Networking and data services provider Transaction Network Services (TNS) took aim at US operators’ wholesale data costs with a new system it said can cut the amount of traffic carried on 3G and 4G networks.

In a statement, the company noted mobile data traffic in the country soared following the reintroduction of unlimited tariffs in 2017, placing an additional burden on backhaul connections. This is particularly acute when subscribers shift from high-definition to standard definition video, use always-on applications, or sponsored and zero-rated services.

Bill Versen, chief product officer, noted this traffic increases operators’ wholesale costs, particularly when users continue to access apps (or leave them running) after leaving their own operator’s coverage areas. Service providers, he noted, “need to ensure their business remains viable by reining in wholesale data roaming costs.”

TNS is offering a solution combining data optimisation techniques capable of reducing file sizes by up to 40 per cent, with a hub direction approach which redirects roaming data traffic to local internet POPs.

In addition to eliminating the need to backhaul traffic to the home network, TNS said the hubs bring processing closer to the user, reducing latency.

Versen noted the reduction in data “crossing operator networks” enables service providers to “expand their bandwidth, give more capacity for new subscribers and business models, and deliver data at LTE speeds.”

TNS said its data optimisation element includes deep packet inspection to filter viruses, while the hub set up supports essential services including VoLTE E911 emergency calling.