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T-Mobile’s licensed spectrum, while
maintaining LTE sessions.
“LTE-U allows wireless providers
to deliver mobile data traffic using un-
licensed spectrum while sharing the
road, so to speak, with Wi-Fi,” said FCC
Chairman Ajit Pai.
Some will quickly point out that
smartphones and other computing
devices have been able to use Wi-Fi
in the past, so some degree of virtu-
alization already has become com-
monplace. What is new, with LTE-U, is
that the network and devices will treat
some specific blocks of Wi-Fi spec-
trum as though they are part of the
capacity the phones can use when on
the mobile network.
Think of the concept of “convergence”
as the difference, even if virtualization also
is a feature of smartphone use of Wi-Fi.
In the past, devices could use either
Wi-Fi or the mobile network, or both, in
turn. With LTE-U, devices simply use all
the authorized capacity as one seam-
less resource. In other words, both
mobile licensed spectrum assets and
unlicensed Wi-Fi assets are virtually
parts of one network.
Nor are virtualized mobile access
networks the only ways virtualiza-
tion will occur. A similar virtualized
method of “creating” and managing
discrete core networks also will be
fundamental for future mobile and
fixed networks.
Based on core network virtualiza-
tion of several types, the new thinking
is that core networks built on network
functions virtualization (NFV) will under-
pin the more-flexible applications and
use cases 5G will enable.
Some potential applications – such
as connected car and autonomous
vehicles – will require very-low-latency
from the network, beyond that provided
by 2G, 3G or 4G. Other apps might
require lots of bandwidth, as for vision
capabilities (traffic cameras, vehicle
cameras, visual security apps, medical
diagnosis). Many other sensor apps,
on the other hand, will not use much
bandwidth at all (kilobits per second,
infrequently), and might be located in
hard-to-reach places.
Virtualizing the network helps be-
cause it will be possible to affordably
and quickly create specialized sub-
networks that have the precise sets of
features needed by the different apps,
users and industries.
Network slicing is a fundamen-
tal building block of the coming 5G
network, and essentially offers the
hope of a flexible network that can be
reconfigured in many ways, to “tune”
the sub-network for the specific re-
quirements of application, device and
network support cases. If latency, but
not bandwidth, is the requirement, a
network slice can be created to sort
that requirement set.
If the requirement is low latency
and visual bandwidth, a different slice
can be provisioned, while if moderate
latency and moderate bandwidth are
the requirements, that can be sup-
ported as well. Likewise, it should be
possible to tune the network over time,
to support demand “hot spots” during a
given day, for example.
Only a virtualized network will
be flexible enough, and controllable
enough, to support network slicing.
So whether at the level of mobile
phone access to core network trans-
port and features, virtualization is
becoming an architectural principle
following the earlier virtualization of
apps and services from physical layer
access and transport.
Now, that trend is spreading to more
parts of the business and will help reshape
business models. The only issue is
“how” the changes will be seen.
o
Source: RAD-INFO INC
Examples of Decli
Source: US Telecom; Well F
Source: Nokia Networks
The Market Seg
Inhibitors to Cloud
Primary Technical Factors Drive Upgrade to 5G
Average Wireless Price per MB
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 5GHz
Channel 149
DL
LTE-U 5GHz,
Channel 136, DL
Lic DL
Lic UL
LTE-U
Source: Grandmetric
5G Network
Source: Qualcomm
New Spectrum Sharing Paradigms–Opportunity to Innovate
IoT Sensors
IoT related
business
Internet/Content
Traffic/
Automobile
Mobile Data
Mission Critical
IoT
Can enable mo efficient utilization of, and access to, scarce resources
Exc usive use
Example 2.1 GHz
New shared spectrum paradigms
Example 2.3 GHz Europe/3.5 GHz USA
Shared use
Example 2.4 GHz global/5 GHz global
Lic nsed
spectrum
Shared
spectrum
Unlicensed
spectrum
Ultra-low latency
Ultra-high bandwidth
throughput
Increase network capacity
Enabling massive
machine-typecommunication
Ultra-high network
availability
Lower energy consumption
Technical Factors
88%
79%
75%
75%
58%
29%
1-4 e
4-10 e
11-20
21-
51-
$0.08
$0.06
$
$1,515,000
$0.04
$0.02
$0.00
Cl ud T chnologie
Source: BCG
-47
41%
25%
11%
23%
Today
Network
IT infrastructu
ANNUAL IT SPENDING O
Source: Qualcomm
UCaaS Seats Installed with
Source: Synergy; Broadsoft; courtesy RAD
Source: RAD-INFO INC
Examples of Decling Broadb
Source: US Telecom; Well Fargo: Merrill Lyn
Source: Nokia Networks
LTE-U Leve ages Wi-Fi Spectrum
The Market Segments, Pic
Opens up 150 MHz spectrum while incumbents are still using it
Primary Technical Factors Drive Upgrade to 5G
Average Wireless Price per MB
Incumbents are protected
from interference from
PAL and GAA
Tier 1
Incumbents
Tier 2
Priority Acces
Licenses (PAL)
Tier 3
General Authorized
Access (GAA)
PAL has priority over GAA
licensed via auction, 10 MHz
blocks, up to 7 licenses
GAA can use any spectrum
not used, yields to PAL and
incumbents
3550
3600
3650
3700 MHz
Navy radar
FSS RX
WISPs
PAL
GAA
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 5GHz
Channel 149
DL
LTE-U 5GHz,
Channel 136, DL
Lic DL
Lic UL
LTE-U
Source: Grandmetric
5G Network
Source: Qualcomm
New Spectrum Sharing Paradigms–Opportunity to Innovate
IoT Sensors
IoT related
business
Internet/Content
Traffic/
Automobile
Mobile Data
Mission Critical
IoT
Can enable more efficient utilization of, and access to, scarce resources
Exclusive use
Example 2.1 GHz
New shared spectrum paradigms
Example 2.3 GHz Europe/3.5 GHz USA
Shared use
Example 2.4 GHz global/5 GHz global
Licensed
spectrum
Shared
spectrum
Unlicensed
spectrum
BroadSoft
Cisco
Metaswitch
RingCentral
8 x 8
Genband
Mitel
ShoreTel
Microsoft
0 2 4 6 8
Q1 16
Q3 16
1-4 employees
4-10 employees
11-20 employees
21-50 emp
51-99 emp
<1
<250 e
$0.08
$0.06
$9.03 per Mbp
$0.07
per MB
2010
$1,515,000
$802
$0.04
$0.02
$0.00
Cloud Technologies Offer Hu
-47%
4
2
1
1
41%
25%
11%
23%
ANNUAL IT SPENDING OF A MEDIUM-
Virtual Realities
Channel
Vision
|
March - April, 2017
16