This paper examines Verizon's cellular network design and its role in sustaining the company's market leadership in telecommunications. The analysis focuses on Verizon's use of CDMA2000 technology, the cell-based network structure that enables wide geographic coverage, and the frequency reuse strategy that maximizes spectrum efficiency. The paper explains how base stations, cells, and directional signaling reduce interference while increasing capacity. Finally, it proposes recommendations for expanding network capacity and bandwidth to meet growing consumer demand for digital media and data services.
Verizon is a leader in the communications industry. With unparalleled service and strong brand equity, Verizon continues to uphold its market leadership among telecommunications providers. A key aspect of Verizon's success is its network. The network is ultimately the source of the company's vast profits, strong leadership, and globally recognized brand. The company's network also provides economies of scale, lowering the per-unit cost per subscriber.
This paper describes how Verizon's network is designed, offering insights into why the design is effective. The analysis then presents brief, incremental suggestions to improve the overall network capability. Understanding these design principles reveals how Verizon maintains its competitive advantage in an increasingly data-intensive telecommunications market.
Verizon Wireless is one of two major U.S. carriers that use CDMA2000. CDMA2000 is a family of 3G mobile technology standards that use CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) channel access to send voice, data, and signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites. The cell sites are important attributes of the Verizon network structure.
Verizon's cellular network is distributed wirelessly through areas called cells. Each cell covers a specified land mass within a particular region. Typically, each cell has one transceiver known as a base station that uses a particular frequency. These cells are joined together to form a coverage area over a wide geographic region such as the United States.
Through the use of these cells, a large number of portable devices are better able to communicate with one another. This occurs due to the transceiver on the base station. The Verizon network has a large coverage area because additional cell towers can be added that are not limited by the horizon. In addition, the same frequency can be used for multiple links as they occur in different cells. Chart 1 below provides an example of the Verizon cellular network structure.
Carrier networks distribute massive quantities of data over great distances. The long-distance signal-conveying medium in a carrier network is sometimes called the backbone. Most of the backbone is built around fiber optics, although some portions of some networks still employ copper cable. Internet service to individual end users can take place through fiber optics, although cable, wireless, and satellite Internet modes are more common. In rural areas, some end users rely on twisted pair telephone lines for their Internet access.
As discussed above, the key characteristic of the Verizon cellular network is the ability to reuse frequencies to increase both coverage and capacity. In the cellular network diagram, each of the cells labeled F1 to F6 have a radio base station. The frequencies within this group can be reused only if the same frequency is not used in an adjacent, neighboring hexagon. This concept is vital for the Verizon network.
For example, multiple callers in the same area have the ability to use the same frequency. This is done by switching calls made using the same frequency to the nearest available cellular tower having that frequency available. In order to avoid interference, however, the cells must not be adjacent. Directional signaling helps improve reception when the same frequency is used. By using a directional antenna, more power is sent through multiple directions to improve the transmission and reception of signals. This ultimately reduces interference and improves network efficiency.
"Capacity expansion for digital media demand"
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