EDGE Optimization to compete with 3G competitor

[khurrambilal01]

Hi guys,
One of my customer is an operator and has currently 2G network, the competitors in the market have already launched 3G network and my customer was leading player before launch of 3G but they don't want to invest more money in 3G.
They are asking for some solutions through which we can imporve EDGE data rates so that we can compete with 3G competitors :) And that looks funny to me.

I have provided them with complete CAPEX requirement for improving EDGE throughput (By adding more logical TRXs --> Huawei/ZTE & adding some capacity sites for high traffic areas plus adding some more sites to compensate for loss of coverage (because of TRX addition coverage will shrink), then making the new expanded TRXs as static PDCHs,

But with all these efforst still they won't be able to cross 170-200kbps per user on average which is almost 10 times less than 3G data rate!
We have EDGE+ also available which can give higher data rates upto 450kbps but that needs the MS to be capable with EDGE+ & very very few latest mobiles comply with it.

Please share your ideas!
Thanks!

[Mdaf]

Well some management guys believe in magic and think that engineers are magicians! because they become managers for being setting on that chair for long time !!
We are not talking about improving KPIs by 50% we are talking about two different technologies, EDGE cannot be comparable to the HSDPA,HSDPA+ DC-HSDPA.... Its as simple as that and I'm sure you know that, just give them max ideal throughput for EDGE and the max througput in 3G to show them they are wasting there money in case they tried to invest in EDGE

[khurrambilal01]

Yes i have shared the CAPEX requirement as well as the final maximum ahcieveable which is the case that investment is 60% less than 3G but outcome speed is less than 10 times speed of 3G.

[Jerry]

For any solution, technically EDGE is not compatible with 3G in term of data speed. that is simple answer.

[daweho]

You need to improve your Abis resources i.e deploy more E1 to support more 64Kbits definition for edge support.

[khurrambilal01]

Not only Abis, Gb links addition, PCU cards capacity increase, New sites deployment for cases where data traffic is very high.TRX additions to increase static PDCHs for higher EDGE per user data rates.
Plus Gi link also needs expansion which is very costly.

[bill]

Unfortunatelly, even EDGE+ is considerably slower than 3G. A solution would be to make a better distribution of the 3G equipment in the mostly populated areas and give them the load they need and in the rest areas do some fine tuning on the EDGE+. Still very hard... and also too costly...