WORKSHOP BACKGROUND

In 2007, the IWPC held a workshop (http://www.iwpc.org/ws/0706/BH.asp) to explore the potential use of microwave and millimeterwave wireless systems for very high data rate communications links. 

Such microwave and millimeterwave links are growing in popularity as an option to fiber and copper to provide broadband IP/Ethernet backhaul and fronthaul services for the emerging 3G and 3G+ wideband mobile wireless cellular networks. The flexibility of deployment and potential for independent ownership is encouraging an in-depth look at new ways to provide up to gigabit data rate links.  As data rates increase, the need to lease multiple T1 or E1 lines can make the leased lines very costly - hence the need to consider alternatives - like wireless links. Furthermore, the operators are wrestling with the requirement to integrate these wireless links into legacy networks and to future proof these links for future network topographies.

Licensing rules have been issued in the USA for use of the E-Band for wireless communications (71-76 GHz, 81-86 GHz and 92 to 95 GHz) and similar rules are being considered in Europe. This Band has unique characteristics which show promise for offering secure and reliable gigabit rate wireless alternatives to fiber installation and rental. Furthermore, 60 GHz systems continue to improve and reduce in cost.  Where will these bands serve best rather those at lower microwave frequencies?

Workshop Goal

The goal of this workshop is:

• To examine the characteristics, needs and potential markets for wireless backhaul and front haul systems as an option and in comparison to fiber and copper alternatives;
• To update the current situation with respect to the European regulatory environment
• To examine and explore the cost and performance feasibility of E-Band, 60 GHz and microwave systems for high data rate network interconnectivity;
• To identify the key technologies and technology advances needed to bring down the costs to competitive levels;

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

1:00 PM

Tour and Demonstration of Alcatel-Lucent 

Backhaul Development Systems

[Attendance subject to approval of Alcatel-Lucent]
 

Bus will leave from Hotel

7:00 PM

Registration
Social and Networking Reception

Hotel

Thursday, January 24, 2008

7:00 AM

Breakfast & Registration

8:00 AM

Opening Remarks

 Don Brown

8:15 AM

Introductions

Each person will be asked to introduce him/herself and share how they can contribute to this process

WELCOME AND OPENING ADDRESS

9:00 AM

WELCOME AND OPENING ADDRESS 

Introduction and Broad View

Wireless CTO

 Alcatel-Lucent

SERVICE PROVIDER PERSPECTIVES

9:20 AM

Carrier Keynotes - Backhaul Requirements for IP/Ethernet Networks

• Where do they see microwave, millimeter wave wireless fitting and how will it compete with or complement copper and fiber applications? 

  • How will this choice affect the ability to handle voice traffic?

• What are the unique demands for an IP/Ethernet configured system, particularly on the RF section?

• Will unlicensed WiMAX play a role?

• How will the requirements differ for urban and suburban applications?

• Besides backhaul, do they also see its use in for example Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) or coverage enhancement?

• What has been their experience with wireless backhaul?

• What do they see as the most critical issues in the adoption of wireless options and why?

  • Data rate requirements

  • Costs

  • Reliability/Availability

  • Jitter

  • Latency

  • Range

  • Network synchronization

  • IP network implications

  • How to integrate these new high speed data backhaul systems within legacy networks

  • Future proofing backhaul installations

• What timeframes do they see as likely for the adoption of these systems?

• What, if any, do they see as the role of neutral hosts in providing these backhaul services?

Wireless backhaul system requirements for NGMN networks (from a mobile operator's perspective)

Director of Transport

 T-Mobile Global

Microwave Evolution for Mobile Backhauling

Group Networks -

Radio & Access Transmission

Vodafone

10:20 AM

BREAK

NEUTRAL HOST PERSPECTIVES

10:50 AM

Neutral Host Views on Provision of backhaul requirements for mobile networks

• Why use a neutral host?

• In the list of issues noted in the Service provider session, which do they view as critical and do these issues differ for them as neutral hosts versus the operators themselves?

Wireless Backhaul for the Wireless City

Engineering Manager

Wireless Solutions

Arqiva

REGULATORY

11:20 AM

Overview of Current relevant frequency regulatory activity in Europe 

• What is the status of the millimeterwave band allocations in Europe and in particular the 60 and 70-90 GHz bands?

• What other changes might be foreseen which could affect the deployment of wideband wireless for backhaul?

Overview of Current Relevant Frequency Regulatory Activity in Europe

Engineering Manager

Product Unit Manager

Microwave Modules

Huber+Suhner

11:50 AM

 NETWORKING LUNCH

1:00 PM

Panel of Operators, NEUTRAL HOSTS AND REGULATORS

All previous speakers and other Service and Access Providers present will be given the opportunity to clarify their needs, requirements and views and will engage in a panel session where the audience is invited to ask questions and they will be given the opportunity to ask each other and the audience questions.

Previous speakers plus other Operators, Neutral Hosts

• T-Mobile

• Vodafone

• Orange

• Arqiva

• NextLink

• MLL Telecom

network Systems suppliers

Microwave, E-Band and 60 GHz Equipment System suppliers will present emerging solutions and innovations and their perspectives on the issues addressed by the operators including:

• What are the network configurations that systems providers recommend for what scenarios? Mesh, Hub and spoke, daisy chain, etc.

• What are the main challenges to building cost effective millimeterwave links?

