M1, a telecom network operator in Singapore, has selected Parallel Wireless to support its WiFi-On-The-Go service as a part of the HetNet trials.
The telecom operator trialed the Parallel Wireless on-bus NFV-enabled HetNet technology, as a part of the HetNet trial in Singapore, in a bid to change the economics of pervasive mobile coverage with real-time HetNet orchestration and traffic prioritization made possible by HetNet Gateway (HNG).
M1, which competes with Singapore Telecom, aims to offer high throughput connectivity from an on-bus multi-mode LTE/Wi-Fi Converged Wireless System (CWS) small cell with integrated backhaul including licensed assisted backhaul — to all bus riders.
Parallel Wireless in a statement said that the technology can increase the end user throughput by 10 times (up to 300 Mbps), allowing transit passengers to enjoy multimedia content without buffering — by enabling carrier aggregation for backhaul.
“With the rollout of our M1WiFi service and the extension of our small cell network to additional high traffic sites, such as transportation hubs and shopping malls, as well as to selected connected vehicles in 2016, M1 customers can look forward to enjoying an even better data experience,” said Denis Seek, chief technical officer at M1.
Commuters on selected SMRT Service 176 buses can enjoy Singapore’s first WiFi-On-The-Go service on public buses. Each connected bus is linked to M1’s 4G+ network through an intelligent in-vehicle unit that boosts the bandwidth available to the on-board wireless network.
Commuters on the buses, a trunk route service linking Bukit Merah Interchange and Bukit Panjang Temporary Bus Park, can go online by connecting to the “Wireless@SG” network on their smart devices. Commuters will be able to identify the two WiFi-enabled buses through on-board signages highlighting the service.
This HetNet solution, enabled by the Parallel Wireless vRAN architecture, allows M1 to manage network demands, enable intelligent traffic steering and load balancing. The network can scale capacity up or down with intelligent traffic offload to address changing usage patterns, while maintaining seamless end user Quality of Service, said Parallel Wireless.
Parallel Wireless says the same small cell could include M2M features to provide fleet management capabilities to transit companies in future.
Steve Papa, founder, chairman and CEO of Parallel Wireless, said: “Operators like M1 are leading a market disruption in new growth areas such as enabling Smart Cities. Parallel Wireless’s cost-effective and efficient HetNet solution was designed specifically to make this disruption a reality.”
Vina Krishnan
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