Memotec - Redefining Network Efficiency

Based on Memotec's proven NetPerformer™ platform and developed using packet-switched PowerCell statistical multiplexing technology, airLINX makes better use of VSAT links than any traditional Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) technologies — without sacrificing quality of service.

*airLINX also supports emerging IP-based ATC voice and data services, and offers wide range of redundancy options to guarantee service availability and reliability.

Key Business Benefits:

• Reduce Operating Costs with best-in-class voice & data bandwidth optimization.
• Retain High Quality VHF voice broadcast signals using a wide range of voice CODECs.
• Increase Reliability using full system redundancy capabilities.
• Support New Applications with comprehensive LAN and IP protocols & interface suite.
• Simplify Network Design using adapted voice interface and signal switching capabilities combined with RADAR service transport

AbisXtender is the new base station (BTS) backhaul paradigm for the GSM Cellular Operator. Now GSM BTS connection can be freed from the huge inefficiencies of costly permanently assigned digital T1/E1 backhaul lines. Instead, operators will use exactly the bandwidth they need-not the bandwidth they are offered-for each site and gain a tremendous advantage in operating costs, deployment flexibility and return on investment.

AbisXtender represents a true economic alternative to traditional backhaul transmission solutions. Unlike existing solutions, AbisXtender tailors the cost of connecting the BTS to the effective amount of traffic being backhauled.
This in return yields tremendous savings on network operating expenditure (OPEX), in particular when the average Radio Access Network (RAN) utilization is traditionally low, like rural or sparsely populated areas, as well as along communication lines (roads, railways, waterways).

AbisXtender enables GSM Mobile Operators to deploy profitable services in low density or low traffic profile areas where other traditional backhaul solutions fail. The additional benefits of satellite-based transmissions unique properties provide a competitive alternative to microwave and expensive long distance leased lines backhaul solutions. These benefits include:

• Global reach and ubiquity
• Low cost deployment
• Instant availability
• Highest reliability (99,9% and more)

AbisXtender's new paradigm opens up a broad range of business opportunities and solutions for GSM Operators:

• Deploy GSM service in low ARPU and/or low density -rural- areas, lowering service deployment's total cost of ownership;
• Deploy new services (EDGE) or service coverage in uncharted areas for which demand is difficult to assess, minimizing OPEX investment through a "pay as you grow" deployment strategy;
• Enable BTS connectivity backup for critical sites or when the existing link is exposed to reliability threats.

AbisXtender represents a tremendous business opportunity for Satellite Service Providers to tap into the multi-billion dollar GSM mobile operator backhaul service business. In developing countries, today's GSM operators are focused on shifting from urban areas to lower ARPU rural and remote areas. Providing reliable global GSM service coverage while reducing operation costs is key to sustaining a mobile operator's growth.

Satellite transmission offers the best means for quickly reaching smaller, remote and dispersed communities, and delivering reliable connectivity provided that the cost is right.

The high Operating Expenditure (OPEX) typically associated with transponder usage lowers the profitability of such deployment, limiting its application to specific cases and interim fast service coverage deployment. Although the BTS satellite backhaul business has enjoyed significant growth over the last years, it only represents a small percentage of the market potential that can be addressed with Memotec's AbisXtender solution.

By dramatically reducing GSM BTS satellite backhaul costs down to less than $1,000/month, and enabling new service model based on usage, Memotec's AbisXtender allows the use of satellite as a standard solution for providing global service reach. It also opens up new business opportunities like backup services, costly long-distance leased lines replacement, MVNO and maritime ship-to-shore applications.

Satellite service providers, with the help of Memotec and satellite system integrators, are best positioned to benefit from Memotec's AbisXtender technology and offer competitive turnkey BTS backhaul services to GSM Mobile Operators.

When addressing the needs of rural or low-density area service coverage, cellular operators face specific challenges in terms of transmission availability and cost , as well as the number of remote sites to deploy.

