As more mobile data and multimedia services over high-bandwidth 3G networks surface, mobile operators, traditional wireline carriers and cable companies have to decide which backhaul solutions they should employ in expanding the capacity of their cellular networks. ABI Research says the industry agrees that Ethernet over fiber will be the 'long-term solution of choice,' but much of that fiber still has to be laid, entailing huge capital costs. WiMAX has also attracted a lot of attention, but deployments have so far been limited and mostly on a trial basis. Players other than telcos, such as cable operators and cellcos, are expected to also provide backhaul services in the future.
Wireless Backhaul: Bandwidth Explosion and Emerging Alternatives
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