Live Network Performance Challenge: FLASH-OFDM vs. HSDPA

HSDPA networks are intensively being deployed to provide mobile broadband connectivity to mobile devices. In addition to HSDPA, FLASH-OFDM is another wireless broadband option operating in a licensed spectrum. However, if operated at very low frequencies like the network in Finland,, it is particularly interesting for emerging markets, especially for rural areas which are lacking telecommunications infrastructure. In contrast to the HSDPA standards, the FLASH-OFDM systems are proprietary. The market dynamics are very different between standardized and proprietary systems, sometimes causing extra challenges for the deployment of proprietary systems. This paper provides quantitative measurements of the actual performance of two state-of-the-art live networks in Finland. The evaluation includes metrics such as throughput, delay, and VoIP quality considering network performance both on static and mobile scenarios. A commercial deployment evaluation is included in the analysis complementing the measurement data in order to provide a comprehensive view of the challenges.