How to Prevent Attacks on your Critical Wireless Transport Networks
- April 24, 2019
- eclipse radio, mobile backhaul, mobile network operators, security breach, security software, strong security on eclipse packet node overview
By Stephane Varin, Senior Product Manager
In an era of growing security threats from terrorism, border security and immigration, attacks on critical infrastructure and general public unrest, the issue of security in communication networks is more important than ever. The new generation of IP-based wireless technology is an enabler for applications such as mobile commerce, voice over IP (VoIP) and high-definition video delivery to smartphones, but it has also opened some sinkholes in the foundation that pre-LTE architectures and applications have established.
Your Network Deserves Better than a Regular Router
- January 29, 2015
- backhaul, Layer 2, Layer 3, microwave networking, microwave networks, Microwave Radio, MNOs, mobile network operators, regular routers, routers
Regular routers are bad news for microwave networks. But there is also good news in the form of microwave routers. Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com / Foter / CC BY
Mobile network operators (MNOs) continue to reap the windfall of the widespread adoption of smartphones. Mobile data volumes spiked initially and still rise quarter over quarter. Along with the demand for more data throughput from their subscribers, MNOs have to accommodate the greater need for responsiveness closer to the network edge.
While regular routers are good at serving Layer 3 services to mobile users on fiber-heavy backhaul networks, they do not do a very efficient job of servicing mobile backhaul networks that primarily use microwave radio. As it turns out, the worldwide majority of mobile backhaul networks are still based on microwave technology, as regularly updated industry research shows.
What can an MNO with microwave backhaul do to bring Layer 3 functionality to its customers that will handle bandwidth constraints, unique aspects of translating router protocols across the microwave interface and failure detection and recovery, among others?
Aviat Networks has published an article in Mobile World magazine that looks at these challenges of regular routers when used in a microwave backhaul network and proposes possible solutions.
Securing the Mobile Network: Why it’s Critical for All
- November 8, 2013
- mobile backhaul, mobile network operators, security breach
Photo credit: jeff_golden / Foter.com / CC BY-SA
In an era of ubiquitous broadband communication at work and home, the issue of security in mobile backhaul is more important than ever. The new generation of LTE wireless technology is an enabler for applications such as mobile commerce, voice over IP (VoIP) and high-definition video delivery to smartphones, but it has also opened some sinkholes in the foundation that pre-LTE architectures and applications have established.
Impact of an Unsecure Mobile Network
Security incidents can have severe consequences for mobile network operators (MNOs). Short-term public relations hiccups can be dealt with, but over the long term, carriers are subject to subscriber churn, which can significantly influence profitability. Softpedia.com cited a study performed by Opinion Matters, whereby it was determined that 75 percent of smartphone users in the UK would likely change mobile providers if a security breach occurred on their current network.
In addition to subscriber churn, MNOs can face litigation and legal problems, especially when a security breach affects enterprise service. The economic impact can be several hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. In a report presented by McAfee at the World Economic Forum, it was found that more than half of 600 IT executives surveyed have suffered large-scale incidents that have associated downtime costs of over $6.5 million per day. For more on this topic, see the complete white paper below, which discusses the burgeoning need for security in mobile backhaul in terms of benefits to mobile network operators and society.
Related articles
- Wireless carriers seek cross-border spectrum cooperation (reviews.cnet.com)
- Enterprise mobility – The next frontier (itworldcanada.com)
- A Timely Update on Wireless Security (aviatnetworks.com)
- Simplifying Carrier Ethernet Networks Scalability and Operations (aviatnetworks.com)
- How to Spy on an Embassy (inedc.com)
- The Government Is Spying On Us Through Our Computers, Phones And In Many Other Ways (washingtonsblog.com)