MWC: GSM spectrum gets tweaked

Nokia Siemens Networks announced the Liquid Radio Software Suite, for more efficient use of GSM spectrum, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.

360 operators in 140 countries serving 3 billion GSM subscribers can now allocate their network resources more fluidly with Nokia Siemens Networks’ Liquid Radio GSM software suite. When used with the company’s Flexi Multiradio base stations, the software suite makes more efficient use of the spectrum allocated to GSM services, while improving network quality. This frees up valuable spectrum to either increase GSM capacity or to deliver 3G and 4G mobile broadband at higher data rates.

Operators re-farming GSM frequency to support 3G and 4G rollouts can free up to 30% of their spectrum, reduce total cost of ownership by 20% and potentially double their average 3G and 4G data speeds. GSM only network operators can potentially quadruple their capacity while lowering energy costs by 14%.

The software suite is commercially available globally.

‚Our multiradio equipment helps operators manage the unpredictable fluctuations in network coverage and capacity demands as mobile broadband users switch across applications and devices on-the-move,‚ said Thorsten Robrecht, head of Network Systems product management, Nokia Siemens Networks. ‚With the new software suite, operators can make their network fluid, further optimize their Flexi Multiradio Base Station radio equipment, improve network efficiency and get more out of their spectrum. Moreover, with re-farming, rollout of mobile broadband services is easier, more cost efficient, and this can potentially help increase revenues.‚

The Liquid Radio based GSM software suite comprises of five Nokia Siemens Networks’innovated features. Mobile operators can deploy these along with the company’s award winning Flexi Multiradio Base Station family and Multicontroller for improved coverage and adequate capacity, and faster, more cost efficient evolution of mobile broadband.

Nokia Siemens Networks also offers planning and implementation services for re-farming 3G on 900 MHz and 4G LTE on 1800 MHz to help operators increase network capacity and improve network performance. Having supported over 65% of commercial 3G 900 MHz networks, the company is a leader in re-farming services.

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