EPC（Evolved Packet Core）市場：予測と競合分析

EPC（Evolved Packet Core）は、LTEアクセス用の3GPP規定のコアネットワークで、LTEシステムアーキテクチャの中核を成し、サービスの提供には不可欠です。時間とともに、2G/3Gネットワークにおけるパケット交換サービスの共通コアネットワークとして期待されるようになり、Wi-Fiアクセス統合への優先ポイントとして浮上しています。

当レポートでは、EPC市場について調査分析し、モバイルパケットコア機器市場の動向、EPCの評価/展開時にオペレーターが必要とする重要な要素、多重アクセスネットワーク用のEPCベースの共通コアの進化について検証し、EPCの展開オプション、ターゲットとするアーキテクチャのほか、競合分析や主要ベンダーのプロファイルも含めて、概略以下の構成でお届けいたします。

第1章 イントロダクション・主な調査結果

第2章 市場規模・予測

• 市場規模・予測
• 市場予測：技術タイプ別
• ベンダー市場シェア
• モバイルパケットコア市場の構造
• クラス最高のEPC vs. 統合RAN
• ドイツの例：EPCベンダーの選定
• 米国の例：EPCベンダーの選定

第3章 EPCベースの共通コア

• フェーズI：Gnベースの統合
• フェーズII：S4ベースの統合
• フェーズIII：完全一体型の共通コア

第4章 EPCの展開オプション

• EPCの展開に心配が少ないオペレーター
• 分散型 vs. 集中型
• クラウドEPC
• EPCの展開とQoS
• Uber-God BoxとしてのP-GW？
• EPCの展開の影響
• その他

第5章 サマリー製品分析

• プラットフォームの重要性
• プラットフォームのスケーラビリティ
• パケットゲートウェイプラットフォーム
• SGSN-MMEプラットフォーム

第6章 企業プロファイル

• Alcatel-Lucent
• Cisco
• Ericsson
• Huawei
• Juniper Networks
• Nokia Siemens Networks
• ZTE

付録

図表

Abstract

The Evolved Packet Core (EPC) is the 3GPP-specified core network for LTE access. It is central to the LTE system architecture and is critical to delivery of services. Over time it is also expected to become a common core network for packet-switch services in 2G and 3G networks, and is emerging as a preferred point of integration for Wi-Fi access.

By virtue of its position at the heart of the mobile network, the EPC must interact with multiple internal and external domains to mesh together the complex web of elements needed to create and deliver services to end-users in way the operator can monetize and scale. Above and beyond the basic mobility, security and subscriber management functions, this role of "service-enabler" is what makes EPC strategic to mobile operators, and takes it from being a cost-center to being a business model enabler.

Because LTE is an all-IP network, EPC must support a diverse mix of services, with variable real-time and best-effort traffic profiles. This requires equipment design and deployment models that balance session management and transaction-rate performance with low-cost packet processing. In terms of design heritage, the EPC equipment draws on the classic, mobile-centric 2G/3G packet-switch core, and on data-centric fixed-line IP platforms, to create a new type of mobile core network that scales both in the control plane and the user plane.

This balance was not easy to deliver in the past, but is now more achievable due to new approaches to system design, advances in processor technology and progress in operating system and middleware design. For operators, EPC deployment represents a major capital investment and because the EPC interacts directly with so many other parts of the network, the definition of a target architecture, and selection of vendor equipment, will absorb intellectual resources in network design and operating teams over a long period. This makes it a strategic, high-risk project with a high cost of failure, but also a project that demands innovation.

Given the need to innovate in EPC, combined with the need to manage risk and complexity, vendor selection is critical. This means not only are product capabilities and roadmaps important, but also, because operators make core network decisions of this magnitude infrequently, the integration and best-practice expertise accumulated by vendors is invaluable.

Evolved Packet Core Market Forecast & Competitive Analysis reviews trends in the mobile packet core equipment market, analyzes the critical factors that operators need to consider when evaluating and deploying EPC and discusses the evolution to an EPC-based common core for multiple access networks. It also considers the various EPC deployment options, including distributed versus centralized models and how the target architecture impacts advanced services, such as VoLTE and cloud.

The report also identifies and evaluates vendor approaches to EPC product design and deployment architectures, and provides a detailed competitive analysis of the portfolios of seven leading EPC equipment vendors.

The key factors operators must consider when investing in EPC can be summarized as follows:

• EPC as services-enabler: At heart, this is the role of EPC. The nature of the services it needs to support, and how the design of the EPC can help product and marketing teams develop and monetize end-user services, is the most critical consideration for operators.
• Deployment architecture: How to deploy EPC network elements to take account of scalability demands, packet transport dependencies, RAN deployment strategies and so on, is critical. This is a network engineering and planning function, with deployment decisions being highly dependent on vendors' product capabilities.
• Migration to EPC-based common core: Overtime the 2G/3G packet core will migrate to the new EPC platform introduced for LTE. This means EPC evaluations will be influenced by the timeline for a refresh of the 3G core and the potential operational savings and service benefits that may be made by timing the move to a common EPC-based core.
• Vendor selection: EPC's complexity, dependencies on adjacent network elements and long operating cycles make vendor selection critical. Operators must decide if "best-in-class" or "RAN + EPC" combinations will deliver the best outcome and innovation. The operator's judgment on the long-term commitment of the vendor to feature development and platform evolution will be decisive.

