Trials of super-fast mobile broadband on track for success

The first phase in a trial of an evolved version of today's mobile phone radio access technology designed to deliver much higher wireless data rates has proven a success.

The LTE/SAE (Long Term Evolution/System Architecture Evolution) Trial Initiative (LSTI) launched in May this year has reported the successful delivery of the first in a series of test results aimed at proving the potential and benefits of LTE. LTE is being standardized by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a next generation mobile broadband technology.

The Initiative was founded by leading telecommunications companies Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, France Telecom/Orange, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nortel, T-Mobile and Vodafone, and was recently expanded with China Mobile, Huawei, LG Electronics, NTT DoCoMo, Samsung, Signalion, Telecom Italia and ZTE joining as new members.

Initial results have confirmed that the technology will deliver high levels of data throughput both for stationary and mobile devices. In more detail, the group has confirmed that the LTE physical layer performance targets in terms of stationary and on-the-move peak data rates can be met. This confirmation was achieved using an agreed set of common transmission profiles, test procedures, and analysis methods. The joint tests were performed using prototype single and multi-antenna radio systems in both lab and urban field environments.

As mobile devices become increasingly sophisticated and handle more and more complex multimedia applications, the LTE/SAE technology is designed to give end users wireless access to growing levels of data throughput on the move.

From a technical perspective, 3GPP LTE technology aims to provide improved spectral efficiency, increased radio capacity, lower latency, lower operating costs for operators, and ultimately new high-performance mobile broadband end-user services. 3GPP LTE is specified to enable downlink/uplink peak data rates above 100/50 Mbps in initial deployment configurations.

The LTE/SAE Trial Initiative is divided into three main phases; Proof of concept, Interoperability and Trial. Joint testing, and reporting of ongoing results will continue out to the end of 2009, with initial LTE system deployments planned for the 2010 timeframe.

An LSTI spokesperson commented: "These early results show great promise for 3GPP LTE technology, and are a tangible early validation of the reality of 3GPP LTE systems and services. The collective and cooperative performance test work accomplished to date by this pioneering group is a testimony to the group's leadership and determination to accelerate the availability of commercial and interoperable LTE systems."

Source: Nokia

Related stories:

Beyond 3G -- ultra-fast mobile radio networks of the future
(PhysOrg.com) -- Today’s growing third generation (3G) of mobile data services are only a taste of what is to come. Now, European researchers are paving the way to a world where ultra-fast internet access is available from every mobile device.
NXP Launches The World’s Fastest Cellular Modem
NXP Semiconductors, the independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, today announced the world's fastest high-bandwidth cellular soft modem - Nexperia Cellular System Solution PNX6910. Powered by NXP's Embedded Vector Processor (EVP), a powerful Digital Signal Processing core, the PNX6910 is capable of achieving data transfer rates of 150 Mbits downlink and 50 Mbits uplink, and supports multi-mode LTE/HSPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS/GSM capability.
NTT DoCoMo Achieves 250Mbps Downlink in Super 3G Field Experiment
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it has recorded a downlink transmission rate of 250Mbps over a high-speed wireless network in an outdoor test of an experimental Super 3G system for mobile communications.
Infineon, Motorola to Develop 3G Radio Frequency Chip
Infineon Technologies AG today announced that it has signed an agreement with Motorola to develop a new multi-mode, single-chip 3G radio frequency (RF) transceiver based on Infineon’s SMARTi UE chip.
NTT DoCoMo Begins Super 3G Experiment
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that this month it began testing an experimental Super 3G system for mobile communications. With this experiment, DoCoMo will seek to achieve a downlink transmission rate of 300Mbps over a high-speed wireless network.
Nuclear desalination
New solutions to the ancient problem of maintaining a fresh water supply is discussed in a special issue of the Inderscience publication International Journal of Nuclear Desalination. With predictions that more than 3.5 billion people will live in areas facing severe water shortages by the year 2025, the challenge is to find an environmentally benign way to remove salt from seawater.
Realizing Super 3G: NTT Develops Low-Power LSI Incorporating MIMO Signal-Processing Technology
NTT DoCoMo announced today that it has developed and successfully tested a trial large-scale-integration (LSI) chip incorporating advanced power-saving signal-processing technologies that enable the chip to work at a sufficiently low power consumption and to be made small enough to fit into forthcoming Super 3G handsets and beyond.

News discussion:

Technology news