Today, mobile operators are facing trends that are rapidly transforming their networks and, in some cases, even their business models. These trends include:
- An explosion in the number of smartphones on the network;
- Dramatic uptake in mobile broadband data services, often at fixed prices; and
- The rise of the mobile Open Internet and the widespread use of Web 2.0 applications on mobile networks.
The consequent increase in data traffic is causing a dramatic increase in costs that is outpacing the revenue gathered from mostly flat-rate data plans. This dynamic is driving: a) the evolution of access networks such as LTE that will support more data volume more cost effectively than even today’s 3G networks; and b) network migration from TDM to more cost-effective IP, which will be used widely in LTE networks.
But regardless of which access technology is being used, the cost of backhaul is one of the biggest pain points for mobile operators worldwide and the growth in traffic has exposed scalability limits of traditional leased copper lines.
The need to add backhaul capacity at existing sites, as well as the proliferation of sites due to cell splitting and microcell underlays has driven a renewed priority on identifying cost effective backhaul approaches that are reliable, scalable, quick to deploy and readily available. And, of course, those approaches should accommodate operators’ plans to move from TDM to IP over time, be it in one year or ten.
That’s where Exalt comes in. All of Exalt’s microwave products, including the new ExtendAir® and ExploreAir™ systems, are carrier-class systems designed to operate to the highest performance and availability standards, regardless of band.
And with the ability to natively support any combination of TDM and Ethernet traffic, all Exalt radio systems are designed to keep pace with network evolution and migration plans. Exalt backhaul radio systems are available in frequencies from 2 to 40 GHz and in capacities up to 1 Gbps, providing a range of options to fit countless mobile backhaul scenarios from edge to core.