News Brief

Ovum: ZTE Ranked Third in Global

Optical Networking Market
7 July 2010, Shenzhen, China
ZTE today announced that it is ranked
third in the global Optical Networking
(ON) industry, according to the latest
research by industry analyst firm Ovum.
ZTE posted the strongest gains for
the first quarter of 2010 and a strong
increase in overall revenues to rise from
its previous position as the seventhranked vendor in 1Q09.
According to Ovums latest report
entitled Market Share: 1Q10 optical
networks, global and regional, many of
the top ten ON vendors posted double
digit percentage revenue declines for
1Q10, as compared to 1Q09. ZTE is
the only vendor that showed a 33%
sequential increase in overall revenues
for the first quarter of 2010.
Around the world, optical
networking spending in the first quarter

of 2010 dropped to 3.2 billion USD,

posting a decline of 8% as compared
to the same period last year. While the
Asia-Pacific region looks fairly healthy
and North America spending appears to
be on the road to recovery, the EMEA
and SCA regions remain relatively
depressed.
The Ovum report also noted that
only Cisco and ZTE reported growth
as compared to the same quarter one
year ago, with ZTE proving to be the
top performer of the first quarter this
year, fueled by a big contract win with
China Mobile for backhaul-related
PTN products for its 3G network.
Many vendors have seen benefits
from operators need to revamp their
mobile backhaul networks to cope
with broadband traffic, new services
and new devices. In this regard, ZTEs

competitive position in the China

market was a strong plus for it in
1Q10, commented Matt Walker, a
Principal Analyst on Ovums Network
Infrastructure team.
ZTE made great strides in the
optical network markets in 2009,
especially in the PTN market where
ZTE got a gigantic win in China
Mobiles PTN tender. The scale of this
networking project huge with stringent
networking requirements, and clinching
the contract was a great encouragement
to both ZTE and its customers. ZTE
PTN equipments have been widely
deployed in some Asia-Pacific countries
as well as in several Multinational
Telecom Operators (MTO) in Europe
and America, said Mr. Fan Xiaobing,
General Manager of ZTEs bearer
network product line.

www.zte.com.cn

A Monthly Publication

Vol. 12 No. 8 Issue 127 August/2010

P3

Interview
Service Innovation: Convergence and Openness
An interview with Lu Ping, President of ZTEs
Communication Services R&D Institute

Focus

P7

ZOOMs: An Optimized Operation

and Management Solution

P12

ZOOMs provides dynamic policy and

charging control, and flexible user
behavior analysis, to help operators
maintain complete control over both
the service and user ends aspects of
their network operations

P10

A Study on Interworking Between

WLAN and Mobile Networks
ZTEs X+WLAN solution supports
interworking between WLAN and
mobile networks such as GSM,
UMTS, CDMA and EPC

Hong Kongs CSL Optimizes Network

Management with ZOOMs
ZTEs optimized packet service
operation and management solution
allows CSL to create more flexible
and differentiated service policies for
effective management of its network
resources

P15

SAE-Based Multi-Access
Network Solution
With separation of control plane and
user plane, as well as multi-access,
all-IP capabilities, ZEPS supports
smooth evolution to LTE/EPC while
maintaining compatibility with
legacy networks

Editorial Board
Editor-in-Chief: Gu Yongcheng
Deputy Editor-in-Chief: Huang Xinming

Third Eye

Editorial Director: Zhao Lili

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Improving Network Quality and Customer

Experience with Network Element Management

Executive Editor: Yue Lihua

Editor: Paul Sleswick
Circulation Manager: Wang Pingping

ZTEs NetNumen solution is part of a growing trend

in the industry to better integrate element and network
management with the overall infrastructure management
strategies

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Fax: +86-551-5850139
Email: wang.pingping@zte.com.cn
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ZTE Profile
ZTE is a leading global provider of
telecommunications equipment and network
solutions. It has the widest and most complete

Research Note
Development of Communications Shelters

product range in the worldcovering virtually

24

Fast construction, low energy consumption, and

environmental protection will become development
trends for future communications shelters

every sector of the wireline, wireless, service

and terminals markets. The company delivers
innovative, custom-made products and
services to over 500 operators in more than
140 countries, helping them achieve continued
revenue growth and shape the future of the
worlds communications.

27

News Brief

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

Interview

Service Innovation:

Convergence and Openness

An interview with Lu Ping, President of ZTEs Communication Services R&D Institute

By Fang Li

loud Computing and M2M

have been the most frequently
touted technologies in the
telecommunications industry during 2010.
And ZTE has been actively promoting
their development. In November 2009, the
company held a Cloud Computing Forum
in Sanya, southern Hainan Province; and
later in March 2010, hosted a Global
Partner Alliance Conference at the Beijing
International Convention Center in which
the Mobile Internet Partner Alliance
was established. ZTE also worked with
Shanghai Telecom to jointly build a smart
traffic monitoring system for the World
Expo. As a result of closer cooperation
between the telecom industry and other
industries, operators today are faced with
changing operation models and ideas.
How will ZTE adapt to the changing face
of the industry and its customers? Lu
Ping, President of ZTEs Communication
Services R&D Institute, was recently
interviewed by journalist Fang Li.

Lu Ping currently serves as President of ZTEs Communication Services

R&D Institute. Since joining ZTE in 1996, he has worked as Director of
Network Management Department, General Manager of OSS Products,
General Manager of WDSS Products, and Deputy General Manager of
Software and Service Products.

Jo u rn alis t: ZTEs C ommu nicatio n

Services R&D Institute has insisted on
service innovation for years. What have
been some of its achievements? How does
the institute create sustainable innovation?
Lu Ping: Innovation is the DNA of ZTEs
Communication Services R&D Institute. In
recent years, the institute has been adhering

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

Interview

Innovation is the
DNA of ZTEs
Communication
Services R&D
Institute. In recent
years, the institute
has been adhering
to the iFAST
management
concept to
rapidly develop
innovative, smart,
stable, and costeffective products.

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

to the iFAST management concept

to rapidly develop innovative, smart,
stable, and cost-effective products.
In fact, the i in iFAST represents
innovationin technology, service,
business model, and R&D modeland
is focused on the following:
First, we have set up an end-to-end
service innovation procedure where
R&D is guided by market-driven preresearch. Through this process, we can
make good use of new technologies for
new service cooperation with high-end
operators. Already we have cooperative
partnerships with China Mobile and the
State Administration of Radio, Film,
and Television on CMMB mobile TV.
Second, we have intensified external
exchanges and cooperation. ZTE has
held high-end technology forums and
invited all parties in the industrial chain
to actively discuss development trends
of new services and technologies. In
2009, we successfully convened two
Mobile Internet Meetings, and one
Cloud Computing Forum; and more
recently, participated in the Second
China Cloud Computing Conference
and joined the Cloud Computing

Experts Association. We have also built

strong cooperative relationships with
many universities in Chinaincluding
Tsinghua University, Peking University,
and Beijing University of Posts and
Telecommunicationsin the fields of
Cloud Computing, P2P, and CDN-based
scheduling. As well as technological
innovation, we have innovated with
business models. ZTE held the first
Global Partner Alliance Conference this
year and signed agreements with Sohu,
Sina, ifeng, IBM, and HP, to jointly
drive the growth of mobile Internet.
Third, we have employed high-end
talent to maintain and strengthen our
capabilities. In emerging business areas
such as Cloud Computing and mobile
Internet, ZTE has sourced network
architects from highly successful
Internet enterprises within China.
Through continuous innovation,
we continue to achieve results in
IPTV, M2M, CMMB mobile TV, and
service network architecture. We have
cooperated closely with China Telecom,
helping Jiangsu Telecom expand its
IPTV subscriber base from tens of
thousands to more than a million.

According to a research report by

Frost & Sullivan in 2009, ZTE ranked
first in the Asian IPTV middleware
market and third in the global market.
We a l s o l e a d i n C M M B m o b i l e
TV; and in 2010, had an exclusive
agreement with China Mobile and the
State Administration of Radio, Film,
and Television to deliver mobile TV
services over the CMMB platform for
World Expo and the FIFA World Cup.
In the field of M2M, ZTE has launched
an integrated M2M service support
platform consisting of sensors, RFID,
communication modules, terminals, and
applications. A vehicle management
system was supplied to China Telecom
for Expo 2010, and an M2M base was
constructed for them also. In the field of
service network architecture, we have
rolled out Converged Service Network
(CSN)the next-generation service
network platformand joined hands
with domestic operators to initiate
an ITU-T project aimed at solving
problems in service convergence and
openness for heterogeneous networks.
J: What are the features of CSN? And

what specific problems can it solve?

