Small Cells in BT Phone Boxes

Picture Source: Andy Sutton

In a news announcement yesterday, Vodafone said that they are planning to install 4G and 5G equipment to the underside of thousands of manhole covers across Britain to boost connection speeds in the busiest urban areas and meet the public’s insatiable demand for mobile data.

According to the report, Vodafone, which has hundreds of thousands of Cable & Wireless-branded manholes as part of its network, has developed the subterranean plan alongside Swedish telecoms equipment group Ericsson. The system is known internally as The Vault.

Attaching antenna equipment to the base of a manhole cover can boost the signal across a 200-metre radius, according to Vodafone, and could be critical in supporting future “smart city” technologies such as connected traffic lights. Installation does not require planning permission, which speeds up network build.

Vodafone and Ericsson have developed two types of system. One attaches equipment to the base of existing Victorian-era cast iron manhole covers. Another is a bespoke reinforced unit the size of a water butt that is sunk into the ground underneath a purpose-built cover.

We have blogged about Small cells infrastructure underground and in manhole covers. The following posts are related to that:

• Small Cells & Wi-Fi in the pavements & roads
• Underground Small Cells
• NTT Docomo's Underground LTE Small Cells with possibility to deploy 5G in future

Phone boxes, which are connected to the power supply, are a useful tool to boost demand on high streets and in rural areas. Vodafone has signed a deal with BT’s wholesale division to install 4G antennas in phone boxes, and has kitted out one on Edinburgh’s Princes Street to improve coverage in time for the Hogmanay celebrations on New Year’s Eve.

The picture on the top from Andy Sutton is from Small Cells World Summit back in may. He says, "New life for old kiosks, KX100+ accommodating a 4G LTE small cell for enhancing mobile area capacity density"

ThinkSmallCell has a nice picture of the top of the KX100+ phone booth. In it's report on the Small Cells World Summit 2018, David Chambers says the following:

BT had the largest demo with a full size telephone box equipped with a small cell hidden in the roof space. Although only one Nokia small cell was fitted, the unit could accommodate several from different network operators. Each site is backhaul with either 100Mbps or 1Gbps managed Ethernet and transmits above head height using an omnidirectional antenna. It would seem we will shortly be making phone calls from telephone boxes again, just without realising it.

It would be interesting to see some more of these old phone boxes converted into small cell towers.

See also:

• Vodafone News: Vodafone lifts lid on manhole covers to improve mobile coverage

Here is a tweet containing picture of Ericsson's vault radio system for anyone interested:

If I can briefly be a bit naughty, here's a diagram from E/// of the vault radio system. pic.twitter.com/1FMgwtofRM

— lightspeed (@lightspeed2398) December 11, 2018

AT&T's Small Base Stations on Wooden Poles

We blogged about Sprint's outdoor small cells in pictures last month, not we just heard about AT&T's small cells on wooden poles.

Kudos to @ATT for building built a few somewhat neat small base stations on wooden poles in PA https://t.co/MfqrCTkv0H
Will be glad to tweet comparable photos from other carriers to show it is NOT impossible!
Why not make it a credible industry goal?#5gReady NOT #5gMessy ! pic.twitter.com/yezr28e8gJ

— Michael Marcus (@MarcusSpecSoln) September 21, 2018

Here are some of the pictures courtesy of Michael Marcus:

Related posts:

• The 3G4G Blog: Different types of Mobile Masts
• The 3G4G Blog: AT&T Blog: "Providing Connectivity from Inside a Cactus"
• 3G4G Small Cells Blog: Sprint's Outdoor Small Cells - In Pictures

T-Mobile USA is deploying 25K small cells with LAA

Source: PCmag

T-Mobile keeps talking up its small cells and 5G deployments. ICYMI, I recently wrote about the 5G rollout in 600MHz on 3G4G blog here. In a recent interview in Fierce Wireless, T-Mobile’s SVP of radio network engineering and development, Mark McDiarmid reminded everyone that the company plans to deploy up to 25,000 small cells this year, some just a few hundred yards away from one another.

This is all following on from the announcement last year that T-Mobile has contracted to deploy 28,000 small cells. Since then T-Mo has quietly changed its strategy from LTE-U to 3GPP standards based LAA. This was on back of a successful trial with Ericsson where they achieved speeds of 1.1 Gbps using 12-layer Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) technology – the first in the world to hit speeds beyond the 1 Gbps threshold on unlicensed spectrum.

