U.S. Front/Backhaul Forecast, : Fiber in a 5G Diet. Market Study First Quarter 2017

Transcription

1 U.S. Front/Backhaul Forecast, : Fiber in a 5G Diet Market Study First Quarter 2017

2 U.S. Front/Backhaul Forecast, : Fiber in a 5G Diet Market Study Published First Quarter 2017 Version 1.0 Report Number: igr W. Hwy 71 Suite 350 PMB 341 Austin TX 78738

3 Table of Contents Abstract... 1 Executive Summary... 3 First choice is fiber, but wireless has a place... 4 Front/Backhaul concerns and issues... 4 U.S. Front/Backhaul Forecast... 6 Figure A: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Cell Sites, Figure B: U.S. Cell Front/Backhaul Forecast, Methodology... 9 Basic Mobile Operator Network Architecture Figure 1: Simple View of Backhaul and a Mobile Operator s Network Figure 2: Mobile Network Architecture with Fronthaul and Backhaul Location Key Front/Backhaul Requirements Impact of LTE and 5G on Backhaul Requirements Wired and Wireless Backhaul Options Figure 3: Cell Front/Backhaul Capabilities and Use Cases, Wired and Wireless Copper xdsl Coaxial cable / HFC Fiber Fiber Deployment Options PON and PTP Figure 4: Simplified Example of an All Fiber PON Figure 5: Simplified Example of a PTP Fiber Network Carrier Ethernet G.fast Wireless Backhaul Figure 6: Wireless as a Mobile Backhaul Solution Typical Mobile Backhaul Topologies Figure 7: Typical Mobile Backhaul Deployment Configurations Figure 8: Possible Small Cell Backhaul Topology, Dense Urban Point to Point (PTP) Figure 9: PTP Microwave Configuration Point to Multipoint (PtMP) Figure 10: Typical PtMP Configuration Non Line-of-Sight (NLOS) vs. Line-of-Sight (LOS) Licensed vs. Unlicensed Wireless Briefly: Millimeter Wave versus Microwave Figure 11: Millimeter Wave vs. Traditional Microwave The Case for and Against Wireless Front/Backhaul

4 Strengths Weaknesses Summary CPRI Figure 12: CPRI at the Macrocell and as Small Cell / CRAN What is CPRI? Figure 13: CPRI System & Interface Basics Figure 14: Functional Split in CPRI, Version Figure 15: Functional Split in CPRI, Version Figure 16: Dimensioning CPRI Links Why Use CPRI / Fronthaul? ecpri NGIF Figure 17: NGIF Diagram Figure 18: Splitting the Processing Front/Backhaul Related News AT&T Sprint T-Mobile Verizon Crown Castle U.S. Front/Backhaul Forecast Major Assumptions U.S. Cell Sites Deployed Table 1: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Cell Sites, Figure 19: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Macrocell and Small Cell Sites, Bandwidth Required Table 2: North American Bandwidth to be delivered per month (TB), Figure 20: North American Bandwidth to be delivered per month (TB), Front/Backhaul by Type Table 3: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Cell Sites by Type, Figure 21: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Cell Sites by Type, Figure 22: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Cell Sites by Type (Log), Macrocell Front/Backhaul Forecast Table 4: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Macrocells, by Type Figure 23: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Macrocells, by Type Table 5: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Macrocells, by Type (%) Figure 24: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Macrocells, by Type (%) Outdoor Small Cell Front/Backhaul Forecast Table 6: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Small Cells, by Type, Figure 25: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Small Cells, by Type, (Log scale) Table 7: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Small Cells, by Type, (%) Figure 26: Front/Backhaul Links Deployed to U.S. Small Cells, by Type, (%)

5 Mobile Front/Backhaul Vendor Profiles (Wireless and Wired) Cisco Ericsson Fujitsu Huawei NEC Nokia Networks Figure 27: Nokia Mobile Anyhaul Mobile Transport Solution ZTE Corporation Wired Mobile Front/Backhaul Vendor Profiles Accedian Networks Actelis Networks ADTRAN ADVA Optical Networking Brocade Networks Calix Canoga Perkins Celtro Communication Ltd Charter Communications / Spectrum Business Ciena CommScope Coriant Crown Castle DASAN Zhone Solutions ECI Telecom ExteNet Systems Fibrolan GENBAND Infinera IPITEK Juniper Networks Level 3 Communications Lightower Fiber Networks MRV Communications PalmettoNet, A Spirit Communications Company Positron Access Solutions RAD Data SOLiD TE Connectivity Telco Systems Wilcon Windstream Communications Zayo Wireless Mobile Front/Backhaul Vendor Profiles Airspan Networks Aviat Networks

6 BridgeWave Communications Cambium Networks Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited (CBNL) Communication Components, Inc. (CCI) CCS Ceragon Networks DragonWave E-Band Communications EBlink Exalt Wireless Fastback Networks Intracom Telecom LightPointe Wireless MAX4G Proxim Wireless RADWIN Siklu Tarana Wireless Vubiq Networks Definitions General Device Types Services Network Technology About IGR Disclaimer

7 Abstract LTE is giving way to LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro. 5G looms over the network strategies of mobile operators, as does the ongoing move toward CRAN, SDN and NFV. All of this along with many other factors drives the need for reliable, scalable and cost effective fronthaul and backhaul. While most macrocells have been upgraded to fiber, getting fiber to small cell sites can be expensive and difficult. Because small cell deployments can and will vary so greatly in type and location, no single backhaul solution is best for them. Although fiber has been the preferred solution for small cells to date, wireless backhaul solutions offer many advantages. The main advantages for wired backhaul, fiber in particular, are: high throughput, low latency and substantial throughput scaling over time. But there are two significant challenges with fiber: it is not always where it is needed and it is relatively expensive to deploy. However, once fiber is in place, the incremental cost of adding new capacity is relatively low. On the other hand, the main advantages for wireless backhaul, as compared to fiber, are: lower cost, faster (and easier) deployment and sufficiently scalable throughput (depending on the use case and technology chosen). This market study discusses the wireless and wired front/backhaul technologies available and the main market drivers for each type of backhaul to support macrocells and small cells. It also presents igr s U.S. forecast for wired and wireless front/backhaul to support the radio access network (RAN) over the next five years. Key questions addressed in this study: What is the anticipated growth of front/backhaul in the U.S. through 2021? What is the difference between fronthaul and backhaul? How is the type of front/backhaul split between fiber, wireless and copper? What is the forecast for front/backhaul to support outdoor small cell deployments? What are the major concerns of the mobile operators with regard to each type of backhaul and how can these concerns be addressed? What is the role for wired and wireless front/backhaul in small cell architectures? How is wired and wireless front/backhaul deployed? 1

8 How do PTP, PMP, NLOS, millimeter wave and traditional microwave solutions differ? How do fiber (point to point and passive), VDSL2 and coaxial (hybrid fiber coax) differ? How does wireless backhaul compare to fiber backhaul? How does wireless fronthaul compare to fiber fronthaul? What is CPRI and how may it change? This report is recommended for: Mobile operators, particularly those servicing the U.S. market Mobile backhaul providers, including telcos and cable MSOs Wired and wireless backhaul vendors and solution providers Mobile OEMs, particularly those servicing the U.S. market Wired and wireless infrastructure vendors, particularly those servicing the U.S. market Financial and investment analysts. 2