Microwave Engineering Europe - January/February 2009 - (Page 23)

WiFi RAN 23 Wi-Fi: mobile feature or fundamental RAN? By Steve Shaw, VP of Market Development, Kineto Wireless It’s UMA/GAN technology that makes Wi-Fi a RAN technology, extending the mobile network over IP. Here’s why Wi-Fi is poised to become the highest-performance, lowest-cost, indoor RAN technology on the market. ireless communication is a given in today’s connected world. With more than 3 billion mobile subscribers, the consumer demand for mobility is clear. Such technologies as GSM, CDMA, EV-DO, and UMTS (and soon LTE), have blanketed the globe with wireless coverage so that subscribers never have to be out of touch. There is a natural inﬂection point between indoor and outdoor environments, however, and a wireless network optimized for ubiquitous global coverage may not be ideal for delivering wireless services indoors. While cellular has been the undisputed king of outdoor wireless services to date, Wi-Fi dominates the indoor market. According to market research ﬁrm ABI, more than 300 million Wi-Fi chipsets across a range of consumer products, including routers and phones, were shipped in 2007. ABI estimates that number will grow to more than 1 billion units by 2012. Meanwhile, a recent consumer electronics study commissioned by the European Union revealed that Wi-Fi is well entrenched in homes. The report detailed that nearly half (46 percent) of internet-connected homes across the 27 European Union member countries already use Wi-Fi. The report also noted an incredible 12 percent increase from the 2006 study, as operators and consumers alike demand Wi-Fi for in-building wireless. Adding Wi-Fi to mobile phones As subscribers become familiar with mobile phones and mobile services, they are beginning to expect more than simple telephone calls. This is pushing operators to deliver more bandwidth for media-rich applications and putting added strain on the cellular network. Given the incredible presence of Wi-Fi in consumer homes and ofﬁces, it’s natural to consider bringing the two technologies together. Mobile phones, the largest consumer electronics market in the world, have actually W been quite slow to adopt Wi-Fi technology. Of the more than one billion units shipped in 2007, estimates are that roughly 25 million are shipped with Wi-Fi. However, ABI Research projects that the number of Wi-Fi enabled handsets could grow to more than 500 million units by 2012. Lack of Wi-Fi in handsets is generally attributed to the tepid reaction of some operators towards Wi-Fi in general. As an unlicensed radio technology, Wi-Fi is often viewed as potentially difﬁcult to manage or control. But the reaction is starting to change. Companies like Research in Motion (RIM) and Apple have truly embraced WiFi as a core technology platform for their newest devices. More importantly, the companies have been able to highlight the advantages of Wi-Fi to mobile operators, and consumers are racing to grab them up. A key trend in the increasing use of Wi-Fi in new smartphones is the rise of ﬂat-rate pricing for mobile data plans. This is a major shift away from the draconian ‘perbyte’ pricing originally developed by mobile operators. Because these devices heavily rely on packet services, a consumer purchasing an iPhone or a BlackBerry is required to sign up for an unlimited data plan for a ﬂat rate, typically $30/month. It becomes the best interest of the operator to ofﬂoad as much data trafﬁc as possible onto a local Wi-Fi network. The consumer is paying for data services, regardless of the transport means. Bytes carried over Wi-Fi are bytes not carried over the more expensive outdoor macro network. For its part, RIM continues to be a vocal advocate for Wi-Fi. At the company’s recent investor conference, co-CEO Jim Balsillie said he sees ‘unbelievable potential’ in Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi: feature or fundamental RAN? Wi-Fi in a mobile phone is typically viewed as a feature of the device rather than a fundamental RAN element akin to the GSM or UMTS radio. This is certainly the case with Apple’s iPhone. The iPhone automatically manages the Wi-Fi connection in the home, providing a near-seamless ofﬂoad of Internet trafﬁc and applications. A YouTube video played on an iPhone at home will likely be ● Microwave Engineering Europe ● January/February 2009 www.mwee.com http://www.mwee.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Microwave Engineering Europe - January/February 2009

Microwave Engineering Europe - January 2009 News Contents Comment Using KPIs to Ensure Quality in a Converging Network Amplifier Error Vector Magnitude Characterisation Using High-Speed Modular PXI Instruments GPS: Making a Play for Femtocells Accelerating Global WiMAX Adoption: The Move to Picocell and Femtocell Base Stations Addressing PA Efficiency for Multi-Mode Wideband Handset Applications Wi-Fi: Mobile Feature or Fundamental RAN? Products Calendar

Microwave Engineering Europe - January/February 2009

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