We aren't announcing any other cities at this time. However, the small cells being deployed today are LAA ready while we upgrade existing small cells. These all use our existing bands.

— Neville (@NevilleRay) March 1, 2018

For the PCMag article, Milan Milanovic, Technical Evangelist for Ookla did some tests and the article had the following to say:

At a cell site at 45th St. and Third Avenue in Manhattan, T-Mobile is combining 20MHz of its Band 4 spectrum with 60MHz of LAA spectrum. Phones connect to the cell site and send data up using the 1700MHz/2100Mhz Band 4 spectrum, and then get downloaded data via a combination of Band 4 and LAA.

Those speeds are insane. In 13 tests, we got an average of 503Mbps down and 42.7Mbps up. Just to compare, in Ookla's Speedtest Intelligence database, the top 10 percent of T-Mobile download speeds in that ZIP code are only around 70Mbps down.

LAA-capable phones can get up to ten 100Mbps download streams on this cell site, with four on the licensed spectrum (4x4 MIMO) and two on each of three channels of LAA spectrum, Milanovic said.

Other users on this cell site will do well, but not as well as LAA users, Milanovic notes. The site is also equipped with T-Mobile's workhorse Band 2 and the low-frequency Band 12, which penetrates inside buildings.

LAA is only a solution for dense urban areas, though. This cell site has a coverage diameter of about four blocks (a bit over 1,000 feet), which is considered pretty good for LAA. That's a little better than what the coverage probably would be if the site was sending down 5GHz Wi-Fi, and it's a little better than New York's LinkNYC public Wi-Fi posts.

A nearby LinkNYC post doesn't appear to be interfering with the T-Mobile signal, Milanovic said. That's good news, because one of the concerns about LAA is whether or not it will coexist well with powerful public Wi-Fi.

You'll need the right phone to hit these speeds, and that's not an iPhone. Currently, LAA is supported by T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy S8, Note 8, Galaxy S8 Active, Galaxy S9/S9+, LG V30, and the unlocked Huawei Mate 10 Pro £399.00 at Amazon. We'll make sure to test LAA when we go on the road with our Fastest Mobile Networks drive tests this spring.

Here is latest on the LAA speed front from Milan Milanović:

The Galaxy S9 puts you in a fast LAA lane even during the peak hours in the middle of Manhattan. @TMobile @SamsungMobile @QualcommTech pic.twitter.com/tWzUh4LoPT

— Milan Milanović (@milanmilanovic) July 17, 2018

Not everyone agrees that LAA has a long term potential or performs well where 5GHz Wi-Fi channels are very busy. Others (mainly vendors) disagree.

You may also enjoy reading Juny Song's article on LinkedIn!

Note: I should point out here that what T-Mobile refers to as Small cells are actually RRU's and not complete base stations. You may want to refer to my tutorial here to understand this better. The bottom picture on this post will help too.

Introductory 'Urban Small Cells' Video by Kathrein

Found a nice short introductory video on Urban Small Cells video by Kathrein. Its a topic discussed many times but I know of people asking for more info. Here it is:


Related Posts:

• Antennas for Small Cells and C-RAN
• Underground Small Cells
• Macrocells, Small Cells & Hetnets Tutorial

Some pictures of Small Cells from California (USA)

I came across them on various LinkedIn/Twitter posts

Two Small Cells on adjacent light poles in SF (signs used to somewhat shroud mRRU) - Source: Omar Masry

The comment mentions that One is Verizon. Other is likely ATT
I would argue that if this is an RRU (Remote Radio Unit) then its probably not a small cell but let's leave that one for another day.

Small Cell. Financial District. San Francisco - Source: Omar Masry

Comment mentions: Either T-Mobile or Verizon.  Likely done by Modus. Might be worth checking out this earlier post here too.

The next one is from Steve Blum's Blog of T-Mobile Small cell in Gage Canal, Riverside, California

The final one is from Santa Rosa, California. From a PressDemocrat article titled 'New Verizon antennas generate unwelcome buzz in Santa Rosa'

From the article (more pictures of this installation in the article):

A city-sanctioned bid to improve wireless connectivity for internet and cellphone users in Santa Rosa has run into opposition from some residents and generated concern among city officials after the first round of “small-cell” antennas went up on utility poles in recent weeks. 

