On utilization efficiency of backbone bandwidth for a heterogeneous wireless network operator

To provide a comprehensive network access service to wireless users, a network operator may operate different types of wireless networks (such as GPRS, Wi-Fi, HSDPA, UMTS, WiMAX and 3GPP LTE) simultaneously to become a heterogeneous wireless network operator, such as Vodafone and T-Mobile. With convenience of accessing wireless networks, ubiquitous services would stimulate the bandwidth expenditure in the network backbone. Lots of various demanded traffic from heterogeneous access networks may converge toward Internet through the common backbone in the operator. Efficiently utilizing the common backbone can offer a better quality of service to users and maximize the revenues for the operator. To our best knowledge, few studies had ever been made in such a contemporary wireless network environment in the past. In this study, we propose solutions to efficiently allocate the bandwidth for user requests and fully utilize the unused bandwidth in the network backbone owned by the heterogeneous wireless network operator. Our simulation results show that our scheme can increase the utilization of the backbone bandwidth, shorten the request completion time for users and generate more revenue for the operator.     

An adaptive Paris Metro Pricing scheme for mobile data networks

Because static pricing models (such as flat‐rate or tiered‐rate models) cannot improve user utility for subscribers and ease network congestion for operators during peak time, Smart Data Pricing has become an important incentive for mobile data markets. Paris Metro Pricing (PMP), which is a static pricing mode inspired by the pricing model for the Paris metro system, uses differentiated prices to motivate users to choose different train classes. Before choosing a class, people will consider their expected quality of service versus the prices that they are willing to pay. Even though PMP cannot guarantee the actual quality of service during service time, a balance between users' utilities and operators' revenue is achieved. In this paper, we propose an adaptive PMP scheme, so‐called APMP, which determines the dynamic access prices of different classes for the next 24 h. The accessible prices should try to increase the revenue while operators can serve more subscribers. Our simulation results show that APMP can significantly improve total revenue and average revenue per user for the operator. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

移动互联网业务在LTE时代的发展分析及业务建模

LTE时代的到来为移动互联网业务的发展提供了新的平台,也给运营商带来巨大的挑战。文章探讨了移动互联网业务在LTE时代的发展趋势,并且针对不同类型业务的业务特征进行分析和理论建模。通过对LTE网络的业务构成、用户行为、业务特征等方面的研究,构建LTE业务总体模型,为LTE网络部署提供有效支撑。     

Optimal pricing for multiple services in telecommunications networks offering quality-of-service guarantees

We consider pricing for multiple services offered over a single telecommunications network. Each service has quality-of-service (QoS) requirements that are guaranteed to users. Service classes may be defined by the type of service, such as voice, video, or data, as well as the origin and destination of the connection provided to the user. We formulate the optimal pricing problem as a nonlinear integer expected revenue optimization problem. We simultaneously solve for prices and the resource allocations necessary to provide connections with guaranteed QoS. We derive optimality conditions and a solution method for this class of problems, and apply to a realistic model of a multiservice communications network.     

New Products for Old — Making a Profit

We all know how much it costs to make a telephone call — or do we? There are over 150 companies in the UK telecommunications market-place, all with their own unique blend of people, processes and systems, and operating costs. There are even more packages of services and prices, aimed at different segments of the market, and it is vital to each operator, including BT, that these packages actually make money. In order to understand how to set prices, BT needs to understand the basis of its costs, how these are allocated to the different services, and which services contribute revenue over and above these costs. This applies to both retail trading, and also wholesale trading, within BT and between BT and other operators for interconnect services. This paper looks at the process of engineering networks to meet the demand for BT's services, and applies whole-life financial techniques to identify how much it really costs the business to offer these services. It looks at BT's wholesale pricing, and at how trading units within the company can build relationships that lead to both the profitable operation of existing services, and the successful introduction of new services. It looks at the evolution of network platforms, new product development, and the effects of pricing options, from the present day until well into the next century.     

Lowering customer’s switching cost using B2B services for telecommunication companies

A B2B transaction is a transaction between organizations. However, the ripple effects of a B2B transaction can reach the members of the organization and generate additional economic impact. Enterprise LTE (Long term evolution) is a newly introduced B2B service in the South Korean telecommunications market. While it provides secure and fast telecommunications services to businesses, it can also affect the employees’ utility in the business, since the service provider can provide a variety of additional services to employees who use the same telecommunications provider for their mobile devices. In this study, we empirically analyze how B2B and Enterprise LTE services affect consumer churn-in in the telecommunications market. We estimate consumer benefit based on the additional services provided after the introduction of the B2B service using conjoint analysis. We also estimate consumer switching cost for changing one’s mobile telecommunications service provider using contingent valuation method. By comparing these values, we analyze the switching probability of employees when B2B services are introduced at their workplace. The results show that in order to maximize revenue, considering the revenue gained from new subscribers and from fees for providing additional services, lowering service fees for additional services and maximizing market share are advisable.     