Lu: CSN represents a development
trend for service networks. It is a target
service network architecture, first
proposed by ZTE to meet requirements
for full-service operation. The core of
CSN lies in abstracting all network
resources for the purposes of data,
service, and capability convergence,
as well as unified operation and
management. In this way, a variety of
value-added services can be provided in
a prompt manner. This helps operators
get an upper hand in the value chain.
Key issues addressed by CSN
include unified data access and control,
division and reuse of services and
capabilities, converged management
and monitoring, rapid service creation
and deployment, good scalability, QoS
guarantee, billing functions, and flexible
business models.
ZTE has made its CSN achievements
known to international standards
organizations. In May 2009, ZTE
initiated a NG-SIDE project in ITU-T;
and with the support of the China
Academy of Telecommunications
Research (CATR), carried out the

related application discussion in the

China Communications Standards
Association (CCSA). We will cooperate
in-depth with industry leaders in areas
such as CSN service and capability
provision, resource access and control,
and integrated development and test
platform, with the view of building
CSN into a support platform for service
growth in the future.
J: Mobile Internet has gradually come
into the focus of operators in their
business innovation. What are the
features of mobile Internet? Are there
any killer application services in the
era of mobile Internet?
Lu: Mobile Internet does not imply
the simple addition of mobile
networks to conventional Internet. The
predominant feature of mobile networks
is communication anywhere and at
any time, while that of the Internet is
full participation and openness. How,
then, can these features be integrated?
Compared to the conventional
Internet, mobile Internet has two key
differences: each user has an identity,
and each user has their own location.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

Interview

With these two features, many services

can be deployed. In mobile payment,
for example, a users mobile phone
represents their ID.
Mobile Internet is also different
from conventional telecom valueadded services. The latter has a simple
business model involving service
Fulfillment, Assurance, and Billing
(FAB). But in mobile Internet, the
business model is Come-Stay-Pay
(CSP)attracting users, keeping
users, and completing payment. When
developing mobile Internet services,
a single profit model must be changed
into a flexible one; for example, offering
free basic services while charging for
value-added services (or back-end
charging).
There are no killer application
services in mobile Internet, because
mobile Internet provides personalized
services and is concerned more with
market segmentation by customer
needs. How to roll out services for
specific customer groups has become a
major concern of operators.
J: From a technological perspective,
what are the challenges of large-scale
deployment of mobile Internet services?
Lu: The first challenge is openness
of terminal devices. Mobile Internet
terminals are different from those of
traditional Internet. The latter are mostly
PCs running on the Windows operating
system. Mobile phones, however, have
many operating systems with different
capabilities. This creates obstacles to
popularizing mobile Internet services.
We have two solutions: launching
an application platform running on
different operating systems, and
introducing Cloud Computing to mobile
Internet so that more complex processes
can be handled in the cloud and mobile
phones need only function as simple

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

input devices.
The second challenge is basic
network capability. Currently, the speed
of Internet connection via mobile phone
is relatively slow due to restrictions
in the phone battery and spectrum
occupation. It is still very difficult for
mobile phones to remain permanently
online. Enabling mobile terminals to
rapidly access Internet might involve
deploying a CDN caching device in the
vicinity to speed up the access rate.
The third challenge is network
security. For mobile Internet to succeed
on a large scale, network security must
be top priority. This implies unified
network authentication, network
security protection, terminal security
protection, and virus prevention.
Requiring every service provider
to have strong authentication is not
feasible, so operators need to establish
a unified authentication center to open
their capabilities and services.
The final challenge is how to tap
into vast data resources to offer more
attractive services. Mobile Internet
features personalized services and
customer segmentation. It is therefore
critical to analyze user behavior from
massive amounts of data and roll out
custom-made services for a specific
market segment.
J: What preparations have you made
in Cloud Computing, and what are
the problems of large-scale Cloud
Computing applications?
Lu: Internet enterprises introduce
Cloud Computing as a solution to
problems concerning cost, largescale deployment, and heavy traffic
in their business development. Future
key services will also be focused on
mobile Internet. It is therefore urgent
for these enterprises to introduce Cloud
Computing technologies.

Our Communication Services

R&D Institute has been conducting
research into key Cloud Computing
technologies and related platform
planning. At the Second China Cloud
Computing Conference held in May
2010, ZTE was the first to put forward
three core technologies of Cloud
Computing: distributed structured
storage, distributed file system, and
virtualization technology. At the
same conference, ZTE also launched
its CoCloud platform. CoCloud is
designed to converge and open up all
telecom and Internet capabilities, and
offer a variety of colorful, innovative,
and converged services. The platform
delivers application services at three
levels: IAAS, PAAS, and SAAS.
H o w e v e r, t w o i s s u e s m u s t b e
addressed for large-scale Cloud
Computing applications. The first
is the creation of standards that will
help realize interoperability and
provide fast application migration.
ZTE is working with the China Cloud
Computing Experts Association and
relevant organizations to drive the
standardization of Cloud Computing.
The second issue is mobile security and
trusted computing. If the processing
center is located in the cloud, the trust
relationship between customers and
the cloud computing service provider
becomes very important. Customers
must be willing to put important or
sensitive data in the cloud. Through
close cooperation with CATR and
China Mobile, ZTE completed an
ITU-T research project on Cloud
Security Needs and Framework for
Telecom Services in April 2010. The
project adopted a differentiated, ondemand security strategy for complete
security analysis and research into
the cloud-based telecom service
environment.

ZOOMs:

An Optimized Operation and

Management Solution
By Zheng Xingming

obile Internet, Cloud

Computing, and M2M
are considered major
technologies that will bring great
changes to the telecom industry. The
growth of mobile Internet is the fastest.
According to Ovum, by 2012, the
number of mobile Internet users will
have exceeded 2 billion, and with
the mature commercialization of 3G

and future 4G networks, mobile data

bandwidth will be greatly improved. As
a result, operator networks will run under
greater pressure.
Operators today are faced with
the problem of increased traffic but
declining mobile broadband revenue.
Low-value P2P traffic occupies a great
deal of bandwidth; so to enhance user
experience, operators need to invest

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

Focus

more in expanding their network

capacity.
The inherent richness and openness
of many Internet services presents
a challenge to service operation. If
operators assume the position of mere
pipe providers, they risk lowering their
position in the telecom value chain. They
will fail to benefit from fast-growing
Internet services because they are not
directly involved in service operation.
A new operation model led by iPhone is
taking a high position in the value chain,
as shown in Figure 1.
It is therefore important for operators
to adjust their business operation model
and network architecture to adapt to
rapid growth of mobile Internet. They
need to optimize their operation and
management systems to have a better
knowledge of traffic distribution, service
growth, and user preference, and to
provide dynamic differentiated user and
service management mechanisms. In this
way, operators can make good use of
network resources, can reduce CAPEX,
and maximize bandwidth revenue rather
than becoming mere pipe providers.
To optimize the operation and
management of data services, a mobile
core network must provide the following:
User and service based control and
charging;
Dynamic control and charging

Value

Service Provider
Operator
Equipment Supplier

Terminal

Terminal

based on differentiated terminal

location, time, and usage;
E2E QoS control mechanism;
User behavior and traffic distribution
analysis.
As traditional mobile packet core
networks cannot provide these flexible,
optimized functions, adding service
identification, statistical analysis, service
control, and content-based charging
functions is necessary.
Service inspection is the basis for
optimized operation and management.
Services such as HTTP and P2P can be
differentiated through deep inspection
and analysis of L3L7 protocols. The
Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technique
is often used to inspect different
protocols and applications via message
feature codes and the traffic feature
model.
Statistical analysis involves mobile
data service and user behavior analysis.
I t p r o v i d e s n e t w o r k / u s e r / t r a ff i c
distribution, Top N users list, and
network ranking. All these help operators
deeply understand their networks,
services, and user preferences, and help
them optimize mobile Internet operation
and management.
Service control contains policy
management and execution. Policy
management is intended to provide
flexible, dynamic, real-time policies

Operator

Service Provider
Equipment Supplier

Figure 1. Positions in the value chain of telecom industry.

