As the MBB era is fast approaching the number of users continues to grow, intelligent terminals become increasingly popular, data service consumption rates increase, and more spectrum resources are required to match the growing demand. However, these resources are limited, so it is important for telcos to properly allocate and efficiently utilize the available resources.

Insufficient spectrum and high cost of LTE development bring great challenges to the commercial use of LTE networks. Generally, UMTS 900M is outstanding in data service capacity, spectrum efficiency, and coverage. LTE1800 has better coverage than LTE 2300M/2600M and higher spectrum efficiency than GSM1800M, which greatly reduces TCO and can be implemented quickly for commercial use. Moreover, iPhone 5 supports the 1800 MHz frequency band, which promotes the deployment of LTE1800M network worldwide, so UMTS 900M and LTE1800M refarming are highly recommended in the MBB era.

To rise up the increasing demand and development of MBB services, Huawei innovatively developed the dynamic Refarming solution in 2014 based on its UMTS 900M and LTE 1800M refarming solutions released at the MWC in 2012 and 2013 respectively. The dynamic Refarming solution makes full use of spectrum resources, improves spectrum efficiency, and meets future broadband data service requirements by dynamically sharing and allocating spectrum resources, while meeting the requirements of GSM networks load and performance.

Dynamic Refarming: When compared with the traditional Refarming solution, Huawei's dynamic Refarming solution introduces the LTE 1800M dynamic refarming solution and specifies partial LTE spectrum resources to be shared. GSM and LTE spectrum resources can be dynamically scheduled and adjusted based on legacy network traffic load through network quality assessment and capacity planning, dynamic refarming and design, and parameter design and configuration. GSM frequency replanning ensures that shared spectrum resources can be dynamically used. This solution can help GSM and LTE spectrum resources to be used efficiently to improve spectrum efficiency.

Buffer Zone Design: As the first vendor to introduce Buffer Zone technology, Huawei accurately designed the Buffer Zone based on mobile terminal MR data to efficiently implement GSM-UMTS/GSM-LTE intra-frequency network interference control, ensuring stable network performance. In addition, the Buffer Zone can reduce 25% of sites to be deployed and minimize network deployment costs.

GSM Traffic Migration: A traffic migration solution output is based on a comprehensive analysis of traffic, terminal, and service distribution in cells. Trials and project practices show that 50% of traffic can be efficiently migrated to UMTS and LTE networks. The traffic migration rarely affects network performance by the strength of capacity and terminal capability assessment.

Automatic Frequency Replanning: During network refarming, partial GSM spectrum resources are used by LTE so the rest of GSM spectrum resources need to be replanned. Huawei can quickly and accurately perform frequency planning and network configuration using the MR-based automatic frequency optimization platform thus improving efficiency by up to 80% and ensuring GSM network quality and performance.

Automatic Cell Planning (ACP): Based on the Buffer Zone, Huawei can perform ACP adjustment using GSM measurement reports at sites that support GSM and LTE Collocated antennas in refarming areas and precisely adjust the antenna parameters by setting proper coverage and quality targets and using the ACP algorithm to efficiently control interference and ensure GSM and LTE network performance.

With over 500 MBB experts throughout the world and four global Frequency Replanning Centers delivering efficient E2E Refarming services, Huawei has helped telcos across the globe deliver over 100 Refarming networks, ranking first, and grabbing 45% of the Refarming market share. In further MBB service development and network evolution, Huawei's Refarming service solution will continue to help telcos improve network spectrum efficiency and ensure fast investment returns.