A techno-economic evaluation of different strategies for front-/back-hauling of mobile traffic: Wireless versus fiber based solutions

Mobile networks are unquestionably a key driver for growth in the telecommunications industry. Currently there are intense investments by network operators towards the widespread deployment of LTE/LTE-A 4G mobile networks to provide ultra-high bandwidth mobile data services. In addition there is a growing effort by the research community to define the architecture and technology enablers for the so-called 5G mobile networks. Such evolving/emerging mobile networks have significant requirements for high-capacity cost-effective front-hauling and back-hauling of the mobile traffic from the wireless base stations that are deployed either in macro-cells or small-cells configurations. The solutions currently under consideration for performing such traffic front/back-hauling are based on point-to-point or point-to-multi-point wireless transmission systems or alternatively on wireline based ones using copper pairs, coaxial cables or optical fibers. So far there is no published detailed examination available that compares the various approaches from a techno-economic perspective. In this presentation we will present the results of a detailed evaluation, from a total cost of ownership (TCO) point of view, for the business case of the various approaches when a hypothetical mobile network operator deployment is considered. Our study reveals the conditions under which the various technology alternatives are the preferred deployment option.