Target Networks in 5G Era - Embracing Mobile Network 2020s - Huawei
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Contents Foreword 02 1 Opportune Development of Target Networks 03 2 Target Networks in 5G Era = 4.5G Evolution + 5G NR 03 3 Evolve SingleRAN with 5G Technology Make Sites 5G-Ready in Evolution 05 3.1 Large-scale 4T4R Deployment: Foundation for 5G 05 3.2 Massive MIMO for Hotspot 06 3.3 Antenna Modernization 07 3.4 Sites Ready for 5G NR 08 3.5 Indoor Digitalization 09 3.6 Site Acquisition 10 4 Mobile Cloud Transformation 11 4.1 Flexible 5G-Oriented CloudRAN Architecture 11 4.2 CloudAIR Spectrum Sharing 12 4.3 Uplink and Downlink Decoupling for Enhancing 5G Coverage 13 4.4 Evolution of All Spectrum Towards 5G 14 4.5 NSA Architecture Anchored on LTE for Initial Stages of 5G 15 5 New Capabilities Enable New Services and Growth 16 5.1 VoLTE and Video Drive Operators' Revenue Growth 16 5.2 WTTx Emerges as Fourth Access Mode 17 5.3 Mobile IoT Will Shift from Narrowband to Broadband 18 5.4 Wireless X Labs Explore New Businesses 19 6 Vision of Target Networks in 5G Era 20
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Foreword Digital transformation is at a critical juncture, with a diverse range of industries making changes that signifi- cantly transform the way people live and work. These shifts have been driving advancements in the financial, transportation, manufacturing, governmental, and many more sectors. Innovative mobile broadband tech- nologies, an underlying infrastructure, are a key driving force behind the digitalization of all walks of life. With the rapid development of 5G, an increasing number of new applications and business models will reshape the social and economic formation. Such changes will stimulate strategic planning regarding industry opportunities, technical evolution, network architecture, and other areas. Telecom operators are growing increasingly concerned with the creation of a new target network to maximize return on investment (ROI) and achieve business success while maintaining a competitive edge for the future. Global operators are promoting early deployment of 5G and innovative business models through continuous 4G evolution. This has led to today's business achievements and has laid a solid foundation for the huge potential of 5G. With a gradual consensus being formed for the entire industry, all related players in the industry chain will develop close collaboration to embrace a brighter future for the wireless network industry. Continuous 4G evolution, a road to 5G! Dr. Peter Zhou CMO, Wireless Network Product Line, Huawei 02
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Opportune Development of Target Networks As 5G standardization and commercialization accelerate, the world is about to witness a transition from 4G to 5G. At this critical time, operators must bear in mind the ultimate goals, make advanced preparations, and engage themselves in the deployment of 5G-oriented target networks. Highly competitive networks will play a decisive role to the success of 5G. Leading global operators now have clear viewpoints about future target networks. For example, a Chinese operator perceives the addition of the 5G new radio (NR) to the continuously evolving LTE system as the defining feature of 5G era target networks. According to a Japanese operator, 2020 will witness the co-existence of 5G and the ongoing evolution of 4.5G, while users can enjoy Gbps-level data rate. An operator from Korea believes that target networks will adopt the None-standalone Architecture (NSA) with LTE as the anchor. C-band and millimeter wave (mmWave) will be added for 5G while sub-3 GHz bands are going to be used for continuous LTE evolution. The European Union (EU) generally agrees with Japan and Korea and notes that 5G deployment will begin in urban areas. As a Chinese saying goes, "It is better to start weaving your fishing nets than merely coveting fish at the water." Instead of admiring the myriad promises of 5G, related parties must act now to invest in 5G target networks, build early 5G competitiveness, and cultivate new businesses. More importantly, operators can reap the benefits of 5G on 4G networks, while smoothly shifting users from LTE to the next generation of mobile networks. Target Networks in 5G Era = 4.5G Evolution + 5G NR Huawei believes that network competitiveness in the 5G era is not solely decided by the newly introduced 5G spectrum, but by multiple radio access technologies(RATs) and multiple frequency bands. In other words, target networks in the 5G era will be marked by the evolution of all spectrum, the fusion of all RATs, and the development of all industries. 03
