DAY 1
@patricksteemers: LTE optimization conference started. Kim Larsen kicks it off #TME
@patricksteemers: a typical user spends 80% of mobile data traffic on just 3 cells #TME
@zahidtg: After introducing CELL_PCH the PS Signalling reduced by 50% in TMo Netherlands
@zahidtg: Nice talk by @kimklarsen
@zahidtg: The network state equation by @kimklarsen
@zahidtg: Martin Prosek has already set the stage for my presentation and breakfast briefing tomorrow.
@zahidtg: Signalling load per OS in TEF CZ
@KimKLarsen: pdp context parking helped Telefonica O2 Czech in reducing signaling and improve pdp connection success rate!
@KimKLarsen: Nich Waegner #Qualcomm often overlooked! advanced receivers greatly improve the network capacity and performance.
@zahidtg: Smart WiFi offload
@zahidtg: Migrating from 2G to LTE directly sounds interesting
@KimKLarsen: Dirk Schoeneboom is setting the scene for GSM to LTE migration!
@zahidtg: Me -> Its always tricky going from 2G to LTE considering that few devices are available and have quite a few bugs
@KimKLarsen: LTE TDD 2.3/2.6 top runner for main LTE band (i.e., China & India) in terms of LTE users!
@kitkilgour: @KimKLarsen @zahidtg do you have more information on PDP context parking? what it is, how it works?
@zahidtg: @kitkilgour Will have to check with Martin Prosek as I dont know much about it as well (Cc @KimKLarsen)
@KimKLarsen: Dirk Schoeneboom recommends first launching 3G, prior to refarming 2G band to LTE as likely dormant 3G terminal in base.
@zahidtg: Telefonica UK has already refarmed 900MHz from GSM and moved to 3G in the city centres mainly. In future they see 4G on 900MHz as well
@KimKLarsen: Dirk S>Really important to know the terminal mix in the base! Launching 3G today could have substantial 3G base from start!
@zahidtg: In 2010: 75% of 2G data traffic was from 3G devices, mainly to save battery life - Robert Joyce, Telefonica UK
@KimKLarsen: Rob Joyce, deploying UMTS @ 900MHz is between 3 to 2 times cheaper to deploy per unit provided capacity.
@KimKLarsen: TF UK uses their EGSM band for their UMTS 900 (as this was not highly utilized ... Still took 18 month to refarming)
@KimKLarsen: TF UK launch 3G 900 Jan 11 and expect to extend to full network by 201X ;-) X>2012 but maybe also <2015 (as GSM phases out)
@zahidtg: Robert Joyce, Telefonica UK presentation is full of interesting stats, need to blog about it later :)
@KimKLarsen: TF UK experienced ca. 22% data offload to UMTS900 from 2100!
@KimKLarsen: U900 base 3G layer and U2100 the capacity layer ; Keeping traffic there and avoid HO to 900 challenging.
@KimKLarsen: TF UK calls their UMTS900 their Heineken network (they are also where nobody else are) ...;-)
@zahidtg: O2 UK is refarming the 900MHz spectrum and they will be using 5MHz for UMTS but there will still be some GSM channels
@patricksteemers = Great case on refarming GSM spectrum to cater for smartphone use. #TME
@zahidtg: In Panel discussion @patricksteemers reminds us of those good(?) old days when the main discussions were about Killer App(s) :-)
@zahidtg: TF: 75% of data traffic is from laptops but 75% of signalling traffic is from smartphones
@zahidtg: Robert Joyce, Telefonica UK says that on their Unlimited LTE trial n/w, biggest consumer consumes 55GB/week, Avg=2GB/month
@zahidtg: @KimKLarsen asks the audience if anyone will pay extra for facebook access, no one raises they hands :-))
@zahidtg: Martin Prosek, Telefonica, Czech Republic, points out that in the last year the amount of upload has doubled on average
@zahidtg: Thanks @patricksteemers for being an excellent chair. Enjoyed the panel discussion.
@KimKLarsen: @zahidtg amazing!!! I would pay extra! and I know my teenage daughter would! ... Hmmm ;-)
@KimKLarsen: the majority of mobile operators price plans are a sure road towards what they so much fear ... Becoming dumb bit pipes
DAY 2
@zahidtg: Ready for my breakfast briefing :-)
@KimKLarsen: had a really good breakfast discussion on #offload and on-load strategies and how to optimize between the two options.
@KimKLarsen: Yves Bellego, FT, France Telecom / Orange target to have 1/3 of all their cell sites shared within the next few years!
@zahidtg: Good to hear that Bell Canada has 6/7 carriers for UMTS in most places.
@zahidtg: Ljupco Jorguseski, TNO gave an interesting presentation on Optimisation but we will have to wait for technical details
@zahidtg: Its interesting that in #ITMoptimisation there are only 1 (today 2) women out of approx. 80 people. Should have a blog discussion on why...
@zahidtg: Capacity planning in mobile data networks experiencing exponential… http://goo.gl/fb/G03fh
@zahidtg: @patricksteemers just mentioned that open WiFI hotspots can spoof operator networks that can be a major security risk
@zahidtg: LTE Optimisation
@zahidtg: Adnan Salkic is talking about evolution of WLAN interworking with 3GPP - Simplification of offloading
@zahidtg: Adnan Salkic has an interesting slide on different WLAN solutions being used by different operators. On blog once available
@zahidtg: Tiago Rodrigues of WBA speaking on Carrier WiFI
@zahidtg: 5C's of WiFi - Capacity Crunch. Coverage extension, Customer experience, Cost-effective access, Complimentary
@zahidtg: Need to check the WBA Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) program - Includes 802.1x, 802.11u, EAP-SIM & EAP-TLS/TTLS authentication
@zahidtg: WBA NGH trial phases
@zahidtg: Tiago Rodrigues, WBA says that for 10% of their members, 50% of traffic is being offloaded to WiFi
@disruptivedean: @zahidtg Thanks for your #ITMoptimisation tweets. Maybe ask a question about how other non-offload WiFi models (eg Onload) are supported?
