Saturday 29 September 2012
M2M-Related Standardization Bodies
Friday 28 September 2012
Tuesday 25 September 2012
LTE, M2M Device Addressing and IMSI
I was made aware of the following statement on the Verizon wireless brochure:
LTE’s inherent support for IPV6 addressing and IMSI-based telephone number identifiers makes mass deployments over LTE more easily achievable. The deployment of large numbers of mobile devices (think tens of thousands) becomes much more feasible because of LTE’s use of 15-digit IMSI telephone number identifiers for large-scale deployments, such as M2M or embedded wireless applications. 3G network technologies were limited by their use of 10-digit telephone number identifiers, which made large-scale deployments more difficult. With LTE, mass deployment of wireless services and applications, such as VoIP, smart metering, vending, and telematics, is now practical.
Now we know about the much touted 50 Billion connections by 2025 of which the majority would be M2M devices. So how are we going to handle the issue of addressing these many devices.
In the earlier presentation here, there was a mention of the direction for the solution as below:
The IMSI structure is as shown above. So depending on how it is used this can help alleviate the number shortage problem. 3GPP TR 23.888 gives the following information:
5.13 Key
Issue - MTC Identifiers
5.13.1 Use
Case Description
The amount of MTC Devices is expected to become 2 orders of
magnitude higher than the amount of devices for human to human communication
scenarios. This has to be taken into account for IMSI, IMEI and MSISDN.
Regulatory bodies indicate shortages of IMSIs
and MSISDNs.
The MTC Feature PS Only in TS 22.368 [2] includes
a requirement that PS Only subscriptions shall be possible without an MSISDN.
In principle an MSISDN is not used in any of the PS based signalling
procedures. However, it will have to be assured that all PS procedures indeed
work and subscriptions can be uniquely identified without providing an MSISDN.
Furthermore, TS 22.368 [2]
specifies that remote MTC Device configuration shall be supported for PS only
subscriptions without an MSDISDN assigned. Current remote MTC Device configuration solutions (i.e.
Device Management and Over-the-Air configuration) are based on SMS, which assumes the use of MSISDNs. So a solution to support remote MTC Device configuration that does not
require the use of MSISDNs is needed.
The identifiers can be categorised into:
- Internal Identifiers:
used within the 3GPP system to identify a UE using a subscription (or the
subscription itself e.g. when the
UE is not registered).
- External Identifiers: used from outside the 3GPP system (e.g. at the MTCsp
interface), to refer to a UE using a subscription (or the subscription itself
e.g. when the UE is not registered).
5.13.2 Required
Functionality
- It shall be possible to
uniquely identify the ME.
NOTE 1: This
requirement relates to the ME which is generally identified by the IMEI.
- It shall be possible to
uniquely identify the UE using a subscription or the subscription
itself.
NOTE 2: The two
requirements above also apply to human-to-human communications. However, for
Machine-Type Communication identifiers will have to be able to cater for a
number of identifiers up to two orders of magnitude higher than for
human-to-human communications.
- It shall be possible to use
the following identifiers:
1. IMSI,
for internal usage within the 3GPP operator domain, and either
2. E.164
MSISDN, for usage outside the 3GPP operator domain, or
3. Unique
identifier (e.g. FQDN), other than E.164 MSISDN, for usage outside the 3GPP operator
domain.
NOTE 3: Use of IMSI outside the 3GPP operator domain is an operator
option (i.e. not subject to standardization)
- If no (unique or common)
MSISDN is assigned to a PS only subscription, the Internal Identifier (IMSI) shall be used as charging identifier.
- It shall be possible to associate one or more External
Identifiers to the same Internal Identifier (e.g. several MSISDNs associated
with the same IMSI).
- Globally unique External Identifiers shall be supported for
identifying UEs used for MTC that must be globally reachable (i.e. irrespective
of which mobile operator owns the subscription)
- Operator specific External Identifiers (e.g. based on a private
numbering plan) may be supported for identifying UEs used for MTC that have to
be reachable only from the operator domain to which they are subscribed.
- The Internal Identifier shall be globally unique.