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 2-1 Essence of target networks B2C: Voice, video B2H: WTTx B2V: NB-IoT More new businesses… Development of All Industries Target Network 2G/3G: 2020s Sub-3 GHz: Shut down, releasing Continuous LTE evolution spectrum for 4G Fusion Evolution C-band: 4G: of All RATs of All Spectrum 5G's first commercial spectrum Continuous evolution mmWave: Co-existence with 5G Hotspot capacity boosting Evolution of all spectrum: C-band is a globally harmonized 5G spectrum and is set to be the first band for commer- cial 5G deployment. mmWave will serve scenarios such as home broadband as well as indoor or outdoor hotspot locations. Sub-3 GHz spectrum will support continuous LTE evolution. Network-wide 4T4R will be the base for future networks with Massive MIMO deployed at hotspot areas. Sites will become ready for 5G NR and all spectrum will be available for 5G. Fusion of all RATs: More than 20 global operators are shutting down or are planning to withdraw from 2G or 3G services. The spectrum resources released from legacy RATs are refarmed for 4G. Continuous 4G evolution is constantly improving user experience while co-existence of 5G and 4G evolution is expected to arise as the long-term standard. Just as new technologies once brought 4G to 4.5G, the introduction of nTnR, Massive MIMO, "one-plug in, all 5G" solution, antenna modernization, and other technologies on current 4.5G networks can facili- tate smooth 5G-oriented evolution. Development of all services: As 5G technologies mature, voice, video, and other conventional B2C services will keep getting better, while B2H services such as WTTx and B2V services such as NB-IoT will also become more advanced. Various innovative businesses such as Internet of Vehicles (IoV), drones, and AR/VR are currently under develop- ment and will flourish in the new 5G era. 04
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Evolve SingleRAN with 5G Technology Make Sites 5G-Ready in Evolution 3.1 Large-scale 4T4R Deployment: Foundation for 5G Rapid growth of MBB services such as mobile video has generated an exponential surge in data traffic, creating capacity and user experience challenges for various operators. Operators must discover greater spectral efficiency, and multi- ple-antenna technology is an effective solution to help tackle these concerns. Network-wide extensive 4T4R deployment can greatly boost cell capacity and enhance cell coverage. Cell edge users in particular will be able to enjoy better voice and video services. These improvements in coverage and user experience will become more pronounced with the enabling of software features like TTI Bundling(TTIB) and Turbo Receiver. Figure 3-1 Enlarged coverage with 4T4R 4T4R Enlarging Coverage +3 dB 1800 MHz LTE 4T4R @ 1.8 GHz Legacy 2T2R @ 1.8 GHz +2.5 dB* 2T2R 0.81 km 4T4R 0.989 km 4T4R* 1.163 km *Features TTIB+Turbo Receiver MCS/RB Traversal for Best Transmission Block(TB)* 4T4R can offer a substantially enhanced user experience. As the terminal is upgraded from 2R to 4R, the single-user downlink peak rate can be increased to 1.8 times, while that in the uplink will increase to 1.4 times. With the deployment of 5G, shifting from an LTE 4R handset to a 5G NR device will produce a further 1.51 times and 1.23 times improvements in single-user downlink and uplink peak rates respectively. 05
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 3-2 Gradual user experience improvement as 4R terminals increase Better User Experience as 4R Terminals Increase 2T2R LTE 4T4R LTE 5G NR 1.4×UL 1.23×UL* 1.8×DL 1.51×DL* 4R LTE 4R 5G NR terminal terminal * UL/DL data rate * Simulation result with some 5G NR features The idea of deploying 4T4R as the foundation for 5G has been widely accepted throughout the industry. In terms of termi- nals, major manufacturers including Huawei, Samsung, and Sony have rolled out a total of over 20 models of 4R termi- nals. This indicates the arrival of a new stage of smart terminal development marked by Gbps-level data rates. As 4R terminal's penetration rate rises, the gains of 4T4R will also continue to increase. As for networks, more than 60 opera- tors worldwide now boast large-scale commercial 4T4R deployment and this figure is expected to exceed 100 by the end of 2017. 3.2 Massive MIMO for Hotspot Figure 3-3 High rises with heavy traffic, severe interference, and suppressed uplink Heavy Traffic High Rise Severe Interference Suppressed Uplink Massive MIMO provides independent narrow beams targeted at multiple users and transmits data through a user-spe- cific space isolation system. This helps increase system throughput by dozens of times. Leading operators around the globe have already begun deploying commercial Massive MIMO. 06
