HSPA+ Evolution to Release 12: Performance and Optimization

1 Introduction

Harri Holma

1.1 Introduction

GSM allowed voice to go wireless with more than 4.5 billion subscribers globally. HSPA allowed data to go wireless with 1.5 billion subscribers globally. The number of mobile broadband subscribers is shown in Figure 1.1. At the same time the amount of data consumed by each subscriber has increased rapidly leading to a fast increase in the mobile data traffic: the traffic growth has been 100% per year in many markets. More than 90% of bits in mobile networks are caused by data connections and less than 10% by voice calls. The annual growth of mobile data traffic is expected to be 50–100% in many markets over the next few years. Mobile networks have turned from voice networks into data networks. Mobile operators need to enhance network capabilities to carry more data traffic with better performance. Smartphone users expect higher data rates, more extensive coverage, better voice quality, and longer battery life.

Figure 1.1 Number of subscribers with mobile broadband technologies

Most of the current mobile data traffic is carried by HSPA networks. HSPA+ is expected to be the dominant mobile broadband technology for many years to come due to attractive data rates and high system efficiency combined with low cost devices and simple upgrade on top of WCDMA and HSPA networks. This book presents HSPA evolution solutions to enhance the ...