Alcatel-Lucent unveiled its Mobile Evolution Transport Architecture (META) for evolving mobile networks from TDM to all-IP. The META architecture enables mobile network operators (CDMA/EV-DO, GSM/UMTS and WiMAX) to scale their networks and more efficiently transport voice and data traffic from the cell site to the core.It also aims to provide integrated management across fixed and mobile domains, leveraging existing infrastructure --- ATM, TDM, DSL/GPON, IP/MPLS, SONET (including pseudowire technology) -- in a migration to all-IP.
META, which is the first major architecture announced since the merger of former Alcatel and Lucent, will leverage the service-aware capabilities of MPLS and the economies of Ethernet.
As part of this initiative, Alcatel-Lucent also is announcing three new cell site aggregation products:
the 9500 Microwave Packet Radio (MPR), which is an all-IP microwave transport platform. The 9500 MPR transports multimedia traffic using packet technology while transforming microwave TDM traffic -- from existing, widely deployed TDM systems -- into packets. The system also introduces innovative features into the microwave transport arena, including the ability to transport packets in response to varying microwave link conditions (such as adverse weather) by recognizing the type of traffic -- video, voice or data -- and automatically adapting the transmission to meet the quality requirements of different service types. It also offer features that are unavailable in traditional microwave TDM platforms, including: service-driven adaptive packet modulation, E1 in packet via pseudo-wire/CES (circuit emulation services), multi-service aggregation, service awareness and synchronization distribution.
the 1850 Transport Service Switch (TSS)-5, a packet aggregation and transport solution in a 5 Gbps compact chassis. The modular design enables operators to support TDM based mobile traffic in their present mode of operation, migrate to circuit emulation over pseudowire technology, then to Ethernet backhaul all on the same chassis. Its environmentally hardened design serves as a mobile access transport aggregator at the BTS/Node B cell site
the 7705 Service Aggregation Router (SAR) provides IP/MPLS and pseudowire capabilities in an aggregation platform. It is primarily targeted at the transport needs of the evolving mobile radio access network (RAN). The new router allows service providers to scale aggregation bandwidth for legacy cell towers using T1/E1 leased circuits.
Alcatel-Lucent said META will deliver an end-to-end, seamless "Service Aware Management" across the fixed and mobile domains, delivering significant operating expense (OPEX) reductions of as much as 44%.