Global spending on SON (Self-Optimizing Network) technology will account for over $4 billion annually by the end of 2017, exceeding conventional mobile network optimization revenue by nearly 60%, according to SNS Research's latest report. SON technology minimizes the lifecycle cost of running a mobile network by eliminating manual configuration of equipment at the time of deployment, right through to dynamically optimizing performance and troubleshooting during operation, thus helping to reduce the cost of the operator’s services and improving the OpEx to revenue ratio, said SNS Research.
Originally targeted for the RAN (Radio Access Network) segment of mobile networks, SON technology is now also utilized in the mobile core and transport network segments. Furthermore, the SON ecosystem is increasingly witnessing convergence with other technological innovations such as Big Data, predictive analytics and DPI (Deep Packet Inspection), said SNS Research.
According to SNS Research, amid growing demands for mobile broadband connectivity, mobile operators are keen to capitalize on SON to minimize rollout delays and operational expenditures associated with their ongoing LTE and HetNet deployments.
