Date: 13th Apr 2011

Telecom operators moving fast into all-IP/Ethernet backhaul, finds a survey

Market research firm Infonetics Research released its IP/Ethernet and Small Cell Backhaul Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, findings from which follow.

IP/Ethernet and Small Cell Backhaul survey highlights:
About 150 operators are actively deploying a single (no TDM) all-IP/Ethernet backhaul in some part of their network in 2011, up from 25 in 2009 and about 100 in 2010
In addition to the usual drivers for moving to all-IP/Ethernet backhaul (mobile broadband traffic, HSPA+, LTE planning, etc.), a new driver popped up in this year's survey: fixed mobile convergence (FMC), as carriers plan to optimize operations by converging mobile and fixed traffic in the same network
Compared to last year, more operators now are planning to use Pseudowires, dual TDM/Ethernet microwave, and EFM bonded copper for backhaul
Packet timing and synchronization is no longer a top barrier to deploying IP/Ethernet backhaul
Only 5% of respondents will deploy LTE microcells/picocells in 2011, and 37% more plan to deploy in 2012 or later; we are still very early in the game for LTE microcells/picocells

"In our IP/Ethernet and small cell backhaul survey, 58% of the operators we interviewed said they will deploy small cells (microcells and picocells) by the end of 2011, and 68% plan to in the future, a clear indication that small cells are a growing part of a total coverage/capacity/quality strategy for 3G," explains Michael Howard, principal analyst and co-founder of Infonetics Research.