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Tektronix Enables Operators to Increase Return on 3G Investments
February 18, 2003
Tektronix, a provider of test, measurement and monitoring tools
for mobile network operators, today announced its passive monitoring
solution for an emerging technology growing in popularity as operators
strive to maximize profits from 3G investments.
In order to minimize costs during the early years of 3G network
deployment, operators will re-use as much existing infrastructure
as possible. Inverse Multiplexing for ATM (IMA), a technology that
bundles present lower bandwidth (E1/DS1) network links to gain higher
bandwidth (3G) backhaul capabilities, is proving to be a successful
way to achieve this goal. However, in order to employ IMA, operators
must have a non-intrusive monitoring tool that examines all lines
without utilizing additional test equipment. By combining innate
protocol monitoring for specific interfaces with seamless access
to IMA links, Tektronix' new IMA monitoring software enables users
to perform upper-layer protocol analysis in addition to retrieving
information (statistics, alarms etc.) from the lower-layer IMA links.
"Tektronix is committed to enabling network equipment manufacturers
and operators to be profitable," said Bob Agnes, Vice President,
Monitoring and Protocol Test, Tektronix. "With Tektronix' innovative
IMA monitoring support available on its proven protocol test platform,
operators are equipped to control 3G expenditures by using the cost-savings
benefits of IMA technology."
Re-Using Backhaul Links Reduces Cost of Transition to 3G
GSM network operators own a vast infrastructure of E1/DS1 hardware
links connecting their Base Transceiver Station (BTS) to the Base
Station Controllers (BSC). Ordinarily these individual links lack
the bandwidth to handle the expected Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System (UMTS) traffic between the equivalent elements in a 3G network,
namely, the Node-B (BTS in 3G networks) and the Radio Network Controller
(RNC), respectively. IMA technology works by binding groups of these
lower-bandwidth E1/DS1 links to form "virtual" high-bandwidth. By
allowing network operators to take advantage of existing equipment,
IMA makes it feasible for operators to achiever higher bandwidth
without by minimizing infrastructure investments.
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3G Motorola A920
