networkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Uu
Design a 3G femtocell network – step 2
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Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Internet &Broadband
Some sort of box Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
GANCUu
Public IP network
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Design a 3G femtocell network – step 3
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Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Some sort of box Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
GANC
Public IP network
Internet &Broadband
Uu
Security Gateway
VPN Tunnel setup & Firewall
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Design a 3G femtocell network – step 4
Page 14
Iu-PS
Some sort of box Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS Core
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Public IP network
Internet &Broadband
UuVPN Tunnel setup & Firewall
NW authentication
MAP DAAA
GANC
Security Gateway
Device authentication
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Iu-CSMSC
Design a 3G femtocell network – step 5
Page 15
Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Some sort of box Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Public IP network
Internet &Broadband
UuVPN Tunnel setup & Firewall
NW authentication
MAP DAAA
GANC
Security Gateway
Device authentication
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Media Gateway
RTP to AMR conversion
High Capacity CS domain
Design a 3G femtocell network – step 6
Page 16
Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Some sort of box Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Public IP network
Internet &Broadband
UuVPN Tunnel setup & Firewall
NW authentication
MAP DAAA
GANC
Device authentication
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Media Gateway
RTP to AMR conversion
High Capacity CS domain
TR-069
AP MS
Security Gateway
Femtocell provisioning
Femtocell management
Design a 3G femtocell network – step 7
Page 17
Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Some sort of box Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Public IP network
Internet &Broadband
UuVPN Tunnel setup & Firewall
NW authentication
MAP DAAA
GANC
Device authentication
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Media Gateway
RTP to AMR conversion
High Capacity CS domain
TR-069
AP MS
Security Gateway
Femtocell provisioning
Femtocell management
SNMP
RAN GWNMS
Element management
OA&M Network
Design a 3G femtocell network – well done!
Page 18
Iu-PS
Iu-CS
HNB GW Core NetworkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Public IP network
Internet &Broadband
UuVPN Tunnel setup & Firewall
NW authentication
MAP DAAA
GANC
Device authentication
Revised GAN to Iu mode
Session Management
C-plane processing
Femto concentrator
Media Gateway
RTP to AMR conversion
High Capacity CS domain
TR-069
AP MS
Security Gateway
Femtocell provisioning
Femtocell management
SNMP
RAN GWNMS
Element management
Where are we today? – vendors
Page 19
Source: Femto Forum
Where are we today? – operators
Page 20
Spain
Greece
Qatar
UK
Source: Femto Forum/ Informa
Create a business model
Page 21
Vodafone Sure Signal costs just £50 for customers spending £25 or more on a pay monthly price plan. For all other customers, it costs £120.
Every Sure Signal order is checked carefully to make sure you're paying the right price. So if you order it for £50, and aren't eligible to do this, we'll either charge you the extra £70, or move you to an appropriate price plan.
A single value proposition
SignalEasy to comprehend
Part-subsidised model
Source: What is Vodafone Sure Signal
UK
Simple Subsidised Coverage
Create a business model
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1. High Speed Data Connection“MyArea” is only used by registered users.
2. Discount offer for FamilyInitial charge is ¥2,100 (about 16 euro/$22.5) , then ¥980 (about 8 euro/$10.5)
3. Family Alert & Status Service4. Content & Service package
Family Alert
Service
Send Notification Email to Family (registered MyArea users e.g. parents) when the other MyArea users (e.g. children) are in “MyArea” (Femto zone) at home.
Femtocell value proposition
• Signal• Family Plan• Data speed• New free and $$ Services• Partly subsidised
Source: My Area (Japanese); Discount Plan & Services Bundle
Challenges towards mass deployment• Technical challenges• Operational challenges• Business challenges
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Iu-PS
Iu-CS
Internet &Broadband
Femto Gateway Core NetworkPublic IP networkLicensed 3G
PS Core
CS CoreMSC
MSC
MSC
MSC
App Servers
Internet
IMS CoreSGSN/GGSN
HLR
Uu
Interference
Battery drainage
IOT
Price
Performance
Substantially
less than $100
Security risk
QoS treatment
Stability
Plug & play
Deployment scenarios
Scalability & capacity
Feature parity to macro
VAS
Total manageability
Costs
Summary
• Femtocell is an exciting technology which is beyond mobile system
• Femtocell deployment is happening and operators are creating various valid business cases
• The mass deployment of femtocells is not yet there –femtocell somehow did not take off in last couple of years
• We are still facing enormous challenges towards a successful and stable femtocell business
• Femtocell industry particularly the vendors need to move firmly and quickly
• Academic research as well as standardization would greatly help the situation
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