Nokia Siemens Networks hopes that its M2M software suite for GSM will help prevent the overloading of networks with traffic, avoiding network congestion and supporting M2M reliability and growth.
The company estimates that GSM subscriptions supporting M2M applications will reach one billion by 2015. This increase in the use of GSM networks to support automated communications between devices and applications could cause signalling capacity, traffic management and quality of service (QoS) to become significant operator issues.
The software suite is based on a precise paging feature – Nokia Siemens Networks’ own invention – that efficiently reduces the amount of signalling information between M2M mobile stations and base transceiver stations. As a result, GSM operators with M2M service businesses don’t require additional base station sites to accommodate more M2M users.
“M2M applications create both additional information and signalling load on the network,” said Thorsten Robrecht, head of network systems product management at Nokia Siemens Networks. “In mass-M2M applications, such as smart metering, the additional monthly payload is low, typically less than 1Mbyte per subscriber. However, there will always be additional signalling load for every data transaction.
“Since M2M data transactions are expected to grow by ten times in the next few years, signalling will be a very relevant issue for operators. Our M2M software suite reduces signalling by up to 70%.”
As part of its suite, priority class based QoS is available, prioritising urgent M2M transactions such as health and security related information. Moreover, operators are able to manage less critical loads better during peak hours, which adds to the robustness of the network. The suite also has a smart resource adaptation (SRA) feature, which enables up to five times more M2M subscriptions.
“We have been a pioneer in driving the adoption of M2M, providing advanced solutions for low cost operation as well as efficient delivery of multi-industry M2M services,” said Peter Zimmermann, head of global services M2M solution management at Nokia Siemens Networks. “In addition, our M2M application development follows an agile research and development approach – like that of a start-up company – so that we can meet market needs in a flexible way.
“Today, we are on the threshold of wide scale adoption of M2M across utilities, smart grid, transportation and automotive, logistics, security and surveillance as well as retail and vending. We have taken a defining step by addressing the impact of traffic on underlying networks to facilitate a smooth experience for users.”
Nokia Siemens Networks’ M2M software will be available for commercial use from August 2011.
