BROWSING: LTE

China Mobile set to slash LTE pricing, increase network spend

Increased competition appears to be hitting the Chinese mobile market, with reports that the country’s largest operators – and some of the largest in the world – are set to slash rate plans in order to maintain their tremendous growth. The Wall Street Journal reported...

Verizon Wireless accelerates LTE Multicast trials during Indy 500

Verizon Wireless continued testing its LTE Multicast technology, announcing it has been offering the service this month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ahead of this weekend’s Indianapolis 500 event. During the actual race, Verizon Wireless said it plans to incorporate live video from the race...

LatAm: Brazil approaches 2.5 million LTE connections

Brazil's mobile market ended April with almost 2.5 million LTE connections. Although the total LTE base is still relatively small (less than 1% penetration), LTE use has been increasing, with record growth last month. Led by Claro, which added 177,000 new LTE connections in April,...

Verizon Wireless set for nationwide VoLTE launch later this year

Just days after rival AT&T Mobility announced immediate plans to rollout voice over LTE services, Verizon Wireless threw out a reminder that it too was on track to offer VoLTE later this year. The carrier said its VoLTE plans will include a nationwide rollout of...

Chip News: LTE baseband market growth projected to slow

LTE baseband market projections Forward Concepts estimates that 219 million LTE baseband modems shipped last year, more than double the 103 million shipped in 2012. The firm's analysts project 47% growth this year. "We expect tablets and hybrid notebooks to drive standalone LTE modem penetration rates...

Verizon Wireless super-sizes LTE under 'XLTE' banner

Verizon Wireless unveiled the “XLTE” brand for its LTE service boosted by the inclusion of its 1.7/2.1 GHz (advanced wireless services) spectrum assets. The move followed rumors last week of a potential XLTE launch. The carrier said the enhanced service will provide faster network speeds...

LTE Topology Evolving Networks

Long Term Evolution is expected to step up wireless networks’ ability to handle increased demand for capacity and make networks more efficient. But once releases reach LTE-Advanced, the possibilities for smarter traffic increase, and LTE topology promises to change how carriers design their networks by...

Carrier Ethernet Architecture: The evolution of high availability and scalability

As mobile networks have evolved over time to an all-IP architecture, Carrier Ethernet has become an important standard for data transport and interfaces. The technology is widely used in telecom networks. TW Telecom isthe third-largest U.S. provider of Carrier Ethernet services. Mike Rouleau, senior vice president...

LTE Network Architecture Diagram

The Best LTE Network Architecture Diagrams Wireless operators are rapidly expanding their LTE networks to take advantage of additional efficiency, lower latency and the ability to handle ever-increasing data traffic. RCR Wireless presents a collection of LTE network architecture diagrams. This diagram from standards body 3GPP shows...

The Ins and Outs of LTE Protocol Testing

Long term evolution (LTE) is the standard for today's wireless networks, and replaces third generation (3G) technology. LTE technology is a based on a 3GPP standard that provides for a downlink speed of up to 150 megabits per second (Mbps) and an uplink speed of up...

LTE Drive Test

Test Types and Parameters for LTE Driving Testing LTE drive tests are an important part of how wireless carriers determine whether their networks are performing well -- and get a glimpse into their competitors' network performance. There are multiple types of LTE drive tests, as...

LTE User Equipment Testing: Not for the Meek

When it comes to Long Term Evolution (LTE), it's all about the user experience and therefore, user equipment testing is extremely important. LTE is cutting edge in terms of speed and network performance, but according to Aeroflex, in any real-life mobile communications network there...

LTE Testing: What's It All about?

The arrival of Long Term Evolution (LTE) brought significantly different wireless network capabilities. Today's wireless user wants and expects superior service and performance. To make sure this happens, extensive and frequent network testing needs to be done. And when it comes to LTE testing,...

LTE Networks in Thailand – 2013 Forecast & TrendsTrials Underway

It's a country ahead of the curve in many areas, but wireless innovation is not one of them. But don't count them out just yet. One high-profile Thailand mobile operator is right on the cusp of launching Long Term Evolution (LTE), as promised. What...

GPRS Network Giving an Arm and a Leg to GSM

LTE LTE LTE! It's all we've been talking about. But as mentioned in previous articles, it is important to appreciate our past, GSM specifically. One integral part of the GSM network is the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), a non-voice service added to existing TDMA networks,...

ICIC LTE Addressing Inter-Cell Interference Issues

With the continued massive rollout of Long Term Evolution (LTE) and more and more operators becoming obsessed with staying up to date, the issues of limited spectrum remains. Multi-layer heterogeneous network layout including small cell base stations are  key for further enhancements of the...

HSPA or LTE? That is the Question

Today, there actually are not many questions when it comes to the HSPA LTE debacle. The answer is clear, Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the future. Upgrading to LTE technology is part of the natural upgrade process. But, how do they differ? Let's dig...

LTE Attach Procedure Call FlowAddress the Basics of Attach Procedures

The LTE attach procedure call flow is a subject that may seem hard to understand. So let's break it down. How does the LTE attach procedure call flow work? Well first, the UE needs to register with the network to receive services that require registration. This registration...

LTE MBMS Delivering Broadcast and Multicast Services at LTE Speed

Like any other wireless network, LTE (long term evolution) is only as good as its components. This means delivery of services is extremely important. This is now achieved with LTE MBMS (multimedia broadcast multicast services). LTE MBMS is a point-to-multipoint interface that delivers broadcast...

LTE NAS Gets the Job DoneAn Important Part of the LTE Architecture, LTE NAS Connects

We talk over and over again about the complex Long Term Evolution (LTE) and its many components. One of these components, known as the non-access stratum (NAS), is highest stratum of the control plane between user experience (UE) and Mobility Management Entity (MME) at the radio...

LTE Architecture Overview to the RescueA Guide to Understanding the LTE Network Architecture, in a Way that Makes Sense

Today, LTE is on the tip of everyone’s tongues. It’s the up and coming, lighting fast data network we've been waiting for. When discussing LTE, however, there are many technical terms and many complexities. To help you better understand, an LTE architecture overview of...

LTE PCIPlanning for Pesky Neighbors

While there are challenges associated with building any new wireless network, constructing the Long Term Evolution (LTE) network comes with a bushel of its own issues.One of these challenges is managing neighbor cells. This is a tough task even for traditional mobile networks, and it...

GUTI – understanding the unique ID in LTE

What is the GUTI? In LTE, the GUTI is the Globally Unique Temporary ID, and identifies the mobile device to the LTE network. The GUTI is assigned to the device by the Mobility Management Entity (MME), the access network's primary control node. By allocating a...

LTE Call Flow

Understanding Call Flow In-Depth With Long Term Evolution (LTE) comes a myriad of new and exciting attributes. One of these is the LTE call flow itself. In fact, call flow and signaling is unique for LTE, and is driven by 3GPP standards. Call flow is...