Global Mobile Data Traffic: The Next Step

One of the most respected institutions in the field of technology is the multinational corporation - Cisco Systems, Inc. This tech tycoon has taken the initiative to monitor the effects of visual networking on the global network performance under the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) program. The 2012 results showed that smartphones contributes to 92% of total mobile data traffic considering that it only takes up 18% of handsets used globally.

Cisco’s figure only means that even though few people can afford buying smartphones for their use, current smartphone users already have utilized it to its greatest extent. This fact should not be surprising at all as we can already experience the effects of such in the form of network downtime.

With this said, imagine if half of the entire population would begin to move to smartphones. Will this still be a worthwhile investment if no proper control is in place? Will people still enjoy in the increasing problems of mobile data traffic?

Sending and receiving emails, uploading of audio, video and image files or just browsing the Internet are simply some of the activities that can be done with these gadgets. In order to prepare for this transition, networks have introduced the requirement of Diameter agent to be put into place.

Diameter agent is a signaling protocol that came as an alternative to what is now used as RADIUS for 3G networks. Network operators realized that RADIUS architecture will not suffice with the skyrocketing demand of smartphones users.

Diameter is designed to have a peer-to-peer architecture wherein both the network and its client can benefit. The policy and charging control equipped with diameter agent can help networks generate revenues which will be used to support the data usage of the clients. In return, subscribers can enjoy quality service and uninterrupted network signal.

This new protocol plays a vital role in the policy and charging control wherein error handling and accounting become more transparent. It is certainly more reliable than RADIUS as it has network and transport layer security to heighten authentication of its offered services.

With the growing problems of mobile data traffic, network providers are challenged to be able to provide higher bandwidth to support devices like smartphones. The principles of Diameter seem to be promising and cost-effective for network providers and subscribers. No doubt that it’s tagged to become the next radical step for global networking.