August 26, 2011, 5:37 PM — This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter's approach.
The wide adoption of mobile social networking is driving a change in mobile usage, from voice calls and texts to content creation and consumption, at least in the consumer world. But for businesses, being able to use a smartphone to upload videos to Facebook isn't enough for IT decision-makers to go build a mobile strategy based on privatized LTE (Long Term Evolution), the leading 4G standard.
In order to woo enterprises, LTE must exhibit more than just enhanced browsing and social networking. Businesses want one of three things from 4G:
- To satisfy customer demand for mobile browsing in high-traffic public venues, like stadiums, airports and convention centers.
- To improve operational efficiency, by replacing wired desks with mobile phones/workstations or by mobilizing critical enterprise applications, like patient or security monitoring tools.
- To create a new revenue stream by generating revenue from every guest/visitor/employee served by a local enterprise LTE network -- this obviously requires new core network functions that can "count" data usage of users in specific locations and relate these back to the enterprise as a rebate of sorts.
OUTLOOK: LTE in 2011: Curb your enthusiasm
If LTE is to actually meet these goals, it needs to be able to ensure coverage indoors and deliver reliability backed up by Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Without indoor coverage and SLAs, LTE can never meet the needs of critical applications, like those used by hospitals.
Finally, the enterprise needs LTE to work for them, not just for the carriers. This means privatized LTE networks that exist much like a restricted wireless LAN, where data stays on-site and doesn't make the trip back to the carrier's hub, reducing the risk of security breaches and driving costs down.
So what does this mean for LTE?
LTE indoors and out
The past few years have shown that the bulk of cellular data usage is coming not from outdoors, but indoors. This trend will continue with LTE, especially as the enterprise begins to look at the service as a parallel network to existing connectivity solutions.
LTE does, however, need help to penetrate indoors for the enterprise. To reach equivalent WLAN performance from indoor LTE, enterprises need to take one of two approaches (possibly subsidized by carriers looking to push LTE adoption):
- A femtocell or picocell array that would provide additional coverage indoors. While cost-effective, these technologies cannot provide a guaranteed SLA and don't offer consistent coverage throughout larger facilities.
IN DEPTH: LTE performance will hings on picocell backhaul
- A distributed antenna system (DAS) provides more "blanket" coverage indoors but is not exactly inexpensive. This is changing, however, as more DAS providers examine new ways to leverage existing technologies to extend LTE coverage, which will drive down the cost.
LTE and SLAs
SLAs are common enough in IT, covering everything from email to voice services. Cellular services, however, are treated much differently. Because of the consumer-centric nature of wireless services, SLAs have not been seen as important.
