LiquidNet

Nokia Solutions and

Networks Flexi Zone

Scalable, cost-effective Flexi Zone

tackles the tidal wave of data.

The number of mobile internet users will surpass desktop

users within three years*. With smartphone-enabled 3G, social
networking, video streaming and VoIP on the horizon, a storm
of data is heading operators way.
Faster radio access technology can help LTE will deliver
between four and ten times todays capacity but there is a
physical limit on how much further future generations of radio
technology can improve capacity using the same spectrum.
The limited technical improvements that will be available, such
as fighting interference and complex upgrades to antennas,
may not be practical in all markets.

Up to 5x the number of BTS

sites will be required by 2015.

However, deploying tens or hundreds of thousands of small

cells brings significant new challenges. For example, the extra
control traffic generated in these heterogeneous networks
could swamp the transport and core networks, there will be
substantial interference between the macro- and small-cell
networks and backhaul bottlenecks must be avoided.
Heterogeneous networks are also far more complex than
traditional macro networks, so some form of self- organization
will be required to automate many of the usual manual
processes involved in controlling and optimizing network
operations.
Flexi Zone from Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN) uses a
unique architecture to solve all these challenges and deliver
a series of unique benefits.
Lighten the load with Flexi Zone
The NSN Flexi Zone suite is a LTE/WiFi-capable cellular solution
engineered to offload traffic from the macro network and
increase capacity by providing co-ordinated underlay networks
at a street and indoor level, both for individual subscribers and
enterprises.
Flexi Zone features a zone covered by a cluster of lowpower access points connected to a local controller. This
configuration enables operators to provide a remarkably rich
user experience while offloading unwanted data traffic from
their macro and core networks.

Whats more, even with these increases, its only a matter of

time before exponential traffic growth begins to outpace the
technology. Current estimates predict that traffic volumes will
shoot up 1,000 times by 2020.
Might cell-splitting (deploying more sites) be the answer?
With massive pressure on costs, augmenting the traditional
network infrastructure in this way wont be feasible for many
operators. Instead, theyre increasingly looking for other
network topologies and delivery mechanisms to provide
more cost-effective ways of easing the load on their existing
infrastructure.
Operators are therefore exploring the possibility of deploying
networks of smaller cells to underlay the macro network
and effectively increase the density of coverage. Offloading
traffic to these small-cell networks increases capacity and
performance by reducing the number of subscribers on each
macro cell. Fewer people draw on the networks resources
and performance improves, delivering a better experience for
every user.
*According to Morgan Stanley.

2 Nokia Solutions and Networks Flexi Zone

Flexi Zone is a safe investment because its easy to scale

to satisfy changing capacity and performance demands.
Whats more, it lightens the backhaul load and impact on
the EPC (Evolved Packet Core), manages radio frequency
interference and simplifies operation. All that adds up to a
total cost of ownership (TCO) thats considerably lower than
for conventional macro and small-cell deployments. Equipped
with powerful features such as local policy definition and
enforcement, Flexi Zone can also provide excellent service to
enterprises with converged mobile and private LAN access.
Family of solutions
This cost-effective and reliable solution is fully integrated with
the NSN NetAct management platform and complements the
Macro Flexi BTS and Flexi Lite as well. Flexi Zone is also the
small-cell cornerstone of the NSN Liquid Radio heterogeneous
network solution.

The challenges of building a small-cell underlay

Backhaul connectivity
Perf, cost & complexity

Offloading & local routing/policy

Backhaul / EPC impact

Macro layer / coexistence

Security & service availability

Interference, coordination

EPC impact

Optimization

100 k cells... signaling load

100 k cells

Performance

Ease of installation

Macro collaboration

100 k cells

Mobility / quality of service

Transparent to user

Management
Electrical power

100 k cells

An end-to-end approach is imperative.

Flexi Zone access points come in various models, from

outdoor micro & pico BTS to indoor pico BTS to serve the
different use cases, and as stand alone unit can address
coverage needs as well as localized hotspots. If the area later
becomes a heavily used hot zone, the access point can be
software-upgraded and a controller can be added to convert it
into a full-fledged Flexi Zone.
When and where?
Flexi Zone will be available commercially by the beginning of
2014. Customer trials are already taking place, and NSN is
running its own demonstration network in Arlington Heights
(a suburb of Chicago).
The concept of small cell deployment is also gaining traction.
Coverage will be the main driver through 2013, while

capacity will become more important from 2014. Operators

in densely populated mature markets are expected to lead
the way, with the rest of the world catching up as emerging
markets continue to develop. Flexi Zone will be ready to be
deployed in conjunction with the NSN Flexi base station at the
macro-network level, providing a co-ordinated, multi-layer
heterogeneous network complete with self-organizing network
(SON) capabilities.
Flexi Zone is set to become the benchmark for a new kind
of solution. It will help operators add capacity to existing
macro networks and boost the subscriber experience by
pro-actively adapting their network capabilities in advance of
evolving wireless broadband trends. In other words, it enables
operators to always offer a best-in-class user experience with
the lowest TCO.

Macro eNodeB
+ Alternative
location for
Flexi Zone controller

Flexi Zone controller

Flexi Zone egress point

Flexi Zone
egress point

Flexi Zone
outdoor AP

Nokia Solutions and Networks Flexi Zone 3

Nokia Solutions and Networks

P.O. Box 1
FI-02022
Finland
Visiting address:
Karaportti 3, ESPOO, Finland
Switchboard +358 71 400 4000
Product code C401-00839-B-201310-1-EN
2013 Nokia Solutions and Networks. All rights reserved.
Public
NSN is a trademark of Nokia Solutions and Networks. Nokia is a registered
trademark of Nokia Corporation. Other product names mentioned in this
document may be trademarks of their respective owners, and they are
mentioned for identification purposes only.

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