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

Future Positions in
the Value Chain of
Telecom Industry

Past Positions in
the Value Chain of
Telecom Industry

based on differentiated users, service,

time, location, and traffic information.
Policy execution includes users/services
admission control, bandwidth restriction,
resource reservation, and QoS control.
These help operators make good use of
network resources and achieve healthy
business growth.
Unlike conventional charging based
on time spent online or download/
upload, content-based charging is a
flexible billing method in which different
services are charged at different rates.
Each service is differentiated, and
independent online/offline charging is
offered to ensure that every bit of traffic
in the network generates revenue.
To address the problem of increased
traffic but declining revenue in mobile
data networks, ZTE has launched
ZOOMsa complete optimized
operation and management system
that incorporates green, convergent,
intelligent, broadband concepts into
its 3GPP Policy and Charging Control
(PCC) based architecture.
ZOOMs consists of four parts: packet
core network gateway (GW/DPI), policy
management system (PCRF/SPR), user
behavior analysis system (UBAS), and

To address the problem of increased traffic but

declining revenue in mobile data networks, ZTE has
launched ZOOMsa complete optimized operation
and management system that incorporates green,
convergent, intelligent, broadband concepts into its
3GPP PCC architecture.

online charging system (OCS/OFCS).

GW/DPI provides service identification
and control; PCRF/SPR implements user
and service policy management; UBAS
is responsible for user and network
statistical analysis; and OCS/OFCS
completes content-based charging. This
system architecture is shown in Figure 2.
GW/DPI has a built-in DPI/DFI
engine for L3L7 protocol inspection.
The DPI-based PCC mechanism
implements dynamic content-based
charging and service control, provides

E2E QoS control together with the

wireless network, and reports user web
access log for service statistical analysis.
PCRF/SPR enhances the 3GPP PCC
application mechanism. With DPI-based
PCRF and SPR functions, it provides
policy management and control in order
to optimize wireless broadband network
operation and maintenance. Policies
are executed by GW/DPI based on user
service subscription information and
real-time user call information (including
location, time, and traffic). These policies

ZTE Optimized Operation and Management System (ZOOMs)

LTE

PCRF/SPR

UBAS

OCS/OFCS

TD-SCDMA/
GPRS

Enterprise

WAP/MMS
QoS & Routing

CDMA

Statistics

Internet

GW/DPI
Control & Charging

WiMAX/
WLAN

Security
Other Services

involve service admission, QoS control,

charging, and traffic control.
UBAS performs complete service
usage analysis, user behavior analysis,
network traffic analysis, user preference
analysis, and hotspot area analysis based
on user and service information gained
from network elements such as GW/
DPI, HSS/AAA and Firewall. It provides
operators with an effective means of
analyzing and optimizing their networks
and exploring new service opportunities.
OCS/OFCS provides online/offline
charging and user account management
functions based on 3GPP specifications.
It also integrates a self-help portal server
for management of user accounts.
ZOOMs provides dynamic policy
and charging control, and flexible user
behavior analysis, to help operators
maintain complete control over both
the service and user ends aspects
of their network operations and to
improve revenue. In this way, operators
can gradually change their role from
network operators to service providers,
and take initiatives in mobile Internet
development.

Figure 2. ZOOMs architecture.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

Focus

A Study on Interworking Between

WLAN and Mobile Networks
By Meng Jun

LAN technology has been

accepted by operators as
an important supplement
to mobile data networks. It has high
bandwidth, is inexpensive, and also
has a high terminal penetration rate.
A primary concern for operators has
been making good use of field-proven
2G/3G mobile network architecture
and protocols to provide differentiated
and competitive services while, at the
same time, reducing WLAN network
construction and operation costs. By
cooperating closely with operators,
ZTE has developed a flexible,
converged core network architecture
that effectively supports interworking
of WLAN and mobile networks.

X+WLAN Interworking Solution

3GPP has defined the interworking

of WLAN and mobile networks
t h r o u g h s i x d i ff e r e n t s c e n a r i o s :
common billing, 3G-based access

10

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

control and charging, access to 3G

Packet-Switched (PS) services,
access to 3G PS-based services with
service continuity, access to 3G PSbased services with seamless service
continuity, and access to 3G CircuitsSwitched (CS) services with seamless
mobility. These various scenarios
describe an increasing level of
convergence. From scenario 1 to 6,
WLAN and mobile networks become
more tightly integrated and more
demanding in terms of interworking
requirements.
3GPP has also proposed a solution
for access to Evolved Packet Core
(EPC) via I-WLAN and non-3GPP
networks. However, the solution
does not meet the demands of
most operators because it defines a
complicated architectureall features
are WAG and PDGand operators
may have different interworking
requirements.

ZTEs X+WLAN solution supports

interworking between WLAN and mobile
networks such as GSM, UMTS, CDMA
and EPC. The foundation of X+WLAN
interworking consists of packet core
network gateway (xGW), unified
authentication system (ZXUniA AAA),
and integrated terminal, as shown in
Figure 1.
xGW serves as a high-performance
platform with high integrational
capability. It can integrate multiple
functional network elements such as
PDG/TTG, ePDG, wPDIF, GGSN,
P-GW, and HA, providing user tunnel
management, context management,
authentication and authorization,
routing and forwarding, and mobility
management functions. ZXUniA AAA
integrates 3GPP AAA and obtains
user authentication and authorization
information from HLR. It provides
user authentication, authorization, and
accounting functions. The terminal

used in X+WLAN interworking must

support (u) SIM-based or UIM-based
authentication, and must also support
a tunnel established between itself and
xGW for tunnel management.
X+WLAN interworking brings
about the following advantages for
operators:
A unified user ID is provided
for access to WLAN and mobile
networks. The (u) SIM or UIM
card is an access ID for WLAN.
This helps operators simplify their
user subscription management;
In WLAN, users have direct access
to services deployed on the packet
core networks to enhance user
broadband experience. They can
send or receive MMS, browse
WAP, and access other streaming
media services;
WLAN effectively diverts a great
deal of nomadic 2G/3G data traffic,
freeing up more 2G/3G packet
bandwidth.

Deployment Scenarios

X+WLAN interworking can be

deployed in different scenarios to meet
operators requirements. It supports
interworking between WLAN and
various mobile networks; in particular,
it has been widely deployed by
China Telecom for CDMA+WLAN
interworking.
A s d e f i n e d i n 3 G P P, t h e
interworking of WLAN and 3GPP
mobile networks can be implemented
gradually or by leaps from Scenario 1
to scenario 6. In phase 1, for example,
3GPP AAA is first introduced to
achieve unified authentication in
scenario 2. In phase 2, xGW (PDG)
is then introduced to access 3G PS
services in scenario 3. And in phase 3,
xGW is upgraded to support ePDG to
evolve to EPC.

S
S

Internet

S
S
S

OSASCS

S
S
S

SCP
IM-SSF

S
S
S

3rd Party Applications

SIP
AS

Unified Service Platform

X+WLAN Interworking System

HLR/HSS

GW

xGW

ZXUniA AAA

GGSN/P-GW/HA
User Subscription
Center

ePDG

CN

PDG/TTG

wPDIF

WLAN AN

LTE

TD

GSM/UMTS CDMA

WLAN

Mobile Packet Networks

Figure 1. X+WLAN interworking solution.

TD-SCDMA
TD/WLAN Dualmode Terminal

SGSN

RNC

GGSN
MMS/
Email

HLR

TD-SCDMA

PS Service
Network
3GPP AAA
WLAN
TD/WLAN Dualmode Terminal

Internet

IP
BRAS/AC

xGW/PDC

Newly-added
3GPP AAA and xGW

Figure 2. TD+WLAN interworking architecture.

Internetworking of TD-SCDMA
and WLAN is illustrated in Figure 2.
At the network side, two elements
3GPP AAA and xGW (PDG) are
added for unified authentication of
WLAN users and their access to the
PS domain. A standard D/Gr interface
is adopted between 3GPP AAA and
HLR. Generally, 3GPP AAA signaling
address and I-WLAN user subscription
information can be added without

any alternation to the existing HLR.

