Nokia Siemens Networks announced that the latest release of its Liquid Radio GSM software suite can significantly increase 2G efficiency, and can double 3G and 4G data rates. The company says operators re-farming GSM frequency to support 3G and 4G rollouts can free up to 30% of their spectrum, reduce total cost of ownership by 20% and potentially double their average 3G and 4G data speeds. GSM only network operators can potentially quadruple their capacity while lowering energy costs by 14%.
NSN's Liquid Radio GSM software suite comprises five features that compress the GSM traffic and reduce the number of traffic channels to transmit the same amount of voice and data: Orthogonal Sub Channel (OSC), Smart Resource Adaptation (SRA), Precise Paging (PP), Dynamic Frequency and Channel Allocation (DFCA).
In addition, the company is introducing a Flexible MCPA (Multi Carrier Power Amplifier) Tx power pooling feature that effectively enables dynamic, rather than static sharing of radio resources of GSM carriers, allocating the resources precisely and exactly where the usage is. This reduces the output power needed for GSM, and the company calculates that in case of refarming, this frees more capacity for 3G or 4G, enabling up to double the average 3G or 4G throughput.
Nokia Siemens Networks notes that it currently has 23 references for its professional re-farming services.
“Our multiradio equipment helps operators manage the unpredictable fluctuations in network coverage and capacity demands as mobile broadband users switch across applications and devices on-the-move,�? said Thorsten Robrecht, head of Network Systems product management, Nokia Siemens Networks. “With the new software suite, operators can make their network fluid, further optimize their Flexi Multiradio Base Station radio equipment, improve network efficiency and get more out of their spectrum. Moreover, with re-farming, rollout of mobile broadband services is easier, more cost efficient, and this can potentially help increase revenues.�?http://www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com
Orange plans to market an Android smartphone powered by Intel's Atom Z2460 processor. The first model will run on the carrier's HSPA+ network and should hit the market by mid-year under the Orange label. The initial model will run Android's Gingerbread platform with a planned upgrade to Android's Ice Cream Sandwich platform shortly thereafter. Another feature, the phone boasts a camera that can take 10 pictures in under a second with 8-megapixel quality.http://live.orange.com/http://download.intel.com/newsroom/kits/ces/2012/pdfs/AtomprocessorZ2460.pdf
ZTE unveiled a TD-LTE multi-mode Pico base station. The multi-mode design supports LTE and WiFi simultaneously. Operators can configure the Pico to work in Wi-Fi mode initially, and as their LTE rollout gets underway, TD-LTE/WiFi dual-mode can then be enabled. In addition, the Pico can work in CPE mode and use TD-LTE as wireless backhaul while simultaneously working as a WiFi access point. The relay-assisted product also enables operators that lack wireline backhaul resources to efficiently develop their advanced heterogeneous LTE networks. 
Cisco has demonstrated the ability to extend coherent 100G DWDM over distances of up to 3,000 km without the need for expensive Raman optical amplifiers or regeneration. The performance was independently validated by EANTC. Cisco said this distance is 50 percent further than any non-Raman alternative solution on the market today.
Nokia Siemens Networks unveiled a new Flexi Compact Base Station -- the industry's smallest macro base station for 3-sector sites. The new unit weighs 25kg and combines baseband, radio and integrated transport in the single enclosure. The product is designed for rapid deployment because it requires minimum site infrastructure. Commercial release is planned for mid-year 2012.
Ericsson has demonstrated a technique to boost HSPA over-the-air uplink throughput for simultaneously active devices in a cell from around 4Mbps to more than 12Mbps. The demonstrated capacity used a 5 MHz WCDMA carrier and did not require upgrades to the HSPA client devices.
