APPLICATION NOTE www.adc.com • +1-952-938-8080 • 1-800-366-3891 LoopStar ® SONET Access System Cell Site Backhaul Aggregation and Transport Overview One of the greatest challenges facing mobile operators today is reducing the cost of the backhaul portion of their network, while increasing reliability and revenue generating opportunities. Additionally, mobile operators need to be sure that the backhaul transport solution is capable of addressing the traditional 1 and 2G-based Radio Access Networks (RANs) as well as the 3G-based RANs. The number of 3G-based RANs will grow driven by new services with higher bandwidth that enable end-users to get broadband access through their mobile devices. Traditionally, the backhaul portion of the mobile wireless network has consisted largely of multiple, leased T1 lines or privately owned microwave connections that backhaul traffic from base-station transceiver subsystems (BTS) to mobile switching centers (MSCs). These solutions are expensive and not easily scalable. Therefore, with SONET and DS3 connections becoming more affordable, mobile operators have begun implementing, either on their own or through a local exchange carrier (LEC), a complete backhaul solution, including traffic grooming and multiplexing. Previously, much of the traffic grooming and multiplexing has been handled at a DS0 to DS1 level. For cellular voice traffic this has been acceptable; however, as 3G rollouts begin, the bandwidth required by new applications will require traffic grooming and multiplexing at DS1 rates and above, as well as IP/Ethernet connectivity. Wireless carriers estimate that the roll out of data services will require increasing backhaul capacity 25 percent. With the existing and new traffic requirements at a given cell site, multiple point-to-point T1 connections would be required for transporting existing services, and a Gigabit Ethernet (or optical 100BaseT) or DS-3 connection would be required to transport data from each 2.5G/3G site. Consolidating this traffic onto a common optical transport backbone, can save a mobile operator as much as 50 percent in backhaul transport costs. By owning the network and aggregating the traffic, the mobile operator hands off a single connection to the MSC and a single connection to the Internet instead of multiple, costly, point-to-point connections. For mobile operators, ADC’s LoopStar SONET solution provides the perfect combination of service flexibility, network reliability, and cost-savings to address both current and future cell site backhaul needs. 9/06 • 103322AE LoopStar SONET Acess System LoopStar ® SONET Acess System Cell Site Backhaul Aggregation and Transportation 2 www.adc.com • +1-952-938-8080 • 1-800-366-3891 Service Flexibility The introduction of 3G data services will create a significant increase in bandwidth requirements. Mobile operators need to be able to migrate to these new services while continuing to serve their existing customers. In order to efficiently add transport services, a LoopStar 800 is needed that can aggregate traffic from existing DS0 DACS and provide Ethernet connectivity for new, data-based services. With the LoopStar 800’s grooming capabilities, carriers and/or operators can efficiently scale the bandwidth added at each site in increments as low as 1.5 Mbps. Likewise, data services can be offered using the LoopStar 800’s 10/100/1000BaseT Ethernet card. Network Reliability Mobile operators currently receive between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in annual revenue from a single cell site, and reliability is a top priority. The LoopStar 800’s SONET interfaces provide 1+1 LAPS or UPSR protection. In addition, tributary protection is provided for TDM interfaces. For a DS1 card, it is 1:n (n=1, 2, or 3) and for a DS3 card, it is 1:n (n=1 or 2). Although the LoopStar 800 provides no Ethernet protection, operators can deploy two cards and run spanning tree transparently across the SONET network. With its protection flexibility, the LoopStar 800 provides one of the most reliable and versatile products available for use in cell site backhaul applications. Aggregation Mobile operators require aggregation throughout their networks to minimize connection costs and simplify management of the network. Typically, there are T1s coming from multiple cell sites and multiple T3s coming from microwave sites. The density of connections can be quite high at these sites. Also, traffic grooming at the T1 level is critical because the T3s from the microwave sites are frequently channelized with the T1s inside not always going to the same