WLAN AN needs to support EAPbased authentication architecture
and adopts RADIUS protocol to
communicate with 3GPP AAA. The
BOSS system is required to create
traffic statistics and complete related
billing and rating according to the
specific service package users have
selected.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

11

Focus

Hong Kongs CSL Optimizes

Network Management with ZOOMs
By Liu Guoyan

he rapid development of
mobile packet services
has good prospects for
operators. However, due to the lack
of an optimized service operation
and management system, satisfactory
profits cannot be obtained from these
services. Operators instead tend to
become bit pipe providers unable to
guarantee QoS of high-priority services
or restrict low-profit services. This
leads to bandwidth waste. Optimized
operation and management is therefore
needed.
The Policy and Charging Control
(PCC) defined in 3GPP is aimed at
optimizing operation and management.
Its Application Function (AF)the
service feature identification system
is based on IMS architecture. Because
standard AF only identifies SIP-based
sessions, requirements of operators
without IMS networks cannot be
satisfied.

12

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

In cooperation with CSL, Hong

Kongs largest mobile operator, ZTE
has developed a flexible, efficient
Optimized Operation and Management
System (ZOOMs) to help the company
manage its mobile packet services.
Based on the PCC structure, ZOOMs
provides Deep Packet Inspection (DPI)
embedded in the Gateway GPRS

Support Node (GGSN) to compensate

for deficiency in AF.
ZOOMs consists of GGSN, User
Behavior Analysis System (UBAS),
Policy and Charging Rules Function
(PCRF), Subscriber Profile Repository
(SPR), self-help Portal Server, and
Online Charging System/Offline
Charging System (OCS/OFCS), as

Billing
System

OCS

OFCS

UBAS

GERAN
SGSN

GGSN

PDN

UTRAN
PCRF

Figure 1. ZOOMs block diagram.

SPR

Portal Server

shown in Figure 1. Service streams are

inspected via the DPI of GGSN, and
user subscription, location, and access
information, as well as more complex
service software features can be
obtained from the GGSN/SPR. Service
analysis can be made by the UBAS;
service control policies are issued by
the PCRF and executed by the Policy
and Charging Enforcement Function
(PCEF) of GGSN; and services are
charged by the OCS/OFCS.
All these subsystems work together
to help CSL build a complete, flexible
service control and management
system. With smart service sensing
and smart user behavior sensing at its
core, the system provides control and
management functions such as smart
user behavior analysis, smart service

billing, smart service bandwidth

management, and smart service access
control, as shown in Figure 2.
CSLs service policies have three
requirements. First, users are divided
into several classes according to the
feature of their subscribed bandwidth,
and these classes have different
service access priorities. Second,
user bandwidth can be limited but
not banned. Third, differentiated
control and service redirection are
provided for family members. To meet
these requirements, ZTE developed
an optimized service operation
and management solution to be
implemented in three stages.
Stage 1: P2P service control and
management
Service Billing

Service Bandwidth
Management

User Behavior Sensing

Service Path
Control
Service Access
Control

Service Sensing

User Service
Behavior Analysis
Figure 2. Service control and management functions.

Service Security
Management

To ensure sufficient bandwidth for

high-level user access, low-level user
traffic (low-profit P2P) is monitored.
Differentiated user (DiffUser) control
not only alleviates network congestion
caused by P2P services, but also helps
users understand and accept CSLs
service policies.
Stage 2: User internal service
resource management
After the first stage, CSLs network
resources were effectively controlled.
In order to enhance customer
satisfaction and increase profits, CSL
decided to further manage its internal
service resources and worked out more
detailed and flexible service policies.
Control and manage users internal
service resources based on their
access priority. This avoids resource
o v e r- u s e b y l o w - d e l a y, l o w bandwidth services and enhances
high-delay, high-bandwidth service
experience;
Alert users when their traffic is
close to or reaches their subscribed
amount;
Control total service access volume
according to user daily or monthly
traffic. If they have exceeded traffic
flow for one day, lower user service
and bandwidth classes and restore
them back to normal the following
day. This alleviates excessive daily

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

13

Focus

ZTEs optimized packet service

operation and management solution allows
CSL to create more flexible and differentiated
service policies for effective management of its
network resources.

traffic and ensures high QoS over

the whole month;
Help parents control their childrens
access to specific services at specific
times or restrict their access to
certain services. Considerate service
policy makes family users feel more
satisfied;
Remind users they do not have a
subscription before they access
specific services, and transfer them
automatically to a subscription page
with clearly specified charges;
Prompt when users access non-CSL
services to inform them about the
services they will access.
Stage 3: In-depth service control
and management
To provide a more effective and
rational basis for the existing PCC
policy making system, CSL adopts
UBASa professional service
statistical and analysis system
developed by ZTE. Through detailed
and intuitive analysis, UBAS helps
CSL pinpoint user behavior changes,
develop optimized and differentiated
policy rules, and launch more
attractive services to enhance customer
satisfaction. UBAS provides the
following functions:
Packet service access analysis based

14

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

UBAS makes real-time statistics and

analysis of user behavior (service, time,
location, and traffic)

PCRF makes service control policies based

on all kinds of user information and analysis
results provided by UBAS, and sends them
to GGSN

60%
P2P

PCRF/SPR

P2P
90%

Other

UBAS

OCS

VOD
Web
P2P

SGSN

GGSN

Busy Cell

AF

meeting

Video
conference

OA

VoIP/Centrex

IM

Internet

GGSN implements service control and

charging based on the policies

Visual
Telephone

Games

VOD
When a user starts to access a certain
service, GGSN uses DPI to inspect the
service, and requests control policies
from PCRF

Figure 3. Complete architecture of CSLs ZOOMs.

on network elements, routing areas,

cells, and access point name (APN);
Service or protocol utilization
analysis to provide Top N service or
protocol list, or Top N user list;
Specific service access analysis
including P2P and VoIP monitoring;
Service access analysis based on
user class or user group, including
user preference analysis, Top N user
analysis, and VIP user/brand service
analysis;
Website traffic statistics and analysis;
Analysis of traffic/bandwidth usage

caused by malicious attacks, and list

of end-users affected by malicious
attacks.
The complete architecture of CSLs
ZOOMs is shown in Figure 3.
ZTEs optimized packet service
OA
operation and management
solution
allows CSL to create more flexible
and differentiated service policies for
effective management of its network
resources. In this way, customer
satisfaction is enhanced, and CSLs
leading position in the value chain is
strengthened.

SAE-Based Multi-Access
Network Solution
By Lu Guanghui

Challenges and Opportunities for

Operators

he introduction of 3G and
LTE technologies has driven
the rapid growth of mobile
broadband, and as a result, there is
an increasing need for convergence
of telecommunications, Internet, and
multimedia. An increasing number of
subscribers are using mobile phones
to access Internet services such as
Web Browser, Instant Messaging,
Skype, YouTube, and online games.
In response, many operators have
deployed or are deploying HSPA/LTE
networks worldwide. With large scale
legacy Circuit-Switched (CS) and
Packet-Switched (PS) devices, they
must take into account the smooth
evolution to LTE/SAE while protecting
existing investments.
System Architecture Evolution
(SAE) proposed by 3GPP aims to
make full use of existing architecture
to ensure smooth evolution in the PS
domain. LTE has been widely accepted
by operators as the technology of
choice for their future mobile networks,
and in the era of mobile Internet, there
will be a more complicated ecological
environment and longer value chain.
Every operator desires a share of
the market. It is therefore important
for operators to lead in integrated

mobile broadband access. However,

they will face some challenges. With
the introduction of HSPA and LTE
technologies, higher bandwidth will be
required for existing mobile networks
evolving towards broadband. Ensuring
mobile and service continuity for
coexistence of different access modes
(fixed and mobile), coexistence of
different access bandwidths (2G, 3G
and 4G), and coexistence of different
wireless standards (CDMA, WCDMA,
TD-SCDMA, and WiFi/WiMAX) also
poses a challenge.
To tackle these challenges, operators
must have a packet core network with
a unified platform in order to save on
investment and maintenance costs.
This allows multi-access users to share
network resources, provides unified
policy and service experience, and
ensures mobile and service continuity
Control Plane Traffic
User Plane Traffic
S6d
S4
SGSN
EPC

S3

among multiple access modes.

