-
The Company
The Company
- Ericsson is shaping the way the world communicates. Read on to discover more about our company, its history and vision.
-
Thinking Ahead
Tech Talk
- Do you want to know what the Social Web of Things is and how we can benefit? Watch our latest Tech Talk film
Thinking Ahead
- All our insights, research, and discussions are here in one place. Use them for Thinking Ahead.
-
Your Business
- Government
- Transport Industry
- Utilities Industry
- Developer Portal
- Equipment Manufacturers
- Channel Partner Program
Your Business
- Take a closer look at how Ericsson can help your business excel in a rapidly evolving market.
-
Our Portfolio
Our Portfolio
- Find out more about Ericsson’s comprehensive portfolio of innovative products, operator solutions and services.
-
Careers
Careers
- A career with Ericsson offers outstanding opportunities for professional and personal development in a truly global organization.
- Publications /
- Ericsson Review /
- Technology Update /
- Archive /
- 2009 /
Technology Update : Issue no. 2/2009
Evo RAN: 3 generations, 1 network
It is now clear that the three generations of 3GPP radio technologies (GSM, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE) will enjoy the lion’s share of future mobile subscriptions (more than 90 percent) and account for the vast majority of mobile data usage, which is where the greatest potential for new revenue lies. As a consequence, operators must manage these three generations of radio technology in parallel for the foreseeable future.
The growth challenge
Mobile broadband is currently the fastest-growing business opportunity for mobile operators. In industrialized markets, mobile data is overtaking messaging as a revenue source (and growing by 50 percent per year), making it the biggest success since voice.
At the same time, GSM is stronger than ever, with close to 50 million subscribers being added globally each month. GSM will continue to grow and live beyond 2020, and Ericsson is committed to continuous development of the GSM functionality required to support coexistence with WCDMA and LTE.
 |
| Figure 1: The 3GPP family of standards (GSM, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE) will continue to coexist into the foreseeable future |
Handling these increasing traffic volumes will require modernization, for instance by rebuilding existing sites or deploying new ones. However, operators are running out of space, both in the air and on the ground. Radio spectrum and sites are finite and costly resources that must be used well – with sustainable energy consumption and low environmental impact. While it is difficult to predict the exact split between GSM, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE subscriber growth in different markets or geographical areas, one thing is certain: these technologies will continue to coexist at least until 2020 and most likely for some time beyond that.
The good news is that the 3GPP architects have borne this in mind. As a strict standard supported by hundreds of operators and vendors, 3GPP boasts many thousands of different user devices that can be used anywhere in the world. Its evolutionary approach to technology introduction means that the latest standard offers full backwards compatibility and fallback coverage from day one.
Adherence to standards alone is not enough, however. A radio network that simplifies operations, maximizes cost-effectiveness and is adaptable to changing subscriber demands over the long term requires much more than a standardized “box” approach. It demands deep knowledge and understanding, with a holistic approach to combining systems and technologies to deliver long-term efficiency and performance.
Evolving to the next stage
We are entering a new phase in radio access network (RAN) evolution in which networks will have to be cost-effective, flexible and future-proof. Over the next decade or so, we will witness the realization of the “one network” vision, in which mobile broadband and premium voice services will be delivered seamlessly over a simplified, efficient radio access network that flexibly combines GSM, WCDMA/HSPA and LTE coverage with IP-based transport.
Ericsson has a clear vision of how radio networks will evolve and already has development programs in place across its radio product ranges. Under the Evo RAN umbrella, the company is developing new radio network solutions that will enable operators to optimize their use of GSM, WCDMA and LTE resources at all stages of market development – whether as stand-alone networks or as multistandard coverage solutions. This approach includes core network reuse, multistandard RAN nodes and site solutions, transmission networks, and powerful tools that let operators manage more with less effort.
 |
| Figure 2: Evo RAN |
Ericsson’s Evo RAN suite of radio network systems and solutions will enable operators to evolve smoothly and efficiently toward a highly flexible radio network for the future. Operators will be able to continue serving GSM customers efficiently, while they build up their WCDMA/HSPA and LTE coverage and capacity – without the need to make accurate predictions about the balance of future GSM, WCDMA/HSPA or LTE traffic in their networks.
The first step toward this evolved RAN was the Ericsson RBS 6000 multistandard (GSM/WCDMA/LTE) radio base station. This is now joined under the Evo RAN umbrella by the Evo Controller 8000 (a combined BSC/RNC node for GSM and WCDMA), efficient transmission solutions, combined site solutions, and advanced Operational Support Systems (OSS).
Evo RAN draws from Ericsson’s deep and broad experience of radio technologies and site complexities. As an efficient, end-to-end solution, it provides a competitive edge for operators through lower operating expenses (OPEX), driven by simplified management of the network, and lower energy and transport network costs.
Ultimately, Evo RAN enables mobile operators to meet the challenge of delivering profitable growth across a radio network with coexisting 3GPP technologies.
