RF&WirelessBlog

LTE makes US debut: “new era of 4G” says Strategy Analytics

Verizon Wireless launched its 4G LTE network last week in 38 major US metropolitan areas, which together allow it to potentially reach more than 110 million people.

Clear Mobitel announces UK LTE trial in 800MHz ‘Digital Dividend’ spectrum in Cornwall

Clear Mobitel, whose headquarters are in the UK, has announced this week that it will carry out the UK's first live LTE trial in Cornwall, UK, using the 800MHz 'Digital Dividend' spectrum. The 800MHz RF band was previously occupied by analogue TV transmissions until the completion of the digital switchover in the South West in April 2009. Meanwhile in a separate announcement Strategy Analytics has released figures indicating that more than 40% of LTE devices will operate in the lower frequency bands of 700 – 850MHz up to 2014.

Roke Manor and picoChip femtocell has 40km range

Roke Manor Research has developed a 3G femtocell reference design with wide area coverage up to a 40km range, using picoChip's technology as the development platform. As well as giving coverage of an area more than 40,000 times the size of that traditionally offered by femtocells, itt is also the first design of its type to support full mobility at speeds of up to 120km/hour. Roke says that this dramatic improvement in range has been achieved by modifying the physical layer code.

Tektronix launches user interface for network monitoring and management

Tektronix Communications has introduced Iris Performance Intelligence (IPI), a user interface to enable teams that are responsible for network, service and IP performance. IPI is a new addition to the Iris suite of products, and provides end-to-end analysis and reporting capabilities coupled with a flexible and powerful KPI/KQI modelling engine that allows operators to better link desired business outcomes to events that occur at the network level.

Enhanced version of WeFi software launched for locating Wi-Fi hotspots

With the anticipated growth in importance of Wi-Fi as a means of offloading data traffic from overburdened cellular networks, the means of locating and automatically connecting to suitable hotspots is becoming a priority. Now WeFi, a company that has already created a database of over 56 million Wi-Fi access points worldwide, has launched an updated version of its free connection software for PC and Android mobile phones. The software locates and categorises available Wi-Fi hotspots, with user-friendly mapping of all access points relative to a specific street address.

OneVoice wins GSMA backing

The GSMA has announced today at Mobile World Congress that it has adopted the work of the One Voice Initiative in order to move towards a standard way of delivering voice and messaging services for LTE. The GSMA's Voice over LTE (VoLTE) initiative has the backing of more than 40 organisations, including many leading mobile operators, handset manufacturers and equipment vendors, who all support the principle of a single, IMS-based voice solution for next-generation networks. The GSMA has also said it will lead the development of the specifications enabling interconnection and roaming between LTE networks, which it expects to be complete by Q1 2011.

Cell planning and optimisation in the spotlight for Mobile World Congress

With the growing pressure on operators to manage their networks effectively to improve efficiency and capacity, automatic tools for cell planning and optimisation are becoming increasingly important. A number of vendors have made recent announcements both about products and about partnerships with operators and vendors, and among others they are expected to make their mark at next week's Mobile World Congress. LTE has brought new design challenges, which include features such as MIMO, multiple frequency bands, variable bandwidths and adaptive coding and modulation, which all have a significant impact on the business case for LTE deployment.

Wireless moves into a new decade

The first week of a new year may seem a rather unsociable time to hold a major trade show, but the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas has become established as a showcase for the new product developments that will shape the immediate future of the consumer electronics market. In recent years wireless technology, and wireless-enabled IT products, have increased to become a dominant part of this market. The first days of a new year are also the traditional time for looking forward to what the future will bring, so the conjunction is timely.

So what will the new decade bring for the wireless and RF industry?

TeliaSonera launches world’s first LTE networks in Stockholm and Oslo

TeliaSonera yesterday became the first operator to offer LTE services commercially, to customers in Stockholm, Sweden, and Oslo, Norway. The two networks cover the central areas of the two cities, and will be used for mobile data at speeds up to ten times higher than HSPA. TeliaSonera owns nationwide LTE licenses in Sweden, Norway and also recently in Finland, and network rollout is now in progress to offer 4G services to the rest of the larger cities in Sweden and Norway.

Bridgewater Systems to supply LTE product suite to MetroPCS

Bridgewater Systems, based in Ottawa, Canada, has announced a multi-million dollar order from MetroPCS Communications for its LTE product suite, including the Bridgewater Home Subscriber Server and Policy Controller, to enable its 4G LTE network launch planned for the second half of 2010.