3GPP SAE Architecture

To simplify network structure,

the control plane must be separated
from the user plane, and all-IP access
realized. 3GPP has defined a multiaccess network architecture that
supports LTE access, legacy 2G and 3G
access, non-3GPP access, and ensures
interoperability among different access
modes, as shown in Figure 1.
The 3GPP multi-access network
architecture contains basic network
elements such as Mobility Management
Entity (MME), System Architecture
Evolution Gateway (SAE-GW), and
Home Subscriber Server (HSS).
These are used for LTE access and
interworking with Non-3GPP networks.
For interworking with 2G/3G
networks, GPRS Tunneling Protocol
SAE-GW:
SGW+PGW

Operators services
Rx

HSS

SGi

PCRF
Gx

S6a
MME

S11

S10

BSC

RNC

BTS

NodeB

S1-MME

S2a/c
S2b ePDG

PGW
SGW

S5-(GTP)

S1-U

Handoff
Optimization

Non 3GPP
Access Network
S10x
S10x

MIP-based
Mobility

3GPP
CS Core

eNodeB

Figure 1. 3GPP multi-access network architecture.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

15

Focus

(GTP) based mobility is adopted,

and Serving GPRS Support Node
(S4 SGSN) is used to support legacy
access for UTRAN and GERAN.
For interworking between LTE and
legacy networks, S4 SGSN is used
for signaling between EPC nodes,
and for mobility between 2G/3G and
E-UTRAN 3GPP access networks.
For interworking with non-3GPP
access networks, Mobile IP (MIP)
based mobility is adopted, and Packet
Data Network Gateway (PGW) acts
as the anchor point for intra non3GPP network mobility (as well as
mobility between 3GPP and non-3GPP
networks).

ZTEs SAE-Based Multi-Access

Network Solution

As a leading supplier of core network

infrastructure, ZTE has been committed
to developing multi-access integrated
packet core network products. Based
on 3GPP SAE architecture, ZTE has
put forward ZEPSan innovative
mobile broadband integrated access
solution (see Figure 2). By classifying
functions of network elements into
various access modes, operators can
build a simplified, converged, accessagnostic network that supports multiple
access modes and smooth evolution to
LTE/LTE+ with low TCO. ZEPS has
the following features:
Unified network elements: It provides
a Universal Subscriber Profile Platform
(ZXUN USPP) for unified user
data management; a Resource and
Charging Control Platform (ZXUN
RCP) for unified service control and
charging; NetNuman for unified
network management; ZXUN uMAC
as unified mobility management node;
ZXUN xGW as unified packet network
gateway; and SDR for unified radio
network access.

16

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

NetNuman

ZXUN USPP
S

S
O
OSASAOSA
SCS

HLR/HSS/AAA/SPR

ZXUN uMAC

SCP
S
CP
IMIM-SSF

ZXUN RCP

SIP
SIP
AS

IMS/Service Platform

SGSN

MME

PCRF

ZXUN xGW
GGSN

HA

SAE-GW

AC/SR/BRAS AGW ePDG

SDR-based Uni-RAN

LTE

UTRAN/GERAN

WiMAX/WiFi

xDSL/xPON

Figure 2. Innovative ZEPS solution.

Integrated and access-agnostic

network: It supports multiple access
modes including mobile and fixed
broadband access.
Flatter architecture: It provides
integrated user plane with single user
plane node, optimized handoff, and
reduced signaling in network element
integration.
Separation of control and bearer:
The network control method does
not need altering when the bearing
technique changes, thereby improving
network extensibility.
Low TCO: Hardware sharing saves
CAPEX and simplified network
architecture reduces OPEX.
By effectively combining six unified
network elements, ZEPS provides an
intelligent, access-agnostic, low-TCO,
and high-bandwidth network. ZXUN
uMAC and ZXUN xGW separate
control-plane and user-plane as defined
in 3GPP SAE, and minimize media
transmission delay. They also support

multi-network access, reduce additional

inter-NE signaling, and ensure smooth
evolution to LTE and LTE+. ZXUN
RCP works with ZXUN xGW to
provide flexible, optimized operation
and management of packet services.
SDR-based Uni-RAN provides a
cost-effective means of sustainable
evolution while protecting existing
investments.

Conclusion

ZTEs SAE-based multi-access

network solution is designed for an
LTE/LTE+ application scenario. With
separation of control plane and user
plane, as well as multi-access, allIP capabilities, the solution supports
smooth evolution to LTE/EPC while
maintaining compatibility with legacy
networks. This helps multi-network
operators save on TCO, overcome
difficulties in multi-network operation,
and take initiatives in mobile packet
service development.

Third Eye

IDC Vendor Spotlight

Improving Network Quality and

Customer Experience with Network
Element Management

June 2010, by Elisabeth Rainge, from market research firm IDC

he explosion of Internet
services and IP-based devices
is driving spending on IT
network infrastructure for both service
providers and enterprise customers
alike. As more networking equipment
is added to accommodate the
growing number of users and devices

accessing and traversing the network,

it is becoming painfully clear that the
management and configuration of these
network devices can no longer be done
manually. Depending on the number
of devices and administrators on staff,
the exact pain threshold for each
customer is different, but when the

number of network devices runs into

the hundreds, the traditional method of
manual configuration does not scale.
Manual configuration is extremely
time consumingit does not provide a
repository of configuration settings, the
ability to monitor and enforce policies,
or automated remediation in the

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

17

Third Eye

event of a failed configuration. It also

does not create an audit trail. As the
networks increase in size, they increase
in their complexity and heterogeneity.
Change is constant, with moves and
new equipment continuously added
to the network infrastructure. A single
console that can manage configuration
changes across devices from multiple
vendors, inside the network operations
center (NOC), and at remote sites
saves time and reduces the chance for
configuration errors.

Trends Driving the Need for Better

Network Management

Two key trends are driving this

push for better network quality and,
hence, the need for network element
management. They are:
Focus on service development
As communications service
providers (CSPs) focus on developing
innovative services, the network
infrastructure must be a manageable
and modular component. For network
equipment vendors which deliver
element management systems (EMS)
and network management systems
(NMS) that span their entire product
portfolio, they increase buyer
confidence of the overall solution value
and manageability. Several aspects
such as staffing priorities, competitive
dynamics for the CSP and network
technologies are changing, providing
suppliers in the network and element
management market with opportunity.
Networks have expanded to the
point where manual management is
not feasible. Service development
initiatives require that network assets
be highly reliable to suit different kinds
of services while also being available
as components in a modular way. In

18

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

addition, manual configuration methods

provide limited accountability and are
very time consuming. To meet timeto-market requirements, EMS/NMS
systems are a key foundation.
Focus on quality management: QoE,
SQM and CEM
Investment in infrastructure
operations, especially to support
automation, is contributing to customer
experience management goals for
leading CSPs. In the engineering of
mobile networks, multiple dimensions
of complexitylegal, real estate,
topography, radio signal strength,
volume, and staffingdrive continued
reliance on a broad set of small
niche expert suppliers. However,
in recent conversations, mobile
service providers have suggested that
deploying an assurance-based solution
was increasingly effective in solving
their problems. In a nutshell, what has
been often defined as a provisioning
problem is now being tackled as an
assurance problem due to the customerfocus initiatives.
EMS/NMS provides the foundation
for a quality experience by delivering
foundational information to quality of
experience key performance indicator
(KPI) dashboards, service quality
management and customer experience
measurement systems. The EMS/
NMS do discovery, create topology
maps, provide audit trails, create and
enforce policies, automate changes
and push them out to the elements,
simulate configurations before they
are implemented, create baselines,
collect and store configuration data,
perform rollbacks and remediation,
check start-up configurations to
running configurations, and keep track
of which OS is running on each of

the network devices and they do this

across multiple platforms from a single
console. The EMS/NMS is increasingly
a key system underpinning a simplified
view of the network infrastructure and
helps to organize and tame the complex
network maze, freeing up staff to focus
on the overall customer engagement.