- Remote MTC Device
configuration shall still be supported for subscriptions without an MSISDN.
NOTE 4: Current remote MTC Device configuration
solutions (i.e. Device Management and Over-the-Air configuration) are based on SMS, which assumes
the use of MSISDNs.
Any more information on this subject, more than welcome.
Labels:
Deployment,
LTE,
M2M,
Verizon
Sunday 23 September 2012
Ovum: Global LTE Pricing Strategies
Here is another interesting presentation from the LTE World Summit:
Other related posts:
Other related posts:
- Right Pricing LTE ... and Mobile Broadband in general
- Right Pricing Mobile Broadband
Friday 21 September 2012
Cellular-Wi-Fi Integration - technology and standardization roadmap
Labels:
3GPP,
EPS,
Interdigital,
IWLAN,
Network Architecture,
Operators,
Security,
Small Cells,
Standards,
Wi-Fi
Wednesday 19 September 2012
"No-Edge Networks" and Multi-Stream Aggregation (MSA)
The following is from Huawei press release:
The LTE-Advanced Multi-Stream Aggregation (MSA) technology standard is capable of increasing data rates at the cell's edge. A key component of Huawei's "No-Edge Networks" concept, MSA technology coordinates macro cells to improve user data rates at the cell's edge and also between heterogeneous networking scenarios to improve peak rates and simplify mobile management to ensure a consistent user experience.
With the development of mobile broadband, operators are mostly concerned about user experience. With mobile coverage, should able to enjoy the same quality of services no matter where they are. However, with mobile communication systems, the most challenging issue is system performance at the cell's edge.
The concept behind Huawei's MSA technology is that the user is always able to receive downlink data and aggregate downlink data streams from a cell or cell group with the best signal quality. A similar method applies to uplink data, where the user always transmits uplink data to a cell or cell group with the best signal quality. The uplink data streams are aggregated on the network side.
Huawei's MSA technology reduces the number of handovers, lowering device power transmission and increasing device standby time. These advantages are in accordance with the concept of delivering a "borderless network" and "green" wireless communications. It's expected that MSA technology will improve system performance at the cell's edge by almost 30%.
MSA technology is especially suitable for macro-micro HetNets. In hotspot area, macro cells provide basic LTE coverage while the micro cells provides capacity enhancement. The use of MSA technology allows users to receive controlled signaling from macro cells and services from best quality HetNet cell. Users at any location within the network can then enjoy fast and stable data services with ultra broadband, zero waiting and ubiquitous connectivity. MSA technology brings users high speeds and high quality as well as a simple service experience.
The advanced MSA technology proposed by Huawei is set to become a key feature of the evolution to 3GPP LTE-Advanced standards. Huawei has contributed 293 core standards to the 3GPP LTE/LTE-Advanced standardization process, 20% of the global total and the most of any other company.
I wasnt able to find much information but there is this couple of slides that were submitted in Rel-12 workshop that is embedded below:
What do you think of this feature?
The LTE-Advanced Multi-Stream Aggregation (MSA) technology standard is capable of increasing data rates at the cell's edge. A key component of Huawei's "No-Edge Networks" concept, MSA technology coordinates macro cells to improve user data rates at the cell's edge and also between heterogeneous networking scenarios to improve peak rates and simplify mobile management to ensure a consistent user experience.
With the development of mobile broadband, operators are mostly concerned about user experience. With mobile coverage, should able to enjoy the same quality of services no matter where they are. However, with mobile communication systems, the most challenging issue is system performance at the cell's edge.
The concept behind Huawei's MSA technology is that the user is always able to receive downlink data and aggregate downlink data streams from a cell or cell group with the best signal quality. A similar method applies to uplink data, where the user always transmits uplink data to a cell or cell group with the best signal quality. The uplink data streams are aggregated on the network side.
Huawei's MSA technology reduces the number of handovers, lowering device power transmission and increasing device standby time. These advantages are in accordance with the concept of delivering a "borderless network" and "green" wireless communications. It's expected that MSA technology will improve system performance at the cell's edge by almost 30%.
