The Mobile Internet Report Key Themes*

Carriers Expected to Upgrade from Copper / DSL to Fiber / Microwave –
Backhaul Technology Decisions Come Down to Coverage vs. Capacity
Capacity
Coverage
Cost
Copper / xDSL Fiber Microwave Hybrid Fiber-
Microwave
Up to 100 Mbps,
depending on # of
pairs used / quality /
distance
Limited and variable
based on quality and
availability of plant
Low incremental cost,
where viable
Comparison of Backhaul Technologies
>1Gbps
Economically
limited to ~1000 ft
from fiber backbone
Distance limited
Up to 1 Gbps,
depending on
distance and
topology
Tradeoff between
capacity and
coverage
Moderate and
relatively fixed
Up to 1 Gbps,
depending on
distance and
topology
Very good (>70%)
Ability to optimize for
particular scenario
Quality
TDM + Ethernet
Support
Variable depending on
quality of plant
Yes (using separate
pairs or pseudo wires)
High (>99.99%) High (>99.99%) High (>99.99%)
Yes Yes Yes
Conclusions Lacks scalability +
difficulty handling
increased data traffic
Highest capacity
technology with
flexibility for future
capacity upgrades
Lowest total cost
of ownership and
relatively high
capacity vs. DSL
Optimal solution as it
provides coverage +
capacity at low cost
per bit transferred
Source: FiberTower, Ericsson, Morgan Stanley Research.
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