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Mobile & Wireless
Commercial service on 10 LTE networks by 2010, says GSA
26 networks committed to 3GPP LTE systems
by Kendrick Struthers-Watson
In its latest Information Paper, the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) confirms that Long Term Evolution LTE is attracting global industry support as the next-gen wireless technology of choice. And while WiMAX will have continued support from Sprint and other carriers, it's clear that LTE is gaining the upper hand as major wireless operators (T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone) have set LTE as their next-generation wireless path.
Ongoing global support for LTE is good news for the wireless network infrastructure community. ABI research forecasts that by 2013, wireless operators will spend over US$8.6 billion on LTE base stations’ infrastructure.
The 3rd Generation Project Partnership (3GPP) is developing the evolution of mobile communications systems beyond GSM/EDGE and WCDMA-HSPA systems. 3G Mobile System Long Term Evolution (LTE) targets capacity and data rate speed, throughput enhancements and reduced latency to support new services and features requiring higher levels of capability and performance. In the same timeframe as LTE development, 3GPP’s core network has been undergoing System Architecture Evolution (SAE), optimizing it for packet mode and, in particular, for the IP-Multimedia Subsystems (IMS) which supports all access technologies, even fixed wireline access.
The GSA Information Paper notes that up to 10 LTE networks are expected to launch commercial service in 2010. These include Verizon (U.S.), MetroPCS (U.S.), CenturyTel (U.S.), TeliaSonera (Sweden), TeliaSonera (Norway), NTT DoCoMo (Japan), KDDI (Japan), Rogers Wireless (Canada), Telus (Canada) and Bell Canada (Canada).
In the United States, Verizon acquired almost half of the spectrum in the 2008 700 MHz auction and plans to use this band to launch LTE in 2010 with Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson providing the RAN. AT&T Mobility, the second largest winner of spectrum in the 700 MHz auction, plans to deploy LTE using this band and with spectrum acquired from other auction winners it will have a contiguous band of 20 MHz for LTE across 82 percent of the population in the top 100 markets. The company plans commercial LTE in the key markets by mid-2011. Aircell will deploy LTE to boost capacity of its in-flight network, with commercial launch expected 2011.
In Asia-Pacific, LTE's prominence continues to grow across China, Japan and Korea. China Mobile is building out its TD-SCDMA network do that cell sites and other elements can be reused for the LTE network while in Japan, NTT DoCoMo plans commercially launched LTE in 2010 and has demonstrated data rates of 250 Mbps downlink and 50 Mbps uplink in field tests and public events. Also in Japan, KDDI will be deploying LTE as an overlay on its CDMA network. In South Korea, both SK Telecom and KTF both plan to deploy LTE but no dates have been announced.
In Europe, both Sweden and Norway (TeliaSonera) will deploy LTE in the 2.6 GHz band with Stockholm and Oslo seeing commercial launch in 2010. France Telecom/Orange is engaged in LTE studies and trials with an anticipated deployment from 2011, whilst in Germany, T-Mobile anticipates LTE form 2011 with trials starting later this year. In 2008, T-Mobile claimed the world’s first operator-led LTE handover during a beta field trial. Telecom Italia has announced its commitment to LTE but no dates have been provided.
SmarTone-Vodafone in Hong Kong confirmed in January ‘09 it plans to deploy LTE using its GSM 900/1800 MHz spectrum having withdrawn from the 2.5/2.7 GHz spectrum auction in Hong Kong. 2x15 MHz blocks of new paired FDD spectrum were won each by China Mobile (People’s Phone), Genius Brand (Hutchison Telecom/PCCW joint venture), and Hong Kong CSL.
When asked about the possibility of LTE networks being in commercial use by 2010, Alan Hadden, President of GSA told us he expected there to be “service in limited areas, such as TeliaSonera in Stockholm and Oslo and some in other initial markets from Verizon. There is another list out there indicating over 100 LTE networks but we firmly believe only in the 26 operators who have indicated their commitment so far.”
Hadden also said that GSA also believed those operators who said they would not see the mass market until the equipment starts coming through and the choice of devices is there. “The initial expectation is dongles and some embedded modules and is this any different to what we saw in HSPA?”
It is interesting to note that in the United States, regional CDMA wireless players such as CenturyTel, MetroPCS and Cox were amongst the first wave to commit to LTE (deployment dates of 2010, 2010 and 2011 respectively). Industry watchers believe these operators may have done this as a result of competition issues with WiMAX services.
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