Have you visited our new blog? CBNL have recently
launched ‘the backhaul blog’ to spur debate on
backhaul in the telecoms industry.
The blog creates forum to discuss issues and opportunities around all
forms of backhaul. If you’d like to comment or write your own
article, visit the blog at http://www.thebackhaulblog.com
Our point of view
Reflections on the Next Generation Mobile Networks
Alliance (NGMN)
Cambridge Broadband Networks recently attended the 2nd Industry
Conference of the global Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance
(NGMN) that outlined the key success factors for the next generation
of mobile networks and services. Representatives of more than 120
companies and organisations attended the speeches, panel sessions
and vendor demonstrations. The event not only provided an in-depth
look at achievements of the NGMN Alliance but also marked a
milestone on the way towards a new era of mobile broadband
communications.
What interested us in particular was the focus the conference had on
backhaul issues. It is fair to say all of the speakers that
addressed technical topics mentioned backhaul at some point. The
technical backhaul wish-list at the ngmn is extensive: members are
looking for solutions that can halve their backhaul traffic costs
(expenses) every two years, backhaul networks that are
‘self-organising’ and
‘self-optimising’ as well as having low latency,
be spectrum efficient, extend QoS and reuse existing assets where
possible. In other words, backhaul solutions that deliver a
‘step-change’ in performance and overall cost
reduction.
A pretty big wish list!
At Cambridge Broadband Networks these aspirations are not foreign to
us: VectaStar already pushes optimisation and prioritisation options
to the network edge and the Point-to-Multipoint architecture is
significantly more spectrally efficient than other microwave
options. Add to that an over-the-air protocol that is optimised for
statistical multiplexing of packet data traffic and the inherent
simplification that results from 50% less hardware and it occurs to
us that VectaStar customers are already experiencing next generation
backhaul today. For VectaStar customers, new Radio Access
Technologies like LTE and WiMAX may be revolutionary but the
resulting investment backhaul is evolutionary!
VectaStar Network Management System (VNMS)
Development work on the VNMS continues to progress
well. The VNMS will be supplied to customers as a complete hardware and
software solution and will provide an enhanced range of features to
enable customers to configure, monitor and manage their VectaStar
network from a single location.
It will provide a full status overview of all VectaStar network elements
and provide consolidated alarm and performance monitoring.
The key features include the ability to gather and graphically display
long-term statistics, including sector capacity, automated back-up, a
centralised alarm database, report generation and a northbound
interface. Overall, the system will provide a centralised architecture
offering faster provisioning and help to reduce OPEX.
In August, we will demonstrate an early version of the VNMS at the
Carrier Ethernet World ‘Hot Staging’ event in
Berlin.
RF Planning and EDX Vendor Partner Program
We have recently selected EDX SignalPro software to
use for in-house network design and planning. The tools will primarily
be used by the Sales Support Engineers when responding to RFPs and
specific customer requests.
EDX network design tools are some of the most widely used engineering
software products for designing wireless communications networks,
including wireless broadband, WiMAX, LTE, WiFi, public safety, and other
mobile wireless systems. The tools were used by WiConnect to plan the
VectaStar network for Mobily.
It is envisaged that the use of SignalPro will give us a greater
understanding of the planning issues facing current and prospective
customers and enhance our ability to provide competitive solutions.
In addition to selecting the SignalPro software, we have joined
EDX’s Vendor Partner Program. The program offers a number of
benefits, the most significant being the ability to incorporate
VectaStar specific data in future versions of SignalPro.
Network designers will be able to select VectaStar equipment from the
range of templates provided in the software. This integration will
improve design efficiency by making equipment placement quick, accurate,
and consistent for network design engineers using the EDX propagation
modeling tools.
Cambridge Broadband Networks are participating in the multi-vendor
Interoperability showcase organised by the European Advanced
Networking test Centre (EANTC) at the Carrier Ethernet World
Congress (CEWC) 2008.
More than 25 vendors will be showcasing an Interoperability Carrier
network supporting MEF defined business services, residential triple
play services, and mobile backhaul solutions.
In October this year, Cambridge Broadband Networks’ VP of
Market Strategy, Lance Hiley will be speaking at WiMAX London 2008.
WiMAX London 2008, a well established annual conference organised by
the IET Communications Technical and Professional Network. In this
years’ conference, delegates will get to grips with the
real opportunities of WiMAX and the latest and in progress
deployment plans from the UK’s major buyers
Win an iPod Touch
Terms and conditions of entry
This competition is open to adults (in the UK, persons aged 18 years
or over) only. Employees of Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited (or
any of its affiliated companies), their families, and anyone else
associated with this competition, are excluded from entering.
All information detailing how to enter this competition forms part
of these terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all
rules are accepted as final and that the competitor agrees to abide
by these rules. The decision of the judges is final and no
correspondence will be entered into. Submission of an entry will be
taken to mean acceptance of these terms and conditions.
Entries must be submitted by
All entries must be clearly labelled with the entrant’s
name. Entrants should include their own name, address and telephone
number. Any photographs must not exceed the maximum image size of
10Mb.
All entries must be received by 15 December 2008.
All images submitted must be the work of the individual submitting
them. It is the responsibility of each entrant to ensure that any
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included in such images, and do not infringe any laws or the
copyright of any third party. Entrants warrant that the photograph
they are submitting is their own work and that they own the
copyright for it.
Copyright in all images submitted for this competition remains with
the respective entrants. However, in consideration of us providing
this competition, each entrant grants a worldwide, irrevocable,
perpetual licence to Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited to use any
or all of the submitted images in our website, promotional
literature and other publications. No payment will be made to the
entrant for such use.
Late, incomplete or corrupt entries will not be accepted. No
responsibility can be accepted for lost entries and proof of
transmission will not be accepted as proof of receipt. Entries must
not be sent through agencies or third parties.
The winning entry will be the one that is judged to be the most
visually appealing, original, and representative of Cambridge
Broadband Networks’ product. The winner will be notified
within seven days of the closing date of the competition. There will
be one winner only. Judging shall be carried out by the marketing
department of Cambridge Broadband Networks.
The winners may be required to take part in publicity.
The prize as described are available on the date of publication. All
prizes are non transferable and there are no cash alternatives.
Events may occur that render the competition itself or the awarding
of the prizes impossible due to reasons beyond the control of
Cambridge Broadband Networks. Accordingly, we may at our absolute
discretion vary or amend the promotion and the entrant agrees that
no liability shall attach to us as a result.
No payment is required to enter this competition.
English law applies to these terms and conditions and the English
Courts shall have jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of the
competition or these terms and conditions.