Benefits of Network Element

Management

The network is becoming a key

component in the execution of the
business model and, in some cases, it
is the business model. Network and
element management products are one
way to rein in the chaos that can exist
when changes are made in a manual,
ad hoc fashion. Network and element
management products provide a
framework that gives detailed insight
into the network devices, thereby
creating greater understanding of the
network environment. This greater
understanding makes troubleshooting
easier and proactive trouble prevention
a reality. As companies struggle with
emergin g comp lian ce ma n dates ,
network and element management
products do not only provide historic
configuration and audit trails but also
monitor and enforce policies as the
companys needs dictate.
Role of element and network
management
OSS assets, including element and
network management, manage the
network elements in the infrastructure.
In some cases, the proprietary network
equipment relies upon proprietary
element and network management. As
the network is evolving to be IP-based,
some standardization has emerged in
element and network management
principles. However, the latest moves

by network equipment providers

(NEPs) include adding management
capabilities to their product and
services portfolios.
Going forward, the role of element
and network management from now
to 2012 is to help make the network
i n f r a s t r u c t u r e m o r e m o d u l a r. I n
mobile networks, the profusion of
radio frequency (RF) planning tools,
customer experience systems and
network element monitoring systems
continues to be accepted. The current
trends of mobile network infrastructure
outsourcing and, potentially, network
sharing does not suggest near-term
changes in the mobile OSS. This means
that element and network management
will continue to be an important area of
investment for CSPs.
Overall in CSP networks, very largescale networks are now emerging.

CSPs see large-scale networks in the

future, either as part of roadmaps of
4G mobile distributed architectures
or as a result of supporting machineto-machine (M2M) initiatives. Others
which are already seeing very largescale networks today often have flat
network architectures or are advancing
o n t h e p a t h o f c o n v e rg i n g t h e i r
networks onto IP, or both.

Role of ZTE NetNumen

Todays CSPs continue to look

for ways to simplify the network
operations and maintenance, improve
network performance, integrate and
normalize element management
data, and sometimes also network
management data. ZTEs NetNumen
solution is part of a growing trend in
the industry to better integrate element
and network management with the

Client

Flexible
Access

Rich NBI
OSS/BSS
CORBA, SNMP,
FTP/FILE, MML

overall infrastructure management

strategies. ZTE is working hard
to make its element and network
management system the best choice for
its customers.
Z T E s N e t N u m e n s o l u t i o n i s
designed to be a comprehensive
management for all types of network
equipment including services, core
network, bearer network, access
network and terminals. It provides an
operations and maintenance system
that manages different types of devices.
It does batch configurations of network
elements intended to improve the
network maintenance efficiency. Device
status for devices involved in an endto-end service flow over the network
are the basic data for guaranteeing QoE
and SQM to help ensure the secure,
reliable running of the network. It
includes batch configuration through

WEB GUI MML

Acces Client Client

NetNumenTMU31
Powerful Functions

Fault

Performance

Configuration

Security

Topology

Unified Platform

Windows/Linux/Solarls

CN

Inventory

RAN

Multi NE Types

System

Log

Oracle/SQL Server

BN

AN

Figure 1. Architecture of ZTE NetNumen U31.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

19

Third Eye

templates, customized KPI data, perfect

logs and security management, timely
alarms and NE status information,
integration with some OSS vendor
solutions and associated systems.
The solution features include the endto-end service status is visible and
manageable; the solution allows the
managed networks to grow in scale.
NetNumen solution architecture
The architecture of ZTE NetNumen
U31 is illustrated in Figure 1. As an
EMS, NetNumen can manage different
types of device within a telecom
network and provide a variety of device
management functions and basic data.
Opportunities
Convergence of mobile and fixed
networks
Convergence of mobile and fixed
networks onto a common IP network
platform requires common tools
such as EMS/NMS. Convergence
also increases the importance of
e ff e c t i v e n e t w o r k m a n a g e m e n t ,
especially as a building block. As
voice services shift from being an
explicit network infrastructure-based
service to becoming a service based
on an application (on IP networks),
competition for CSPs with traditional
and over-the-top providers is only set
to increase, making strong network
quality and reliability a key point of
differentiation.
Work with ZTE managed services
With greater focus on the end-to-end
customer experience, combined with
the rise of network outsourcing options,
CSPs are embracing monitoring-based
approaches and a services approach.
The growth of professional services for
network equipment vendors reflects this
trend. Top CSPs are turning to NEPs
for extensive professional services are

20

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

a key indicator.
Challenges
Integrating with other OSS and
IT management systems
Integration with other OSS and IT
management systems in each service
providers own particular network
and operations environment needs
to be an ongoing priority for ZTE.
Network equipment and the operations
of that equipment are tightly linked.
Installed and new systems require
real integration work. However, in the
telecom infrastructure, the network
team, which drives network gear, and
the IT team, which drives operational
process systems, remain separated
organizationally and politically.
Likewise the core network is the source
of significant large investments in OSS
and network management investment,
but the management of access
networks can often be a blind spot for
centralized operations staff. Integration
of EMS/NMS with central IT systems
for provisioning and assurance of
customers is a key step that requires
often challenging cross-company
cooperation.
Showing value of EMS/NMS
ZTE must work hard to demonstrate
the value of their EMS/NMS solutions
to prospects and customers, and
also show their commitment to the
solutions. The internal staff of NEPs
and a number of their customers
understand that the core assets of their
systems (e.g., routers and switches)
are software. Some within those
groups understand OSS and network
management as ways to optimize the
use of those systems. More often,
OSS and network management, when
coming from a NEP, are perceived by
customers as table stakes and by NEP
salespeople as easy up-sell.

For established systems, the OSS

costs can be relatively low while
newer stage activity is higher. There
are many examples of network
equipment vendors which view
network management as an external
rather than internal or native expertise.
Some play in network management
solutions offerings or a broader OSS
position but primarily from a servicesdriven perspective rather than pure
software. Without a doubt, the product
portfolios and service portfolios of
NEPs will continue to focus on the
network equipment but cyclically
include network management and OSS
capabilities as suited to their broader
market play.

Conclusion

Element and network management

is important to uptime of the network
and the service. ZTEs work with
many CSPs helps it to understand
the challenges of mobile and fixed
line network operators, especially in
emerging markets.
IDC believes that the growth and
complexity of network infrastructures
are forcing IT departments to move
away from traditional manual methods
of configuration and seek standardized
solutions to automate and perform
n e t w o r k d i s c o v e r y, c h a n g e a n d
configuration tasks.
In the end, this is about the use case
for technologies: Service providers have
a greater need to ensure the network
performance than they do for structuring
systems to serve network and service
organization/set up processes. Servicelevel monitoring tools and reports can
be monetized as add-ons to business
customers. To do this, network and
element management is an important
foundation.

Case Study

Senegals Success with a

GoTa National Information
Security Network
By Li Nanlin, Zhang Fuwen and Ma Zenghong

enegal is a democratic republic

on the western-most coast of
Africa. The country covers an
area of 196,772 square kilometers and
has a population of 13.71 million. As a
densely-populated country, Senegal is
committed to driving forward economic
growth. In 2007, sales generated by
the telecom sector accounted for more
than 7% of the countrys GDP. The last
five years have witnessed spectacular
growth in mobile telephonyfrom

1.5 million subscribers in 2005 to 3.4

million in 2007. The development
of information and communication
technology is the linchpin of the
governments strategy for accelerated
growth. Since privatization of its
telecom industry in 1997, Senegal has
maintained a 15% growth rate in the

telecom market over recent years. By

the end of 2009, its telecom subscriber
base had reached 6.7 million.
Due to privatization of the telecom
industry, the Senegalese government

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

21

Case Study

has had to bear enormous annual

communications expenses. Privatelyowned telecom networks also pose
a security risk for communications
between government departments.
Speeding up economic growth while
protecting sensitive information
and ensuring political stability has
therefore become a major concern
for the government. As a result, it
began seeking suitable technologies
for building a national information
security network at the end of 2006.