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s China Mobile has adopted Massive MIMO to serve high rises that suffer heavy traffic, severe interference, and suppressed uplink. According to the test results, Massive MIMO delivers pronounced enhancement in capacity, coverage, and user experience. At present, Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and many other Chinese cities have all seen large-scale Massive MIMO deployment. This technology has been used for the Tianjin National Games, the BRICS Summit, concerts, and a myriad of other grand events. This technology has proven to enhance user experience in heavy-traffic areas such as central business districts (CBDs), business streets, high rises, university campuses, traffic hubs, and sports venues, while helping to unleash traffic demand. SoftBank Japan is another operator with large-scale commercial Massive MIMO deployment. In September 2016, SoftBank launched a Massive MIMO-based "5G Project". The test reveals that even in densely-populated areas with heavy traffic such as stations and city centers, the average data rate remained stable at around 400 Mbps. Large-scale commercial Massive MIMO deployment enabled SoftBank to continuously deliver superior user experience. The combi- nation of Massive MIMO and highly competitive data packages was the perfect pairing to attract many new users for SoftBank. This year, SoftBank has sought to increase its investment in commercial Massive MIMO deployment. It has also released the "50 GB plan" with its industry-leading network and user experience as a solid base. Figure 3-4 SoftBank's release of Massive MIMO-based "5G Project" 3.3 Antenna Modernization The traditional approach requires the addition of new antenna and radio frequency modules whenever new bands are introduced. Such mode often results in heavily-loaded towers, high rents, and difficult maintenance, leaving no space for either band addition or the deployment of 4T4R and Massive MIMO. An alternative solution must be realized to help meet the network construction demands of 5G. The latest "all-in-one" passive antenna solution is Huawei's answer to alleviate such concerns. A single antenna can support all sub-3 GHz frequency bands and high-band 4T4R. The site will grow simpler, towers will be free from heavy equipment, and more space can be reserved for future addition. When it comes to 5G deployment, all operators are required to do is to simply add 5G antennas to the reserved space on the mounting poles. Two antennas per sector will then be able to support all RATs. 07
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 3-5 Antenna modernization All-in-One Modern Antenna Two antennas per sector All-in-One Passive Antenna 5G Antenna Difficult new antenna addition Ant 1 Ant 2 Ant 1 AAU 1 4-port 6-port 14-port* L-band 1800 Now 900 2600 Future 900 4T4R 2100 800 2100 C-band 800 4T4R Massive MIMO 1800 700 2600 4T4R 3.4 Sites Ready for 5G NR After incorporating advanced solutions such as 4T4R, 8T8R or even Massive MIMO, antennas, radio frequency (RF) modules, and other 4G hardware are ready for 5G-oriented evolution. With just a few simple extra steps, sites will be fully 5G compatible. This smooth evolution process features low demand on equipment, reduced costs, and decreased site operating expense (OPEX). Huawei's latest BTS5900/DBS5900 multimode base stations support 5G NR, 4T4R, and Massive MIMO. When it comes to 5G deployment, operators only need to simply add new 5G NR baseband boards and upgrade the software, making "one plug-in, all 5G" a reality. The industry-leading 5000 series RF modules feature innovative radio platform and multi-antenna technologies, boast- ing high performance and low power consumption. One of the low-frequency band modules supports sub-1 GHz (700 to 900 MHz) and has 2T4R as its basic configuration. The other supports sub-1 GHz to sub-3 GHz, and features 4T4R configuration (multiple blade RRUs or multi-band modules). The 5000 series new platform boasts one-time deployment and instant payback, protecting operators' investment while accelerating the introduction of 5G. Figure 3-6 Site modernization One Plug-in, All 5G 5000 Series Radio Units 4G 5G-Ready Site Reserved for All-in-One Massive MIMO BBU5900 Blade RRU EasyMacro Massive MIMO 4T4R Massive MIMO Blade RRU 2x capacity Power consumption: 5% to 15% 72 4T4R cells Size: 40% 2G/3G/4G/5G in one module BBU5900 PIM: 75% New BBP boards with maximum Installation time: 30% capacity of 64T64R massive Multi-antenna technology MIMO (3x3x100 MHz) 08
