Abstract
With the success of 3G data and with operators starting to plan and deploy
Long Term Evolution (LTE), mobile networks are going through a period of deep,
lasting, change. The transition to LTE/System Architecture Evolution (SAE)
involves a fundamental shift to a "flat" all-IP system architecture that
impacts every part of the network, with the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) at its
center. SAE specifies an all-IP network architecture designed to support
end-to-end packet services. It comprises two tightly integrated components:
the Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) - a.k.a. LTE RAN
- and EPC.
EPC provides session, mobility, and quality-of-service (QoS) management in LTE
networks and is the conduit through which operators connect users to
applications on the Internet, on corporate networks, and in the operator' s own
service delivery environment. Requirements for the EPC to support guaranteed
delivery of critical, low-latency services, such as voice, alongside
high-throughput, best-effort Internet services on a single infrastructure
place demanding new requirements on the packet core equipment, which must
scale in multiple dimensions to meet the needs of next-generation mobile
broadband networks.
One of these dimensions is the network "intelligence" inherent to EPC that
allows operators to differentiate treatment of services and applications
according to technical and commercial policies. This makes EPC is critical to
enabling operators to monetize and profit from the vast capital investment and
operational expense of mobile broadband networks. It is also increasingly
clear that, while EPC is primarily thought of in relation to LTE, the
technology and architecture is aligned with, and fundamentally suited to
supporting a common packet core network for 2G, 3G, and LTE radio access. This
concept of a common packet core underlines the deeply strategic nature of EPC
product development and network deployment models.
For operators, the common core concept implies a multi-year strategic view of
not just LTE/SAE introduction, but also of existing voice and packet core
networks, the underlying packet transport domain, and interaction with the
policy control and service delivery layer. Because operators' long-term target
architecture definitions depend on product capability and technology
suppliers' ability to meet roadmap commitments, the impact on equipment
vendors is similarly far-reaching.
Established mobile packet core vendors are naturally in prime position to lead
the market to EPC, but the all-IP nature of the technology and the potentially
disruptive nature of the architecture open the opportunity up to, and increase
the responsibility on, vendors from across the carrier networking ecosystem.
In this sense EPC is also of direct relevance to suppliers in switching and
routing, backhaul, policy, IMS, security, VOIP, OSS/BSS, and radio access
suppliers.
Evolved Packet Core for LTE: Market Forecast & Competitive Analysis provides a
crucial roadmap that charts how network operators will migrate to LTE/SAE, and
how that migration will shape their core network technology choices. It
identifies and analyzes the key technology and deployment issues that mobile
operators must deal with regarding the transition from 2G and 3G to LTE, and
assesses technology platforms and choices for EPC network elements in the
context of evolving control- and bearer-plane requirements.
This report offers a complete competitive analysis of EPC technology suppliers
and evaluates deployment models now being considered for EPC. It also includes
Heavy Reading' s first-ever five-year forecast for the mobile packet core
sector, including a breakout of MPC technology spending by technology type
through 2014.
Table of Contents
LIST OF FIGURES
I. INTRODUCTION & KEY FINDINGS
- 1.1 Key Findings
- 1.2 Report Scope & Structure
II EPC ARCHITECTURE & TECHNOLOGY
- 2.1 Network Architecture
- 2.2 EPC Technology Features
- Evolved Packet Service is All-IP
- Flat Architecture
- Separate Control & Bearer Planes
- QoS & Policy Changing & Control
- Non 3GPP Access
- Other Enhancements to EPS & EPC
III TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS FOR EPC
- 3.1 Platform Requirements
- Control Plane Scaleability - Transaction Rate is Key
- Bearer Plane Scaleability - Traffic Analysis & Managements is Key
- 3.2 Platform Choices: Edge Routers, ATCA & Purpose-Built
- Edge Router Platforms
- ATCA Platforms
- Purpose-built Platforms
- 3.3 Vendor Strategies for EPC Platforms
- 3.4 Vendor Platform Analysis - Control Plane
- MME Product Comparison
- Combining SGSN & MME Nodes
- 3.5 Vendor Platform Analysis - Bearer Plane
- SAE-GW Product Comparison
- Combining SAE-GW & GGSN Nodes
IV. DEPLOYMENT MODELS FOR EPC
- 4.1 EPC Deployment Options
- 4.2 From EPC Overlay to Common Packet Core
- 4.3 Centralized vs. Distributed Deployment
- 4.4 Software Upgrades to EPC
- 4.5 Integration With Transport
V. MOBILE PACKET CORE VENDOR POSITIONING
- 5.1 Vendor Market Share
- Share of the Combined 3GPP/GPP2 Packet Core Market
- Share of 3GPP Market
- 5.2 Vendor Momentum in Mobile Packet Core
- 5.3 Acquisitions, Consolidation & Partnerships
- Cisco - Starent Acquisition
- 5.4 Vendors in the Orbit of EPC
- 5.5 Best of Breed vs. End-to-End
- 5.6 Design, Integration, & Network Management Services
VI. MOBILE PACKET CORE MARKET SIZE & FORECAST
- 6.1 Market Size & Growth Forecast
- Forecast Methodology
- Price per Subscriber
- 6.2 Packet Core Market by Technology
VII. EPC VENDOR PROFILES
- 7.1 Alcatel-Lucent
- 7.2 Cisco Systems
- 7.3 Ericsson
- 7.4 Hitachi
- 7.5 Huawei
- 7.6 Juniper Networks
- 7.7 Motorola
- 7.8 NEC
- 7.9 Nokia Siemens Networks
- 7.10 Starent
- 7.11 WiChorus
- 7.12 ZTE
APPENDIX A: ABOUT THE AUTHOR
APPENDIX B: LEGAL DISCLAIMER
