Huawei SingleRAN

Huawei SingleRANis aradio access network(RAN) technology offered byHuaweithat allowsmobile telecommunications operatorsto support multiplemobile communications standardsand wireless telephone services on a single network. The technology incorporates asoftware-defined radiodevice, and is designed with a consolidated set of hardware components, allowing operators to purchase, operate and maintain a single telecommunications network and set of equipment, while supporting multiple mobile communications standards.

History

Huawei began to develop its SingleRAN technology in order to address network operators' demand for improved cost efficiency in managing telecommunications network sites, spectrum, pipeline and staff.In 2008, the company introduced the industry's first commercial SingleRAN product,which allowed mobile operators to switch fromGSMtoUMTSnetwork standards or use both simultaneously.That year Huawei also launched a commercial network based on SingleRAN that offered simultaneousCDMAandLTEmodes.

Deployment

In May 2009,América Móvil,the largest mobile operator in Latin America, deployed Huawei's SingleRAN GSM and UMTS system inPanama,providing its customers with voice and data services from GSM and UMTS networks simultaneously. According toThe Economist,América Móvil found that the power consumption of itsbase stationswas reduced by 50% and the volume of equipment it needed was reduced by 70%, following deployment of Huawei's SingleRAN hardware.

In June 2009, Huawei's SingleRAN technology was selected byTeliaSonerafor Europe's first GSM/UMTS network withsoftware-defined radio(SDR) technology.TeliaSonera used Huawei SingleRAN to provide its subscribers inFinlandwith both GSM and UMTS services using the same900MHz spectrum.Later that year, in December 2009, TeliaSonera also used Huawei's SingleRAN LTE technology to launch the world's first LTE commercial network inNorway.That same month,Net4Mobilityselected Huawei SingleRAN GSM system to deploy their GSM/LTE 900 MHz SDR network inSweden.

Developments

In March 2010, Huawei achieved what it stated is a world-record 1.2 Gbit/s download speed on a demo network built around Huawei's prototype SingleRAN LTE-Advanced device.In November that year, the company released a new SingleRAN technology, enabling operators to migrate betweenWiMAXandLTE TDDnetworks.That same month, Aero2 selected Huawei's SingleRAN technology to deploy the world's first GSM and LTE1800MHzSDR network inPoland,which was due to become operational in early 2011.

In the first half of 2011, Huawei launched a SingleRAN system that supported both WiMAX and LTE.To date, Huawei has deployed over 130 SingleRAN networks worldwidefor global network operators includingTelefónica,O2 Germany,China Unicom,America Movil,Telenor,Net4Mobility and TeliaSonera.

Products

Huawei has developed and provides four SingleRAN products for mobile network operators. According to Huawei, SingleRAN GSM is designed for mobile operators using GSM networks, allowing them to simultaneously offer GSM with UMTS or LTE. The product also aims to prepare operators for future evolution of technology, including moving to mobile broadband networks.Huawei's SingleRAN LTE allows mobile service operators to migrate to LTE networks, and also continue to offer GSM, EDGE, UMTS or HSPA. The technology provides download speeds of up to 100 Mbit/s.The SingleRAN@Broad system was launched by Huawei at theMobile World Congressin Barcelona in February 2010. This product helps operators to accommodate large increases in mobile broadband traffic and reduce the per-bit costs of network operation. According to Huawei, SingleRAN@Broad is capable of increasing operators’ mobile broadband capacity to handle high traffic generated bysmartphonesand similar devices.In November 2010, Huawei released SingleRAN WiMAX/LTE TDD, which allows operators to migrate from WiMAX to LTE TDD networks by configuring the technology as either a WiMAX module, a LTE TDD module, or a dual-mode module.

In addition to the SingleRAN products for mobile telecommunications operators, Huawei also offers a SingleRAN product aimed at railway transport systems. SingleRAN GSM-R is a suite of communications technologies that are designed to improve telecommunications performance through long tunnels, over very long distances, and in high-traffic areas. Huawei began researching GSM-R technologies in 2001 and, according toCellular News,is "one of only a few" GSM-R network providers in the world.

Awards

In September 2009, Huawei's SingleRAN Dual-Mode Remote Radio Unit 3808 won an InfoVision award in the category of “New Product Concepts” from the International Engineering Consortium (IEC) at the Broadband World Forum inParis.The following year, at the Broadband World Forum in October 2010, Huawei's SingleRAN@Broad technology was awarded the 2010 InfoVision Award in the category of “Broadband Access Network Technologies and Services”.In May 2011, Huawei's SingleRAN 5-Band 3-Mode 1-Cabinet technology (BTS 3900L) won the “Best LTE Network Elements” award at the LTE World Summit.In June 2011, Huawei won a 2011 CDMA Development Group (CDG) Industry Achievement Award for its SingleRAN CDMA/LTE technology in the category of “Innovation in Network Technology and Mobile Applications.”