Cisco today announced that du, a leading integrated
telecommunications service provider in the UAE, is
deploying a nationwide mobile broadband network enabled by
a Cisco mobile Internet solution to deliver highly secure,
high-speed 4G long-term evolution (LTE) mobile data
services to its customers.
du will use the Cisco ASR 5000 Series as its mobile
Internet evolved packet core (EPC) platform to provide
greater network performance and intelligence. This will
enable du to develop and deliver innovative new mobile
services and enhanced experiences to its five million
mobile customers.
Highlights/Key Facts
• Designated as a 4G mobile specification, LTE is
designed to provide multi-megabit bandwidth, more efficient
use of the radio network, latency reduction and improved
mobility. This combination aims to enhance the user's
interaction with the network and further drive demand for
mobile multimedia services.
• LTE 4G will allow du's five million mobile customers
to even more readily access their Internet services,
providing an effortlessly fast service with speeds up to
150Mbps. This opens up online opportunities like never
before, allowing for HD video streaming on mobile devices,
seamless gaming experiences, quicker than ever social
networking and an overall enhanced connectivity experience
that takes mobile internet and Internet on the go to the
next level.
• The Cisco ASR 5000 Series is purpose-built for the
complexities of the mobile network. It is a robust,
multimedia services platform that brings a new level of
network and customer intelligence to the mobile network.
Such intelligence is critical to delivering real-time,
personalized mobile services.
• The Cisco Mobility Management Entity (MME), a key
component of the Cisco ASR 5000 Series, is critical to the
network function of the 4G mobile core network, known as
the evolved packet core (EPC). The Cisco MME manages
multiple back-end functions, including authentication,
paging, and mobility -- with 3GPP, 2G and 3G nodes, roaming
and other functions.
• The Cisco Serving Gateway (SGW) and the Cisco Packet
Data Network Gateway (PGW) are two essential elements to
du's LTE core network. The Cisco SGW provides superior
throughput and processing, while the Cisco PGW acts as
policy enforcement and manages quality of service (QoS).
The Cisco solution will enable du to provide an initial
aggregate capacity of up to 10 Gbps.
• By combining multiple functions into a single,
carrier-class platform like the Cisco ASR 5000 Series, du
can reduce signaling overhead, distribute session
management and take full advantage of the network's
control and user plane capabilities. As network demand
grows, the Cisco ASR 5000 enables du to multiply network
capacity with minimal investment.
• du's customers will also benefit from additional
mobile security as provided by the Cisco ASA 5585 firewall,
ensuring highly secure mobile communications and
transactions.
• Cisco Advanced Services is working closely with du
to commission the network and prepare for the launch. Cisco
will also offer managed services to operate the packet core
network for the first year allowing du to speed new
services to market at lower cost and with high reliability,
offering a lower total cost of ownership and a greater
return on investment.
• According to the Cisco® Visual Networking Index (VNI) Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2011 to 2016, worldwide mobile data traffic will increase 18-fold over the next five years, reaching 10.8 exabytes per month -- or an annual run rate of 130 exabytes -- by 2016. The expected sharp increase in mobile traffic is due, in part, to a projected surge in the number of mobile Internet-connected devices, which will exceed the number of people on earth (2016 world population estimate of 7.3 billion; source: United Nations).
The Cisco Next-Generation Internet (NGI) architecture aims to make service provider networks more mobile, more virtual and more visual. By investing in the Cisco NGI architecture, du can scale its 4G mobile broadband network to meet the explosion in mobile data traffic resulting from the rapid adoption of smartphones and mobile Internet services by consumers.
Supporting Quotes
• Hatem Bamatraf, executive vice president, Network
Development and Operations, du
"This new 4G LTE network ensures that du will continue to
deliver the most advanced, innovative mobile services to
mobile customers across the country. Our internet
users will experience speeds like never before, giving them
a seamless online experience, making connectivity on the go
even more convenient. Cisco's Mobile Internet solutions not
only greatly improve the performance of our mobile network,
but help us provide a reliable, safe and secure mobile
experience to our customers."
• Kelly Ahuja, senior vice president and general
manager, Mobile Internet Technology Group, Cisco
"The Cisco mobile Internet solutions we provide, along with
the support of our advanced services organization, will
help deliver the performance and intelligence du needs to
quickly and efficiently launch new, advanced mobile
services like video and mobile Internet with the level of
quality and reliability its subscribers have come to
expect."
• Fady Younes, client director, Cisco UAE
"This deployment today extends on Cisco's long-standing
collaboration with du and adds to the history of successes
in the UAE. The LTE network is a clear demonstration of
du's commitment to deliver the best services to its
customers.