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By the end of 2013, the number of mobile-connected devices will exceed the number of people on earth. So, are mobile network operators ready for the inevitable data storm coming from the 10 billion devices expected to run bandwidth-hungry premium services? Based on the network congestion problems facing operators today with their current subscriber base, the answer is a resounding “no.” Subscribers experiencing poor network performance due to congestion are increasingly frustrated that premium data services aren’t available at the speeds they need for quality service. And as operators are keenly aware, dissatisfied subscribers often lead to new subscribers for their competition.
So how can operators achieve network congestion relief without spending tens of millions on new infrastructure? One solution is to embed a client application on mobile devices that allows operators to dynamically offload data traffic to public and private Wi-Fi networks. While many cost-conscious subscribers already use Wi-Fi to reduce their metered data consumption, a large number of mobile phone users do not turn on their Wi-Fi radios for fear of draining their batteries too quickly. An intelligent device client can check for the availability of Wi-Fi, turn on the device Wi-Fi radio, and redirect data traffic without any impact to the subscriber, resulting in better performing applications including mobile video conferencing, gaming and GPS navigation.
To understand the benefit of dynamic Wi-Fi offload for the operator, let’s take a look at a group of subscribers who were experiencing degraded video and navigation-based applications – both notorious bandwidth-consuming services – in a particular region of a tier-one operator. A closer look at complaints of slow downloads revealed that only 8% of cell sites in the area were actually congested, primarily at two different peak periods during the weekday. The operator needed a way to relieve congestion on those particular cell sites during those peak periods to combat the “digital traffic jams” causing slow Internet speeds and disgruntled subscribers. The solution was found in enabling dynamic offload of data traffic from 3G to Wi-Fi and “4G” during those peak congestion periods. As a result, the operator achieved nearly a 40% reduction on average in 3G network congestion in the targeted service areas with maximum offloads of up to 80%. The use of “4G” increased by 15% and Wi-Fi usage increased by 50%.
One may ask: “But won’t routing everyone off one network and onto another simply congest that network, leading to the same subscriber complaints?” Not if the client application can monitor network conditions and detect which networks are congested to connect a device to the optimum network at any given time. The use of an intelligent device client with this monitoring ability is key to providing an offload experience that benefits both operator and subscriber. An intelligent client can make connection decisions based on current network and device conditions, such as:
–Verifying the Wi-Fi signal is strong enough to maintain a good connection before offloading the data traffic.
–Conserving battery life by turning off Wi-Fi radios when outside the congestion or peak traffic window, or when no high-quality Wi-Fi connection is available.
–Knowing when the device battery is getting low and waiting to turn on the Wi-Fi radio until the battery is recharged to a specified level.
–Recognizing networks the subscriber frequently encounters, or when in the vicinity of previously connected networks, and prompting to connect to those networks, thereby increasing Wi-Fi usage.
–Facilitating Internet access when a device connects to a Wi-Fi captive portal by alerting the subscriber, or bypassing the captive portal using stored subscriber credentials.
Utilizing an intelligent client also allows operators to gather analytics data on device parameters and network connections and then apply policies that help direct network traffic based on those conditions. For example, the client could detect real-time conditions such as throughput of alternative networks, radio signal strength, battery level and whether the device is in transit or stationary. All these conditions could be evaluated as part of the network selection process to facilitate the best possible user experience.
So, will Wi-Fi offload allow operators to avoid the data storm resulting from those 10 billion devices? Not entirely, but combining an intelligent offload client with other advanced policy management systems in the network will certainly give operators a leg up in using more Wi-Fi to improve network performance, while also making sure subscribers are shielded and re-routed to the sunnier side of the data highway.
