PDA

View Full Version : Alcatel Lucent - Light Radio to save operators 50% on Cost and Energy



pioneerelex
2011-12-14, 08:36 PM
Alcatel-Lucent has announced a new architecture for mobile networks. The new lightRadio portfolio claims to save mobile operators up to 50 percent on the total cost of ownership and energy use. It also offers an answer to the high growth in mobile data traffic. LightRadio was developed by Bell Labs (Alcatel-Lucent’s R&D arm) together with Freescale (system-on-a-chip, SoC), HP (controllers and gateways) and operators (China Mobile is interested in a field trial).



The essence of lightRadio is that the equipment currently used in every base station is concentrated at a limited number of locations (‘a cloud-like network’), with a SoC from Freescale as the basis. From there a backhaul link connects to antennas, which can then be many times smaller. This multi-frequency, multi-standard Wideband Active Array Antenna can be easily placed anywhere there’s electricity (wind and solar power as well) and a broadband connection. The lightRadio cube “fits in the palm of the hand” and has 30 percent higher capacity. New compression technology also reduces demand on the bandwidth connection. HP is contributing a smart processing platform for load balancing of the traffic and capacity.



Alcatel-Lucent estimates the market potential for lightRadio at EUR 12 billion in 2014, or 55 percent of the total RAN market, and a total EUR 100 billion over the next seven years. The further development of the range will take a few years yet. Alcatel-Lucent will demonstrate what it already has ready at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (14-17 February) and expects to have a prototype ready in September. Field trials are planned for the second half of 2011, and commercial availability of the portfolio is expected in 2012. A bit of caution is always needed with this type of innovation. Test results are needed, operators need to see promise in it, and some form of standardisation must ensure operators are not totally dependent on Alcatel-Lucent for the equipment. This aside, lightRadio appears truly revolutionary.The cost and energy savings, the ease of deploying or expanding a mobile network and the possibilities for bridging the digital divide appear within reach. Lightradio may also be the solution newcomers have been waiting years for.


Undoubtedly the discussion will emerge over whether mobile can be seen as a fixed-line replacement. Or is the amount of fibre needed (backhaul) a dealbreaker? Is lightRadio even perhaps too late given the strong growth in the number of hotspots? Or is the combination of fibre and lightRadio a true silver bullet, offering a simple solution to a complex problem?


We will see in the coming months. What’s notable already is that France Telecom/Orange, Verizon Wireless and China Mobile had words of praise for the new system from the launch.