AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - Jun 24, 2014) - Small cells and heterogeneous networks are a common topic of discussion in the wireless and mobile industry, as small cells are being deployed to provide additional coverage and capacity in order to meet the rising demand for mobile data. iGR's latest market study explores the various types of backhaul being considered for LTE small cell deployments and it also forecasts that the backhaul for these deployments in the North American market will grow at a CAGR of 166 percent over the next five years.
Because small cell deployments vary so greatly in location, there is no single solution for their backhaul. In order to choose a backhaul method for a small cell deployment, mobile operators must go through a decision process that weighs current need (coverage versus capacity and the bandwidth requirements) against initial cost, total cost of ownership, payback period and future scalability.
The main advantages for wired backhaul, fiber in particular, are: high throughput, low latency and substantial throughput scaling over time. But there are two significant challenges with fiber: it is not always where it is needed and it is relatively expensive to deploy. However, once fiber is in place, the incremental cost of adding new capacity is low. On the other hand, the main advantages for wireless backhaul, as compared to fiber, are: lower cost, faster (and easier) deployment and sufficiently scalable throughput (depending on the use case and technology chosen).
"LTE small cell deployments are expected to grow at a very high rate over the next five years," said Iain Gillott, president and founder of iGR, a market research consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile industry. "And for each small cell deployment, mobile operators will need to choose the best backhaul for that specific deployment."
iGR's new market study North American Backhaul Forecast for LTE Small Cells, 2013 - 2018 discusses the wireless and wired backhaul technologies available and the main market drivers for each type of backhaul to support small cells. It also presents iGR's North American forecast for wired and wireless backhaul to support LTE small cell deployments over the next five years.
The following key questions are addressed in the new market study:
- What is the anticipated growth of backhaul used to support LTE small cells in North America through 2018?
- How do the major mobile operators view wired and wireless backhaul?
- What are the major concerns of the mobile operators with regard to each type of backhaul and how can these concerns be addressed?
- What is the role for wired and wireless backhaul in small cell architectures?
- How is wired and wireless backhaul deployed?
- How do PTP, PMP, NLOS, millimeter wave and traditional microwave solutions differ?
- How do fiber (point to point and passive), VDSL2 and coaxial (hybrid fiber coax) differ?
- How does wireless backhaul compare to fiber backhaul?
The information in this report will be valuable for:
- Cellular carriers, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
- Mobile backhaul providers, including telcos and cable MSOs
- Wired and wireless backhaul vendors and solution providers
- Mobile OEMs, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
- Wired and wireless infrastructure vendors, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
- Financial and investment analysts
The new report can be purchased and downloaded directly from iGR's website at www.iGR-inc.com. Alternatively, contact Iain Gillott at (512) 263-5682 or at Iain@iGR-inc.com for additional details.
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 in its fourteenth 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.
iGR researches a range of wireless and mobile products and technologies, including: smartphones; tablets; mobile wearable devices; connected cars; mobile applications; bandwidth demand and use; small cell and het-net architectures; mobile EPC and RAN virtualization; DAS; LTE; VoLTE; IMS; NFC; GSM/GPRS/UMTS/HSPA; CDMA 1x/EV-DO; iDEN; SIP; macro-, pico- and femtocells; mobile backhaul; WiFi and WiFi offload; and SIM and UICC.
A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.igr-inc.com.
Contact Information:
Contact iGR
Iain Gillott
(512) 263-5682