How can mobile network operators collaborate to ensure compatibility?

Mobile network operators (MNOs) face various challenges and opportunities as they evolve their networks to meet the growing demands of customers and technologies. One of the key aspects of network evolution is ensuring compatibility across different generations, technologies, and regions. Compatibility enables MNOs to offer seamless and consistent services to their users, reduce costs and complexity, and foster innovation and cooperation. In this article, we will explore how MNOs can collaborate to ensure compatibility in four areas: spectrum harmonization, roaming agreements, interconnection standards, and network sharing.

1 Spectrum harmonization

Spectrum is a scarce and valuable resource for MNOs, as it determines the capacity, coverage, and quality of their networks. However, spectrum is also fragmented and regulated by different authorities in different countries and regions. This creates challenges for MNOs to deploy and operate their networks efficiently and effectively, especially when they need to support multiple technologies and generations, such as 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G. To ensure compatibility, MNOs can collaborate to harmonize their spectrum usage and allocation, by aligning their frequency bands, channel widths, and technical specifications. This can help MNOs to avoid interference, optimize network performance, and enable cross-border roaming and interoperability.

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Sagar More

Top LinkedIn Voice | Digital Transformation Leader | DevOps, AIOps & SRE Architect | Cloud & Edge Innovator | Lean-Agile Strategist | Angel Investor | Visionary Author, Speaker & Influencer
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In the tech orchestra, network operators synchronize like a well-practiced band. Spectrum harmonization, their shared sheet music, ensures a smooth melody. It's like friends agreeing on a common language for seamless communication. Picture your phone effortlessly switching networks - a harmony orchestrated by operators, so your mobile symphony is always in tune.

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2 Roaming agreements

Roaming is a service that allows MNOs to extend their network coverage and offer their users access to other networks when they travel or move outside their home network area. Roaming is essential for MNOs to provide seamless and consistent services to their users, especially in the era of globalization and mobility. However, roaming also involves complex and costly arrangements between MNOs, such as negotiating rates, contracts, billing, and quality of service. To ensure compatibility, MNOs can collaborate to establish roaming agreements that are fair, transparent, and mutually beneficial. This can help MNOs to reduce roaming fees, improve customer satisfaction, and increase revenue.

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3 Interconnection standards

Interconnection is a process that allows MNOs to exchange traffic and services with other networks, such as fixed-line operators, internet service providers, or other MNOs. Interconnection is crucial for MNOs to enable communication and collaboration across different networks, platforms, and applications. However, interconnection also requires MNOs to adhere to common technical and operational standards, such as protocols, interfaces, formats, and security. To ensure compatibility, MNOs can collaborate to adopt and implement interconnection standards that are open, interoperable, and scalable. This can help MNOs to enhance network functionality, reliability, and diversity.

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FrÃ©dÃ©ric Berthe

Regional Sales Manager EMEAR - SDWAN at Cisco
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In my experience, I feel like interconnection standards should be supported by abstraction layers rather than point-to-point integrations. SD-WAN for instance offers a flexible and adaptable framework that can support various protocols and interfaces. It enables seamless integration and communication between different networks, allowing MNOs to connect with fixed-line operators, internet service providers, and other MNOs irrespective of the underlying technologies they use. As a result, the collaboration between MNOs will be simplified and thus accelerated to benefit the customers and their use cases.

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4 Network sharing

Network sharing is a practice that allows MNOs to share their network infrastructure and resources with other MNOs, such as towers, antennas, base stations, or backhaul. Network sharing is beneficial for MNOs to reduce capital and operational expenditures, improve network coverage and quality, and accelerate network deployment and expansion. However, network sharing also poses challenges for MNOs, such as managing ownership, governance, and competition. To ensure compatibility, MNOs can collaborate to design and execute network sharing agreements that are flexible, equitable, and compliant. This can help MNOs to optimize network utilization, efficiency, and sustainability.

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5 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Directory

How can mobile network operators collaborate to ensure compatibility?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Spectrum harmonization

2 Roaming agreements

3 Interconnection standards

4 Network sharing

5 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Telecommunications Systems

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Directory

How can mobile network operators collaborate to ensure compatibility?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Spectrum harmonization

2 Roaming agreements

3 Interconnection standards

4 Network sharing

5 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Telecommunications Systems

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