Social and Networking

Reception and Registration

Opening Remarks and Self-Introductions

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

Host Keynote Opening Remarks and Presentation

• Objectives for the Workshop

Networking Break

Mobile Operator Perspectives

• HetNet Strategies and Considerations

• Lessons Learned from Trials and Real World Deployment

• Managing an Evolving Network - How Do Carriers Manage Emerging Technologies Alongside Legacy Technology and Topologies?

  • Single vs. Multi-Vendor Solutions

  • How Long Will Legacy Networks Need to be Supported?

  • Will M2M and the Internet-of-Things (IoT) Impact Network Life?

  • Considering for Transition from Legacy Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) to SON-Enabled Systems (From "Human Process" to "Automatic)

  • How Will LTE Advanced Deployment Impact SON?

  • Opportunities and Challenges of eICIC, CoMP Deployment

Networking Lunch

OEM Vendor Perspectives - Deployment and Implementation

Lessons from Trials and Real World Deployment

• The Case for Single vs. Multi-Vendor SON Interoperability

• How Can Operators Manage Any Equipment at Any Layer?

  • Case-Studies, Trials and Test Results

• Assessing Prospective Scenarios - Single OEM Solution for Macro and Small Cells

• Can a 3rd Party SON Solution Manage All Network Elements

• Exploring State-of-the-Art Hybrid Platforms for SON

  • Multi-Band - Using SON to Manage a Multiband Spectrum Environment

  • How Do Service Providers Manage Load Balancing Across Bands?

  • How Can the Network Control Where a Device Connects or is Re-Directed, if Service Requires Higher Bandwidth and a Move to Higher Frequency?

  • What Protocols (Example: ANDSF, etc.) and/or Proprietary Solutions Should Be Considered to Support Multi-Technology (Multi-RAT) and Why?

  • What Impact Does a Multi-Layer HetNet (Macro and Small Cell) Have on SON Development?  (Does SON Need to Manage Femtos as well as Neighborhood Small Cells?)

• Exploring SON Feature Interdependencies

  • If Self Optimization Isn't Enabled, Do You Lose Anything From Self Healing Features, etc.?

  • Is Network Resonance a Risk in a Dynamic Situation?

• How Can SON Management Help Management of In-Building Resources?

  • If Indoor Pico is Leaking Power, Causing Holes in Macro Network, Can SON Tell Indoor Pico to Back Off?

• What Features/Functionalities Might Be Missing from the LTE Standards?

Networking Break

OEM Vendor Perspectives - Deployment and Implementation (Continued)

Lessons from Trials and Real World Deployment

• Defining SON Levels and Scale

• Multi-Level Coordination Architecture Choices (Ships in the Night, Coordinated)

• Coordinated Standards Support

• Problem Set Comparisons and Lessons Learned in Solutions

  • Resource Management

  • Cloud Underlays and DAS

  • Outdoor Micro/Pico Solutions Underlays

  • Indoor Pico/Femto Solutions Underlays

  • Multiple Bands, Multiple RATs and Load Coordination

• Conclusions and Recommendations

Panel Session

• How Will SON Impact Customer Experience?

• Even If Deployed Correctly, Could There Be a Negative Impact?

• What Features/Functionalities are Missing from LTE Standards?

Deployment and Implementation

Assessing the Real Value of SON and its Return on Investment (RoI)

• Exploring Most/Least Impactful SON Feature Deployments to Date

• Results from Case Studies, Trials, Testing, Decisions Made

• Release 11, 12, 13 Deployment Plans

• Which Features Offer a Cost-Effective Solution?

• Is SON Crucial for a Successful Network?

  • Are There Areas Which Need Attention?

Adjourn for Day

Bus Leaves for Dinner - Pittypat's Porch

Networking Breakfast

Global Mobile Operator Perspectives

• Global HetNet Strategies and Considerations

• Lessons Learned from Trials and Real World Deployment

• Drivers/Motivations to Use New Technologies

• Service Provider Goals to Satisfy End-Users

• Lessons Learned from Trial and Services and Required Solutions to Resolve Issues

• Required Enhancements on Network

OEM Vendor Perspectives - Deployment and Implementation (Continued)

Lessons from Trials and Real World Deployment

• Lessons from Trials and Real World SON Deployments

• Optimal SON Architecture in a Multi Vendor Environment

• Multi Layer Management by SON

• A 3rd Party SON Solution for Multi Layer Multi Vendor Management

• Load Balancing Across Bands and Layers by SON

• Solving SON Features Interdependencies

Networking Break

Vendor Perspectives and Disruptive Technology Enablers

Deployment and Implementation

• Centralized, Distributed and Hybrid SON

• How Are Legacy Networks Supported into the Future?

• What Do the SON Priority Timelines Look Like?

  • Evolution, Upgrade Path, etc.

Performance

• How Can Using SON Mitigate Interference Between All Elements Including Indoor Picos, Outdoor Macros, Metrocells, etc.

• How Can SON Improve Service Availability, While Reducing Redundancy Requirements?

• Understanding How SON Reliability is Assured

  • What Happens When the System and Local Elements Fail?

Service Impacts

• How Will VoLTE Change Optimization Requirements of the Data-Centric Network

• SON Coordination - Managing Competing Algorithms and Features From a Holistic Perspective

• How Will SON Data Processing Be Impacted by Moving from Current Deployments Based on Non-Real Time to Real Time Feeds (Element, Cluster, Management Level - Cluster Level)

• SON Support of Small Cells Timing Synchronization

Networking Lunch

Vendor Perspectives and Disruptive Technology Enablers (Continued)

• SON Management of In-Building Resources

• How Will In-Building/Small Cells Interact with the Macro Network - Dedicated Spectrum?

• What Features/Functionalities Are Missing from LTE Standards?

• The Case for Multi-Carriers Sharing Small Cell Locations/Small Cell Equipment - What, How, Use of Single Backhaul Links

• How Can Carriers Balance Traffic Loads Across Heterogeneous Networks?

• How Will In-Building/Small Cells Interact with the Macro Network - Dedicated Spectrum?

• What Features/Functionalities Are Missing from LTE Standards?

• The Case for Multi-Carriers Sharing Small Cell Locations/Small Cell Equipment - What, How, Use of Single Backhaul Links

Networking Break

Exploring Hybrid SON Solutions

• Small cells have first hand information about cell loading, channel condition and backhaul quality. In a distributed SON architecture, small cells autonomously and quickly adapt to changing RF conditions and loading based on the wealth of information available.

• With Centralized SON, a central server can have visibility over a wide area and full control over small cells' behavior, but incurs delay and overhead as small cell penetration increases.

• Hybrid SON preserves the flexibility and responsiveness of distributed SON while leveraging a central server for network-wide optimization and statistics analysis.  

Closing Panel: Single or Multi-Vendor Implementation - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

• Considering Key Findings from the Workshop and Next Steps

Takeaways and Closing Remarks

Adjourn

Dinner (Dutch*)
* = in this context, Dutch is a term which means that each person will be responsible for their own dinner costs.

Tour: Georgia International Convention Center - Carrier Grade Wi-Fi Deployment Offering Unlicensed Band Offload for High Capacity Scenarios