The Metro Ethernet Forum believes that by providing a set of guidelines that both wireless operators and their wholesale partners can follow for wireless backhaul, it can make the process easier as operators migrate from TDM-based backhaul to Ethernet/IP-based backhaul to support 4G/LTE.
"According to all of the wireless operators that are trying deliver the bandwidth required for 4G/LTE, wireless backhaul is the biggest challenge in operating cost in the industry," said Nan Chen, president of the MEF, in an interview with FierceTelecom. "It could cost from $1-$2 billion in just the U.S. for Ethernet circuits."
Through the advent of its Mobile Backhaul Initiative, which includes an integrated suite for 4G/LTE, the MEF argues it can help wireless operators save up to 25 percent on wireless backhaul.
At the same time, the MEF also claims that wireline wholesale operators that provide wireless backhaul services can see two- to threefold revenue growth without having to deploy new equipment.
As wireless operators migrate away from copper-based TDM T1 circuits to Ethernet for wireless backhaul, the organization has developed a set of guidelines to support Multiple Classes of Services (Multi-CoS) with the MEF 22.1 Requirements for Implementing Carrier Ethernet for Mobile Backhaul standard and the MEF 23.1 Multi-CoS Implementation Agreement.
While having a traditional single class was sufficient for backhauling traditional TDM voice traffic, the ongoing reality now is that voice is only one part of the traffic mix, so a wireless operator and its wholesale partners will need a means to designate high-priority and best-effort traffic.
"With a single class you would not be able to deliver quality of service, because sometimes the delay-sensitive traffic like synchronization traffic or voice traffic would get stuck behind the Internet traffic," Chen said. "This means that the single class of service is not only costly, but may not achieve the required QoS to ensure a good end-user experience."
For more:
- see the release
- and the accompanying video
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