MSA technology is especially suitable for macro-micro HetNets. In hotspot area, macro cells provide basic LTE coverage while the micro cells provides capacity enhancement. The use of MSA technology allows users to receive controlled signaling from macro cells and services from best quality HetNet cell. Users at any location within the network can then enjoy fast and stable data services with ultra broadband, zero waiting and ubiquitous connectivity. MSA technology brings users high speeds and high quality as well as a simple service experience.
The advanced MSA technology proposed by Huawei is set to become a key feature of the evolution to 3GPP LTE-Advanced standards. Huawei has contributed 293 core standards to the 3GPP LTE/LTE-Advanced standardization process, 20% of the global total and the most of any other company.
I wasnt able to find much information but there is this couple of slides that were submitted in Rel-12 workshop that is embedded below:
What do you think of this feature?
Labels:
HetNets,
Huawei,
LTE-Advanced,
Release 12
Tuesday 18 September 2012
Tech Quotes we should know about - #TechQuotes
“My God, it's full of stars!” - David Bowman 2001: A Space Odyssey
Clarke's Three Laws:
Arthur C. Clarke formulated the following three "laws" of prediction:
- When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is probably wrong.
- The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
- Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
“Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases:
1. It's completely impossible.
2. It's possible, but it's not worth doing.
3. I said it was a good idea all along.”
Arthur C Clarke
“Anyone who has lost track of time when using a computer knows the propensity to dream, the urge to make dreams come true and the tendency to miss lunch.” - Tim Berners-Lee
“The future is already here.”
“It’s just not evenly distributed.”
William Gibson
“Computers make excellent and efficient servants, but I have no wish to serve under them.” - Spock, Star Trek
Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal. - Albert Einstein
If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? - Albert Einstein
"Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do." - Russell Kirsch, inventor of the first internally programmable computer and process for displaying images digitally
The best way to predict the future is to invent it. -- Alan Kay
"Man is the lowest-cost, 150-pound, nonlinear, all-purpose computer system which can be mass-produced by unskilled labor." - NASA in 1965
“New technology is common, new thinking is rare.” - Sir Peter Blake
“The interface between man and machine … is more important than the power of the man or the power of the machine in determining overall capability.” — Shyam Sankar
Further Reading:
- Tech Laws we should all know about - 3G4G
- What are some of the best quotes on Technology? - Quora
- Finest Technology Quotes
- Quotes about Technology - TED
- 10 Educational Technology Quotes - TeachBytes
Please feel free to add more quotes sites via comments.
Sunday 16 September 2012
10 Billion out of 50 Billion - The Connected World
Remember the mantra of 50 Billion connected devices (blogged here and here) but 202x, apparently 10Billion are already here. The above slide is from a latest presentation by Chetan Sharma Consulting (embedded below). There are already 7 Billion mobile devices (phones + dongles) and 3 Billion others. The number of others will increase with M2M being the main focus and is touted as the next big thing, especially with LTE. 3GPP is focussing very heavily on standardising the MTC and is working on new features in upcoming releases.
Coming back to the topic of connected world, the presentation is embedded below and is a good read.
Labels:
Connected World,
Stats,
USA
Friday 14 September 2012
M-health and LTE
The last presentation from FWIC on m-Health was quite popular so I decided to add this new presentation from the LTE World Summit:
Labels:
Health,
LTE,
LTE & 5G World Series,
Telehealth
Wednesday 12 September 2012
UK: Spectrum, Operators, Vendors and LTE
So LTE (or '4G') is about to be launched in the UK as announced yesterday. Its going to be branded as 4GEE.
Here is a summary of the Spectrum in the UK that will be used for LTE and would be auctioned by Ofcom.
Here is the current allocation of Spectrum in the UK
The above pics are from a presentation by Ofcom in LTE World Summit 2012 in Barcelona, available here.
The last table is from an Ofcom document here. Its very interesting read. For example I didnt know that The L-band was the first major part of Ofcom spectrum awards programme relevant to mobile services. It consists of 40MHz between 1452MHz and 1492MHz. The auction took place in May 2008, in which Qualcomm won the entirety of the available spectrum.