The equipment — including large metal in-ground utility boxes about 5 feet tall — varies greatly in design from anything the city was previously shown by Verizon, the wireless provider installing the antennas, said Eric McHenry, director of Santa Rosa’s Information Technology Department. 

While the city had no role in the equipment design, Santa Rosa officials went through a significant amount of back-and-forth with representatives of the wireless carrier on what the units would look like on city-owned streetlights, McHenry said. Officials took pains to make sure the antennas would be as unobtrusive as possible, he said. 

“We frankly as a city were also surprised by what these first ones looked like,” he said, referring to the units Verizon is installing on utility poles. “They look nothing like what we had discussed with Verizon for our city streetlights or even the pictures that we shared with the council (of the installations) on wooden poles.”

Definitely a scope for improvement out there.

Related Article:

• Macrocells, Small Cells & Hetnets Tutorial

Small Cells Market Update from February 2018

Small Cell Forum recently released the updated 'Small cells market status report February 2018'. It contains the latest SCF market status update, which is based on operator surveys, modelling and forecasts, completed between November 2017 and February 2018. A total of 105 operators’ deployment plans were surveyed or modelled. The forecasts now include the first phases of 5G small cell deployment. SCF members can access the full data set associated with this report from the Resources folder on the member website.

The report confirms the continuing growth of small cells in non-residential scenarios – notably urban and enterprise sectors – and sees 5G, virtualization and densification playing a strong role in that growth. It also highlights the significance of ensuring simple, scalable and repeatable deployment processes. SCF is working with regulators globally to make this happen.

Key findings include:

• The installed base of small cells to reach 70.2m in 2025.
• Densification initially led by APAC and North America, with Europe lagging as it works to address commercial, technical and regulatory barriers.
• Massive annual growth (36%) in the rate of new non-residential deployments of small cells, led by urban and enterprise small cells, between 2015 and 2025
• 5G cell deployments overtaking 4G by 2024. The total installed base of 5G or multimode small cells in 2025 is predicted to be 13.1m, over one-third of the total in use.
• A stronger emphasis on virtualization, notably for 5G and multimode 4G/5G small cells. Virtualized systems will grow at a CAGR of 52% to reach 57% of the total in 2025.
• The vast majority of new deployments to be in dense or hyperdense environments by 2025.
• C-Band and high frequency bands to be the most important bands for 5G small cells. 
• Strong support from operators for the deployment of 5G small cells as their 5G capacity layer where LTE remains the coverage layer.

Here is a small video from SCF in the recently concluded Mobile World Congress (MWC18)

Tutorial: An Introduction to Macrocells & Small Cells

I have been meaning to create a video tutorial on Small Cells for a long time. The problem is that its not as easy as most people may think. To explain small cells concepts, its necessary to explain macrocell, C-RAN & DAS. This is what I have attempted to do in this presentation.

The slides are embedded below and can be downloaded from Slideshare. The video is embedded on slideshare presentation but if you prefer, the direct Youtube link is here.

Please note that this video is for guidance only. Many vendors & operators use their own definition which may not agree to mine. In the end, we are all correct 😉

Ericsson's Invisible Sites: Urban Case Studies

Small Cell Forum recently hosted Densification Summit in Mumbai. There were lots of interesting talks which can be seen along with the post-event report on SCF page here.

Anyway, the presentation by Ericsson is embedded below.

Small Cells and Free Wi-Fi for 'City of London'

Most people outside the UK will not realise that there is a 'City of London' which is a city inside London city. Anyone interested in learning more can quickly get up to speed by watching this YouTube video. The City of London is also colloquially known as the 'Square Mile'.

The following is from a press release from City of London Corporation (emphasis mine):

The City of London Corporation has announced a deal that will deliver a free, public access WiFi network, offering internet access anywhere within the Square Mile. The multi million pound project is one of the largest investments in wireless infrastructure ever seen in London.

Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd (CTIL) has been awarded a major 15-year contract to roll-out and manage the City of London’s new wireless network in conjunction with O2. The new network will deliver wireless services across all mobile networks for City businesses, residents and visitors.

CTIL will build 4G mobile “small cells”, which will be housed on City street furniture such as lampposts, street signs, buildings and CCTV columns to provide enhanced mobile coverage at street level, and ensure that the City is best placed to become an early adopter of 5G which is widely expected to become available in 2020.

