Mobile technology in fast lane
ANALYSTS predict that wireless and mobile broadband data traffic will increase tenfold by 2015 and its growth will be spurred by fourth generation (4G) technology, known as long-term evolution (LTE).
LTE can deliver mobile data services at a sixth of the price of existing mobile technologies and will support more bandwidth hungry applications like video, TV and gaming. Demand for mobile broadband will also be driven by applications such as mobile commerce and payments and mobile internet access.
Juniper Research says in a recent report that revenue from mobile broadband subscribers using LTE will exceed $70bn globally by 2014, mostly from developed markets like the US, Western Europe and China.
LTE will offer broadband speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) or more, which is five times faster than the best current mobile data service and 20 times faster than fixed-line ADSL. This translates into practical user download speeds of 80Mbps.
Research company Analysys Mason says network operators are likely to begin implementing LTE in 2010, with the bulk taking place within two to three years.
LTE-enabled devices are expected to be available from the second half of this year, but the challenge will be for operators to integrate LTE into their existing infrastructure successfully. China Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone recently announced they have made significant progress in developing LTE technology.
Robert Wuestenenk, senior manager for broadband networks at Ericsson, says it is significant that major industry players like Verizon and AT&T are backing LTE and not WiMAX, and that the likes of Vodafone and Deutsche Telecom are testing the technology.
Ericsson is a member of the industry groups setting the standards for LTE-capable mobile phones and testing the technology.
LTE is initially expected to offer speeds of 60Mbps, increasing to 100Mbps in three to five years. In practical terms, this should allow users to download data at an average speed of 10Mbps, depending on distance to the base station and how many people are accessing it simultaneously.
The maximum 3G speed on offer globally is 14,4Mbps, with average practical download speeds of about 10Mbps. In SA the maximum speed of 3G is 7,2Mbps.
Wuestenenk says LTE will require operators to build a parallel network to support it.
Mobile broadband technology discussion
Business Day
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