Radio Access - making a difference for customers

 

unite recently caught up with Ari Lehtoranta, head of the Radio Access Business Unit (BU), who describes how his team is bringing value to network operators.

With a determined drive to become number one in its addressed radio technologies, the Nokia Siemens Networks Radio Access BU has a clear mission: to help network operators maximize their profits from mobile data and voice. We talked to Ari Lehtoranta about what BU Radio Access can offer its customers.

How do you help network operators maximize their profits?

Ari Lehtoranta: We aim to provide our customers with the right technology improvements, as well as expansions and maintenance options for their live networks. We also want to focus on high-value software features that address our customers’ needs, such as software-based capacity upgrades, network quality improvements, frequency re-farming or RAN sharing and inter-working features with other technologies.

Our portfolio enables our customers to lower their operational and capital expenditures. Our solutions – jointly with Services, OSS and IPT Business Units - will address operators’ needs for network and technology evolution. We will continue to bundle our products with high-value services and consultancy, for instance in network optimization and transport solutions.

What about customers looking to maximize the value from their 2G/3G radio access network?

Ari Lehtoranta: One needs to look at the Total Value of Ownership (TVO), which is the net value of revenues and costs over the complete lifecycle. The key levers to increase TVO are extending the network’s capabilities and reach.

Our 2G/3G radio access solutions are constantly evolving, including EDGE evolution and HSPA+. Our 3G solutions can be upgraded to HSPA via remote software upgrades.

With our Hybrid Backhauling solution, providers can use Ethernet connectivity for highly cost-effective mobile data backhauling, while our indoor solutions can be used to extend reach and boost customer loyalty.

How does the Radio Access BU help operators master the complexity of an increasing number of radio standards?

Ari Lehtoranta: Reducing complexity is another way to optimize TVO. Our multi-radio solutions allow cost-effective upgrades, and the Flexi Base Station provides a common modular platform for 2G, 3G, WiMAX and future technologies, for example LTE. We also want to develop one common OSS solution for the different technologies that operators have in their networks.

With our distributed base station architecture, a site can migrate from 2G to 3G without additional room requirements.

What do you offer in wireless broadband?

Ari Lehtoranta: We offer mobile broadband solutions based on 3GPP standards, such as HSPA and I-HSPA, with an evolution to LTE. Our portfolio also includes WiMAX and Flash OFDM. All these technologies have their advantages, depending on the operator’s strategy, installed base and available spectrum.

Our WiMAX proposition is unique in that it combines the compact Flexi Base Station, an OSS solution proven in nationwide cellular networks and a comprehensive services offering.

We can help network operators get an end-to-end WiMAX solution operational as fast as possible through our strong links with Nokia devices and Siemens Home Communications.

How can you enable flat rate mobile broadband tariffs?

Ari Lehtoranta: We aim to lead in flat network architecture, which will simplify networks and reduce cost. Internet-HSPA will be our first solution using flat network architecture, followed by LTE.

The I-HSPA system will bring flat network architecture to the 3GPP world: a base station and one core network node – nothing else in between. Operators have no need for capacity upgrades on either the RNC or SGSN to meet the growing traffic.

When traffic grows beyond the capacity of the HSPA air interface, the next logical step is the introduction of LTE, which is based on the same flat network architecture as I-HSPA and which further enhances the air interface performance. 

Another key element for operators to reduce the impact of traffic growth and rising costs is an efficient transport network. Here we have, together with our IP Transport and Broadband Access colleagues, the industry’s best solutions, available now and in the future.