CTIL will partner with O2 in building the WiFi network which will be free for the public to use. The project will replace the current service provided by The Cloud and will be fully operational by Autumn 2017.

The network will be more technically advanced than those found in other leading global financial centres, including New York. State-of-the-art equipment will provide speeds and see users able to enjoy high bandwidth services like video-calling and video on demand over free City WiFi following a one-time only registration.

For those who may not know, there are 4 operators in the UK. Vodafone & O2 jointly own CTIL who provides them the passive infrastructure while EE and Three own MBNL for the same purposes.

This is a very ambitious ask by the City of London. Only time will tell how far they will succeed.

Small Cells & Wi-Fi in the pavements & roads

Back in October last year, Thinksmallcell reported that Vigin Media in UK is deploying WiFi in pavements.

ISPreview reports that:

Ordinarily most operators prefer to install WiFi access points above ground, not least because it helps the 2.4GHz signal to propagate, but telecoms infrastructure owners like Virgin Media have a lot of manholes around the place that can also be used (makes it easier to tap directly into their core capacity links) and apparently this approach can still cover an area of up to 80 metres.

The use of a submerged rainproof access point, which sits beneath a specially developed resin cover, is certainly a different twist on the usual deployments. Never the less Virgin Media are also using plenty of traditional access points too, which have been discreetly installed on local street furniture.

Wireless antenna maker Kathrein has teamed with Ericsson and Swiss operator Swisscom to develop an in-ground antenna system that will help provide additional wireless coverage in densely populated areas. The technology, called the Kathrein Street Connect, was developed to help operators deploy additional cell sites in places where site acquisition is difficult due to zoning issues.

Kathrein designed the antenna while Ericsson provided the radio. The rugged solution was designed to withstand deploying in streets with heavy vehicle traffic. Currently there are 17 sites piloting the technology in Switzerland with plans for commercial deployment in 2016, said Jim DeKoekkoek, product line manager for antennas and filters at Kathrein, in an interview with FierceInstaller.

Kathrein also has a video on Youtube explaining this:


Its interesting to see that pavements and roads may become the new battleground for providing connectivity through Wi-Fi and Small Cells.


Related Posts:

• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: NTT Docomo's Underground LTE Small Cells with possibility to deploy 5G in future
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Underground Small Cells

Case study of WLAN and Small Cells by China Unicom

China is a huge and most populated country. Many people do not realise that the number of mobiles in China is more than combined USA and Europe. There are challenges that come along with this huge subscriber base. That is why its not enough to have just cellular connectivity. Small cells and WiFi has a big role to play. A news article last year boldly stated that 'Wi-Fi to be new battleground in China's internet sector'.

According to this article by ThinkSmallCell last year, China Unicom is the second largest operator in China with 251 million subscribers and $21 Billion in revenues. They have only 40MHz available for 4G cellular as compared to 130MHz for the leader China Mobile.

This presentation from Small Cells World Summit 2014 is a good case study of how China Unicom is working on deploying Wi-Fi hotspots and Small cells to meet their customers needs. The complete presentation is below and available from Slideshare.

Progress on WLAN and Small Cellin China Unicom from Zahid Ghadialy

Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) techniques for Small Cells and Wi-Fi

Picture Source: Analysis Mason

There is a lot of spectrum which is used sparingly or is kept reserved for unlicensed or shared access. Any party that wishes and is allowed to use this spectrum has to co-ordinate with the license holders or others in similar situations. Hence we have different access mechanisms which are collectively called as Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) techniques.

An article by Analysis Mason on this topic suggests the following:

The term DSA has come to encompass a number of different approaches and techniques that aim to increase the utilisation of the radio frequency spectrum. At its most ambitious, it is hypothesised that cognitive and software-defined radios could intelligently choose when to transmit, so as to avoid other radio transmissions and also to avoid causing undue interference to fellow frequency users. Short-term propositions include near-real-time spectrum assignment in certain bands and greater use of long-term secondary spectrum leasing to authorised spectrum partners.

DSA is therefore all about making better use of radio spectrum through re-use of 'idle' bandwidth, being either frequencies that are not used in all locations, in which other systems could be deployed, or frequencies that are only used intermittently, and which could therefore be re-used outside these times. These 'gaps' in utilisation, which provide opportunities for DSA, arise for a number of reasons.