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s 3.5 Indoor Digitalization Based on the analysis of the abundance of data on the live network, over 70% of the data traffic in mobile networks is generated indoors. With the upcoming arrival of the 5G era, indoor networks emerge as a competitive focus. Much atten- tion must be paid to indoor network quality and capacity improvement. Traditional indoor distributed networks use the distributed antenna system (DAS) originating from the 2G/3G era to solve the issue of weak indoor coverage. In compari- son, the LampSite3.0 indoor digital solution improves deployment efficiency and reduces costs. It supports 5G-oriented evolution in terms of network architecture and main hardware platforms, protecting operators' mid- and long-term investments and meeting requirements for 5G-oriented service experience. Figure 3-7 LampSite 3.0 supporting a smooth evolution to 5G Operator A Supporting 5G by Adding 5G NR pRRUs BTS/RRU Sub-2.6 GHz 4 bands in one DCU RHUB RHUB pRRU pRRU CAT5/6 CAT5/6 CPRI Sub-2.6 GHz 4 bands in one Future proof with embedded cables New 5G NR pRRU Operator D BTS/RRU Table 3-1 DAS and LampSite technical comparison DAS LampSite Feeders are used to transmit analog RF signals CAT5/6 Ethernet cables are used to transmit digital Transmission (signal attenuation increases with signal frequency). RF signals (signals are not sensitive to frequency). Passive components such as couplers and 5G can be supported by embedding a CAT5/6 Evolution antennas do not yet support C-band and can’t Ethernet cable and adding pRRUs supporting 5G capability to 5G support 5G NR NR (all cables are unchanged). Gbps-level user experience can be provided with Multiple feeders and antennas are required for the the support of multiple frequency bands (900 MHz User experience support of MIMO (deployment is difficult and to 2.6 GHz), multiple RATs including 2G, 3G, and 4G, expensive). virtual 4T4R, and 5CC CA. 09
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s In 2016, Baotou China Unicom deployed the Huawei LampSite solution in Baotou Vocational Education Campus. The 4G peak download rate in the campus increased from 29.3 Mbps to 130.4 Mbps. However, since February 2017, campus network traffic has increased by five times within one month after the release of high-traffic packages. The cell capacity over the 1.8 GHz band deployed at the early stage becomes saturated and so an urgent need exists to implement rapid capacity expansion. Solutions such as indoor cell split and 2.1 GHz LTE carrier usage are then adopted based on an analysis of current traffic conditions. The duration between the customization and deployment of the LampSite capacity expansion solution is limited to only one week. After the expansion, the daily traffic in the campus is increased to 2.5 TB. Compared with the traditional DAS solution, LampSite does not require secondary design, coordination and construc- tion. This simplifies capacity expansion and shortens the construction period, facilitating the service development of Baotou China Unicom in the campus market. 3.6 Site Acquisition With the rapid development of mobile broadband services and continuous network evolution, more frequency bands and sites are required to provide services and meet the requirements of ubiquitous coverage and heavy traffic. However, the traditional approach of additional macro site deployment encounters difficult site acquisition, complex approval proce- dures, and high OPEX. This impacts the speed of site deployment, which cannot meet the requirements of growing services. For example, site acquisition in some areas can generally require two to six months, with site construction lasting for 12 months. The total construction, energy, and site rental costs can account for up to 55% of total cost of ownership (TCO). TubeStar, PoleStar, and RuralStar reconstruct site TCO and enable cost-efficient site deployment in various scenarios. These new site solutions help operators reduce site acquisition difficulty, decrease construction costs and site rentals, and resolve the issue of transmission and power supply. These solutions efficiently provide basic coverage and excellent user experience to increase both network capacity and user quantity. TubeStar: This solution enables the pipe to be integrated with the cabinet with the bottom diameter of 800 mm and built-in main equipment. The large-capacity cabinet can support five to seven frequency bands. The footprint is reduced from 30–100m² to 2m² and the site acquisition period is shortened from six to two months. The 5 year TCO can be reduced by 30%. In addition, Massive MIMO evolution ports and 8T8R expansion cabins are reserved to further support 5G-oriented evolution. PoleStar: This pole-mounted site solution is applicable to reused poles, new poles, and aggregation sites. This solution shares traffic, improves deep coverage, enhances coverage in hotspots, and fills coverage holes (TCO reduced by 40%). RuralStar: This solution meets requirements for low costs and accurate coverage in remote rural areas. It uses idle LTE spectrum in rural areas and non-line of sight (NLOS) transmission of the relay to convert tower-mounted sites into pole-mounted sites, providing wide and accurate coverage for remote villages. The TCO can be reduced by 30%, with ROI obtained within three years of a village with about 2.000 people.
