A new ABI report says that capital expenditure on mobile backhaul varies greatly by region and by technology. While most countries face similar current or future struggles to reduce network congestion, the solutions being adopted differ according to existing infrastructure, network generations, and government mandates and incentives.
One major division is whether to use optic fiber or microwave for mobile backhaul. CAPEX for microwave backhaul will peak in Western Europe this year at almost $4.4 billion, more than triple the figure for the next-highest region, Asia-Pacific. The European spending surge is due to the expansion of 3G networks to new areas, as well as a few initial 4G network deployments.
�Once that wave is completed in Western Europe, microwave backhaul will be left alone for a while,� comments ABI Research analyst Xavier Ortiz. �Following the 2010 spending spree, Western European microwave backhaul CAPEX will tumble in 2011 to just over half its peak level.�
Virtually all world regions will see some increase in microwave backhaul CAPEX over 2011-2013, followed by a gradual decline. The reasons vary by location. In Asia, many 3G networks will be rolled out during that period, and others will be expanded to reach remote, underserved areas. According to practice director Aditya Kaul, �Asia�s investment in microwave backhaul would be even greater were it not for the Chinese government�s mandate to use fiber for the country�s 3G and 4G networks. Although microwave is less expensive and faster to deploy, a governmental commitment to fiber means huge economies of scale, and fewer worries about zoning permissions.�
In the United States, the situation is very different. The prevalence of fiber optic cable in many parts of the country combined with the high cost of tower leasing mean that interest in microwave as a backhaul solution is lower than anywhere else. �Large service providers are saying they will only use microwave where fiber is unavailable,� says Ortiz.
It is interesting how Fiber and MW backhaul use differ from region to region. The economics and policies are very different in each region. I would think it would be mostly based on cost but that is not the case. Do you think China will ever change their mandate for Fiber only?
YouTube 2.1 App Now Available on Android Market
When you're watching a video on YouTube, how often do you JUST watch the video? If you're like me, you scroll down, maybe read the video description and glance over at the related videos to choose what you might watch next.
Today the latest YouTube app, version 2.1, is available on the Android Market, so YouTube app updates aren’t tied to Android OS releases anymore. The app was rebuilt from the ground up to mirror the YouTube desktop experience and is our fastest, most intuitive YouTube mobile app to date.
What’s new:
- In-page playback: you can read the video description, browse related, rate or flag videos without having to interrupt video playback.
- Posting comments: you can post a comment while the video is playing, just like on the desktop website.
- Subscription updates: we've made it easier to access new videos from your subscriptions. If you are signed into your account, you will see all your subscription updates right on the home screen of the app.
- New full-screen UI: To enter full-screen mode simply rotate the phone. The new player controls make it easier to seek within the video, and you can pause or resume the playback by just tapping on the screen.
Please note that the new YouTube app only works on devices running Android 2.2. To install it, search for 'YouTube' in Android Market. It also comes pre-installed on many upcoming Android 2.3 devices, such as the Nexus S.
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