As ARPU in rural areas is typically lower than in urban/suburban areas, and density often falls well under 1ha/km2, the ideal cell network design is to maximize the cell range in order to increase the profitability of the BTS site deployment and lower total cost of ownership (TCO). But this strategy is limited by the range of the conventional microwave radio links connecting BTSs, the backhaul solution of choice in rural deployment.

In addition, beyond 20 miles or 35 km, the cost of microwave links dramatically increases, hampering the profitability of rural deployment. The situation is often significantly worsened for remote rural areas located far away from urban centers, which needs long backhaul lines -either very expensive leased lines or several microwave links with multiple repeaters- to connect the BTSs to the BSC.

Being distance insensitive, satellite technology is ideally suited to serve cellular service rural deployment, and allows maximizing cell range, thus minimizing the number of sites and related CAPEX. But the cost of the associated satellite bandwidth is often a barrier to satellite backhaul technology.

To solve this problem, Memotec has developed in partnership with selected satellite modem vendors a unique solution to overcome those issues and further reduce RAN bandwidth requirement by a factor ranging from 3:1 up to 5:1. This solution, named AbisXtender, has been endorsed by world leading GSM and modem manufacturers

With AbisXtender, Mobile Operators can now deploy large cells BTS with ranges from 35km (20 miles) up to 60km, with backhaul costs similar to suburban areas, They can also take fully advantage of newer technology developed by GSM vendors such as "extended cell", which increases cell range up to 60 to 120km, dramatically reducing service deployment CAPEX.

In addition, AbisXtender eliminates the need for costly long distance leased lines, as the BTS traffic can be backhauled directly to the BSC.

Note (*): this represents a population density of 0.5ha/km2, assuming 30% service penetration and a 35km cell range.

The deployment of 3G GSM involves providing every mobile customer with broadband data services at 256 kb/s and up. But most GSM mobile operators readily admit that universal deployment of 3G base station equipment ("Node Bs") is not a cost effective model. While deploying 3G "Node Bs" in urban and suburban areas makes sense, the cost of deploying a 3G radio access network (RAN) in rural and lower density areas is difficult to justify from both an economic and technical (over-capacity) point of view.

EDGE (Enhanced Data GSM Environment) has been touted as the economic solution for 3G services global coverage. As EDGE is fully compatible with 3G applications, a GSM operator can provide continuity of services when a mobile user roams from a 3G-serviced area to a 2.5G EDGE area, thus providing 3G services (even 4G VoIP) global coverage at a reasonable cost.

But deploying EDGE services require additional backhaul capacity, usually a minimum of 256 Kb/s per BTS, which comes at a significant additional cost. This is a significant issue if the operator is not certain that the additional revenue the new data services will be sufficient to cover the additional costs.

AbisXtender solves this problem. Thanks to AbisXtender's true network utilization behavior and statistical multiplexing capability between voice and data flows, a mobile operator can use AbisXtender to deploy EDGE data services essentially "for free", that is to say without increasing OPEX costs while still benefiting form the additional revenue.

AbisXtender delivers data services at speeds greater than 128 Kb/s using 2.5G EDGE technology over satellite links, providing the mobile customer with a near-broadband experience, and throughput that is equivalent or better than ISDN data services.

Since it is based on existing 2G BTS and technology, EDGE comes at a minimal hardware upgrade cost to existing 2G BTS equipment, and does not require changing the existing cell radio planning and design (unlike 3G deployment which requires smaller cells). Therefore, EDGE is the perfect complementary solution for deploying 3G services and applications in rural and lower density areas where high data traffic capacity is not required, and larger cell areas are a must.

Conclusion: By allowing mobile operators to deploy 2.5G services "risk-free' with a minimum additional OPEX, AbisXtender enables mobile service providers to offer global 3G services across their entire networks, including low density and rural areas which have usually no access to broadband services. AbisXtender is the solution that effectively bridges the "digital broadband divide".