• What are the key limiting technologies?

• What are some representative percentage breakdowns for the BOM (bill of materials) costs for link equipment?

• What data rates make sense and how do the challenges increase with data rate? What is the roadmap for increasing these over time?

• What availabilities are achievable over what atmospheric conditions?

• Equipment providers’ perspectives and solutions on ways to address the need for broadband access services to distributed antenna systems and picostations.

• What might be a roadmap to cost reduction?

• Can the necessary price points be met for these high data rate links? In what quantities?  In what time frame?

• What volumes are needed to realistically see breakpoints in the costing?

Wireless IP/Ethernet Backhaul for Next Mobile Generation Networks

Director Solution Strategy – Wireless Transmission

Alcatel-Lucent

Market Dynamics, Trends and Technology challenges for Gigabit Millimeterwave Backhaul

Microwave R&D Technology Manager

Transmission & Transport Networks

Ericsson

3:00 PM

NETWORKING BREAK

3:30 PM

Panel of network Systems suppliers

All previous speakers and other Network Suppliers present will be given the opportunity to clarify their needs, requirements and views and will engage in a panel session where the audience is invited to ask questions and they will be given the opportunity to ask each other and the audience questions.

Confirmed

• Alcatel-Lucent

• Ericsson

• Huawei

• Nokia-Siemens

4:00 PM

ANTENNA, PACKAGING, ASSEMBLY and ENABLING TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS

Suppliers of the key E-Band systems components will present emerging solutions and innovations and their perspectives on options for cost reductions at what quantities and in what time frames.

• Antennas and antenna integration techniques

• Module Integrators

• Material options

• Propagation Information

Spectrally Efficient P2P Radios for Global Data Backhaul Markets

Business Development Manager

QinetiQ

and Last Mile Communications

5:30 PM

Adjourn

7:00 PM

Dinner

Milanese Style 

Bus Transportation provided to and from hotel

Friday, January 25, 2008

7:00 AM

Breakfast

8:00 AM

SEMICONDUCTOR and MILLIMETERWAVE MMIC SUPPLIERS

• What are the semiconductor candidates for applications at microwave and 60 GHz and 70-95 GHz?

• How do their performances compare at these frequencies?

• What level of MMIC integration makes sense for these volumes?

• What are the cost projections vs. appropriate  volumes? 

• What advice do semiconductor providers have for others in the supply chain to keep the cost down?

• Can Millimeterwave MEMs Contribute to Millimeterwave system cost reduction?

• What other applications are influencing the cost of semiconductors at these frequencies?

Keys to Low Cost, High Frequency Products

Senior System Engineer & Fellow

Microwave Systems Engineering

US Monolithics

Trends, Capabilities and Roadmaps for MMICs for Microwave and Millimeterwave Radios

Product Line Manager - New Business Development

M/A-COM- Tyco Electronics

Remote tunable MMIC for 11 to 100 GHz application

CTO
TLC Precision Wafer Technology Inc.

The key Driver to Cost Reduced, High Performance Microwave and mm-Wave Radios: Highly Integrated MMIC Chipsets in Plastic QFN Packages

Chief Technology Officer

Mimix Broadband

9:30 AM  

NETWORKING BREAK

10:00 AM

SEMICONDUCTOR and MILLIMETERWAVE MMIC SUPPLIERS

(CONT'D)

• What are the semiconductor candidates for applications at microwave and 60 GHz and 70-95 GHz?

• How do their performances compare at these frequencies?

• What level of MMIC integration makes sense for these volumes?

• What are the cost projections vs. appropriate  volumes? 

• What advice do semiconductor providers have for others in the supply chain to keep the cost down?

• Can Millimeterwave MEMs Contribute to Millimeterwave system cost reduction?

• What other applications are influencing the cost of semiconductors at these frequencies?

The key Driver to Cost Reduced, High Performance Microwave and mm-Wave Radios: Highly Integrated MMIC Chipsets in Plastic QFN Packages

Chief Technology Officer

Mimix Broadband

Highly integrated SiGe Transceivers to enable mmwave links

Vice-President, Wireless Products

Sierra Monolithics

UNLICENSED BAND 
microwave link Systems

Transitioning networks from TDM to next generation IP

VP Marketing and Business Development

Exalt Communications

11:30 AM

 LUNCH

MILLIMETERWAVE link Systems Providers

Wireless Architectures for Metro Deployments

Senior Vice President

Business Development

Proxim Corporation

E-Band Links for Future-Proof Urban Backhaul

Sr. VP and CMO

BridgeWave Communications

Building Converged Wireless Metro Networks to Support Ethernet and TDM Backhaul

CTO/Co-founder

DragonWave

Backhaul to the Future

Vice-President/Major Accounts

Ceragon

2:30 PM

Networking Break

3:00 PM

PANEL

SYSTEM PROVIDERS

Equipment System Provider will debate with the Users whether they have met or will meet their requirements and when.

Equipment System Providers and Backhaul and User Community discuss and debate the pros and cons of the microwave, 60 GHz and E-Band solutions and how they fit into the various backhaul and other user scenarios.

Hosts, service providers, and user community will discuss if/how the workshop met their expectations.

Equipment System Providers 

• BridgeWave

• Ceragon

• DragonWave

• Exalt

• GigaBeam

• Huber + Suhner

• SAF Tehnika

• TeraBeam