Mobile transport networks do not gain much attention today, as the requirements can be met with standard plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH)/synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH)-based transport networks. As we expect the bandwidth to increase significantly over the next several years, the operators will not be able to afford to handle low-priority traffic in the transport network in the same way as low-latency traffic. Cheaper transport will be required for less critical services, while quality guarantees will need to be met for high-performance services. The migration toward Ethernet-based interfaces with second-generation (2G)/third-generation (3G) infrastructure further provides opportunities for cost savings. Thus, 2G and 3G mobile network operators will need to introduce data-optimized transport technologies. This, however, will add a degree of complexity to those transport networks. The challenge will be benefiting from multiplexing gain and flexibility while keeping networks simple and easy to operate.

The workshop will highlight the challenges of RAN transport migration and focus on how a seamless migration from time division multiplexing to packet-oriented transport can be achieved by the latest Ethernet and Ethernet/multiprotocol label switching technology.

Operators will outline their requirements and present their respective approaches. Suppliers will show how latest technologies meet those requirements and how increased complexity is managed by a higher functionality of the applied transport network elements and the integrated control plane functions.

Howard Green Network Strategy Ericsson

Mr. Green has been in the telecommunications industry since 1980 and has worked in a full range of network and service technologies, including digital voice switching, digital transport, and IP, in many parts of the world. He has played roles in software development, standards (in particular open distributed processing), and system architecture, as well as in technical sales and marketing. He is focused on multiservice network design, particularly scalability and resilience issues.

Arnaud Cauvin Access Network Architect France Telecom Group

Mr. Cauvin graduated from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Telecommunications de Bretagne in Brest, France, in 2002 and received a telecommunication master's degree from the Universite de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France, in 2002. After working for France Telecom Group Longue Distance from 2002 to 2003, he joined France Telecom Group R&D in 2004 in his current position, where he is in charge of the mobile backhauling architecture evolution. He leads technical studies about the use of new physical access mediums (DSL, WiMAX, optics, etc.) and new protocols (Ethernet, IP, MPLS, PWE3, etc.) in order to replace current microwave/TDM networks. He is also involved in research activities about optical access networks and was chairman of the GPON CTS Working Group at the FSAN forum from March 2005 to February 2006.

Bruno Cornaglia Access Transmission Manager Vodafone

Mr. Cornaglia received his degree in electronic engineering at Politecnico di Torino in 1990. He enjoyed CSELT, the research centre of Telecom Italia Group, in 1990. He was initially involved in millimetric radio relay links, both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint, and then in the introduction of SDH. In 1994, he became project head of Fixed Wireless Access for studying and trialing new opportunities of using PMP networks for delivering basic services and new multimedia services. In the meantime, he participated actively on various standardization bodies. In 1999 he joined OMNITEL Pronto Italia SpA, now Vodafone Omnitel NV, a private cellular operator, where he became responsible for a PMP project in 2000 for the deployment of a PMP network at 26 GHz in the major urban areas in order to backhaul 2G and 3G sites. In the meantime, he also became the coordinator for BWA technologies in the Vodafone Group. In June 2005 he became responsible for new product development for access transmission under the Global Network organization of Vodafone Group. He has written or co-written about 20 papers.

Ulrich Kohn Network Strategist Ericsson

Educated by the Technical University in Stuttgart, Mr. Kohn began his professional career with ANT (later Bosch Telecom Public Networks) in Backnang, Germany, in 1987, as a research engineer on photonic transport systems. In 1993 he was assigned responsibility for development and technical sales for the product family of optical amplifiers. In 1998 he moved to product management, holding responsibility for wireline transport products and later headed Business Development of Marconi's Optical Networks group in Germany. In 2003 Mr. Kohn took responsibility for Marconi's transport solutions for mobile network operators as member of the Strategy Office. Since Ericsson acquired Marconi in early 2006, Mr. Kohn continues to work in the Network Strategy team.