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 3-8 Three new "Star" sites 3 “Star” Help to Acquire more Sites for 5G Preparation Camouflage cover 3*RF Antennas Antenna Section (4m) MW Antenna(Optional) BBU 3910C MW OR RRU5909 Yagi Antenna Extension 3*Massive MIMO(Reserved) Easy Book Section Macro RRU (3.7m/9.7m) RRN3911 Max 15*RRUs 18m/24m Combiner Cabin Height RRU Cabin Max Max Transmission Blade BBU Equipment 2*BBUs 5*3000W (Fiber or MW) Section BBU/Power/TX Blade Power (10.3m) Cabin Blade Battery Battery Cabin Battery 2~4k 4*100AH m Footprint~2@24m TubeStar PoleStar RuralStar Mobile Cloud Transformation Enables Flexible and Agile Architecture Along with the improved network hardware capabilities, the future network architecture must offer enhanced features to face several challenges brought by various services. The entire mobile network architecture is redesigned based on the cloud technology to include resource management, multi-connectivity, and flexible architecture. As a result, unit-based on-demand deployment and agile service provisioning are realized to help handle any future unexpected eventualities. 4.1 Flexible 5G-Oriented CloudRAN Architecture Compared with the traditional RAN architecture, CloudRAN splits the real-time part and non-real-time part of the base station to form a CU/DU split architecture. CU and DU are short for central unit and distributed unit, respectively. Huawei CloudRAN allows the CU to be deployed on different platforms. CU and DU can be deployed centrally or separately. For example, the CU can either be deployed on a common commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server or be deployed on a BBU or CloudBB in combination with DUs. CloudRAN's flexible architecture can accommodate diverse 5G services with the CU deployed in different positions of the network based on service latency requirements. For example, Internet of Vehicles (IoV) requires a low latency, and the CU is ideally deployed in close relative proximity near to the base station. 11
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 4-1 CloudRAN, Agile Architecture for Diversified Services On-Demand Deployment Network Convergence Adaptive Openness Ultimate experience & reliability 20ms ADS Indoor Navi. Video Ace. Precise Ads. 18 3-6 Months Months API API API TTM Agile Service Delivery Huawei is committed to exploring and promoting CloudRAN standardization and commercialization. Huawei proposed the concept of CloudRAN at the Global Analyst Summit in April 2016, released the CloudRAN solution at 2016 Global Mobile Broadband Forum, and published a white paper at the 2017 Global Analyst Summit. The split architecture of CU and DU in CloudRAN has been recognized by the 3GPP standard organization and will be included in R15 by Q2 2018. Huawei and tier-1 operators have implemented Proof of Concept (POC) tests on CloudRAN to verify the flexible deployment and gains on network performance. CloudRAN is scheduled to support pre-commercial use in Q1 2018 and achieve full commercial use in Q4 2018 along with 5G. 4.2 CloudAIR Spectrum Sharing CloudAIR spectrum sharing uses innovative technologies to handle spectrum resource restrictions on RATs, remove the bottleneck for introducing new RATs, and change the spectrum usage method from refarming to sharing. This allows different RATs to share the same spectrum and maximize spectrum value. The CloudAIR spectrum sharing solution has the following characteristics: More efficient use of air interface resources: Spectrum cloudification allows for faster deployment of new RATs and improves user experience using the same air interface resources. Faster introduction of new RATs: This requires the existing spectrum to be shared by the new and legacy RATs based on permeability and traffic changes. Long tail issue of legacy RATs: In many regions, full disuse of 2G and 3G networks is expected to be a lengthy process. CloudAIR allows new and legacy RATs to dynamically share spectrum resources, automatically reallocating the majority of spectrum resources to new standards based on traffic requirements. 12
