1000x bandwidth increase for 4G mobile networks

Addressing the astronomical and historically underestimated increase in mobile data traffic demand, Broadcom unveiled its BCM56440 StrataXGS switch series this week, capable of delivering 1000x more bandwidth than legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) networks. The BCM56440 series preserves legacy investment while enabling new high bandwidth Ethernet links for higher-speed backhaul.

 

The company brought the problem home by citing such headlines as data network failures over the past three years, an estimate from just one year ago that traffic would jump to well over 50 Mb/s when the reality was 150 Mb/s is closer to reality, and my favorite, AT&T's recent prediction in its press release when acquiring T-Mobile USA, that all mobile traffic volume in 2010 is estimated to be carried in jus the first six to seven weeks of 2015.

According to Mobile Access in 2010, smartphones require 10x more bandwidth than and tablet PCs generate 100x more traffic than typical feature phones, and sales for both continue to explode. Bandwidth demands have carriers upgrading TDM to Ethernet-based networking to handle the growth, with Ethernet use in base stations at 100% by 2014.

 

With the high level of integrations--up to seven off-the-shelf ASSP parts into one BCM56440 device, Broadcom estimates that the switch series will reduce service provider capital expenditure on mobile backhaul equipment by 50 percent. Infonetics pegs the backhaul equipment market at $8B by 2014.

 

Highlights of the BCM56440 switch series announcement include:

 

• Suited for both 3G and 4G mobile backhaul transport
• Integrates switching traffic management, timing, circuit emulation and memory
• Provides complete solution for mobile backhaul network--from small to large port counts
• Embedded deep buffer and hierarchical QoS in a single 40nm CMOS device
• Provides a complete 1588v2 solution for boundary clock, ordinary clock and transparent clock.
• Low-power 40nm fabric for fanless operation
• Offers L2 switching, L3 routing, metro VPN tunneling and access control lists.
• Eliminates the need for network processing units and FPGAs, significantly reducing overall development costs and time to market.

 

For additional information on the announcement:

 

YouTube Video

Broadcom product page