Tools of the Trade for Small Cell Backhaul

www.cbnl.comTools of the tradefor small cell backhaulThe essential role of wireless technologiesDr John NaylonCTO, Cambridge Broadband Networks LimitedSmall Cell World Summit, 26 June 2012

Agenda• What’s different about small cell backhaul?• Wireless technology fundamentals• Three tools for every toolbox• Current CBNL small cell backhaul trials• Conclusion www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 2

About Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited (CBNL)• Founded in 2000• Specialists in innovative microwave backhaul for data-centric mobile networks• Leaders in the small cells backhaul space: • Lead NGMN LTE Provisioning Guidelines project • Leading Small Cell Backhaul Requirements project • Vice Chair of Backhaul SIGwww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence

What’s different about small cell backhaul?• Location, location, location − Outdoor small cells aren’t in traditional locations − Consequence: fibre is much less of an option• The numbers − Many more units to backhaul − Consequence: sharing backhaul more attractive• The traffic − Fewer UEs in the cell, which means… − Less aggregation in the RAN, which means… − Peak-to-mean ratio of small cell traffic is higher − Consequence: aggregation desirable in backhaulwww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 5

Traffic characteristics of mobile backhaul traffic • Mobile backhaul traffic is already quite bursty, because it is data dominated: HSPA+ Macro Node B backhaul traffic Peak: 23.31 Mbps Mean: 5.54 Mbps Ratio: 4.20 MbpsMbps www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 6

Bursty traffic is hard to carry efficiently mean channel utilisation 1 • Efficiency = = = 25% average peak channel capacity peak to mean ratio HSPA+ Macro Node B backhaul traffic Peak: 23.31 Mbps Mean: 5.54 Mbps Ratio: 4.20 MbpsMbps www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 7

Small cell mobile backhaul traffic is even burstier • Higher peak data rates (better user geometries); lower mean data rates (fewer users), so… • peak-to-mean ratio of traffic goes up, estimate for mature networks ~10:1, so… • dedicated backhaul link efficiency goes down to ~10%, so… • much more equipment running at much lower efficiency, so… • CFO has a heart attack! Western European small cell backhaul traffic Peak: 31.17 Mbps Mean: 0.49 Mbps Ratio: 63.61MbpsMbps www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 8

Wireless fundamentals: Capacity versus CoverageRequirement: Capacity Coverage Aggregating 10 cells to a PoP Cells in cluttered locations requires 10 × mean cell demand Uncertain LOS to PoPs High capacity ⇒ high frequency NLOS ⇒ low frequencyImplications: Spectrum plentiful, inexpensive Spectrum scarce, expensive High frequency ⇒ LOS only Low frequency ⇒ low capacity Coverage not uniform Very low aggregation factor High capacity and NLOS capability are mutually exclusive requirementswww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 10

Wireless fundamentals: Point-to-Point versus Point-to-Multipoint Point-to-Point (PTP) Point-to-Multipoint (PMP) 2 ODUs / truck rolls / rentals per link 1 ODU / truck roll / rental per link (+1) Zero aggregation on-air On-air aggregation Complex installation Simpler “single-ended” installation Dedicated capacity Shared capacity Higher TCO per link Lower TCO per link PTP and PMP cost scales differently versus densitywww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 11

Traffic fundamentals: bursty traffic and efficiency Point-to-Point backhaul Multipoint backhaul Cumulative Peak: 123.2 Mbps Cumulative Mean: 39.7 Mbps Cumulative Peak: 77.9 Mbps Cumulative Mean: 39.7 Mbps mean channel utilisation Efficiency = peak channel capacity • Efficiency = 32.2% • Efficiency = 51.0% 51.0 Statistical multiplexing gain = = 1.58 32.2www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 12

The story so far• Given the requirements and the fundamentals of wireless technology, is there a one-size-fits-all backhaul panacea for small cells? No (or not yet anyway). one size fits all backhaul panacea for small cells? Capacity Aggregating 10 cells to a PoP Coverage Cells in cluttered locations requires 10 × mean cell demand Uncertain LOS to PoPsEdited by CBNL High capacity ⇒ high frequency NLOS ⇒ low frequency Spectrum plentiful, inexpensive Spectrum scarce, expensive High frequency ⇒ LOS only Low frequency ⇒ low capacity Coverage not uniform Very low aggregation factor Cost Densitywww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 13

Three tools for every toolbox E-Band Non-LOS Microwave Point-to- Multipoint Multipoint Point Capacity Low High Very High Very good, Good, area Point Coverage area coverage coverage coverage Efficiency Good Good Poor Ease of install Very easy Easy Hard and licensingwww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 15

Non-LOS Multipoint: use it when… High E-Band Non-LOS Frequency Point-to- Multipoint Multipoint Point • Motivation for small cells is increased Capacity Low RAN High coverage (‘not-spots’) rather Very High than capacity Very good, • Density of small cells is low (limit of Good, area Point Coverage area coverage 1—2 sites per backhaul sector) coverage coverage • Lower quality of experience Efficiency Good acceptable Yes No • Position of small cell is particularly Ease of install adverse Very easy Easy Hard and licensingwww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 16

E-Band Point-to-Point: use it when… E-Band High E-Band Point-to- Frequency Point-to- Point Multipoint Point • Very high capacity sites (more like Capacity Very High macro) High Very High • Middle-mile solution when traffic is Point already aggregated Good, area Point Coverage coverage • Difficulty of installation coverage – coverage not an issue e.g. low number of sites Efficiency Poor Yes No Ease of install Hard Easy Hard and licensingwww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 17

Microwave Multipoint: use it when… High E-Band Microwave Frequency Point-to- Multipoint Multipoint Point • Motivation for small cells is increased Capacity High network capacity High Very High • Good quality of experience is Good, area required area Good, Point Coverage coverage • Density of small cells is coverage coverage high Efficiency Good Yes No Ease of install Easy Easy Hard and licensingwww.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 18

Small cell backhaul toolbox summary Fibre if accessible E-Band Non-LOS Microwave Point-to- Multipoint Multipoint PointNumber of small cell sites Low capacity High capacity Extreme capacity Adverse location Normal Middle mile small-cell Cost effective locations Most expensive Cost effective www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 19

Current CBNL small cell backhaul trials • Building on years of macro backhaul experience, CBNL are actively trialling small cell backhaul with numerous operators and vendors LTE Picocell Metro lightRadio Antennas WiFi VectaStar Backhaul VectaStarVectaStar BackhaulBackhaul www.cbnl.com Commercial in confidence 21

Conclusions •Small cell backhaul is different: • No single technology matches the many more cells to backhaul, non- requirements for small cell backhaul traditional locations and even perfectly, so a toolbox approach is burstier data needed • Good end-user quality of • Multipoint microwave is a cost experience requires much more effective, rapidly deployable backhaul capacity than there is low solution for small cell backhaul in frequency backhaul spectrum many use casesVectaStar from Cambridge Broadband Networks is the market leader in multipoint microwave www.cbnl.com 22

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Tools of the Trade for Small Cell Backhaul

by Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited on Jul 13, 2012

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