GoTa National Information Security

Network

In 2007, ZTE put forward GoTa

a new-generation digital trunking
technology with independent IPR
for Senegals national information
security network. ZTE drew on its
rich experience in building public
security systems to create a solution
that would handle both routine and
emergency communications, and that
would be attractive to the Senegalese
government.
B e c a u s e S e n e g a l s n a t i o n a l
information security network is
integrally connected to its political
stability, the government expressed
concerns about whether the network
could ensure information security as
well as meet their communication
needs. To allay these concerns, ZTE
proposed a GoTa trial in Dakar, the
capital city. After government approval,
ZTE began trialing the network in
December 2007. It took only three
months to complete the whole process,
from equipment delivery and network
deployment, to commercial trial.
T h e G o Ta t r i a l w a s o ff i c i a l l y
launched in Dakar in February 2008.
Senegals Minister of Home Affairs,
Police Chief, and Assistant to the
Chinese Ambassador attended the

22

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

launch event. The Minister spoke

highly of ZTEs rapid response team.
The successful commercialization
of GoTa laid a solid foundation for the
government to build its GoTa national

information security network. On

February 13, 2009, Chinese President
Hu Jintao visited Senegal to attend the
signing ceremony of Senegals GoTa
National Information Network Project.
The next day, Senegalese President
Abdoulaye Wade met ZTEs Chairman
Hou Weigui, to express his thanks for
the help ZTE had given to his country.
He also made clear his expectations of
further cooperation.
The project which began in 2009
was formally put into operation in
early 2010. The first phase of the
project covered 21 major cities, and
had a capacity of 100,000 lines.

Serving the 11th Islamic Summit

On March 12, 2008, the 11th Islamic

Summit was held in the Senegalese
capital, Dakar. The GoTa trial deployed
by ZTE played an important role in
delivering trunked dispatch services
to government departments and to
the Summit. Ibrahima Diallo, the
Equipment Section Chief of Senegals
Home Affairs, used the GoTa terminal
to dispatch and command police
officers and peacekeeping troops. At
the conclusion of the Summit, he gave
a high appraisal of the system: GoTa
features fast call connection, crystal
clear voice, and is easy to carry. We
believe GoTa will play a key role in
stable social and economic growth.

Safeguarding the 50th Anniversary

Celebration

Senegal celebrated its 50th

independence anniversary at
Independence Square on April 4, 2010.
It was the largest ever celebration
since Senegal gained independence.
Twenty two African heads of state and
over 20,000 people attended the event.
To guarantee sound running of the
celebration, and to ensure the safety

of all heads of state, the Senegalese

government set up a special on-site
security guard and dispatched all police
officers, guards, escorts, and some
armed forces to the Square and along
the parade route. The GoTa system was
widely used to provide secure dispatch
and communication services.
Before the celebration, Senegals
Home Affairs Minister and relevant
leaders went to the site to experience
the feature-rich GoTa services. They
were satisfied with powerful functions
of the system. During the celebration,
thousands of GoTa terminals were
used for on-site dispatch, coordination,
and security work. The system was
also highly praised by on-site workers
and officials for its outstanding
and professional trunked radio
performance. After the celebration,
Senegals Ministry of Home Affairs
sent a special letter of thanks to ZTE
expressing their appreciation and
willingness for future cooperation.

Promoting National Economic

Growth

Senegals national information

security network was built to provide
government departments, national
security authorities, and police forces
with reliable and secure dispatch
communication services. This helps
the government significantly reduce
expenses on communications, and
effectively improves their working
efficiency and level of informatization.
Moreover, it plays an important role
in safeguarding Senegals political
and social stability. A stable political
and social environment is fundamental
for the countrys economic take-off.
Senegal has benefited in many ways
from the excellent performance of the
GoTa national information security
network.
Multiple security protection
mechanisms
The GoTa national information
security network provides security
protection mechanisms such as

Police officers equipped with GoTa terminals at the celebration

service priority control, virtual private

network, remote terminal disabling,
and two-way access authentication.
These ensure the security and
confidentiality of trunk ed radio
services for government departments,
and avoid threats to national security
caused by information disclosure.
P ro f e s s i o n a l t r u n k e d r a d i o
services
The GoTa national information
security network offers professional
trunked radio services such as group
call, private call, floor taken, late-join,
and dynamic regrouping. It also has
a fallback operation mode to ensure
that high-level government officials
can still use the system if a public
communications network fails due to
heavy traffic or emergency events.
I n t e g r a t e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n s
solution
The GoTa national information
security network provides up to
1.8/3.1Mbps data rate in uplink and
downlinkthe highest data rate
ever supported by digital trunking
technologies. The network integrates
voice, wireless broadband data, and
trunked radio, helping the government
to deliver diverse, cost-effective,
and secure communications services
(including routine and emergency
communications), and improve its
level of informatization.
In order to drive its national
economic development, the
government of Senegal hopes to
improve national security to a level
that encourages investor confidence
and attracts foreign investment. ZTE
believes the GoTa national information
security network can fulfil the
governments goals and contribute to
political stability and economic takeoff in West Africa.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

23

Research Note

Development of

Communications Shelters
By Wang Weili and Ou Yangming

communications shelter is a
box that provides a suitable
working environment for
telecom equipment. A good shelter
should be wind-proof, water-proof,
and dust-proof. It should also be secure
from theft, and easy to pack. Shelters
are widely used for base station
deployment as they have advantages
such as fast construction, low cost,

modular design, and easy installation

that make them preferable to equipment
rooms. Several systems and subsystems usually comprise a shelter box,
including the cabin system, alternating
current (AC) distribution system, and
monitoring system (shown in Figure 1).

Development Trends
Customization

A Communications Shelter

Cabin System

AC Distribution System

Shelter Body

AC Input

Lightning Protection
Shelter Parts

Monitoring System

Temperature Control
Sub-system
Temperature Control
Units

Temperature Control
Equipment

Figure 1. Composition of a communications shelter.

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

Environmental
Dynamics
Monitoring System

Sensor for
Temperature Control
AC Output

24

Environmental Dynamics
Monitoring Sub-system

August 2010

Sensor for
Environmental
Dynamics Monitoring

Traditionally, shelters have been

applied to BTS sites but not MSC sites
(due to size limitations). However, when
used for small-sized base stations such
as the BS8800, there is often room to
spare. To better fit specific base stations,
shelters need to have a customized
design.
In a wireless network project for
Orange Madagascar, ZTE customized a
Super Shelter according to the actual
conditions and requirements of the
site (see Figure 2). With approximate
dimensions (760057003000mm),
the Super Shelter boasts simple and
elegant shape, modular design, and
is easy to transport and install. Air
conditioners and fans are automatically
controlled according to indoor/outdoor
temperature changes, and this reduces
OPEX.
Function division
In a traditional shelter, infrastructure
equipment and battery packs are often
located together. With technological
development, infrastructure equipment
has been designed to be more energy-

efficient and more adaptive to harsh

temperatures (50C). Battery packs,
however, cannot endure such high
temperatures because of technical
constraints.

Figure 2. The Super Shelter for Orange

Madagascar.

Ambient temperature greatly

impacts the service life of batteries,
especially lead-acid batteries which
are in widespread use today. To extend
battery life, traditional shelters are
usually equipped with air-conditioners.
But this results in increased OPEX
because air-conditioners are configured
according to the size of shelter body
and the heat generated by infrastructure
equipment. There are different
temperature requirements for batteries
and infrastructure equipment.
To effectively reduce OPEX, ZTE
has launched a Diet Shelter that
provides different temperature control
solutions for infrastructure equipment
and batteries. As shown in Figure 3,
the diet shelter has three cabinets, each
with a separate door. Temperature
controllers such as heat exchanger, airconditioner, and thermal electric coolers
(TEC) can be installed on the door of
a separate function area. These can be
configured to meet different temperature
requirements.
The diet shelter can reduce energy
consumption at a base station site by

between 20% and 60%. It can be lifted

or carried as a wholeor assembled on
siteand with side and back expansion
capability, it is flexible to various spacial
constraints. The Diet Shelter is the

Figure 3. The Diet Shelter launched by

ZTE.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

25

Research Note

best choice for operators wanting to

extend battery life and reduce energy
consumption at base station sites.
Emergency communications
Communications shelters are
designed for fast construction of base
station sites. Although shelters have
distinct advantages over equipment
rooms, they must also be assembled
onsite. It takes time to wire and install
control systems inside a shelter body.
Traditional shelters are therefore not
optimal for emergency communication
scenarios. For emergency situations,
integrating all systems inside the shelter
and reducing onsite installation and
wiring time is imperative.
ZTE has developed a Container
Shelter that integrates the cabin system,
AC distribution system, and monitoring
system, as well as communications
equipment, generator set, and lifting
pole (holding pole or guyed tower).
During the Yushu earthquake in April
2010, China Telecom adopted ZTEs
container shelter to rapidly restore
communications services (see Figure 4).

