Understanding and Mitigating Congestion in Modern Networks

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Improved capacity and fairness of massive machine type communications in millimetre wave 5G network

In the Fifth Generation (5G) wireless standard, the Internet of Things (IoT) will interconnect billions of Machine Type Communications (MTC) devices. Fixed and mobile wearable devices and sensors are expected to contribute to the majority of IoT traffic. MTC device mobility has been considered with three speeds, namely zero (fixed) and medium and high speeds of 30 and 100 kmph. Different values for device mobility are used to simulate the impact of device mobility on MTC traffic. This work demonstrates the gain of using distributed antennas on MTC traffic in terms of spectral efficiency and fairness among MTC devices, which affects the number of devices that can be successfully connected. The mutual use of Distributed Base Stations (DBS) with Remote Radio Units (RRU) and the adoption of the millimetre wave band, particularly in the 26 GHz range, have been considered the key enabling technologies for addressing MTC traffic growth. An algorithm has been set to schedule this type of traffic and to show whether MTC devices completed their traffic upload or failed to reach the margin. The gains of the new architecture have been demonstrated in terms of spectral efficiency, data throughput and the fairness index

Determining Bakrie Telecom\u27s Business Strategy to Boost the Revenue From Internet Data Business

The study is aim to explore & analyze business model and business strategy for Bakrie Telecom (BTEL) in order to increase the revenue from internet data business. Trend of internet/telecommunication such as the use of smartphone (Android, IPhone, and BlackBerry) are giving significant revenue for operator. But total revenue earned by Bakrie Telecom, not quite able to offset current funds out. Issues facing Bakrie Telecom in internet data business can be overcome by applying a Business Model Canvas, which has nine factors that include improvements in Customer/Client, Brand Development, campaign activities to increase product awareness, product delivery by the supplier, resources development, budget/fees management, and which revenues to be gained. This research will get excellent result if capable of forming Canvas business model measured its success by applying Diamond business strategy in Bakrie Telecom. Those strategy is expected to increase corporate earnings especially from internet data business and able to earn internet market widespread in Indonesia. The recommendation to implement business model and business strategy are began by providing employees upgrading/training skills, improvements in terms of finances, expansion and infrastructure\u27s development and build the programs that can make customers interested in using internet products of Bakrie Telecom

Determining Bakrie Telecom’s Business Strategy to boost the Revenue from Internet Data Business

The study is aim to explore & analyze business model and business strategy for Bakrie Telecom (BTEL) in order to increase the revenue from internet data business. Trend of internet/telecommunication such as the use of smartphone (Android, IPhone, and BlackBerry) are giving significant revenue for operator. But total revenue earned by Bakrie Telecom, not quite able to offset current funds out. Issues facing Bakrie Telecom in internet data business can be overcome by applying a Business Model Canvas, which has nine factors that include improvements in Customer/Client, Brand Development, campaign activities to increase product awareness, product delivery by the supplier, resources development, budget/fees management, and which revenues to be gained. This research will get excellent result if capable of forming Canvas business model measured its success by applying Diamond business strategy in Bakrie Telecom. Those strategy is expected to increase corporate earnings especially from internet data business and able to earn internet market widespread in Indonesia. The recommendation to implement business model and business strategy are began by providing employees upgrading/training skills, improvements in terms of finances, expansion and infrastructure’s development and build the programs that can make customers interested in using internet products of Bakrie Telecom.  Keywords: internet data business, canvas business model, diamond business strategy.Â