The market for mobile packet core equipment has grown strongly for the past five years, driven by the growth in smartphone users and demand for capacity. Many operators have refreshed their core networks to manage the ramp-up in 3G/HSPA services. More recently, LTE has meant operators have needed to invest in new EPC platforms. We estimate the mobile packet core market was worth $1.9 billion in 2011 and will increase to $2.5 billion by 2015, as shown in the excerpt below.

Report Scope & Structure

Evolved Packet Core Market Forecast & Competitive Analysis is structured as follows:

Section I includes a full executive summary and report key findings.

Section II reviews trends in the mobile packet core equipment market, vendor market share and contract awards.

Section III discusses the introduction of EPC and the eventual evolution to an EPC-based common core for multiple access networks.

Section IV analyses EPC deployment options, including distributed versus centralized models and how the target architecture impacts advanced services, such as VoLTE and cloud.

Section V provides a high level vendor platform and product comparison.

Section VI provides in-depth vendor profiles, including Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Ericsson, Huawei, Juniper, NSN and ZTE.

Evolved Packet Core Market Forecast & Competitive Analysis is published in PDF format.

Table of Contents

LIST OF FIGURES

I. INTRODUCTION& KEY FINDINGS

• 1.1 Key Findings
• 1.2 Report Scope & Structure

II. MARKET SIZE & FORECAST

• 2.1 Market Size & forecast
• 2.2 Market Forecast by Technology Type
• 2.3 Vendor Market shares
• 2.4 Mobile Packet Core Market structure
• 2.5 Best-In=Class EPC vs. Integrated RAN
• 2.6 German Example - EPC Vendor Selection
• 2.7 U.S. Example - EPC Vendor Selection

III. AN EPC-BASED COMMON CORE

• 3.1 Phase I: Gn-Based Integration
• 3.2 Phase II: S4-Based Integration
• 3.3 Phase III: Fully Integrated common Core

IV. EPC DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS

• 4.1 Operators Less Concerned About EPC Deployment
• 4.2 Distributed vs. Centralized
• 4.3 Cloud EPC
• 4.4 EPC Deployment & QoS
• 4.5 The P-GW as Über-God Box?
• 4.6 Impact of Signaling on EPC Deployment
• Other Factors

V. SUMARY PRODUCT ANALYSIS

• 5.1 Importance of the Platform
• 5.2 Platform Scalability
• 5.3 Packet Gateway Platforms
• 5.4 SGSN-MME Platforms

VI. COMPANY PROFILES

• 6.1 Alcatel-Lucent
• 6.2 Cisco
• 6.3 Ericsson
• 6.4 Huawei
• 6.5 Juniper Networks
• 6.6 Nokia Siemens Networks
• 6.7 ZTE

APPENDIX A: ABOUT THE AUTHOR

APPENDIX B: LEGAL DISCLAMIER

LIST OF FIGURES

SECTION I

• Figure 1.1 EPC at the Heart of Mobile Broadband

SECTION II

• Figure 2.1 Mobile Packet Core Equipment Forecast
• Figure 2.2 Mobile Packet Core Revenues by Technology
• Figure 2.3 Mobile Packet Core Market Share by Revenue (2011 =$1.9B)
• Figure 2.4 Mobile Packet Core Market Evolution
• Figure 2.5 EPC Contract Awards by Operator in Germany
• Figure 2.6 EPC Contract Awards by Operator in the U.S.

SECTION III

• Figure 3.1 Gn-Based EPC Integration
• Figure 3.2 S3/S4-Based EPC Integration
• Figure 3.3 A Potential Target Architecture

SECTION IV

• Figure 4.1 Level of Concern About EPC Implementation Challenges
• Figure 4.2 Nature of the S1 Interface
• Figure 4.3 EPC & a Potential Cloud Interface Layer
• Figure 4.4 High-Level Roadmap for EPC in the Cloud
• Figure 4.5 QoS Classes in LTE
• Figure 4.6 What Are Your Thoughts on Using EPS Bearers in LTE?
• Figure 4.7 EPS Bearer Deployment
• Figure 4.8 Mapping EPS Bearers to Layer 2&3 Transport
• Figure 4.9 The P-GW & the SGi Environment
• Figure 4.10 Packet Gateway Feature Integration

SECTION V

• Figure 5.1 EPC Element Platform Demands vs. 3G & Fixed Networks
• Figure 5.2 Summary & Comparison of Mobile Packet Gateways
• Figure 5.3 Summary & Comparison of SGSN-MME Nodes

SECTION VI

• Figure 6.1 SGSN-MME Capacity Growth Over 12 Years
• Figure 6.2 Ericsson's SSR Portfolio