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s CloudAIR spectrum sharing mainly includes GU, GL, UL, as well as LTE and NR spectrum sharing and other solutions. GU, GL, and UL spectrum sharing enable different RATs to implement sharing in the frequency domain. Both 4G and 5G are based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). Therefore, LTE and NR spectrum sharing allows for the flexible sharing of more frequency- and time-domain resource blocks, facilitating a quick introduction of 5G NR on low-band spectrum. Up to now, the LTE and 5G NR spectrum sharing standardization proposal has been adopted into 3GPP, and will be concluded in Release 15. Figure 4-2 CloudAIR spectrum sharing 1-Dimension Sharing 2-Dimension Sharing Frequency GSM LTE 200 KHz 180 KHz NR RB LTE RB Time Frequency GSM<E Sharing NR<E Sharing 4.3 Uplink and Downlink Decoupling for Enhancing 5G Coverage The higher frequency leads to larger penetration loss and poor coverage. For example, 3.5 GHz (as the first commercially used 5G band), provides insufficient coverage. There is a 13.7 dB gap in the uplink coverage between the 3.5 GHz and 1.8 GHz bands, and the traditional solution of increasing the number of sites is often implemented to help bridge this differ- ence. However, site acquisition is difficult and the cost is high. As a result, Huawei proposes uplink and downlink decou- pling to efficiently solve this troubling dilemma. Typically, 3.5 GHz is used in the downlink to transmit signals and 1.8 GHz or 3.5 GHz is used on the terminal side to send signals. This provides the same uplink and downlink coverage as that of 1.8 GHz. And it is confirmed that 5G NR uplink and downlink decoupling will be included in 3GPP Release 15. 13
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 4-3 Enlarged 5G NR uplink coverage with uplink and downlink decoupling UL and DL Decoupling Enlarging 5G NR Coverage 3.5 GHz Covering the Same Distance with 1.8 GHz 1.8 GHz+3.5 GHz Co-Site UL @1 .8 DL GH @3 z .5 GH z Enlarged Coverage 3.5 GHz UL Coverage 3.5 GHz DL Coverage 13.7 dB 1.8 GHz Coverage Will comply with 3GPP Release 15. 4.4 Evolution of All Spectrum Towards 5G C-band and mmWave are critical new spectrum resources for 5G. C-band (as the primary capacity layer), uses large-scale antenna technology to improve network capacity and coverage. mmWave (as the complementary capacity layer), applies to indoor and outdoor hotspots, home broadband access, and self-backhaul for simple site acquisition. Sub-3G spectrum realizes LTE-oriented evolution using solutions such as CloudAIR spectrum sharing, and spectrum refarming and further supports 5G-oriented evolution through site modernization. LTE and 5G NR spectrum sharing allows for the smooth introduction of 5G into existing LTE networks. Related technical proposals have been submitted for discussion and are expected to be included in 3GPP Release 15. 14
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 4-4 Evolution of all spectrum towards 5G Urban Suburban Rural mmWave Complementary Capacity Layer · Hotspot capacity boosting · Self-backhaul for easy site acquisition G30 G40 G70 · Fixed wireless access Primary Capacity Layer C-Band · C-band with Massive MIMO for capacity & coverage · UL&DL decoupling for coverage extension Primary Coverage Layer Sub-3 GHz · CloudAIR for rapid development of NR · 4T4R as basic configuration 4.5 NSA Architecture Anchored on LTE for Initial Stages of 5G The first 3GPP-based 5G release R15 will be completed by June 2018 with a keen focus on Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB). The first-phase NSA 5G NR features are expected to be launched by December 2017, with the second-phase Standalone (SA) 5G NR features completed by June 2018. SA is intended for the target architecture of 5G. Figure 4-5 NSA architecture EPC EPC EPC S1 S1 S1-U S1 S1-U X5 X5-C X5 LTE NR LTE NR LTE NR Option 3: MCG split Option 3a Option 3X: SCG split The NSA architecture reuses the 4G core network to implement the functions of access, authentication, and voice services. This helps minimize network reconstruction and rapidly deliver 5G based on a 4G network. This architecture primarily applies to the initial deployment of 5G. The SA architecture introduces the 5G core network. NSA can be upgraded to SA by overlaying the 5G core network. In compliance with 5G standardization specified by 3GPP, Huawei schedules the release of a commercial 5G NSA architecture by Q4 2018, followed by a commercial 5G SA architecture by Q2 2019. 15