Metrics for Broadband Networks in the Context of the Digital Economies

In a transition to automated digital management of broadband networks, communication service providers must look for new metrics to monitor these networks. Complete metrics frameworks are already emerging whereas majority of the new metrics are being proposed in technical papers. Considering common metrics for broadband networks and related technologies, this chapter offers insights into what metrics are available, and also suggests active areas of research. The broadband networks being a key component of the digital ecosystems are also an enabler to many other digital technologies and services. Reviewing first the metrics for computing systems, websites and digital platforms, the chapter focus then shifts to the most important technical and business metrics which are used for broadband networks. The demand-side and supply-side metrics including the key metrics of broadband speed and broadband availability are touched on. After outlining the broadband metrics which have been standardized and the metrics for measuring Internet traffic, the most commonly used metrics for broadband networks are surveyed in five categories: energy and power metrics, quality of service, quality of experience, security metrics, and robustness and resilience metrics. The chapter concludes with a discussion on machine learning, big data and the associated metrics

Internet Policy’s Next Frontier: Data Caps, Tiered Service Plans, and Usage-Based Broadband Pricing

Usage-based pricing has rapidly become one of the most controversial topics in Internet policy. Both wired and wireless broadband providers are migrating from flat-rate pricing to a variety of consumption-based pricing models. Some consumer groups have viewed the change to usage-based pricing with skepticism, fearing it will usher in an era of higher prices, deteriorating service, and increasingly anticompetitive conduct. This article evaluates the merits of data caps, tiered-service plans, and other usage-based pricing strategies. It finds that usage-based broadband pricing is not inherently anti-consumer or anti-competitive. Rather, it reflects a cluster of pricing strategies through which a broadband company might recover its costs and fund future investment. Under a flat-rate plan, lighter users cross-subsidize heavier users. By aligning costs with broadband use, usage-based pricing shifts more network costs onto those who use the network the most. Critics claim that usage-based pricing is unfair, because the marginal costs of data transport are low, and therefore heavier users do not cost more than lighters. But this argument ignores the significant fixed costs of building and maintaining a network. The central challenge for broadband pricing is allocating those fixed costs across the customer base. Unlimited flat-rate pricing is one strategy, but not necessarily the most efficient. Usage-based pricing is a form of price discrimination that allows broadband providers to recover more of their fixed costs from customers with relatively inelastic demand. This strategy more closely approximates Ramsey pricing and therefore may be a more efficient way of recovering fixed costs without distorting consumer preferences. Pricing experimentation may also help narrow the digital divide. By recovering more fixed costs from heavier users, firms may have more freedom to extend service at a lower rate to light users who are unable or unwilling to pay the unlimited flat rate. There is evidence that these opportunities are beginning to emerge from companies engaged in usage-based pricing. Usage-based pricing may also help alleviate network congestion, though the case is less clear. Unlimited flat-rate pricing encourages overconsumption of network resources, which can create congestion during peak periods. Usage-based pricing encourages consumers to use less bandwidth and to demand more bandwidth-efficient practices by Internet content and service providers. But it is not clear that current pricing strategies will help mitigate peak-time congestion. To use pricing to shift consumption to off-peak periods, companies would need to show peak times are predictable. Fixed networks show regular peak times, but congestion is not currently a significant problem for fixed providers. On the wireless side, congestion is problematic but peak times are less predictable. With current technology, usage-based pricing may reduce aggregate demand and help chronically over-congested networks, but firms likely cannot yet use differentiated pricing to reduce peak-time congestion levels. Unquestionably, some vertically-integrated broadband providers may use usage-based pricing anticompetitively to shield cable affiliates from Internet-based video competition. While these risks exist, the literature suggests that vertical restraints on trade can be pro-competitive or anticompetitive. Regulators should remain vigilant with regard to potentially anticompetitive conduct, but should intervene only when a firm exploits market power in a way that causes actual consumer harm. Regulators should also assure that broadband providers have transparent pricing practices and give consumers tools to estimate monthly data use. Only through experimentation and empirical measurement will providers find the optimal pricing solution — which, by network, may vary dramatically. Thus far, regulators have correctly rejected the call to interfere with this pricing flexibility, absent a demonstration of market failure and consumer harm. This study shows why they would be wise to continue doing so. A working paper version was published by the Mercatus Center in October 2012