The UMTS 900 network (U900) is the invisible engine that powers networking in today’s Egypt. Whether it’s a business exec calling up an Uber cab in Cairo or a tourist updating Facebook with a selfie by Tutankhamen’s tomb, they have the U900 to thank for shortening distances between people and making work and play a whole lot easier.
Hieroglyphs, pyramids, the Sphinx, mummification…Egypt has truly given the world a treasure trove of historic and cultural gems. Every year 15 million tourists descend on the nation of nearly 90 million to explore its secrets. Figureheads of Osris guiding boats down the Nile and the mysteries of Pharaohs’ tombs are ripe for sharing with people back home. Those lucky 15 million travelers, of course, post their exotic Egyptian travel experiences on social media across mobile networks.
Mobile broadband goes crazy
As a pillar industry, Egypt’s thriving tourist trade also benefits other industries. Mobile communications are booming, with mobile phone and smart device penetration at 115 percent and 20 percent respectively. Social media applications pervade work and life, with the young taking to social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Skype like true digital natives.
Mobile broadband (MBB) consumption in Egypt is surging, with 2015 already on track for a 40 percent jump in MBB users over 2014, while traffic growth is soaring at 120 percent per year. But, MBB networks are struggling to take up the slack and deliver the low latency and high bandwidth that users want.
Egypt’s mobile carriers increased to three when Emirati subsidiary Etisalat Misr stepped into play in 2007 after acquiring the nation’s third mobile operator license. The relative latecomer began by building the nation’s first 3G network, but it wasn’t long before the competition began heating up. Carriers started aggressively vying for a piece of the action, offering lower rates and accelerating MBB network construction.
Since then, Etisalat Misr’s network traffic has doubled every year, heaping considerable pressure on network capacity, which is expected to continue in 2016. Moreover, compounding the scarcity of spectrum resources assigned for 2G, Etisalat Misr holds limited spectrum for MBB.
The carrier faced two major questions: How could it quickly build MBB network capacity and improve coverage? How could it reallocate existing spectrum resources?
U900 saves the day
Etisalat Misr decided to build a UMTS 900 network in the 900MHz band and retire its GSM 900 network. To enhance user experience of MBB, Etisalat Misr’s CTO Khalid Murshed believes the carrier must “use existing experience as the basis for network construction and developing strong 3G services.” Coupled with a simple refarming solution, Etisalat Misr deployed GSM 1800 (G1800) to improve G1800 coverage, meet GSM KPIs, and guarantee basic voice services.
Better coverage meant that 2G network performance and capacity would not be affected once the G900 was retired. In turn, the simple refarming solution could quickly and precisely identify network areas with capacity limitations and enable accurate plans for U900 site locations.
The solution offered network capacity growth as quickly and inexpensively as possible. Etisalat Misr used value analysis, network assessment planning, and performance impact estimations to develop accurate traffic migration plans and capacity enhancement solutions, and retain the same bearing and performance capacity on the GSM network after refarming.
The carrier formulated planning solutions for new site construction and coverage enhancements to resolve GSM network coverage problems post-U900 deployment.
Etisalat Misr first deployed the U900 network in economically active areas with international companies and fast traffic growth.
To formulate measures for quickly handling any problems that arised, Etisalat Misr and Huawei jointly set up an MBB team. As well as developing a viable delivery model and follow-up project plan, the team created a series of capacity standards and criteria. After rapid verification, these were used to design methods for follow-up network planning.
Making life better with MBB
The U900 network has met the pressing need for higher bandwidth in west Cairo to accommodate the surge in data services. Subscribers immediately noticed the improved user experience, with MBB user traffic increasing by up to 25 percent and the time needed to open web page times greatly reduced. According to Etisalat Misr, this “has improved web page loading speeds and user experience, making shopping much more enjoyable in malls in west Cairo”.
Etisalat Misr found through traffic-bearing modeling that its legacy 2G network was carrying a relatively high proportion of 3G user traffic due to insufficient coverage, with up to 50 percent of 2G network traffic generated on 3G terminals. The new U900, however, enabled the 3G network to bear 3G user traffic.
Improved network coverage delivered a better user experience, with speed increasing by as much as 40 percent from 2.1 Mbps to 3 Mbps.
“Etisalat Group has always worked with vendors with the best technology. We have collaborated with Huawei for the last 15 years and will continue to do so in future,” says Etisalat Misr CTO Khalid Murshed. “We will continue to deploy U900 networks and enhance G1800 network coverage while we prepare for LTE network deployment.”
Murshed believes that the U900 has helped Etisalat Misr provide the best MBB experience for users and empowered its development strategy. It will no doubt be a decisive factor for commercial success and pave the way for a fruitful long-term partnership with Huawei.
