Huawei develops IPTime mobile backhaul solution

The new solution has been developed to present a more cost-effective mobile backhaul choice for mobile operators to build out their 3G/4G networks worldwide.

Combining new DSL technologies with microcell and LTE base stations can extend the mobile network by using existing copper wire resources, thus protecting investments in the 'last-mile' network and providing a cost-effective cellular backhaul.

Leveraging Huawei's proprietary time synchronisation algorithm and complying with the IEEE 1588v2 standard, Huawei's time synchronisation solution makes it possible to implement high-accuracy, nanosecond-level time synchronisation over DSL lines.

This offers an advantage over legacy DSL technologies, which can implement the data backhaul of base stations but do not offer high-accuracy time synchronisation, thus falling short of cellular backhaul.

According to the company, 1588v2 - also known as Precision Time Protocol (PTP) - is a packet-based time synchronisation technology standardised by the IEEE.

This technology effectively addresses the issues facing GPS clock synchronisation, such as high investments and difficult installation, and is seen as a crucial technology for network evolution from 2G to 3G/4G.

The 1588v2 time synchronisation algorithm was originally designed on the basis of symmetric models.

Asymmetric transmission technologies such as ADSL cannot effectively support the 1588v2 protocol.

This solution has already been servicing operators such as China Mobile, Vodafone and Telefonica.