Level 3's DeLong Discusses Backhaul

April 1, 2008

Level 3 is always doing something interesting. And tomorrow, during a panel discussion on backhaul, Level 3 vice president of offer management Edgar DeLong will be promoting the carrier’s strategy of hybrid fiber wireless as a solution to help wireless providers adopt backhaul solutions at a greater clip.

DeLong told me this morning that fiber offers the scale and reliability that providers seek, but that the challenge with an all-terrestrial solution is the cost.

DeLong said that Level 3 has conducted a series of surveys and determined that only approximately 10–20% of carriers’ cell sites fall within a 500-foot radius of Level 3’s fiber footprint. That 500-foot radius determines an area where it is cost effective to connect via fiber.

Beyond that it makes sense to utilize an OC-3 microwave fixed wireless solution to accommodate more carrier cell sites and keep the cost of the solution low.

DeLong will be discussing this ecosystem approach, combining hybrid fiber and wireless in a panel discussion entitled Cell Site Backhaul: Addressing a Top Cost and Reliability Concern, at 2:30pm on Wednesday, in the Las Vegas Convention Center Room North 113.