Network planning and optimization company AIRCOM International says that HSPA+ could make short-term commercial sense to a wide range of 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) operators contemplating their mobile broadband network migration strategies, with ROI (return on investment) and new pricing models the key factors.
AIRCOM notes that as operators continue to address the rapidly increasing demand for mobile data, further attention and financial investment has been committed to upgrade existing network infrastructure. With peak download speeds above 100Mbps being suggested, LTE (Long Term Evolution) has been widely hailed as the panacea for operators’ congestion troubles. Based on in-depth analysis of network infrastructure requirements, however, AIRCOM says it has identified HSPA+ as a compelling alternative for operators’ mobile broadband strategies.
Available today, the technology offers up to 21Mbps without any additional antenna infrastructure or second carrier, and according to AIRCOM, enables users to experience mobile broadband around five times faster than the current average of 3.6Mbps. HSPA+ also allows mobile operators to control service provisioning and prioritisation, delivering Quality of Experience (QoE) and Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees, the company says.
AIRCOM adds that HSPA+ deployments offers significantly reduced CAPEX investment compared to LTE, since HSPA+ allows for re-use of existing HSPA infrastructure and antenna systems. The reduction for a UK operator could be as much as £345m in 12 months, it says, while for a US operator, it could be as much as $1.19bn in the same timeframe.
AIRCOM services director (product management), Fabricio Martinez, says: “There is great pressure on operators to upgrade their networks and improve the level of service they deliver to consumers and enterprise customers. The so-called ‘iPhone effect’ is piling pressure on to existing infrastructure. There is a real and immediate need for operators to upgrade their networks, but LTE is not the answer – today at least. 
“HSPA+ is able to meet – and exceed – current data demands, delivering a theoretical maximum of 21Mbps and an average experience of around 16Mbps. With average mobile broadband users experiencing around 3.6Mbps, this is a significant increase.
Martinez says the increase in speed enables operators to combat price erosion, and offer sophisticated service provisioning. “As operators are able to prioritise data traffic and users, QoE can be assured, data speeds can be controlled, and we will see a tiered pricing model emerge, mirroring the fixed line broadband business,” he says. Due to the low CAPEX investment and new revenue opportunities, Martinez says that deployment of HSPA+ will allow operators to see ROI in three years, by which point, it will make sense to upgrade to LTE, when that technology’s ecosystem has matured, devices have come to market, and equipment prices have reduced.