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s New Capabilities Enable New Services and Growth Powerful hardware capabilities, a cloud-based architecture, and highly efficient network management allow mobile networks to provide optimal capabilities that enable new services and growth. Application scenarios of mobile services have gradually extended from personal services to households and vertical industries. VR/AR, drones, and many other innovative applications are proposed to promote sustainable growth of the wireless industry. The continued enhance- ment of traditional and new mobile services based on 4G networks can expand the scope of the industry and achieve business success in the upcoming 5G era. Figure 5-1 5G business prospect Rich 5G Business Cases based on 4G Smart Smart Voice Transportation Energy Business to Vertical NB-IoT, the best practice of 5G IoT Data Smart uRLLC Smart Agriculture Meters 4G Business to Household LTE WTTx helps rapid success in 4G era and evolve to smart home in 5G era. Smart Factory mMTC 5G Drones HD Video mMBB Business to Customer WTTx AR/VR Smooth evolution to 5G eMBB WTTx VoLTE 3D Video 5.1 VoLTE and Video Drive Operators' Revenue Growth Voice remains a basic service that defines operators' competitiveness. VoLTE will gain increasing importance in the 5G era. The large-scale commercial deployment of VoLTE enables a rapid exit of legacy RATs from the network and increases O&M efficiency, while providing innovative VoLTE-based services such as screen, camera, and freehand sketch sharing during calls. The commercialization process of VoLTE is accelerating, with the deployment of 60 new networks in 2016. An excellent VoLTE experience is dependent upon LTE coverage. It is of critical importance to enhance LTE network cover- age, improve VoLTE user experience, and enable a smooth evolution of VoLTE services to emerge as a basic service of 5G networks. 16
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Recent years have witnessed an exponential increase in video services which account for over 50% of the total traffic. Video has manifested as a new basic service of mobile networks to increase revenue and data of usage (DOU). Global operators have designed a diverse range of attractive packages to respond to the industry's quickly changing trends. For example, operators worked with Netflix and other OTT providers to offer large-traffic data packages specifically to target heavy video content subscribers. These actions influenced the marketing strategies of several renowned industry players such as China Unicom and Tencent, with the joint launch of unlimited packages (based on the Tencent platform). These packages are designed to allow users the benefit of streaming mobile video anytime and anywhere, while stimu- lating traffic growth. Figure 5-2 Mobile video as a basic service 2G 3G 4G/5G Social video HD video Mobile game Web 360p/480p Basic package (voice/data) + Voice + SMS Voice + SMS + Data package Top-up (scenario-based tariff) 5.2 WTTx Emerges as Fourth Access Mode Based on 4G networks, WTTx supports nTnR, carrier aggregation (CA), Massive MIMO, and other advanced technologies to provide a peak rate of over 1 Gbps and a fiber-like user experience. WTTx supports a 5G-oriented evolution and can deliver a higher data rate based on 5G NR to help operators expand boundaries, promote the convergence of personal and home services, and fully explore new potential markets. WTTx will be the first use case in the 5G era. WTTx features excellent performance, low cost, quick deployment, easy O&M, and diverse services. With the use of high-gain customer premise equipment (CPE), WTTx can offer end-to-end assurances for an extensive range of MBB services. This is combined with an enjoyable user experience and a further increase in operators' average revenue per user (ARPU). SoftBank released Air service based on WTTx using the most advanced technologies (2.6 GHz+3.5 GHz Massive MIMO and CPE that supports CAT11 features). The Air service meets user demands for rapid service provisioning (261 Mbps) and supports plug-and-play (PnP) deployment. Within one year, this service matured to host 1 million WTTx users and was able to achieve an annual increase of 51.9% in overall broadband revenue. 17
