5G-PON for Mobile Network Infrastructure

1. What is the brand name of your Best Mobile Network Infrastructure entry? Please note the name given here will be used in all awards publicity and materials. (approx. 25 words)

5G-PON

2. Is this a joint entry? If so, who are the partnering organisations? (approx. 25 words)

SOLiD & HFR & SunwaveTec & Coweaver

3. Please confirm that the product or equipment was, or will be, commercially available and in live service (carrying live traffic or customers) during 2017 and in which markets? (approx. 100 words)

5G-PON, an advanced fronthaul system developed by SK Telecom, has been applied to the company’s commercial LTE network in 227 central office terminals (COTs).

4. If this product or service is a new release or update to an existing version, please explain the key differences and advances available in this release compared to the previous version. Please note that it is only the new release enhanced features or functions that the judges will consider. (approx. 100 words)

5G-PON is a newly released system specialized for mobile fronthaul.

With the aim to provide customers with greater speed and quality of network service, operators are making constant investments to expand their mobile infrastructure including transport network. Against this backdrop, SK Telecom developed and applied an intelligent mobile fronthaul solution/system, 5G-PON, that offers both cost-effective and stable solution through technologies including Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology, Passive Optical Network (PON) technology and tunable SFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable).

5. Please confirm that your entry is based on open industry standards (approx. 100 words)

Since 5G-PON provides transparent physical layer transport connections, it supports diverse LTE fronthaul protocols/interfaces including CPRI, OBSAI and ORI. Going forward, the system can support the Ethernet protocol, which will be used by SD-RAN of the 5G network.

6. Give a brief overview of the entry here. This is for the benefit of the judges to help them understand the broad concepts of your entry (approx. 100 words)

5G-PON is an intelligent mobile fronthaul transport system that allows operators to expand transport network infrastructure in the most cost-effective and stable manner through technologies including Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology, Passive Optical Network (PON) technology and tunable SFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable).

Through the application of PON structure, 5G-PON can be easily installed, operated and maintained. The system requires no power supply units and bulky enclosures for outdoor installation, works without power, can be remotely controlled via optical wavelength, and requires no maintenance cost.

Moreover, it ensures stability through the application of ring topology and does not incur any type of power-related failure.

7. To what extent does your new approach to the mobile network infrastructure and the technology deployed change the economics of the mobile industry and especially for the mobile operator? (approx. 250 words)

5G-PON dramatically reduces both CAPEX and OPEX for mobile operators by providing the most cost-effective way to install, operate and maintain transport network. SK Telecom is already witnessing a great amount of cost reductions from the deployment of the system. Compared to legacy transport equipment, the cost for installation of a transport network has been reduced by 50% and cost for operation and maintenance has gone down by 70%.

Moreover, built on standard technologies used by global equipment makers, 5G-PON can be easily deployed by LTE network service providers across the globe that are operating a traditional transport network with ring topology. 5G-PON, once deployed, will realize huge cost savings for operators.

Going forward, since 5G-PON also supports the Ethernet protocol, it not only provides a backhaul for Wi-Fi access points and femtocells, but can also be applied to the upcoming 5G network as Ethernet is being considered as one of the protocols for 5G RAN.

8. How does your solution protect existing investments made by the mobile operator in infrastructure to date? (approx. 250 words)

5G-PON is an innovative transport system that enables mobile operators to build base stations in the most cost-effective and timely manner, while having no negative effects on the existing infrastructure.

That is, to expand network capacity in a certain area (within its network coverage), operators can easily deploy a base station utilizing their existing fiber infrastructure, thereby saving a great amount of cost for installation. 5G-PON also allows operators to cover new areas with the least amount of cost.

9. Please describe what is unique, new or innovative about your infrastructure or solution (approx. 250 words)

5G-PON offers a solution to one of the biggest challenges mobile operators are facing nowadays in terms of expanding their network infrastructure/capacity to accommodate consumers’ ever-growing appetite for data. Based on advanced WDM, PON and tunable SFP technologies, SK Telecom has developed an intelligent mobile front haul system that minimizes both CAPEX and OPEX, while ensuring a powerful performance and high stability.

5G-PON is composed of Central Office Terminal (COT), Remote Node (RN) and Tunable Small Form Factor Pluggable (TSFP). COT is located at the BBU hotel that performs wavelength translation for WDM transmission; RN, a passive optical wavelength router, is can be placed an indoor/outdoor environment; and TSFP is installed in RRH.

COT, the only active equipment within the system monitors and controls RNs and TSFP. The wavelength tunable functionalities are implemented via TSFP that complies with the SFP standard. TSFP modules provide performance-related data, including transmit optical power, received optical power, assigned wavelength and operation temperature. In addition, these modules are designed and validated for operation in industrial temperature range (-40°C to +80°C).

Upon detecting fiber failure, COT performs ring protection switching to isolate the location within 50ms.

As mentioned above, 5G-PON can be constructed in a protected ring architecture supporting up to 4 RNs. (And each RN can support up to four sub-RNs to build an even denser network at low-cost)

10. Is your solution applicable to multiple markets on a global scale? (approx. 250 words)

5G-PON can be applied to any country or region by any mobile operator across the globe. Mobile operators in countries with large territories are facing challenges due to the high-cost of fiber infrastructure.

With 5G-PON, these operators will be able to expand their network capacity in the most cost-effective and timely manner as 5G-PON minimizes the installation of new fiber infrastructure and dramatically reduces the cost of operation and maintenance. Similarly, 5G-PON provides a powerful tool for operators that lag behind their competitors in terms of fiber infrastructure.

Moreover, the global mobile industry is moving rapidly towards realizing the 5G network system, which will be characterized by ultra-low latency, high reliability, and ultra-fast speed. 5G-PON can help operators who are currently using microwave (wireless) backhaul infrastructure to build out 5G networks with the least amount of time and cost.

11. Give evidence of the global market success or take up rate of your technology (approx. 250 words)

5G-PON is implemented in 227 central office terminals which accounts for 10% SK Telecom’s business, reducing a great amount of costs and time when managing LTE systems. In 2018, 5G-PON will be handling additional equipment and services and will grow to managing 30% of all network at SK Telecom.