Wireless Local Loop : An Alternative Solution In Access Networks

Abstract

Telecommunications is the key underlying technology for the evolution of the global economy into the current Millennium. The link between economic growth and good telecommunications is now well established. In both developed and developing economies, the deployment of national backbone telecom networks is not the issue. The real bottleneck in the provision of telecom services is the local loop or access network. To connect hundreds and thousands of individual subscribers using traditional wireline technology would require massive investment and would take many years of effort. The answer is to utilize wireless technology to bridge the final mile to the subscriber - the Wireless Local Loop (WLL) solution. For countries seeking to improve their economies, like Pakistan, telecom infrastructure is basic requirement. Wireless in the local loop is a cost effective alternative that gives the telephone operator a quicker return on inve-stment and enables communication over sparsely populated rural areas and inhospitable terrain. WLL is a system that connects subscribers to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using radio signals as a substitute for copper for all or part of the connection between subscriber and the switch. WLL provides an ability to rapidly and cost-effectively introduce local access in a variety of service environments ranging from dense urban to dispersed rural areas. WLL capital costs can allow service price points to be at a level competitive with wireline operators. Pent-up demand, the need to quickly deliver reliable service, and the need for new operators to be 11first to market11 have combined to make wireless technologies a much sought-after infrastructure solution. Different Technologies can be used for Deployment of WLL system, the right choice is based on subscriber densities, traffic conditions, and data support requirements. By adopting the WLL as an Alternative Solution for Access Networks, the long pending waiting lists of telephone connection to be provided to millions of subscribers in Pakistan can be overcome.