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 5-3 WTTx user experience Easy Deployment and Gbps Experience of WTTx Speed (Mbps) +WTTx 1000 Telecom FTTH Cable Cable 400 FTTc 250 vDSL 100 Coverage (population) 10% 50% 65% Huawei has deployed over 100 commercial WTTx networks that serve 50 million households in five continents. 2017 witnessed an increasing rapid deployment of over 50 new commercial WTTx networks. According to Ovum, WTTx will serve nearly 350 million global households by 2020 to create a vast market space. WTTx will allow mobile operators to reshape their market presence through broadband upgrades and receive a welcome entry into the blue ocean market of wireless home broadband. 5.3 IoT Business Start from NB-IoT, Then Copy to 5G Era Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) is an optimal choice for the era of Internet of Things (IoT). This technology features wide coverage (20 dB improvement compared with GSM), low power consumption (battery lifespan of over 10 years), and accurate positioning (30–50 m without GPS). NB-IoT has gained a reputation as the best mainstream technology for mobile IoT. Thanks to the maturity of the industry chain, NB-IoT has been deployed in over 20 industries with the development of more than 600 industry partners. Up till now, over 18 commercial NB-IoT networks have been deployed, with the number of active sites exceeding 330,000. By the end of 2017, it is expected that over 30 commercial networks will be available. 18
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 5-4 NB-IoT ecosystem NB-IoT Incubates New Business Models E2E Network Ready Ecosystem Ready Business Model Ready 1 Mn+ pcs Module Site ready 20+ verticals and 600+ partners Sell Sell Sell chipset partners Connection Service Data shipment per month IoT is set to produce huge global market space in the future. According to Gartner, by 2020, there will be 26 billion IoT connections that create a market space of USD$1.9 trillion. IoT has emerged as a driving force behind new growth of mobile networks. With the advent of the IoT era, there will be an increasing number of connections and diversified services, such as WTTc, smart transportation, autonomous driving, and drones. The demands for connections between things will effectively lift the bandwidth restriction and enable the shift from narrowband to broadband IoT. The commer- cial deployment of NB-IoT helps accumulate experience, develop user habits, and accumulate ecosystem capability, while creating new business models and attracting new industries to use mobile networks. This also enables operators to deploy new services and business models to seize new business opportunities. 5.4 Wireless X Labs Explore New Businesses The commercial deployment of 5G is expected around 2020, but the applicable industries and scenarios as well as the role played by 5G remain unknown and need advanced exploration. In 2016, Huawei founded Wireless X Labs and pursued the construction of a comprehensive platform which is open to the entire industry. Joint efforts were then instrumental in developing new technologies, applications, and new markets to build a capable ecosystem for the imminent 5G era. X Labs has developed a sound relationship with 186 global partners with the launch of 45 joint innovation projects and the publication of 17 white papers. X Labs set four research topics for 2017: Connected drones (including video backhaul, site preventive maintenance inspection, security protection, logistics) Wireless robotics (including smart factory and service robots) Cloud VR/AR (including the application for entertainment, education, and engineering) Connected cars and remote driving 19
TARGET NETWORKS IN 5G ERA Embracing Mobile Network 2020s Figure 5-5 Wireless X Labs progress Jointly Accelerating 5G Business 4 186+ 45+ Research Topics for 2017 Industry Partners Joint Innovation Projects Begin to Accumulate Ecosystem Capability Wireless VR/AR Connected Drones Connected Cars Wireless Robotics Vision of Target Networks in 5G Era VoLTE Video WTTx NB-LoT Indoor Nationwide 4T4R “All In One” Antenna Digitalization Wireless UL/DL Decoupling Backhaul (Hop1) UL @ Lo Hot Spot w Wireless Backhaul DL @ Ba nd M-MIMO Hi (Hop2) gh Ba nd TubeStar PoleStar RuralStar “All Cloud” Architecture All All All Spectrum RATs Industries 20
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