As the early edition of 3GPP specifications (R99 and R4) could not satisfy users' increasing demands for high-speed multimedia services, HSDPA technology was introduced in 3GPP Release 5 in September 2003, and HSUPA technology was introduced in 3GPP Release 6 at the end of 2005. With the introduction of HSPA, the efficiencies of WCDMA spectrum and code resource utilization are greatly improved. As a result, the data bandwidth is extended, and system capacity increased. Subscribers can enjoy diversified multimedia services over the HSPA networks anytime and anywhere. The HSPA technology will inevitably expedite the advent and popularity of mobile broadband networks.
HSPA: Leading the Way to Mobile Broadband Era
With more and more 3G networks coming into commercial operations worldwide, subscribers show great enthusiasm for high-speed data services, especially high-speed and low-delay multimedia services. HSPA technology is developed to deliver high-speed data services, and thus it becomes the natural choice of mobile operators.
Specifically, the HSPA has the following benefits:
 HSPA integrates the advantages of mobile communication and broadband services to enable subscribers to enjoy broadband services, such as mobile streaming and high-speed Internet services, anytime and anywhere.
For network operators, HSPA boosts network capacity, improves spectrum utilization, and reduces cost. The result is lower CAPEX and OPEX, and increased ARPU.
For subscribers, HSPA means higher data throughput, shorter response time, more-reliable services, better mobility, and lower charges.
HSPA provides a perfect platform for operators to implement various services and to create more profit sources. It accelerates the application of mobile multimedia services, such as video conference, mobile gaming, mobile Internet, VoIP, and video sharing. Based on the HSPA bearer platform, it becomes possible to converge more and more mobile multimedia services and the services in other fields.
Along with its benefits, HSPA also brings a series of challenges to network operators. For example, how to smoothly upgrade the R99 or R4 network to an HSPA network, how to ensure HSPA network's interoperability with other networks, how to minimize the cost incurred due to the transmission of large amount of data, how to achieve high-speed data services in indoor environments, and how to reduce OPEX.
Leveraging its rich experiences in telecom field and customer-centered philosophy, Huawei developed the end-to-end HSPA solution to address all the issues concerned by operators and to pave the way to the mobile broadband era.
Benefits of Huawei HSPA Solution
As a leading WCDMA equipment vendor, Huawei is committed to focusing on customers' requirements and technology development. Huawei started its research in HSDPA in 2001, and HSUPA in 2002. Aiming to improve the core competitiveness, reduce TCO, and increase revenues for customers, Huawei developed the leading HSPA solution which has the following features.
High Performance End-to-End HSPA Solution
As radio environments are complicated, Huawei delivers a comprehensive series of NodeBs for different application scenarios. Using its proprietary ASICs, Huawei HSPA solution achieves outstanding radio network performance. In the downlink, it supports 15 codes, a peak rate up to 14.4 Mbps per cell, and all the specified 12 classes of UEs. In the uplink, it supports 2ms/10ms TTI, with the peak rate up to 5.76 Mbps per subscriber.
To achieve the best HSPA performance possible, Huawei devotes heavily in the development of RRM algorithms, including fast scheduling, power control, load control, and lub flow control algorithms. These highly efficient RRM algorithms contribute a lot to the capacity and performance improvement of the whole system.
Huawei also launches a series of supporting products for the coming era of mobile broadband communication. Among others are the high-capacity new-generation RNC and SGSN/GGSN, and HSDPA data card E630 that supports the downlink peak rate up to 3.6 Mbps. More data cards are lined up in the development roadmap. Among them is the E870 that is expected to be available in 2007 Q3. This card will support the peak rate up to 7.2 Mbps in the downlink and 2.0 Mbps in the uplink.
Huawei also introduces its highly appraised design philosophy for fixed broadband solutions, that is "Operable, Manageable, Maintainable", into the HSPA solution. From the design of application servers and IMS core networks, to the management of services categories and allocation of bandwidth resources, every effort has been made to ensure that subscribers can fully enjoy the extensive high-speed mobile multimedia services.
One instance may prove the performance of Huawei's HSPA solution. In December 2005, Huawei participated in a test held by the CMCC shortly after its commercial launch. The test results showed that the solution achieved 11.43 Mbps data throughput per cell, ranking No.1 among all the vendors.
Leading Iub IP Transmission Solution
Advantages of IP technology boost the development of IP networks and IP transmission technologies. IP technology has been introduced into the core networks in traditional mobile communication networks, and IMS is essentially based on all-IP architecture. Voice over IP (VoIP) also becomes more and more common. In a word, it is an overwhelming trend to introduce IP technology to mobile communication networks. However, access networks lags behind in this process. After HSPA technology is introduced, data throughput on the mobile network greatly increases and requires more transmission resources. As a network usually has a huge number of NodeBs, operators need to invest heavily on the transmission resources on the Iub interfaces to satisfy service requirements, resulting in high CAPEX or OPEX.
To address this problem, Huawei again takes the lead in the industry and develops the Iub IP transmission solution, which undoubtedly will become the milestone in the all-IP development process. While guaranteeing QoS, the solution significantly reduces CAPEX and OPEX of HSPA networks.
Innovative HSPA Node B Family
To make the HSPA solution adapted to various radio environments and improve its viability, Huawei delivers a complete series of NodeBs, including the outdoor macro NodeB BTS3812A, indoor macro NodeB BTS3812E, distributed NodeB DBS3800, mini NodeB BTS3803C, and indepth indoor coverage product iDBS3800.
One thing that is worthy of special attention is the distributed Node B solution proposed by Huawei, in which a traditional NodeB is divided into two independent components: Baseband Unit (BBU) and Radio Remote Units (RRU). The two units are separately installed and are connected by fibers. This solution enables fast deployment and flexible networking and solves the problems such as difficult site acquisition, insufficient room spaces, and heavy engineering workloads. As a result, network construction is accelerated and engineering cost reduced.
According to NTT DOCOMO's statistics, the traffic of indoor data services, especially high-speed data services, accounts for 90% of the total traffic. Therefore, indoor coverage must be the focus of operators when they plan an HSPA network. Traditional indoor coverage solutions, however, have various disadvantages, for example, inability to meet the high-capacity requirements for high-speed data services, difficult site acquisition, significant signal loss due to long-distance transmission of analog signals, and difficult network upgrading, adjustment, and expansion.
To solve these problems, Huawei develops an innovative indoor coverage solution, in which digital signals between baseband units and RF units are transmitted by fibers in the vertical direction and by CAT5 cables in the horizontal direction. This avoids the degradation of signal quality, which exists in the traditional indoor distributed system. Boasting of flexible networking, fast deployment, better signal quality, and easy expansion, this solution is the best choice to provide high-speed data services in indoor environment, while reducing the OPEX for operators.
Global Applications
In February 2006, Huawei launched the first commercial full-performance HSDPA network in Portugal. Impressed by the outstanding performance of the network, many leading operators, including Vodafone in Spain and eMobile in Japan, selected Huawei to build their HSDPA networks. By the end of October 2006, over 10 commercial HSDPA networks built by Huawei were operating worldwide. Huawei is planning to launch its full-performance HSPA solution in 2007, which is sure to strengthen the cooperation between Huawei and top operators in the advancement toward the appealing mobile broadband era.
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