Mar

Development of the United States 4G: WiMax next year, LTE

If you put the 4G wireless technology as the Harry Potter films, then the first half of 2010 may be a new film distribution during the waiting time. You can look forward to many exciting trailers and promotional films. However, until the second half of this year, please do not expect to see any real action.

to the end of 2010, Clearwire plan all the major markets in the United States built 4GWiMAX network. Verizon is expected in the United States 25-30 major markets to provide commercial services to 4GLTE. In addition, GSM Association, hoped that its VoLTE (VoiceoverLTE) work will be completed soon, and LTE equipment will be sometime in 2011 have the ability to support voice and SMS.

4G wireless data technology represents the next phase of technological progress, the general offers 3MB per second, or higher average download speeds. In contrast, the current 3G network provides average download speeds of only about one-tenth of this speed.

In general, users will be via WiMAX or LTE standards of these two standards are among a 4G wireless connection. WiMAX is based on IEEE802.16 standards-based, will be the deployment of Clearwire, for Sprint, Comcast and Time Warner Cable and other companies to provide wireless broadband wholesale use. The LTE is based on GSM technology, will be Verizon, AT & T and T-Mobile and other operators to deploy.

Let us first look at Clearwire. The company's 27 markets in the United States has a commercial WiMAX service, covering 34 million network access points (pointsofpresence). End of the year, Clearwire will build an extension to all major U.S. cities and covers 120 million network access point for WiMAX network. Therefore, if your company is in the main metropolitan areas, you might be able to visit before the end of the year Clearwire's 4G network.

However, you may be aware that you do not get your service from Clearwire. The company's plan is to build this network, and then sold to wholesale the network Sprint, Comcast and Time Warner Cable and other bigger brand companies. Clearwire expect use of these companies actively promote their WiMAX service, especially since WiMAX is currently on the market the fastest-growing wireless technologies. Clearwire partners, as well as its large-scale cable Google and Intel, where big-name technology companies to raise 32 billion dollars, while the Clearwire wholesale sales partners are also providing funding and construction of this network has played an important role.

Clearwire's chief commercial officer MikeSievert, our wholesale business is currently experiencing unusual growth. The end of the fourth quarter of last year, we have more than 46,000 wholesale customers, we will be this quarter, far more than this figure. We have Comcast, Sprint and Time Warner Cable as our active wholesale partners. We believe that by selling these partners will be key growth strategy for our business.

Verizon's LTE plans

with Clearwire different, Verizon at the end of the year can not be ready for 4G network across the continental United States. It plans to build 30 major markets and run LTE networks and in 2011 extended to more markets. VerizonWireless executive vice president and chief technology officer TonyMelone, said the company last year took a year to prepare the infrastructure allowed to 4G on-line later this year, including the antenna, circuit and antenna tower leasing work.

From here, Verizon will be LTE throughout 2011 to expand its network, because it plans by early 2012, all the 4G market, the number doubled. 2013, by the end of, Verizon plans to use the 4G technology, covering the entire current 3G markets, and the 4G service extensions to its existing 3G services are not covered by areas. Melone said the company will mainly use the 700MHz spectrum auction in 2008, acquired 22MHz of spectrum in the building of the country's LTE network segment.

Melone said that we would two years ago, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission auction of 700MHz spectrum to get 100% used for 4G service. With those at a higher frequency spectrum of people within the framework of the deployment of LTE compared, 700MHz spectrum provides us with a huge spread of advantages. 700MHz spectrum implies the need for fewer base stations. We will have a better building penetration level.

Verizon will work with equipment vendors to ensure that the network launch later this year when the equipment healthy ecosystems.

Melone said that so far, by other companies prior to active deployment of this technology, this ecosystem appears to develop with us. There are many chipsets and devices are preparing to launch. We move faster than the introduction of these devices are very positive.

However, the early LTE applications will be found that this device was originally just data devices do not support voice. In order to remedy this situation, AT & T, Verizon and several other telecommunications companies and equipment manufacturers late last year to cooperate in order to help develop the voice and SMS for the LTE standard. Last month, GSM Association decided to adopt the operators VoLTE programs in an effort to avoid the LTE standards widely used in speech before the split. GSM Association said it supports VoLTE program IMS-based approach, because IMS supports all voice telephony features such as call waiting, call hold and call prohibition.

Melone said that even if LTE audio standards can be finalized before the end, the user should not expect Verizon's network at the time of launch of 4G voice services on a wide range applications. On the contrary, Verizon will be in the original equipment on 3G and 4G data services, voice services combination.

Melone said, LTE voice technological strength will appear in 2011. Our problem is our coverage is adequate at that time to provide a good VoLTE to the user experience, or whether we would do well to provide 3G services for voice, 4G service for data.

In other words, do not expect 4G revolution in the next two years immediately popular. Like the past, like other technology, 4G deployment requires a long-term trial and error process, and the need for a mixed system as a bridge between old-fashioned technology.

Melone said that at some point, 4GVoLTE will become standard. However, we may first have to use dual-band device.