Mobile wireless carriers throughout the world are continuing to increase needed backhaul capacity which will lead to a large upswing in the fortunes of backhaul equipment vendors and service providers, according to a new report from Visant Strategies.
"The present increase in needed backhaul capacity is due mainly to the current deployment of HSDPA, EV-DO and mobile WiMax, which are stretching traditional limits of copper-based backhaul throughout the wireless network, even in the middle network, and leading to an increased use of PTP microwave and bonded copper," said Larry Swasey of Visant Strategies. "This will continue when HSPA+ and LTE are rolled out."
"Copper will remain relevant even in mature wireless markets due to bonded copper technology and higher speed DSL will be made possible by deeper fiber and hence shorter copper distances. Fiber backhaul will make some inroads in middle of network backhaul and lesser gains in edge of network backhaul," Swasey added.
"HSPA+, LTE and mobile WiMAX planning in established mobile markets is making carriers rethink mobile backhaul strategies," said Andy Fuertes of Visant Strategies. "We see 3.5G and 4G backhaul requirements possibly climbing from 20/50 Mbps to 100 Mbps per base station if data and data devices like the iPhone remain so popular."
According to "Global Mobile Backhaul 2010: World by Region 2G, 3G and 4G Challenges," emerging wireless markets mainly using low-cost TDM microwave radios to backhaul GSM/GPRS networks today provide substantial growth for backhaul vendors. Next decade these markets will undergo the same 3.5G/4G transition carriers in Western Europe and North America are undergoing now, creating another round of backhaul prosperity.
Included through 2015 are base station deployments by region and generation and all wireless subscribers as well as 3G and 3.5G/4G subscribers. PTP microwave shipments for backhaul and shipments of upper millimeter PTP links are given. BTS backhaul links by capacity and type are provided for each region and overall BSC/RNC and MSC deployments are provided.