• Coverage: a licence holder might not be using its allotted licence in a specific region.
• Time: an area of spectrum might by less-frequently required at different times during a day (or on longer timescales).
• Lack of service users: there may be a limited number of subscribers taking advantage of a service.
• Licence technical parameters: the regulator may have mandated that a piece of spectrum can only be used for a specific purpose, while other technologies emerge during the life of a licence that can use the same spectrum.
• Pragmatic under-utilisation to prevent interference: empty guard bands are placed between spectrum bands to stop transmission leakage to prevent interference, which could be re-used by systems that have the appropriate characteristics to avoid interference.

One of the overarching drivers for DSA is to help overcome spectrum shortages – particularly noting that under-utilised bands may exist across a relatively wide range of the spectrum. Even in the economies where wireless communications have developed the most and usage restrictions have been removed, thus making spectrum use as flexible as possible, spectrum under-utilisation is still considered to be widespread.

The Cisco vision on the other hand seems far too optimistic and suggests the following:

TV White Spaces (TVWS) are spectrum allocated to TV broadcasts, but not being used in a given geographic location. TVWS radios allow for use of white space spectrum for unlicensed wireless access.

Authorized Shared Access (ASA) or Licensed Shared Access (LSA) allow a secondary licensee to use the “shared” spectrum when the primary licensee is not using it.

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a three-tier model for shared access in the 3.5-GHz band. Tier 1 would be for incumbent federal agencies, including military radar users. Tier 2 would be authorized prioritized access similar to ASA and LSA. Tier 3 would be generalized authorized access, which is similar to unlicensed access.

A number of DSA technologies already exist or are in exploration.

Geo-location, database-based spectrum sharing techniques have the most traction as a practical approach to spectrum sharing. Devices that want to use shared spectrum must geo-locate themselves and consult a database to determine what spectrum is available.

The geo-location database manages the spectrum resource allocation based on predefined policies and availability to ensure the primary licensee is not impacted. An enhanced version of the geo-location database system—called a Spectrum Access System (SAS)—is the basis for the FCC spectrum-sharing proposal in the 3.5-GHz band.

A second technology is cognitive radio, which senses and monitors the radio environment. This includes knowing the location and policies for self-regulation. Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) and Transmit Power Control (TPC) are cognitive radio techniques that allow co-existence with radar and satellite systems.

Another technology is Software-Defined Radio (SDR), which allows devices to adapt to local radio conditions and use the appropriate radio frequencies.

I came across this very interesting whitepaper by MIT that details all the DSA techniques and its progress. Paper embedded below:

New Models for Protected Shared Access - Toward More Efficient Spectrum Management from Zahid Ghadialy

We will discuss in the future post how the DSA techniques could be useful for using Small Cells in the unlicensed spectrum (a.k.a. LTE-U).

Urban Small Cells

During the recently concluded Mobile World Congress (MWC), Small Cell Forum launched their 'Release 3' on Urban Small Cells. The following is an extract from their press release:

Release Three: Urban Foundations has been developed to help operators with the rollout of small cells in the important public access arena. It builds on two earlier releases that focused on the established market for residential small cells (Release One) and the growing market for enterprise small cells (Release Two).

Release Three addresses a step change in market evolution: the commercial deployment of small cells in the urban environment. It establishes the business case and market drivers for urban small cells. It also identifies and starts to address many of the technical, economic and operational challenges to successful deployment and the opportunities this market could offer.

As part of its Release Three output, the Forum commissioned an independent operator survey from consulting firm Maravedis-Rethink. The survey found that capacity, value-added services and the opportunity to integrate Wi-Fi were among the most commonly cited market drivers for urban small cells. Backhaul, optimal site acquisition, monetization and network management were identified as the primary concerns. 

Release Three addresses these varied issues realistically and coherently. Alongside the authoritative body of Small Cell Forum work it can already draw on, this Release includes 18 new and updated documents aimed at identifying demand and supporting operators in the deployment of urban small cells. These range from economic and commercial issues such as market drivers, business case and service opportunities to technical areas such as self-organizing networks, backhaul, Wi-Fi integration and network architecture as well as regulatory challenges and deployment processes.

