Motorola tests LTE in UK

Onikage

From: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/0,39029453,49300898,00.htm

Motorola has launched UK trials of the leading candidate for 4G mobile broadband (sic) technology, the long-term evolution (LTE) of 3G. The communications equipment maker began the trials at its testing facility in Swindon on Monday. It plans to test out live LTE calls with data streaming, using a prototype LTE device and the 2.6GHz spectrum band that is due to be auctioned later this year.


LTE is one of the standards proposed for the fourth generation (4G) of mobile broadband, its chief competitor being mobile WiMax (802.16e). Both are faster and supposedly more reliable than existing 3G services. In the UK, LTE is generally seen as being far more likely to be the successor than mobile WiMax, which has found greater success in parts of the world that do not already have established, high-speed 3G services.


The Swindon site, which Motorola has long used for the testing of GSM base station equipment, is now open to operators who might want to start LTE field trials in the UK.


So-called 4G technologies such as LTE and mobile WiMax are not necessarily the next step in the evolution of mobile broadband. Vodafone, for instance, is currently trialling a standard called HSPA+ that builds upon the current, HSPA generation of 3G. HSPA+, unlike LTE or mobile WiMax, does not require entire networks to be ripped out and replaced.
Vodafone claims to have hit 16Mbps in its HSPA+ trials, but LTE promises theoretical speeds of hundreds of gigabits per second.



Motorola said in its statement that it planned to demonstrate a "standards-compliant" LTE call on Monday in Swindon, but CNET UK's sister site ZDNet UK was unable to confirm with the company that this had gone ahead as planned, given the heavy snow that hit southern England on Monday.

It will not be the disaster HSDPA was, but perhaps this actually belongs in Midband.

watty

Hard call, it's still not real broadband. No control of contention and the speed could be sub-broadband. However if there is 60Mhz + 60MHz or ideally 120MHz + 120MHz, then it could be x10 better than HSDPA. If operator only gets 20MHz +20Mhz, then it's not much better than Mobile WiMax and only a little better than HSDPA

100Mbps and 60ms Latency sounds good. But it degrades to edge of cell and that is for one user. Fully Loaded speeds would be x5 better than HSDPA, 200kbps rather than 40kbps.

Typically x10 better than HSPA, but poor building penetration.

The spectrum here is in use for MMDS.

HSPA+ is NOT 4G and doesn't come anywhere near LTE performance. HSPA+ or similar I-HSPA only increase capacity in centre of cell. The majority of users would only see < 20% improvement.

Magnet: Rory

Is there any real hope of this in the next 5 years in Ireland? Can the existing transmission sites (mobile masts) be used to house the LTE transmitters? Is it a massive investment? Have any Irish mobile operators begun any kind of trials/consultations with the developers?

watty

I hope not!

It would be a bad thing as it would impact and slow roll out of real high speed Broadband.

We really don't want to see this till lots of handheld/pocket gadgets and smart phones work on it. Stuff that really benefits from MOBILITY.

This is NOT a solution to Ireland's Broadband woes. The real solution gives up to x20 the speed you might get from LTE and is cheaper to roll out. Real fixed Broadband will be much lower contention and much higher cap.

The Cap will not be much different on LTE to existing 3G/HSPA.

Maybe only the Government would benefit by selling Spectrum licences and making hyped claims about Broadband coverage. LTE is effectively 20 to 50 times slower than the fixed universal broadband rollouts in some countries today. It's also better suited to small urban cells than large Rural ones due to frequency.

Onikage

I don't know, the UK are getting more aggressive in freeing up spectrum. Given that Ireland has already awarded the national bb scheme to a mobile operator how long is it until some bright spark decides we should follow suit?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7870459.stm

watty

LESS aggressive
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/03/800mhz/

Actually there is a lot of discussion how to do fibre so that Rurals get it. Even Ms. J. Smith isn't suggesting Mobile Wireless as NGN/Universal Fast Broadband.

Magnet: Rory

watty wrote: »

I hope not!

It would be a bad thing as it would impact and slow roll out of real high speed Broadband.

We really don't want to see this till lots of handheld/pocket gadgets and smart phones work on it. Stuff that really benefits from MOBILITY.

This is NOT a solution to Ireland's Broadband woes. The real solution gives up to x20 the speed you might get from LTE and is cheaper to roll out. Real fixed Broadband will be much lower contention and much higher cap.

The Cap will not be much different on LTE to existing 3G/HSPA.

Maybe only the Government would benefit by selling Spectrum licences and making hyped claims about Broadband coverage. LTE is effectively 20 to 50 times slower than the fixed universal broadband rollouts in some countries today. It's also better suited to small urban cells than large Rural ones due to frequency.

I must say watty...you’re being very negative here, LTE would be fantastic and I for one would very much like the service to be introduced once the spectrum is available. If the technology does become available that does not necessarily mean that everyone will just down tools and run to it like a piper through the woods.

That said I do know what you are referring to.

watty

Pluses
:: It's much better than EDGE or HSDPA, about x8 better
:: Allows small Cell size
:: Much better and more likely to succeed than Mobile WiMax

Minuses
* Not Broadband
* Needs new bases
* New Modems
* No gadgets yet with built in LTE. 3G/HSDPA enabled gadgets only out.
* 2.6GHz spectrum poor for building penetration and Rural
* New licences
* x10 more backhaul needed from masts
* x 4 more power consumption at least at higher speed? Not sure.

I'm not negative. Just cutting through the usual new-tech Hype and mis-information to try and give a balanced view.

Magnet: Rory

watty wrote: »

Pluses
:: It's much better than EDGE or HSDPA, about x8 better
:: Allows small Cell size
:: Much better and more likely to succeed than Mobile WiMax

Minuses
* Not Broadband
* Needs new bases
* New Modems
* No gadgets yet with built in LTE. 3G/HSDPA enabled gadgets only out.
* 2.6GHz spectrum poor for building penetration and Rural
* New licences
* x10 more backhaul needed from masts
* x 4 more power consumption at least at higher speed? Not sure.

I'm not negative. Just cutting through the usual new-tech Hype and mis-information to try and give a balanced view.

I know what your saying, and i know what your not saying here (if LTE was rolled out fiber investment may fall by the wayside). My only issue is that i really dont think anyone would forget about the real investments....not when available dark fiber is such a high priority for nailing down foreign investment.......then again.....only time will tell.

watty

Fibre = 100Mbps really really really really really. Low cost to increase Cap.

100Mbps LTE = 200kbps at peak time toward edge of cell. About 30% of users. Serious charges for exceeding Cap. For 75% of people worse than DSL.