Here is the summary of the operators working on LTE:
Everything Everywhere (EE = Orange + T-Mobile) - They are calling their '4G' service as EE, covering up to 70% of the UK by the end of 2013. Network kit provided by Huawei.
Three - Samsung will provide the Radio Access Network, and the core infrastructure, for Three's LTE (4G) network. That includes the base stations, and radio core. 3 UK has agreed to purchase 2 x 15 MHz of 1800 MHz spectrum from Everything everywhere, and plans commercial launch of LTE service in 2013.
Telefonica (O2) trial network - Equipment supplied by Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) for both the Radio and Core network elements. Backhaul for the 4G trial network has been provided using Microwave Radio Equipment from Cambridge Broadband Networks Limited, NEC and Nokia Siemens Networks.
Updated 13/09/12 - 11:25
UK Broadband rolled out the first commercial TD-LTE network in London back in February (available to customers since May 2012). The equipment is provided by Huawei. They have 40MHz in Band 42 (3.5GHz) and 84MHz in band 43 (3.6GHz).
Vodafone - No news.
Anything else I missed?
Labels:
Huawei,
Infrastructure Vendor,
LTE,
LTE & 5G World Series,
Nokia Networks,
O2,
Operators,
Orange,
Qualcomm,
Rollouts,
Samsung,
Spectrum,
UK
Tuesday 11 September 2012
New Carrier-Aggregation Proposed Bands
Carrier Aggregation (CA) the promised feature of LTE-A that will make it compatible to IMT-A is not fully exploited in Rel-10. There are only 2 bands supported for CA in Rel-10 and the same for Rel-11. The following are the bands for Rel-10
And the following for Rel-11
Unfortunately these are not enough for all the operators launching LTE/LTE-A. As a result there is currently a study on lots of other bands ongoing within 3GPP. Here is my understanding of the bands that would be needed and the region where they would be needed. Interested in knowing if there are other operators/regions where other bands need to be included.
Labels:
Carrier Aggregation,
LTE-Advanced,
Release 10,
Release 11,
Spectrum
Saturday 8 September 2012
Supporting M2M Services over LTE: Challenges & Solutions
Labels:
LTE,
LTE & 5G World Series,
M2M,
Market Analysis,
Orange,
Signalling
Friday 7 September 2012
Spectral Efficiency Comparison
Wednesday 5 September 2012
Qualcomm's 1000x Challenge
Qualcomm has been promoting the '1000x' challenge and has recently held a webinar to make everyone aware of how 1000 times efficiency may be achieved. I think there is always a scope of achieving a better efficiency but putting a figure may not necessarily give the desired results. Anyway, here are the slides.
You can listen to the webinar here. The promotional video is available here.
A writeup on this topic by Steven Crowley is available here.
You can listen to the webinar here. The promotional video is available here.
A writeup on this topic by Steven Crowley is available here.
Labels:
Deployment,
Qualcomm,
Small Cells,
Spectrum
Tuesday 4 September 2012
Data Consumed by Different Streaming Applications
Interesting table from the 4G Americas presentation about data consumption by different streaming apps. With LTE getting deployed and tablets becoming popular, I wont be surprised to see 1GB allowance consumed in couple of days. In a blog post on Verizon Wireless website earlier they had mentioned that 4GB data bucket will be minimum that is needed. In the end I think we may all stick with the trusted and reliable WiFi for thats fast and free!
Labels:
Apps,
Apps Video Streaming,
Mobile Data
Monday 3 September 2012
Cellular or WiFi: Which is the preferred network access?
I was going through this report by Cisco on "What do Consumers want from WiFi" and came across this interesting picture.
Another interesting observation from above is that the survey puts WiFi and Cellular security to the same level. Though the cellular is more secure in case of an open public WiFi scenario where an eavesdropper may be able to get hold of login/password information it is generally at the same level of security to a secured WiFi. On the other hand with cellular, lawful interception may be much more easy as compared to using secure WiFi.
I am sure that the content of last paragraph are debatable and am happy to hear your viewpoints.
A slidecast of the Cisco whitepaper mentioned above is embedded as follows:
Labels:
Cisco,
Data Traffic Management,
Security,
Wi-Fi
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