Operators are deploying SON in LTE and 3G networks alike; name top vendors

Campbell, CALIFORNIA, December 5, 2012—Market research firm Infonetics Research released excerpts from its new SON and Optimization Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey, for which Infonetics interviewed wireless, incumbent, and competitive operators around the world about their network optimization strategies and self-organizing network (SON) deployment plans.

ANALYST NOTE

"While SON is up and running in a few LTE networks around the world, we were surprised to find that some of the large incumbents we surveyed for our SON and optimization study have deployed SON as the key optimization tool in their 3G networks as well," reports Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier economics at Infonetics Research. "Since SON was originally developed for LTE, this finding is fascinating and draws to a close the debate over whether SON could be used in legacy networks."

SON AND OPTIMIZATION SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

• The chief drivers for deploying SON are opex reduction; improvement in capacity, quality, and network performance; and small cell usage in the network
• Automatic neighbor relations (ANR) is the most deployed SON feature among respondent operators
• 80% of operators interviewed rate complexity as the #1 barrier to deploying SON
• Survey respondents view Ericsson, Huawei, and Nokia Siemens Networks as the top SON vendors
• A majority of respondents consider SON an unproven and immature technology

SURVEY SYNOPSIS

For its new 24-page SON and optimization survey, Infonetics interviewed independent wireless, incumbent, and competitive operators in Europe, North America, and Asia about their network optimization strategies and SON deployment plans. The study provides insights into SON features, drivers, implementation barriers, technical challenges, and vendors. Operators surveyed together represent 1/3 of the world's telecom capex and carrier revenue and 16% of all mobile subscribers. To buy the report, contact Infonetics: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp.

RELATED RESEARCH

• Latest Infonetics Mobile / Wireless / Small Cells research brief: http://bit.ly/SL16eJ
• LTE jumps 30% in Q3, NSN doubles LTE revenue; mobile gear set for growth in 2013
• Japan's mobile market grows 3-fold on the wings of LTE, China puts 3G first
• 3G and 4G self-organizing network (SON) software market set to double in 2013
• Telecom outsourcing, managed services a $76 billion opportunity by 2016
• Small cell is the buzz but DAS is the biz, say operators in latest Infonetics survey
• Femtocells offer opportunity to put the mobile network at the heart of the home network
• Femtocell market spikes 12% in Q2; Alcatel-Lucent nabs W-CDMA femto lead
• A first: Increased ARPU now a top driver for LTE upgrades
• Mobile broadband will push mobile services to $976B by 2016; SMS, voice persevere
• Voice over LTE gaining momentum; 300k VoLTE subscribers by year's end

UPCOMING RESEARCH

Download Infonetics' research brochure, publication calendar, report highlights, tables of contents, prospectuses and more at http://www.infonetics.com/login.

• 2G/3G/4G/LTE Services and Subscribers: Voice, SMS/MMS and Broadband Forecast
• 3G and 4G (LTE, WiMAX) Broadband Devices and Subscribers Market Share/Forecast
• Femtocell Equipment Market Share/Forecast
• Fundamental Telecom/Datacom Market Drivers
• Infonetics CRS Report: Huawei 2011 Revenue Reconciliation
• Service Provider Capex, Opex, Revenue, and Subscribers Database
• Service Provider Capex, Revenue and Capex by Equipment Type
• Telecommunications Equipment Vendor Leadership Scorecard

UPCOMING INFONETICS EVENTS

• WEBINAR: Subscriber Engagement: The Missing Link in Policy Control & Charging (Dec. 11)
• WEBINAR: Integrating Carrier WiFi with the Mobile Network (Target date: Feb. 2013)
• WEBINAR: Scaling Small Cell Backhaul (Sponsorships available)

SALES

• Western NA, Asia, CALA: Larry Howard (VP), larry@infonetics.com, +1-408-583-3335
• Eastern NA, Texas, Midwest: Scott Coyne, scott@infonetics.com, +1-408-583-3395
• EMEA: George Stojsavljevic, george@infonetics.com, +44-755-488-1623
• Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp

Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete more effectively.

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