Cost Reduction Options

Communications shelters are widely

used in base station deployment, and
reducing shelter costs means saving
costs in base station construction.

The following cost-saving options are

available.
Material selection
ZTEs shelters are constructed using
three types of materials: fiberglassreinforced plastic-skinned polyurethane;
prepainted galvanized steel-skinned
polystyrene; and prepainted galvanized
steel-skinned polyurethane. Plasticskinned polyurethane foam sandwich
panels are designed for use in harsh
environments; for example, by the
seaside, or in moist, acidic, or alkaline
environments. So they are the most
expensive option. Steel-skinned
polystyrene foam panels are used in
areas with moderate temperatures and
a dry climate. They are the cheapest
option. The price of steel-skinned
polyurethane foam panels lies between
these two. Materials for shelter
construction are selected according to
the specific environmental and budget
constraints of operators.

case, space needed for operation and

maintenance can be saved, and a smaller
sized shelter constructed.
Function division
From perspective of OPEX, a
diet shelter with function divisions
is attractive. It provides different
temperature control solutions for
different equipment, and this reduces
equipment OAM costs.
Combination
Combining the shelter and tower
makes efficient use of site area. For
example, a co-based tower and shelter
solution allows the shelter and tower
to share the same ground space (see
Figure 5). Minimizing site area reduces
site construction costs.

Internal layout
For equipment that requires rear-end
operation and maintenance, the shelter
must allow some space for operation
and maintenance. But for equipment
that requires front-end operation and
maintenance, the shelter can be placed
with its back against a wall. In this
Figure 5. Co-based tower and shelter
solution.

Conclusion

Communications shelters have

become the preferred choice in
base station deployment. Fast
construction, low energy consumption,
and environmental protection will
become development trends for future
communications shelters.
Figure 4. The Container Shelter China Telecom adopted for Yushu county.

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ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

News Brief

ZTE and Three Release Android clair Handset

in the UK
15 July 2010, London ZTE and
Three, have launched the ZTE Racer, a
low cost Android 2.1 (clair) powered
handset. The Racer is the first Android
handset in the UK from ZTE and is
Threes first Android handset to break
the 100 barrier, selling at 99.99.
Were really excited to bring the
ZTE Android smartphone into our range.
Combining the power of Android and
the strength of our 3G network, were
enabling more and more customers to
get a great mobile internet experience at
a price thats right for them, said David
Kerrigan, Head of Internet Service,
Three UK.
The Racer is a ZTE and Three cobranded handset that combines a 2.8''
QVGA touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel

camera, 256 MB of internal memory,

B l u e t o o t h a n d 7 . 2 M b p s H S D PA
capabilities. The handset is aimed at
consumers who require access to a wide
range of applications. The Android
operating system (OS) allows users to
download thousands of apps from the
Android market with quicklink access
to services including Facebook, Spotify,
YouTube, Google Maps and Google
Talk.

ZTE Positioned in the Leaders Quadrant in

Leading Industry Analyst Firm Report
14 July 2010, Shenzhen, China
ZTE today announced that it has been
positioned in the leaders quadrant in
Gartners Magic Quadrant for Softswitch
Architecture Report.
As described in the report: Leaders
are high-viability vendors with a broad
portfolio, significant market share,
broad geographic coverage, a clear
vision for how service providers needs
will evolve, and a proven track record
for delivering products. They are well
positioned with their current product
portfolios and are likely to continue to
deliver leading products. Leaders do
not necessarily offer the best solution
for every customer requirement, and
their products may not be best of breed

throughout their portfolios. However,

overall, they provide solutions that offer
relatively low risk and high quality.
ZTEs all-IP core network solution
covering fixed Softswitch, Mobile
Softswitch, IMS and other fields, and
the continuous innovative Softswitch
and IMS solution promotes the healthy
development of industry chain. ZTE
is becoming the leader in driving core
network technology development and
market application all over the world.
Based on continuous investment in
research and increasing in emerging
markets, ZTE gained 35% revenue
growth in the Softswitch market, while
the overall market suffered a decline of
more than 10%.

ZTE Ranks First

in Chinas CDMA
Market with
Increased 43.54%
Market Share in
H1 2010

30 June 2010, Shenzhen, China

ZTE today announced that it
has increased its market share
in Chinas CDMA market to a
robust 43.54% in the first half of
2010, reinforcing its lead as the
top vendor again. ZTE also has
an accumulated market share of
43.2% of Chinas total CDMA
equipment market, putting it
firmly ahead of its competition in
the CDMA industry. The company
attributed the achievements
partly to the steady increase in
shipments made globally.
For four consecutive years,
ZTE has been firmly at the top of
the global CDMA market in terms
of base station shipments from
2006 to 2009. The development
of the CDMA market is of great
importance to ZTE, which is why
we are one of the few vendors
in the world who continue to
make large-scale investments
into CDMA technology, said Li
Jian, ZTEs General Manager of
CDMA & LTE products.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

27

News Brief

ZTE Completes Worlds First MSF LTE/EPC Interoperability Tests

MultiService Forum tests conducted in China and Germany
19 July 2010, Shenzhen, China ZTE today revealed that
it has successfully completed the worlds first MSF LTE/EPC
Interoperability tests. ZTE is one of various equipment vendors to
participate and succeed in the MultiService Forum tests.
The tests were held by China Mobile and Vodafone in China and
Germany respectively. ZTE took part in both China and Germany
site tests by providing its advanced equipment sets including
LTE eNodeB equipment, Evolved Packet Core (EPC), and IP
Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) components.
All the core network vendors underwent two different scenarios
of tests: single and interconnected laboratory. The objective is to
assess the performance of equipment from multiple vendors under
different implementation conditions. The end goal is to enhance the

maturity of EPC inter-working in a multi-vendor environment, and

to promote core network development in the LTE eco-system.
In the experiment carried out in the Vodafone Germany
laboratory, ZTE was the exclusive supplier of eNodeB wireless
equipment, and it successfully passed single laboratory and
interoperability tests with Starent, Bridgewater, NEC and other
vendors.
ZTE also joined the tests held at China Mobiles Beijing
laboratory that measured end-to-end interoperability of the main
LTE interfaces. In addition, the company also concluded all three
roaming experiments between the two laboratories and realized the
industry's first IMS LTE call under a multi-vendor interconnection
setting.

Worlds First Dual-Band LTE Commercial Network Deployed by ZTE and

CSL in Hong Kong

22 July 2010, Shenzhen, China CSL Limited, Hong

Kongs leading mobile network operator and a subsidiary of
Telstra Corporation, and ZTE, a leading global provider of
telecommunications equipment and network solutions, will be
deploying the worlds first commercial 1800 MHz/2600 MHz dualband LTE network. The deployment follows the commercial LTE
network construction contract signed by both parties, under which
ZTE will provide CSL with an end-to-end LTE infrastructure
solution and LTE devices. The dual-band LTE network will leverage

28

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010

CSLs spectrum position to provide customers with better coverage

and enhanced penetration for a more satisfying communications
experience.
The LTE terminals for CSLs LTE network will be deployed and
developed by ZTE. It will provide CSL with a unified core network
to support 2G/3G/LTE concurrently for a seamless user experience.
The latest Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology supports the
distributed multi-mode and multi-band base stations, including refarming of the 1800MHz spectrum for LTE use.
With its world-class all-IP 3G HSPA+ network now in place,
CSL is the first operator in Hong Kong to deploy a commercial LTE
network, earning it wide regard as a global pioneer in LTE network
development.
As a strategic partner with CSL, ZTE has supported CSL
in developing and deploying GSM/HSPA+ and LTE wireless
technologies. Due to its unique geography and density, Hong Kong
is one of the worlds most challenging environments to deploy a
large-scale wireless network. With ZTEs extensive experience
and leading R&D capabilities, ZTEs uni-RAN solution has
demonstrated enormous innovation and capabilities in coping
with the needs of multi-platform integration in complex network
environments.

August 2010

ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

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ZTE TECHNOLOGIES

August 2010