Mobile Network Offloading

Free and Carrier Wi-Fi, Femtocells, Caching, Core Offloading, and Media Optimization

Research Report

Pages
60
Deliverable Files
Release Date
3Q 2010
Product Code
RR-MOFF-10
Price
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The incredible growth of mobile data has surprised many mobile operators by clogging up networks earlier than expected. As a result, several innovative technologies have emerged to manage data traffic, rerouting the data flow around critical network elements or diverting traffic directly to/from the Internet. Key technologies include Wi-Fi, femtocells, mobile content delivery networks, core network offloading, local routing, and media optimization as methods to reduce the load on the network. This study explores the market drivers and end-user demand for each mobile data offloading technology, including an end-to-end cost comparison for alternative data paths. The focus of this report is on overloaded 3G networks and it closely examines the technologies available to augment an existing network. Market dynamics leading to new operator business strategies are highlighted and detailed forecasts are provided to illustrate the growth trends in key monitoring/optimization segments.

What Questions Does This Report Answer?

  • Which mobile data offloading techniques are the most cost-effective?
  • Which offloading technologies can help to relieve the radio signaling bottleneck caused by smartphone applications?
  • How do offloading solutions save money for the operator? How much money can they save?
  • How will mobile data demand grow over the next five years?

Who Needs This Report?

  • Mobile Network Operators
  • Wireless Internet service providers
  • Mobile network equipment manufacturers
  • Mobile data offload solution vendors
  • Wi-Fi router suppliers
  • Femtocell vendors
  • Networking/storage and content delivery network vendors
  • Component suppliers

Table of Contents

  • Executive Brief

  • Executive Brief: Mobile Monitoring/Optimization Solutions
  • Executive Brief: Dynamics
  • Executive Brief: Inhibitors
  • Executive Brief: Focus on 3G or LTE?
  • Executive Brief: Summary and Strategic Recommendations

Section 1.
Executive Summary
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Market Drivers
1.3. Offloading Solutions
1.4. Recommendations
1.5. Conclusions

Section 2.
Recommendations
2.1. For Mobile Operators:
2.2. For Wi-Fi Solution Vendors:
2.3. For Wi-Fi Network Owners:
2.4. For Femtocell Vendors:
2.5. For Mobile Content Delivery Network Vendors:
2.6. For Core Network Offload Vendors:
2.7. For Infrastructure OEMs:
2.8. For Enterprises:

Section 3.
Market Overview
3.1. Mobile Data Growth Drivers
3.2. Mobile Data Is a Problem
3.3. Indoor Usage
3.4. More Spectrum?
3.5. What About 4G and 5G?
3.6. How Operators Are Responding
3.7. Wi-Fi Offloading
3.7.1. Free Wi-Fi
3.7.2. Carrier Wi-Fi
3.8. Femtocells
3.9. Core Network Offloading
3.10. Caching/Mobile CDNs
3.11. Local Routing
3.12. Media Optimization
3.13. Combinations
3.14. Regulatory Considerations
3.15. Onloading

Section 4.
Technology
4.1. Choke Points
4.1.1. The RAN Bottleneck
4.1.2. Signaling Problem
4.1.3. Backhaul and Core Network Bottlenecks
4.2. Wi-Fi Offload
4.2.1. Authentication
4.2.2. Handover
4.2.3. How does the handset select between Wi-Fi and 3G?
4.3. Femtocells
4.3.1. Stage 1: Offloading traffic directly to the Internet
4.3.2. Stage 2: Differentiation of traffic
4.3.3. Stage 3: Local Routing with Femtocells
4.4. Mobile Content Delivery Networks
4.5. Local Routing
4.6. Network Offload
4.6.1. Core Network Offload (also known as Iu-PS Offload)
4.6.2. Direct Tunneling
4.7. Media Optimization

Section 5.
Key Industry Players
5.1. Accuris Networks
5.2. Airvana Inc
5.3. Akamai Technologies
5.4. Alcatel-Lucent
5.5. BelAir Networks Inc
5.6. Bridgewater Systems Corporation
5.7. Bytemobile Inc
5.8. Cisco Systems Inc
5.9. Flash Networks Inc
5.10. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd
5.11. IntelliNet Technologies Inc
5.12. ip.access Ltd
5.13. Juniper Networks
5.14. Kineto Wireless
5.15. LimeLight Networks Inc
5.16. Mobile CDN Inc
5.17. NearVerse Inc
5.18. NETGEAR Inc
5.19. Novatel Wireless Inc
5.20. Openwave Systems Inc
5.21. Percello
5.22. picoChip Designs Ltd.
5.23. SpiderCloud Wireless, Inc.
5.24. Stoke Inc.
5.25. Tellabs
5.26. Ubiquisys Ltd
5.27. Vantrix
5.28. WeFi Ltd

Section 6.
Market Forecasts
6.1. Methodology
6.2. Overall Outlook
6.3. Wi-Fi Offload
6.4. Femtocells
6.4.1. Cache Solutions
6.5. Local Routing
6.6. Core Network Offloading
6.7. Media Optimization
Acronyms
Scope of Study
Sources and Methodology
Notes




2 Charts
  • Mobile Data, by Offload Path, World Market, Forecast: 2009 to 2015
  • Comparison of Various Offload Alternatives
5 Figures
  • A typical 3G-based hotspot
  • SIM-based authentication in a mobile network
  • EAP-SIM authentication in a Wi-Fi network
  • Core Network Offloading Concept
  • Direct Tunneling concept