Uplink Connection Scheduling for Flat-Rate Data Services in the UMTS Network

To attract more users to mobile packet services, universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) operators have been prompting flat-rate packet services. Since usage does not incur cost, flat-rate users tend to stay online longer and occupy most of the radio channel resources. We consider a UMTS network serving two types of user connections: normal user connections (NUCs) and flat-rate user connections (FRUCs). Our goal is to maximize the revenue of the operator by giving a priority to NUCs over FRUCs without discontenting the flat-rate users, in order not to lose the flat-rate users to other operators. Uplink FRUCs may be asked to subrate or suspend transmission when the radio network is fully utilized. Four combinations of scheduling techniques, including queueing, guard channels (GCs), preemption, and rate adaptation, have been studied, and analytic models using Markov processes were used to evaluate their performances. We proposed a cost function representing the revenue loss due to both blocked NUCs and lost flat-rate users. The system parameters used in our analysis are based on realistic operation data. Our analytic results indicate that the revenue loss can be minimized by using waiting queues (WQs) and preemption. Rate adaptation is ineffective in minimizing the revenue loss because subrated connections are less efficient in using the radio spectrum. GCs for NUCs are unnecessary when a WQ or preemption is used. This paper may be valuable for UMTS operators in serving flat-rate users.      

5G: Service Continuity in Heterogeneous Environments

This paper introduces service continuity as the main driver for 5G systems. It addresses user- and service-aspects in recently opened LTE networks, and identifies the system challenges. The main challenges are related to radio coverage, especially for the provision of high data rates for indoor users. The paper covers also network-, user- and service-authentication as well as user and society requirements. 5G is addressed as a system of systems in order to provide service continuity. It addresses both technology challenges, user related issues and operator revenue. Collaborative radio and a system availability beacon are discussed to cope with heterogeneity in 5G. As the SIM card has evolved towards a third-party offering for storage, authentication and payment, functionality of this future SIM is elaborated providing SIM-based service examples. The paper finally addresses service optimization based on light-weight semantic reasoning.     

Modeling the user acceptance of long-term evolution (LTE) services

With an integrated framework, this paper aims to analyze user perception and acceptance toward long-term evolution (LTE) services, focusing on factors that may influence the intention to use. We conducted a web-based survey of 1,192 users to test our research model. We employed structural equation modeling (SEM) as the analysis method. The results of the integrated model analysis indicate that system satisfaction is a core determinant of intention to use LTE services. The model also found that other factors, including perceived usefulness and system and service quality, significantly affect intention to use these services. In addition, both perceived adaptivity and processing speed significantly influence perceived usefulness and service quality, respectively. These factors also play key roles in determining users’ attitudes. This paper is of value to researchers and engineers designing and improving LTE services for use via mobile phones.     

Simplification of Network Dynamics in Large Systems

We show that when networks are large significant simplicity can be achieved for pricing-based control. We first consider a general loss network with Poisson arrivals and arbitrary holding time distributions. In dynamic pricing schemes, the network provider can charge different prices to the user according to the current utilization level of the network and also other factors. We show that when the system becomes large the performance (in terms of expected revenue) of an appropriately chosen static pricing scheme, whose price is independent of the current network utilization, will approach that of the optimal dynamic pricing scheme. Further, we show that under certain conditions, this static price is independent of the route that the flows take. We then extend the result to the case of dynamic routing, and show that the performance of an appropriately chosen static pricing scheme with bifurcation probability determined by average parameters can also approach that of the optimal dynamic routing scheme when the system is large. These results deepen our understanding of pricing-based network control. In particular, they provide us with the insight that, when the system is large, an appropriate pricing strategy based on the average network conditions (hence, slowly changing) can approach optimality.     

A Cost Based Complete Partitioning Congestion Control Strategy for Multiservice OFDMA Networks

In this paper, a congestion control mechanism is presented for multiservice wireless OFDMA networks. The revenue rate and the user SNR’s are used to partition the bandwidth in accordance with a complete partitioning structure. Moreover, through the use of our scheme the QoS of any ongoing connections can be satisfied. Results show that the revenue rate plays an important role in prioritizing the different services.     

LTE移动性管理研究

无线网络中的移动性是指对终端位置的改变而保证持续接入服务,并保持与之通信的能力。移动性管理就是为用户和终端提供相应的功能以保证异构网络的漫游和服务的无缝移动,并使用户与网络的联系达到最佳状态。针对未来数据业务具有高速、突发性的特点,LTE核心网发生了很大的变化,主要是采取了扁平化结构。在这种系统架构下怎样为用户提供更好的服务,LTE移动性管理成为目前该领域研究工作的重点。     

3G wireless and cdma2000 1/spl times/ evolution in Korea

The cdma2000/spl reg/ I/spl times/EV-DV system is designed to meet the ever-increasing demand for high-speed packet data transmission while providing the same level of revenue generated by conventional voice communications on existing cdma2000 1/spl times/ systems. It supports concurrent voice and high-speed data on a single cdma 1.25 MHz carrier, and offers improved flexibility for operators to manage data and voice services cost efficiently. However, the Korean market has proved that providing higher bandwidth to the user does not guarantee the success of mobile data service. Users tend not to use expensive mobile wireless data services such as video streaming, video on demand, and MP3 music download service that they feel do not provide enough justification for their costs. The problem LG Telecom faces now as a mobile operator is not only to evolve technologies that enable various services, but also to find a way to provide attractive services at reasonable prices. This article describes experiences in the wireless data market in Korea as well as the market needs and driving forces for cdma2000 1/spl times/EV-DV developments.     

