Leading Edge

When microwave meets the IP wave

When microwave meets the IP wave

The popularity of 3G networks has culminated in increased demands for IP and broadband services across mobile networks. However, this causes bottlenecks in conventional microwave systems. Existing bandwidth fails to meet service development and is unable to support Ethernet packet services.
By Li Jiangling

Paving the way for IP backhaul

urrent backhaul networks must efficiently transport existing networks E1 services, HSPAbased broadband ser vices, and dynamic Ethernet packet services. IP microwave technology has emerged to fulfill these needs. IP microwave incorporates adaptive modulation (AM) to directly map packet signals onto an air interface. Microwave

systems are in development that can transmit IP services and large service volumes to transport networks, but they require cuttingedge IP microwave technologies. The All-IP oriented IP microwave system adopts packet switching as its core technology under which the air interface fully adopts packet technology. AM greatly improves the efficiency and capacity of packet data transmission by offering high bandwidth and dynamically adapting the packet microwave to different weather conditions, such as rain and fog. Technologies such as AM, layered QoS,

and high frequency modulation (256QAM) achieve this without interrupting existing TDM/ATM service transmission.

Benefits of packet microwave

Operators can utilize advanced packet microwave technologies to enhance mobile broadband service transmission in a number of ways.

Improving bandwidth utilization

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Huawei Communicate

The IP microwave system not only improves the bandwidth multiplexing and transport efficiency, but also supports burst service transmission via a packet switching kernel, a packet air interface, and statistical multiplexing technology. It optimizes the microwave frame structure and link protocol in a way that reduces OPEX and handles larger traffic volumes despite the limited bandwidth of microwave air interfaces.

AM lowers TCO
Compared with identical transport conditions in a traditional TDM microwave system, the IP system maximizes different services availability allocation ratio through AM by expanding transport bandwidth. AM adjusts transport bandwidth for low priority Ethernet packet services and maintains bandwidth for high priority E1 voice services. The IP microwave system automatically changes modulation mode (for example, from 256QAM to 16QAM) in unfavorable weather conditions to ensure error-free bit communications. Microwave air interface bandwidth decreases to protect high priority services, while blocking low priority services. Favorable weather conditions stimulate a recovery in transport link quality and the system automatically resumes its original bit rate to transmit all services. Thus, AM technology implements condition-based bandwidth adjustments across the microwave air interface to help operators decrease frequency spectrum costs and reduce antenna weight, both of which lessen TCO.

When networks evolve from SDH to IP-based backhaul, factors such as traffic connection and synchronization must be considered; otherwise, expensive GPS modules are required for multicast broadcast multimedia services (MBMSs) including mobile TV in LTE TDD and LTE FDD. In some indoor cases, its impossible to get GPS resource because antenna installation is not viable. Current packet-based clock transfer technology is already advanced and can be applied to the IP-based microwave transmission system. Coupled with a PTN, this supports various packet-based clock transfer protocols including synchronous Ethernet and IEEE 1588v2, to realize network-wide E2E transmission and synchronization.

Smooth evolution
Huawei has innovatively integrated the TDM, hybrid, and packet microwave systems into a single system that smoothly transits conventional microwave to packet microwave. Huawei is also the only vendor offering the capability to provide seamless evolution from TDM, hybrid to pure packet microwave.

preferred solution during mobile transport network transformation should incorporate packet switching capability into existing TDM microwave equipment. After data services emerge as the major concern of mobile transport networks and all interfaces are technologically IP-based, the hybrid microwave system can completely function as a packet microwave system. This maximally extends system life cycle and decreases CAPEX. All-IP of mobile broadband services will catalyze a massive increase in data services. This tends to promote an IP core as the mainstream choice, underpinned by an effective OAM mechanism from the IP Core to the IP RAN. The hybrid mode will gradually fail to meet holistic IP mobile network maintenance, encouraging the hybrid mode to smoothly evolve to an all packet mode.

Packet microwave for 3G/LTE

The packet microwave mode converts services from TDM to circuit emulation services (CESs) that are then mapped onto the microwave frame. The synchronous clock transfer specific to the Huawei packet mode supports synchronous Ethernet and IEEE 1588v2. Clock frequency accuracy exceeds +/-0.05ppm and phase synchronization occurs in under 1ms to meet the requirements of various radio mobile bearer networks. The microwave transport network has developed from TDM microwave to hybrid microwave; this will inevitably evolve into a packet microwave network and become the preferred microwave transport solution for operators. Packet microwave networks yield the best performance/cost ratio, safeguard existing network investment, support flexible upgrades, and ensure compatibility. Packet microwave equipment represents the optimal choice for future All-IP service transmission should operators choose to construct their own IP transport networks. As the only vendor able to provide TDM microwave equipment, hybrid microwave e q u i p m e n t , a n d p a c k e t m i c r ow a v e equipment, Huawei is positioned to assist operators construct a cost-effective microwave transport network capable of sustaining commercial growth.
Editor: Michael huangzhuojian@huawei.com
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Hybrid microwave for 2G/3G

Given that TDM/ATM services and Ethernet packet services will coexist over the long-term, hybrid microwave transport forms an effective choice for operators as the air interface can encapsulate TDM and packet services into a unified microwave frame prior to transmission. The hybrid microwave supports three types of air interface modes: TDM, hybrid (TDM + packet), and packet. The Huawei hybrid microwave features high bandwidth, optimum performance, and adaptive modulation to enable operators existing networks to develop into hybrid packet microwave transport networks and ease network transition pressures. During the initial phase of evolving 2G networks to 3G, voice services still dominate mobile service provision and data services are negligible. In order to safeguard existing equipment investment and ensure existing voice service transmission, the

Unified multi-service transport

Conventional 2G networks are based on TDM, 3G R99/R4, and now ATM. 3G R5/R6/LTE/WiMAX networks are transiting to IP-based networking, under which TDM, ATM, Ethernet, and other services can coexist in the long term. The IP microwave system carries existing services and realizes unified service transmission through E2E hybrid technology or pseudo wire emulation edge to edge (PWE3) to decrease equipment investment and O&M costs and complexity.

Packet-based clock synchronization

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