@zahidtg: @disruptivedean Sure, in the Panel discussion in an hour.
@disruptivedean: @zahidtg My view is that offload is only use-case #3 or #4 for smartphone WiFi. Many uses are nothing to do with the MNO.
@zahidtg: David Antunes, Optimus, has loads and loads of useful results but too much info. Has to be analysed offline
@zahidtg: Good to hear CSFB working as it should be. 1.5-2.5s is setup time.
@zahidtg: Additional call setup time to CSFB expected to be shortened by DMCR (Missed what DMCR is...)
@zahidtg: Conclusion of LTE deployment challenges over legacy networks
@KimKLarsen: @zahidtg, good news! there is still a huge market potential for growing the mobile Internet access!
@KimKLarsen: @zahidtg bad news: users want true unlimited data access plans ... Kim> maybe this does not need to be bad!
@KimKLarsen: @zahidtg describes very well the Customer versus Operator dilemmas and competing interest!
@KimKLarsen: great illustration of the future smartphone traffic types: private wifi, 3G data, elastic wifi, on-load!...
@zahidtg: O2 puts wifi on the menu at McDonald’s - http://bit.ly/I5YymX - Mentioned in my talk
@zahidtg: Telstra closed their Carrier-Wifi network http://bit.ly/I5YQud when they launched 4G WiFi hotspot - http://bit.ly/I5YZh6 - Mentioned in my talk
@KimKLarsen: my take away from Randall Schwartz, Wireless 20/20, is wifi offload networks are not a magic bullet but depends on market!!
@zahidtg: ABI Research estimates that carrier Wi-Fi can deliver data at 5% the cost of adding cellular capacity http://bit.ly/HSQp6i - Mentioned in my talk
@KimKLarsen: really enjoying Randall Schwartz techno-economics insights into wifi offloading strategies...This stuff really excites me!
@zahidtg: Yes Randall Schwartz, Wireless 2020 presentation is good but loads of info and it would need offline analysis
@zahidtg: Only half an hour for panel discussion at #ITMoptimisation . @KimKLarsen on the panel so I am only one to tweet
@zahidtg: The Panel topic is: Optimisation strategies for the successful deployment of next generation LTE - #ITMoptimisation - other ques not allowed
@zahidtg: @KimKLarsen "Whatever you deploy should be agreeable with the next gen technology. Should support both HSPA+ and LTE"
@zahidtg: David Antunes, Optimus "Backhaul is probably the most important issue in Optimisation"
@zahidtg: Stephane Teral, "General advice is that nice to have such event to discuss various optimisation issues"
@zahidtg: Stephane Teral, Infonetics Research very impressed with the event, thinks this is the right size and balance
@zahidtg: @KimKLarsen "Wifi gives some benefits but not that extreme benefits, wifi is not small cell, lesson learned in data mining is that mobile users are not mobile at all"
@zahidtg: Optimus did interesting experiement; users were asked to do various tasks on phone and were happy with 800Kbps connection
@zahidtg: Question asked if there is a case for Carrier Wifi except for offload.
@zahidtg: Stephane Teral says that when the user offload, it should onload to carrier wifi so they can be tracked
@zahidtg: David Antunes, Optimus says that if they offer true unlimited data offloading is useful to improve network capacity
@zahidtg: @KimKLarsen says that Carrier Wifi can help solve international data roaming issues (before being forced by EU)
@disruptivedean: Only if the user chooses the carrier's WiFi, surely? MNO shouldn't be tracking use of private, open, ...
@zahidtg: @disruptivedean #ITMoptimisation Sorry time constraints, cant ask another question :-(
@zahidtg: Ok, last presentation at #ITMoptimisation by Mark Nash, iPass - Commercializing Wi-Fi
@zahidtg: what role will WiFi play in 4G
@zahidtg: Mark Nash, iPass: By 2015 there will be around 5.8million public Wifi hotspots available
@zahidtg: 3G data roaming prices - rip off?
@disruptivedean: @zahidtg Monthly subscription model inappropriate for roaming, except for handful of regular travellers
@zahidtg: @disruptivedean I wont mind paying that amount even for 2 days as I know, will not have to worry about bundle allowance
@zahidtg: Mark Nash, iPass points out that so many operators are losing business because of stupid roaming rates.
@zahidtg: iPass closing remarks
@zahidtg: Thanks to fellow tweeter @KimKLarsen. Looking forward already to #LTEWS next month.
POST EVENT
@zahidtg: The concept of 'PDP Context Parking' #ITMoptimisation http://goo.gl/fb/HwVoY
@zahidtg: Operators strategy for supporting the ‘Mobile Data Explosion’ - http://goo.gl/fb/DyjZD
Note that tweets have been edited for clarity
PARTICIPANTS
@patricksteemers = Patrick Steemers
@zahidtg = Zahid Ghadialy
@KimKLarsen = Dr. Kim Larsen
@kitkilgour = Kit Kilgour
@disruptivedean = Dean Bubley