The Price of Simplicity

We study revenue-maximizing pricing by a service provider in a communication network and compare revenues from simple pricing rules to the maximum revenues that are feasible. In particular, we focus on flat entry fees as the simplest pricing rule. We provide a lower bound for the ratio between the revenue from this pricing rule and maximum revenue, which we refer to as the Price of Simplicity. We characterize what types of environments lead to a low Price of Simplicity and show that in a range of environments, the loss of revenue from using simple entry fees is small. We then study the Price of Simplicity for a simple non-linear pricing (price discrimination) scheme based on the Paris Metro Pricing. The service provider creates different service classes and charges differential entry fees for these classes. We show that the gain from this type of price discrimination is small, particularly in environments in which the simple entry fee pricing leads to a low Price of Simplicity.     

Congestion-dependent pricing of network services

We consider a service provider (SP) who provides access to a communication network or some other form of on-line services. Users initiate calls that belong to a set of diverse service classes, differing in resource requirements, demand pattern, and call duration. The SP charges a fee per call, which can depend on the current congestion level, and which affects users' demand for calls. We provide a dynamic programming formulation of the problems of revenue and welfare maximization, and derive some qualitative properties of the optimal solution. We also provide a number of approximate approaches, together with an analysis that indicates that near-optimality is obtained for the case of many, relatively small, users. In particular, we show analytically as well as computationally, that the performance of an optimal pricing strategy is closely matched by a suitably chosen static price, which does not depend on instantaneous congestion. This indicates that the easily implementable time-of-day pricing will often suffice. Throughout, we compare the alternative formulations involving revenue or welfare maximization, respectively, and draw some qualitative conclusions     

流量经营支撑系统建设研究

随着智能终端的普及和数据业务的不断发展,目前运营商数据流量的收入已经逐步成为数据业务收入增长的主要驱动力,如何增加数据流量收入是运营商重点关注的问题。建设流量经营支撑系统可以有效把握用户的行为特征,为流量的精细化运营提供数据支撑,进而提高用户感知,提高运营商流量经营的能力。本文针对运营商在流量经营中存在的问题进行分析,并对建设流量经营支撑系统相关技术问题进行了研究。     

LTE/SAE系统接入层安全性的研究与实现

伴随着移动通信的迅速发展,多样数据业务的出现对信息的安全提出了更高的要求.针对当前热门的LTE/SAE系统,提出了一种有关接入层数据安全的可行性方案.首先研究了LTE/SAE安全体系结构,重点介绍了系统接入层的安全性实现过程.该方案实现简单,对用户平面数据的安全传输具有较重要的作用.     

浅析TD-LTE对传送网的影响

LTE作为后3G时代,承载高速无线数据业务的主要技术已经在全球规模部署,随着LTE牌照在国内发放日趋临近,中国移动将进一步扩大试点规模,并通过新建和升级两种模式,使TD-LTE基站规模超过20万个。同时,中国移动也是全球少数几个采用PTN作为传输手段承载LTE的运营商,LTE规模应用后传送网带来的影响需要引起足够的关注。本文对LTE主要特点进行简要分析,并将其对传送网规划、建设和运维带来的挑战进行了梳理和介绍。     

Pricing network resources for adaptive applications

The Differentiated Services framework (DiffServ) has been proposed to provide multiple Quality of Service (QoS) classes over IP networks. A network supporting multiple classes of service also requires a differentiated pricing structure. In this work, we propose a pricing algorithm in a DiffServ environment based on the cost of providing different levels of services, and on long-term average user resource demand of a service class. We integrate the proposed service-dependent pricing scheme with a dynamic pricing and service negotiation environment by considering a dynamic and congestion-sensitive pricing component. Pricing network services dynamically based on the level of service, usage, and congestion allows a more competitive price to be offered, allows the network to be used more efficiently, and provides a natural and equitable incentive for applications to adapt their service requests according to network conditions. We also develop the demand behavior of adaptive users based on a physically reasonable user utility function. Simulation results show that a congestion-sensitive pricing policy coupled with user rate adaptation is able to control congestion and allows a service class to meet its performance assurances under large or bursty offered loads, even without explicit admission control. Users are able to maintain a stable expenditure, and allowing users to migrate between service classes in response to price increases further stabilizes the individual service prices. When admission control is enforced, congestion-sensitive pricing still provides an advantage in terms of a much lower connection blocking rate at high loads.     

基于机器学习的终端换机预测模型

终端业务不仅可以提升用户收入,还会对用户维系产生影响,对运营商有重要战略意义。通过机器学习等大数据预测技术,可以精准甄别潜在终端换机用户和用户偏好的终端,为运营商终端精准营销提供依据。模型投产以来终端营销转化率由原先的3%提升至4.5%,效果显著。