To a lot of extent, this blog has focussed on Urban small cells mainly. Often, the Urban Small Cells are referred to as Metrocells. The term Meadowcells is now being used to differentiate the rural small cells. Urban Small cells come with their own set of problems, hence the release includes quite a few documents to help the operators look into their deployment. A list of documents from the Scf.Io is as follows:

SCF103	Urban Small Cells: Release overview
SCF096	Deployment issues for urban small cells
SCF095	Backhaul for urban small cells: a topic brief
SCF091	Small cell application programmers’ guide
SCF090	Small cell services in the urban environment
SCF089	Next generation hotspot-based integrated small cell Wi-Fi
SCF088	Urban small cell network architectures
SCF087	Business case for urban small cells
SCF086	Market drivers for urban small cells
SCF082	LTE eNB L1 API definition
SCF077	Urban SON use cases
SCF076	Regulatory aspects of small cells
SCF075	Synchronisation for LTE small cells
SCF050	Market status statistics Q1 2014 - Mobile Experts

A presentation made by the Small Cell Forum chairman, Gordon Mansfield is embedded below:

ThinkSmallCell has written an excellent report on MWC that is available here. A quick extract from that summary on the Urban Small cells as follows:

Tuesday saw the Small Cell Forum issue Release 3: Urban Foundation which contained a surprising number of documents (19). Gordon Mansfield, Chairman of SCF, told me it exceeded his expectations, especially since it followed so closely after December's Enterprise release. The same release co-ordination team have presided over another mammoth edition. The complete Urban document set will be published in June, now renumbered Release 4, and the roadmap for updates and further releases will be finalised in April. The Forum also has a new CEO, Sue Monihan, who brings expertise from running the GSMA North America organisation and I'm sure will continue to expand the remit, membership and influence of the organisation. She will continue to work part time for both organisations concurrently.

Many (but not all) organisations now seem to be focussing on LTE+Wi-Fi rather than 3G/LTE/W-Fi multi-mode for urban capacity solutions - something that Vodafone specifically stated during the conference.

Mike Schabel, VP Small Cells at Alcatel-Lucent, pointed out the radical shift from voice to data is still fairly recent and has had huge impact for operators. Their commercial activity in Small Cell trials and business opportunities has never been busier. Speaking at the conference, he said "I can't keep up" with the number of RFPs today. They are working with 65 operators around the world (without double counting). This is happening in all regions - it's all over the world. While the technologies are the same across the small cell sector, what varies are the different business drivers found across their different customers.

Randy Cox, Head of Small Cells at NSN, showed me their latest LTE+Wi-Fi Urban Small Cell. This is quite a compact unit (about the size of a large dinner plate), capable of up to 400 concurrent sessions/calls. It's very much a downsized macrocell, reusing the same TI silicon chipset and optionally connected through a Flexi-Zone controller. They aren't planning a 3G/LTE multi-mode product at the moment, believing that LTE is the future. "We are in this for the long term" he told me. They continue to support their existing femtocell customers (using NSN's femtocell gateway and Cisco/Ubiquisys small cells), but it seemed to me that their Small Cell focus had shifted firmly to LTE.

NEC bring their own LTE expertise from Japan, with a range of in-house products complemented by partner solutions, both for Small Cells and wireless backhaul. They'veselected Radisys as their LTE Small Cell software supplier for their next in-house products. They position themselves as a one-stop shop for the new last mile, offering to handle everything from the initial planning through operational management of a portfolio of equipment. They told me that where macrocell deployments might have had four or five standard templates or scenarios, they've seen more like 400 to 500 different use cases. I do hope that's an exaggeration!

I saw several supporting technologies to de-risk HetNet deployments, ranging from smarter RF planning tools with more Small Cell features, SON vendors making further inroads, test validation and performance loading. There is a wider ecosystem here, finding newer and smarter ways to plan, manage and validate the network which wouldn't be cost effective at scale using traditional methods. Highlights included ERCOM's integration with Infovista/Mentum, allowing emulation of huge numbers of users in real-world scenarios, characterising the behaviour of small and macrocells that can be fed back into the planning tool. IXIA also have a comprehensive test and validation suite, de-risking the rollout of new features or vendor equipment by pushing the envelope and exploring the limits - not just conformance testing against standards. Sources of usage data now include directly from the handset, not just the network. OpenSignal published their "Global State of LTE Report" with actual performance results from 6 million users worldwide. Apparently Sweden has the fastest LTE in the world. The average speed worldwide is now just over 10Mbps. This whole area of back office planning and network management is evolving rapidly with many new technologies, tools and approaches coming on stream. Don't be distracted by the concepts of SDN and NFV - there are many more relevant and beneficial changes to how networks are managed coming along.