Managing a More Mobile World

(Aug 20 2012) 3G , 4G , Mobile Broadband , Regulatory , Roaming

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   On the surface it would seem that managing a 4G mobile broadband network might be less a challenge than managing networks of earlier generations.  The mere fact that 4G networks are all-IP brings to mind a host of methodologies, tools and management platforms that have been time proven in the wired world.  And to an extent there are some commonalities of managing both wireless and wired IP network, however the implications of multiple access technologies and roaming, and present a critical new set of considerations for 4G.

    

   The HetNet set

   In the all-IP environment of 4G, maintaining connectivity across multiple access technologies is a primary consideration for heterogeneous networks or HetNets.  Whether a 4G user is mobile, nomadic or in a fixed location and whether connectivity is provided by a macro network node, small cell or Wi-Fi hotspot, users expect a suitable if not optimal experience, irrespective of the service they’re using. 

   In 4G networks voice, video, e-mail, gaming, social networking and enterprise applications for example, all bring a unique set of expectations for quality of experience (QoE) as well as a unique set of requirements for the underlying quality of service (QoS) management.  Now, add two more layers of complexity - a broad ecosystem of user devices and a myriad of user plans – and the challenge of management grows exponentially.

    

   Not so fast…

   Beyond the challenges we’ve already identified lie the reality of past investments.  While many network operators around the world have plans for or have deployed 4G networks, there will remain an extensive number 3G, 2.5G and 2G networks that will continue to reliably and cost-effectively serve target markets for years to come.  Managing users who need or may access to, and managing the underlying infrastructure of what will soon become ‘legacy networks’ needs to be considered when building the 4G network strategy.

    

   Growing pains

   One the first mobile network operators to encounter the cumbersome realities of managing a 4G network was Verizon Wireless.  “Being a pioneer comes with growing pains. The recent issues that affected our customers’ 4GLTE service were unforeseen despite careful, diligent planning, deployment and ongoing upgrade programs,” offered the operator in a statement released following three network outages it experienced late in 2011.

   In each case the outages Verizon Wireless experienced were associated with the core network’s IP multimedia subsystem or IMS.  The IMS provides an integrated solution for managing signaling within both the operator’s LTE and 3G CMDA networks.  It’s a complex, multi-vendor architecture comprised of policy management, gateway and database servers and IP routing infrastructure.  The outages underscore the critical nature of a 4G network’s core and the need for resilient design and thorough testing, including interoperability.

    

   On the go

   With an increased ubiquity of 4G access and the explosive growth of smartphones and tablets users are now, more than ever, traveling with their mobile devices.  Travel industry studies show that over 85% of international leisure travelers now user their smartphone while abroad.  While the statistic itself is impressive it is also a harbinger of revenue implications for 4G mobile network operators and for 3G, 2.5G and 2G as well.

   For operators, managing roaming is an important part of managing user experience and ultimately customer loyalty.  Key to managing roaming is the ability of the operator to implement and control roaming policies for individual users.  Users who have heard of or experienced ‘bill shock’ after roaming abroad represent lost revenue potential for operators, when users decide to turn off data plans when abroad, or eroded customer satisfaction as a result of billing disputes. 

    

   Playing by the rules

   Changes to regulations introduced in the European Union (EU) on July 1, 2012 further underscore the importance of the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) element of managing roaming, whether 4G or not.  The regulations, collectively referred to as the ‘Eurotariff’, include a transparency requirement to provide SMS or pop-up notifications advising of applicable service rates when user cross borders inside the EU or enter or leave the EU. It also sets caps on voice, data and SMS rates as well wholesale (inter-operator) charges.  And for roaming the changes further impose a requirement that operators notify users when data roaming charges reach a limit of €50 and that the user provide approval for any additional usage. 

   To comply with the Eurotariff and to enhance customer experience, Belgian wireless operator Belgacom recently implemented a platform to provide users with real-time usage notifications and access to continually updated information about their charges for both national and international data services usage. “Many service providers are now investigating how data usage and monitoring solutions can help them manage surging network demand, while reducing costs and providing even more value for their subscribers. With this deployment, Belgacom is putting itself at the forefront of this movement,” said Luc Defieuw, VP CIS, North, Central and Eastern Europe of Alcatel-Lucent, the solution vendor.

    

   You are your own policy manager

   While such policies don’t yet exist globally, there’s a groundswell of consumer advocacy groups who want to see legislation put in place to force wireless operators to do more to avoid bill shock.  This includes the US where the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in October 2010, proposing that mobile operators provide usage alerts and information to assist in avoiding unexpected charges on their bills. 

   “Rather than imposing carrier mandates, the commission should work with carriers to make consumers better aware of the myriad tools available to manage their accounts,” states the CTIA in the comments submitted to the commission.  It’s by no means a recent skirmish but it is one that to date in the US, remains unresolved.  The next action of the process has yet to be determined it’s clear that there is little in terms of alignment between the regulator and the voice of the US mobile industry.

    

   At 4G World 2012 the entire mobile broadband ecosystem, including network operators, network builders and regulators will assemble to consider the opportunities and challenges of 4G.  Learn more about the managing in a 4G world by joining the industry’s experts as they review, debate, and develop strategies and solutions for delivering a compliant and cost-effective access to an optimal user experience.

   By: Andy Mitchell, Editor, 4G Trends 

    

    

    

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