destination(s). Therefore, equipment at these sites must be capable of providing a significant number of T1 and T3 connections and still be able to groom the traffic effectively. Radio Cell Site Cell Site Tower Ethernet TDM Network DS1 DS3 SONET OC-3/12 Data Network Moble Switching Telephone Office SONET OC-3/12 Radio L o opStar 800 Cell Site Cell Site Tower Analog/Digital 3G GPS/EDGE LoopStar 800 SONET OC-3/12 DS1s 4 LoopSta r 800 9/06 • 103322AE LoopStar SONET Acess System LoopStar ® SONET Acess System Cell Site Backhaul Aggregation and Transportation 3 www.adc.com • +1-952-938-8080 • 1-800-366-3891 The LoopStar 800 and 1600 provide the capability to effectively mux and groom traffic at key aggregation points within the mobile operator’s network. Both platforms can be equipped with DS1 cards and DS3 transmux cards, which enable mobile operators to re-groom the payload of the T3s coming from the microwave sites. The LoopStar 1600 satisfies applications requiring 84 or more DS1s and up to 48 DS3s. The LoopStar 800 is a more cost-effective means of providing up to 84 DS1s, 24 DS3s, or various combinations of both. Cost-Savings Traditionally, mobile operators spend roughly 20-30% of their engineering budget on backhaul. U.S. wireless carriers will spend over $2 billion on backhaul in 2006. Since SONET and DS3 connections have become cheaper, there are now definite cost-savings associated with aggregating traffic at BTS sites for transport back to the MSC. The LoopStar 800’s ability to efficiently aggregate T1s as well as data traffic can significantly reduce the mobile operators network expense. Instead of multitudes of costly T1 connections, the LoopStar 800 aggregates T1s and Ethernet traffic across the SONET network and hands them off at the Central Office as a single DS3 (using the Transmux card) to the MSC or as a 10/100/1000BaseT Ethernet connection to the Internet . Due to the varying amounts and types of equipment that may exist at a cell site, remote management may be required necessitating an extra T1 or a LAN connection. In addition to achieving real cost- savings by aggregating the customer’s TDM and data traffic across the SONET infrastructure, remote management connectivity for existing equipment can also be transported cost effectively via the LoopStar SONET payload. The management traffic is securely mapped into one or more DS1s or VLANs for transport to the Network Operations Center (NOC). Additionally, the LoopStar 800 can monitor up to eight housekeeping alarms at a cell site. The LoopStar 800 reports these alarms over the Data Communications Channel (DCC) to the NOC, further reducing costs by eliminating the need to send a technician to the site. Summary In summary, the LoopStar SONET solution enables mobile operators to drastically reduce their costs and operational concerns surrounding cell site backhaul. The LoopStar 800 accomplishes this through efficient aggregation and transport of legacy TDM services and 2.5/3G data services, which eliminates the need for dedicated, point-to-point connections to each cell site. Finally, the LoopStar 800’s cost effectiveness and ease of management make it ideal for mobile operators who are considering owning the SONET backhaul network and for carriers who provide backhaul services to mobile operators. APPLICATION NOTE Web Site: www.adc.com From North America, Call Toll Free: 1-800-366-3891 • Outside of North America: +1-952-938-8080 Fax: +1-952-917-3237 • For a listing of ADC’s global sales office locations, please refer to our web site. ADC Telecommunications, Inc., P.O. Box 1101, Minneapolis, Minnesota USA 55440-1101 Specifications published here are current as of the date of publication of this document. Because we are continuously improving our products, ADC reserves the right to change specifications without prior notice. At any time, you may verify product specifications by contacting our headquarters office in Minneapolis. ADC Telecommunications, Inc. views its patent portfolio as an important corporate asset and vigorously enforces its patents. Products orfeatures contained herein may be covered by one or more U.S. or foreign patents. An Equal Opportunity Employer 103322AE 9/06 Revision © 2005, 2006 ADC Telecommunications, Inc. All Rights Reserved . future cell site backhaul needs. 9/06 • 103322AE LoopStar SONET Acess System LoopStar ® SONET Acess System Cell Site Backhaul Aggregation and Transportation. LoopSta r 800 9/06 • 103322AE LoopStar SONET Acess System LoopStar ® SONET Acess System Cell Site Backhaul Aggregation and Transportation 3 www.adc.com • +1-952-938-8080