Quortus has announced the launch of its EdgeCentrix product, which transforms heavy iron core networks into software applications that can be installed at small cell sites. It can be deployed in enterprise, metro and rural settings, drastically reducing the cost of deploying and running mobile networks while also improving the user experience.
By allowing most core network functions to be handled at the network edge, including switching local calls, EdgeCentrix means backhaul and the traditional core are only used where absolutely necessary. This means operators can make major savings on backhaul, which constitutes their single largest OPEX, as well as on core network upgrades. Furthermore, as many services are processed locally rather than remotely in the core, users receive a dramatically improved quality of service due to the reduced round trip time for mobile traffic.
EdgeCentrix goes far beyond simply adding a Mobile Switching Centre (MSC) to the edge, it enables small cells to act as complete mobile networks capable of handling smart voice and data offload; session creation, switching & handoff; traffic compression & aggregation; support for all radio technologies; and edge caching and presence information for apps. All whilst remaining an integral part of the host operator macro network.
In enterprise small cell deployments, operators can route voice calls through corporate PBXs and tightly manage which data services remain on the mobile network, which are offloaded to the Internet and which can directly access the enterprise’s own servers. In rural areas or remote locations such as islands or oil rigs, operators can provide services where it was previously uneconomical, by ensuring local voice and data services are handled locally, thereby limiting the amount of traffic that requires backhaul and the traditional core. In metropolitan deployments, operators can use EdgeCentrix to route local traffic and cache popular content, especially for location-based services, again easing the burden on backhaul and the core.
“The small cell revolution is transforming mobile networks by bringing the radio network much closer to the end-users thereby economically improving capacity and coverage. But, this is only the first stage of the wider small cell revolution. Why just bring the radio network closer to users? The next stage is to bring the intelligence that processes mobile services closer to users – in this way, operators can save costs and dramatically improve the user experience,” said Andy Odgers, Managing Director of Quortus. “EdgeCentrix is the next step in this evolution, distilling full network intelligence into an application you can hold in the palm of your hand. By introducing the Internet model of distributed processing, we are sounding the death knell for the last commonly used mainframe – the mobile core.”
Earlier iterations of Quortus’ EdgeCentrix have been deployed in low-powered GSM networks in Holland. Quortus is actively in discussions with major partners involved in the growing number of small cell deployments and expects to announce agreements in the coming months.