Reader Forum: As mobile services evolve, so does backhaul service verification

Editor’s Note: Welcome to our weekly Reader Forum section. In an attempt to broaden our interaction with our readers we have created this forum for those with something meaningful to say to the wireless industry. We want to keep this as open as possible, but maintain some editorial control so as to keep it free of commercials or attacks. Please send along submissions for this section to our editors at:dmeyer@ardenmedia.com or tford@ardenmedia.com.
Mobile service providers deploying the latest technology to supply an increasing amount of complex offerings have high expectations for the backhaul connections supporting their services.
Yet developing backhaul links for these emerging services such as mobile broadband video and web access remains a challenge as operators transition from legacy backhaul circuits to advanced, Ethernet-supported capabilities. As backhaul makes the switch from old to new technology, it’s essential operators have a unified service verification strategy enabling an optimal user experience no matter what the backhaul platform may be.
Ensuring that mobile backhaul connections function properly is more critical than ever given the rapidly-growing use of smartphones and other complex mobile devices.
Mobile service providers are planning their transition to advanced, next-generation technology such as LTE to support a range of sophisticated mobile services. These platforms need robust, reliable and widely-deployed backhaul support. They also require constant verification of backhaul links. ABI Research projects 150 million subscribers will use 4G services at the close of 2014, implying a huge need for additional advanced backhaul capacity.
As mobile operators manage their evolution from TDM/Sonet SDH to Ethernet for backhaul, they need flexible test and measurement technology covering both legacy and new infrastructure.
Field technicians and engineers now must troubleshoot a variety of backhaul connections, including Ethernet-supported backhaul, second-and-third generation T1 links and hybrid T1-over-Ethernet circuits. And while mobile companies increasingly are using Carrier Ethernet capabilities to support the backhaul needs of advanced mobile services, these connections account for only a fraction of the backhaul links in use today.
Service providers need end-to-end visibility of their diverse backhaul platforms to quickly identify problems, reduce repair and maintenance time and avoid service level agreement penalties. They need this ability spread through their centralized performance monitoring and test systems and in the tools field technicians use. A flexible service verification and troubleshooting approach that covers all types of backhaul capabilities not only saves a mobile service provider time and money, but also ensures uninterrupted service delivery.
A unified service verification and diagnostic strategy for field tools covering all types of backhaul links also helps control operating costs, given that a single test and measurement tool can troubleshoot different backhaul connections. In addition, workforce productivity improves when field technicians have comprehensive yet easy-to-use service verification technology to test and measure the variety of backhaul circuits in service today.
The move to advanced, Ethernet-supported backhaul won’t occur overnight. And the shift won’t be easy. As backhaul connections evolve, putting in place a thorough backhaul service verification strategy not only ensures uninterrupted mobile services delivery but also enables mobile service providers to improve and enhance the end-user experience.