How to tame densification of wireless networks using SDN/NFV

Pisa Internet Festival, 10/10/13

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History: 2G & 3G

MSC

BSC (2G)RNC (3G)

BSC (2G)RNC (3G)

Works very well…until he archenemy arrives

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History: 2G & 3G

This leads to the Big Problem

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The Big Problem

Traffic

Revenues

Data eraVoice era

Telecomoperator

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Picture of the Big Problem

Debut ofPope

Benedict

Debut ofPopeFrancis

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Need more wireless capacity?

• Today’s radio access technology is (largely!) overprovisioned:– IEEE 802.11n: easily 100 Mb/s, can be 300 Mb/s– HSPA+: up to 84 Mb/s– LTE: up to 300 Mb/s

• Let’s not even mention LTE-A!

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So what do we need?

• Add more and more base stations, esp. where capacity is needed:– Crowded public spaces– Residential buildings, offices– Events, fairs– …

What we get

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Densification of wireless access networks

From macro-cell only

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Densification of wireless access networks

From macro-cell onlyto pico-cells

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Densification of wireless access networks

From macro-cell onlyto pico-cellsto small-cells

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Summary

• We have demands from market/users today• We have technology supporting those

demands today• Unfortunately we just can’t continue to deploy

new base stations because we have issues:1. high CAPEX/OPEX €€€2. interference3. backhaul4. signalling

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Solution

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Project overview

• Connectivity management for energy optimised wireless dense networks– Start: 1/1/13– End: 30/6/15– Total cost: 4,460 k€– Total funding: 2,978 k€– Total effort: 443 PM

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Goal

To enable sustainable deployment of very dense and heterogeneous wireless networks

sustainable = cost effective + energy efficientvery dense = 1000x compared to currentdensity (in users/sqm vs. users/BS)heterogeneous =

+ diverse range (macro vs. pico vs. femto)+ diverse technologies (LTE vs. WiFi)+ diverse deployments (planned vs. unplanned)+ diverse backhaul types (optical vs. wireless)

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How is this done?

• Software Defined Networking =– Base stations reconfigurable via open interfaces

• SDN OpenFlow SDN

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Local controller concept

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Example: LTE Today

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Example: LTE Danger!

Extreme density

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Example: LTE CROWD

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Roadmap

End of 2013• Architecture final• Preliminary solutions• Numerical / simulation

analysis

End of 2014• First public release of CROWD

controllers• Final solutions validated with

stand-alone testbeds• Initial results from integrated

testbed

June 2015• Final demonstrator ready• Full results available

My name: Claudio CicconettiMy affiliation: INTECS S.p.A.My email: claudio.cicconetti@intecs.itMy bio: about.me/ccicconettiMy twitter channel: @ccicconettiMy project: www.ict-crowd.eu

@FP7CROWD

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