Needed: Good Numbers

Accurate data is the starting point as you migrate your network toward 3G.

The world already is clamoring for the streaming video, music and full-scale wireless Web promised by 3G technology, yet it seems that even the world's largest carriers will have a difficult time realizing that promise. Mobile data, multimedia and other broadband content that 3G technology can deliver will require at least eight times more bandwidth than voice, but already today, most mobile networks are strained by existing voice traffic. Carriers must balance their ability to transmit even more voice, data and broadband services while supporting growing subscriber rates and improving QoS.

Not only does enabling voice, data and enhanced services require extensive capacity, it also requires an unprecedented combination of engineering, capacity and network-management initiatives. For wireless carriers to offer enhanced 3G services, they must develop extensive migration plans for their networks to deliver the necessary capacity without compromising quality or pricing.

Lessons From Abroad

The pressures on today's wireless carriers, particularly in the fast-growing GSM market abroad, are incredible. The number of subscribers on a carrier's mobile network continues to increase; the amount of high-bandwidth data and Web services continues to grow exponentially; and the financial pressures from exploding 3G investments continue to mount. GSM carriers across Europe are in bidding wars in highly publicized site license auctions, and they are looking for cost-effective ways to integrate this technology into their existing networks. To meet the demand for bandwidth-intensive 3G applications in a competitive way, wireless carriers are realizing that they must increase their network capacity, as well as their quality requirements, at the lowest possible cost.

Wireless carriers in the United States can learn from the current situation in Europe, as many will be involved in these same financial situations and bidding wars within the next two to three years.

Planning for Network Expansion

How can a wireless carrier address the new 3G market realities of expensive and scarce spectrum resources, a tightened capital market and increased consumer quality demands? A critical part of that answer lies in network planning, optimization and management.

To successfully migrate to 3G, carriers must employ a solution that enables them to meet the demands of 3G more efficiently by increasing capacity on their mobile networks, lowering capital and operational costs and improving service quality for customers. In the end, carriers must be able to maximize their existing network assets by identifying and resolving capacity and call-quality issues quickly. They must address three fundamental elements: accurate data management, rigorous analysis and implementation-ready optimization plans.

At its core, network planning requires the most accurate input data available. Until recently, carriers used computer-based propagation models to plan their networks and place cell sites. With this type of inaccurate data as a foundation, the value of the analysis is greatly reduced. Specifically, the variance between predicted and actual signal levels requires that a design margin be used implicitly to prevent an excessive level of problems. The design margins, in turn, reduce the maximum capacity per cell.

The use of measured network data — which is defined as accurate, interference-free measurements of RF path-loss data, cell-site configuration data and switch-parameter settings — greatly enhances an engineer's vision into how the network is performing and plays an integral role in providing a higher level of accuracy in mobile network planning. Immediately, specific issues negatively affecting capacity and quality become apparent.

Gathering this data may be difficult for wireless carriers, so they may want to take advantage of data-acquisition services that will reduce their involvement in the process. Of particular value might be a methodology that differs from traditional key-up methods. Network drives take place during the day with no service interruptions to the customer or the system-operations team. Carriers can collect a steady stream of data — gathering data incrementally as they continue to make frequency changes, channel adds and even switch cut-overs.

Once accurate source data is gathered, it can be analyzed using an integrated service-assurance solution, and fundamental design metrics can be applied to help carriers determine how specific network configurations will perform prior to implementation. The effect of these changes is measured by tracking network-design metrics. These metrics allow a carrier to measure the capital efficiency and quality of its network system objectively — at present and as changes are contemplated and then implemented.

Carriers then can increase capacity by adding new traffic channels within their existing infrastructures or altering their network plans. Expanding the capacity from existing base stations equates to more network use and less capital expenditure, allowing a wireless carrier to prepare for and migrate to 3G and other future services.

After initial data collection and analysis, an effective implementation strategy can define specific regions where operators can profit quickly from enabling 3G, pinpoint locations where best to integrate the technology and drive strong marketing initiatives that promote enhanced services to niche markets.

Upcoming Challenges

To properly plan for 3G imple-mentaton, U.S. wireless carriers must understand the conditions that are specific to this market. For example, QoS is a serious issue in the United States. American consumers have grown accustomed to a highly developed terrestrial IP network, something many other countries still are building.

With improved connection speeds through affordable residential DSL and cable modems, many have said that it will be hard for American consumers to sacrifice the level of service quality to which they are generally accustomed. This will put even more pressure on wireless carriers to meet quality levels.

In addition, new-equipment purchases and per-bit data rates will require U.S. wireless subscribers to pay more money for seemingly lower quality. Even the convenience of a wireless connection may not be enough to justify this expense to some American users.

Striking a Balance

Wireless carriers, in the United States and abroad, must strike a balance between idealistic consumer demands and realistic network limitations. They also must consider all of the elements crucial for mobile-network survival as they draw nearer to 3G. That includes the ability to meet network traffic growth for current voice and future bandwidth-intensive data applications, deliver consistently high QoS and lower capital and operating costs.

Effective network management and optimization is the answer to meeting these demands. A solution that considers the future demands to be placed on a carrier's network will substantially bridge the gap between consumer demands and network realities. Ultimately, this is what will separate the winners from the losers in the industry.

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Nemitz is ScoreBoard (www.scoreboardinc.com) senior vice president, marketing.