Reader Forum: Cable ready to partner with wireless on cell-tower backhaul

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@ardenmediaco.com or tford@ardenmediaco.com.
Wireless service providers looking for greater sources of backhaul bandwidth can get help from an unlikely – yet uniquely qualified – fiber-rich source: cable system operators.
Wireless companies already are familiar with skyrocketing demand for mobile backhaul capacity, driven by consumers’ heavy usage of smartphones and applications that ride on wireless data services. Now, with cable’s local fiber networks covering much of the same footprint served by mobile offerings, mobile networks quickly can leverage this cost-effective source of bandwidth to support their need for more robust cell-tower backhaul.
Cable’s local fiber networks can deliver gigabit Ethernet speeds via a dependable architecture that meets wireless industry standards, can handle a surge in demand for 3G services and planned deployments of 4G wireless offerings, and are competitive with other cell-tower backhaul technologies.
A critical part of this equation is the proximity of cable’s fiber networks and nodes to cell tower stations. By some estimates, nearly 80% of cable-fiber nodes are situated inside or near commercially-zoned areas, which are likely locations for cell towers. If cable-supported fiber is not already present at a cell-tower site, cable operators are in a good position to extend fiber to that cell tower quickly and at low cost.
In addition, cable operators can employ carrier Ethernet transport across existing fiber infrastructure for supporting cell-tower backhaul services. One solution from Aurora Networks, for example, provides a combination of multiple T1/E1 links and multi-megabit Ethernet connectivity that accommodates voice and IP traffic.
Also, cable’s wireless backhaul solutions already meet the wireless industry’s rigorous requirements, including compliance with Metropolitan Ethernet Forum (MEF) standards.
Another big advantage: cable’s fiber capabilities extend nationwide. While it may make sense for a wireless operator to rely on its own infrastructure or a telecom partner in key markets, cable can help wireless companies fill in the remaining gaps as a strong third-party provider of cell tower backhaul capacity.
Cable’s fiber networks are an affordable alternative that wireless companies can consider for cell-tower backhaul support as data and voice traffic builds on their networks. Microwave backhaul technology can be cost-prohibitive given its per-megabit pricing and location costs associated with placing microwave infrastructure. Pricing for private line services that support backhaul needs also can be high, with costs for transmission speeds, central office termination and fiber transport distance charges adding up for wireless services.
Cable is ready to assist the wireless industry in tackling its cell tower backhaul needs with a fiber-based solution that leverages existing network resources, is cost-effective to use and meets the stringent requirements for wireless backhaul support. With its robust fiber networks already in place, cable can help the wireless industry avoid a backhaul bottleneck as mobile services become more complex and additional demands are placed on wireless networks.