New iGR Study Details the Complexities of Managing the 4G LTE Evolved Packet Core

AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwire - Sep 10, 2012) - The world's mobile networks are quickly evolving from 3G to 4G technologies, specifically Long Term Evolution (LTE). Over the next few years, LTE will move from initial trials to providing commercial service in each region of the world. The impact on the operators' business models will be profound as subscribers move from services primarily based on voice and limited data to higher speed data services (including VoIP). This means, in effect, that in a few short years, the majority of revenue for many large operators will come from data services, not voice.

While 3G networks are well understood, the same cannot be said of LTE. The LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC) is relatively complex (even though it is all IP) compared to the 3G SSGN/GGSN/PDSN (the mobile Server Gateway Nodes for UMTS and CDMA networks respectively). This increased complexity, and the need to maintain the legacy 3G network while migrating to LTE, presents new points of potential failure in the EPC for the operators.

iGR's new white paper, 4G LTE Network Management: The Reality of Evolved Packet Core Management, discusses the issues associated with managing the EPC, as well as the potential of the network monitoring switch as the solution to allow mobile operators to grow their networks efficiently and cost-effectively. This white paper is available free of charge on iGR's website, at www.iGR-inc.com/Media_Center/white_papers.asp.

iGR believes there are three issues that need to be addressed when managing the EPC, especially when it comes to monitoring:

• Management of, and access to, the large amounts of data collected for monitoring in the network as it scales beyond the initial deployment. This requires visibility across the entire network.
• Mobility and IP knowledge, resources and vendor expertise to analyze and take action on the information collected by the network probes.
• Variation in the type of traffic on the network -- operators are increasingly seeing more video, audio and application traffic on their networks which makes traffic modeling more difficult.

"One solution to the complexities of managing the EPC is for the mobile operator to deploy a network monitoring switch, which consolidates monitoring access to the EPC to provide end-to-end visibility and enables uninterrupted access to network traffic for the monitoring tools," said Iain Gillott, president and founder of iGR, a market research consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile industry. "This allows the mobile operators to get full benefit from their monitoring tools and maximize their investment."

The following key questions are addressed in the white paper:

• What is a typical 3G architecture?
• What is a typical LTE architecture?
• What is the LTE Evolved Packet Core (EPC)?
• What are the financial and business reasons to deploy LTE?
• What challenges surround the management of the LTE EPC?
• What is a network monitoring switch?
• How is a network monitoring switch used to manage the EPC?

This white paper, 4G LTE Network Management: The Reality of Evolved Packet Core Management, can be downloaded directly and free of charge from iGR's website at https://igr-inc.com/media_center/4G_LTE_white_paper.asp or from Ixia's website at www.ixiacom.com.

About iGR
iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry's leading analysts, in late 2000 as iGillottResearch, iGR is now entering its twelfth year of operation. iGR continuously researches emerging and existent technologies, technology industries, and consumer markets. We use our detailed research to offer a range of services to help companies improve their position in the marketplace, clearly define their future direction, and ultimately improve their bottom line.

A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.igr-inc.com.