Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the next step from 3G/WCDMA &

HSPA for many already on the GSM technology curve but also

for others too, such as CDMA operators. This new radio

access technology will be optimized to deliver very fast

data speeds of up to 100Mb/s downlink and 50Mb/s uplink

(peak rates).

Designed to be backwards-compatible with GSM and HSPA, LTE

incorporates Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO) in combination

with Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA)

in the downlink and Single Carrier FDMA in the uplink to

provide high levels of spectral efficiency and end user data

rates exceeding 100 Mbps, coupled with major improvements in

capacity and reductions in latency. LTE will support channel

bandwidths from 1.25 MHz to 20 MHz and both FDD and TDD

operation.

Although both LTE and WiMAX use the OFDMA air interface, LTE

has the advantage of being backwards compatible with

existing GSM and HSPA networks, enabling mobile operators

deploying LTE to continue to provide a seamless service

across LTE and existing deployed networks.

Several major mobile operators, including some running CDMA

networks today, have indicated they will adopt LTE in the

next few years. Japanese mobile operator NTT DOCOMO has said

that it is aiming to launch a commercial LTE network by the

end of 2009, while in the U.S., the largest CDMA operator,

Verizon Wireless, is currently trialing LTE with a view to

launching a commercial LTE service in 2010.

LTE- Advanced

LTE-Advanced extends the technological principles behind LTE

into a further step change in data rates. Incorporating

higher order MIMO (4x4 and beyond) and allowing multiple

carriers to be bonded together into a single stream, target

peak data rates of 1Gbps have been set.

LTE-Advanced also intends to use a number of further

innovations including the ability to use non-contiguous

frequency ranges, with the intent that this will alleviate

frequency range issues in an increasingly crowded spectrum,

self back-hauling base station and full incorporation of

Femto cells using Self-Organising Network techniques.

LTE-Advanced will be 3GPP’s technology as a candidate for

the ITU-R IMT-Advanced process, which is intended to

identify ‘4G’ technologies.