By 2015, five billion people will be "connected" - with the majority of them always on and enjoying broadband access. This estimate comes from Nokia Siemens Networks (Espoo, Finland). The company expects those broadband customers to be served by a mix of wireless and wire-line technologies. It explains this thinking while delving into those specific technologies in "Broadband Access for All - A Brief Technology Guide."
This 21-page white paper notes that some scenarios are best served by wireless solutions whereas other scenarios demand wire-line solutions. Yet a third category also exists. It is comprised of enduser service scenarios that may be served by wireless and wire-line approaches. Mobile operators in the UMTS and/or GSM bands need a broadband technology for the Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) spectrum. According to Nokia Siemens, the primary global solution is the 3GPP's High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and its use of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. For the 2.5- and 3.5-GHz bands, IEEE 802.16e (mobile WiMAX) is expected to become the Time Division Duplexing (TDD) technology.
The note provides a snapshot of the current state of both the 3GPP and WiMAX broadbandaccess technologies as well as their future evolutions. The company estimates that WiMAX terminals will begin making their way into the market next year. The second half of the note is devoted to backhauling. HSPA and WiMAX networks can use DSL technology for backhauling. The resulting advantages include the higher data rates provided by DSL-based transport solutions. The white paper closes with advice on how to choose a broadband strategy based on regulations, existing wire-line networks, frequency licenses, and more.
Nokia Siemens Networks, P.O. Box 1, FI-02022 Nokia Siemens Networks, Espoo, Finland; +358 71 400 4000,
www.nokiasiemens.com