Reduction to the main principles is the name of the game

This makes it very clear that the demands being made on the design and the operation of mobile networks are changing. They are the subject of a continuous transformation process which has to be very well prepared and implemented in a controlled fashion. The transformation process itself can be characterized by the fact that it, in contrast to earlier transitions to new generations, will be drawn out over a long period of time.

A further demand that this process will make on those involved is that they will have to define the core principles of the transformation at an early stage. These principles include the choice, evaluation and application of a few powerful and scalable technologies, the identification of those parts of the network which should be the starting point for the transformation and from which the new network should gradually develop, and also a time plan which reflects both the availability and maturity of new technologies as well as expected market developments.

Technologically speaking the reduction to a number of important core principles will be reflected in an accompanying notice­able reduction in the number of functional network nodes. Functionalities will be bundled more closely together in a flatter network hierarchy. The application of the widely used and now mature protocol architecture based on the IP technology will, due to its inherent ability to network flexibly, increase the options open to the operators in their search for an optimal transformation solution which suits their specific timing and geographic requirements.

The demands made on the network infrastructure components will be tougher. An uncomplicated, software-based upgrading system must be provided to ensure that these remain usable throughout a number of evolutionary steps to guarantee that their investment pays off. Here the producers are faced with the challenge of having to develop a long term product strategy. This means that potential evolutionary stages must be anticipated at an early date and then integrated into the producers’ concepts for new products.   

There are a lot of arguments which suggest that the new network resulting from this concept of a few, but powerful principles, will be much better at networking (see Figure 2).

 

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