Johannesburg, 06 Jul 2010
The next generation of wireless connectivity will change the creation of and access to content, leading to a world of seamless multimedia convergence, according to Ingolf Meier, senior manager of access solutions, network solutions, at Ericsson.
Meier explains that with the number of mobile connections worldwide hitting the 4.5 billion mark, industry players are racing to upgrade networks and optimise scarce frequency spectrum. This will see an increasing number beginning to support HSPA+ wireless broadband, and its more evolved cousin, long-term evolution (LTE).
Demonstrating some of the multimedia and broadband technologies in a special showcase at Ericsson, Meier gives an indication of what new network speeds will mean for consumers. He shows that at 21Mbps, a 30MB file (around 15 photos from an 8-megapixel camera) takes 11 to 12 seconds to download. At double the speed - 42Mbps - a 30MB file downloads in six seconds.
These download speeds have already been tested and deployed by operators worldwide, with telcos such as Telstra in Australia and Orange in Austria introducing 42Mbps networks earlier this year. According to a GSA global survey in late 2009, 62 operators in 35 countries have committed to HSPA+ network deployments, and 36 commercial HSPA+ systems are now operating in 23 countries.
However, these speeds are still a long way off for most users, with the global average sitting at 1.7Mbps, according to a recent Akamai State of the Internet report. In SA, the average download speed is 2.27Mbps, states the Ookla Net Index, behind Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya.
Meier points out that local operators Cell C, Vodacom and MTN have upgraded networks in select areas to HSPA+ offering 14Mbps and 21Mbps, in time for the World Cup, with all promising 21Mbps speeds coming as they continue improving networks.
The next step in the continued enhancement of 2G and 3G is the move to LTE, which industry specification body 3GPP says aims to offer average user throughput of 100Mbps in the downlink, and 50Mbps in the uplink.
According to Ericsson, up to 14 LTE networks are expected to be introduced as commercial services in 2010, and global LTE commitments have been made by Verizon, AT&T, Vodafone, Zain, and Orange, among others.
The first commercial LTE service was rolled out by TeliaSonera in Stockholm and Oslo, Scandinavia, in December last year.
As an example of what this enables, Meier explains that downloading a 9.5GB dual-layer DVD with HSPA 7.2Mbps would normally take more than three hours, and even a HSPA+ 42Mbps connection will need around 30 minutes.
“With the LTE available today, this comes down to more or less 10 minutes, and in future, when we see LTE-advanced, this will be done in just over one minute.”
The company predicts that with LTE Advanced, coming by 2014, the peak rate will be 1 000Mbps (Ericsson demonstrated 1Gbps at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year).
Converged and connected
Praven Reddy, radio access networks solution manager at Ericsson, says the changes he's seen in wireless technologies since he began working in the industry have surpassed all expectations.
“Everything is getting more and more connected, with Facebook and LinkedIn giving users a constant point of presence - it's bringing the convergence of all media platforms.”
With higher speeds and decreased latency allowing consumers to access online gaming, social media and video conferencing on the move, Ericsson envisions 50 billion connected devices by 2020.
The company points out that the multimedia evolution is focused on and driven by consumers. It cites the more than 10 billion songs, 125 million TV episodes, and eight million movies purchased and downloaded from iTunes as an example of the power of users.
“As devices get faster and uplinks get faster, platforms like YouTube are going to become powered by you and me; making and uploading videos as we go,” says Reddy.
Reddy and Meier predict a future where everything is converged and connected via the Internet, from HD cameras to home appliances. “Soon you'll have washing machines that monitor water and energy consumption, and upload the latest efficient washing programs from the Web,” notes Meier.
“Taking it a step further, devices will also start communicating more with each other,” says Reddy, explaining that increased connectivity coupled with biometric innovations will bring things like cars that recognise the driver, and then adjust the seat, temperature, and driving settings accordingly. It will also enable more services in display and retail technologies, such as the open parking space indicators seen in some airports.
With all this high-speed data transfer, however, comes the problem of bottlenecks at the backend. Meier says operators are going for a graded usage model, whereby users pay for the convenience of having high-speed downloads available on-demand. “So a student who doesn't mind downloading a movie at one in the morning will pay less, while business users who need information immediately will pay more for the service.”
Industry body the GSMA has adopted the 'one voice initiative' to drive the global mobile industry towards a standard way of delivering voice and messaging services for LTE. According to the GSMA, the initiative is backed by more than 40 organisations from across the mobile industry to support the principle of a single, IMS-based voice solution for next-generation mobile broadband networks.
The GSMA will also lead the development of the specifications that will enable interconnection and international roaming between LTE networks, and will complete that work by Q1 2011.
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