Thoughts upon a LTE conference
So, dual days being bombarded by LTE record as great as user trial/deployment presentations.
Some take-aways:
- When it works, LTE assumingly functions unequivocally great in conditions of rise speeds etc.
- For the greenfield user in an uncontested market, with singular stream 3G uptake as great as users but pre-existing expectations, it would expected be the leader in the middle term
- Unfortunately, LTE is starting to deployed in to the unequivocally disorderly world, with confirmed commercial operation models, different magnitude allocations, existent “good enough” voice as great as interpretation technologies which have predicted user knowledge – as great as collateral constraints imposed by the conduct to buy as great as investors.
The magnitude thing is the bit of the killer. So far, Verizon is you do 700MHz, the single of the Swedish networks is during 900MHz as great as the alternative during 2.6GHz. NTT DoCoMo is regulating 2.1GHz as great as after 1.7GHz. China is seeking during the TD essence of LTE in 2.6GHz. Some operators were articulate about refarming 1.8GHz for LTE, as great as the small of the US operators referred to their singular AWS band. O2 is trialling 800MHz digital division rope in the UK. And you consider I’ve seen the anxiety to 2.3GHz as great somewhere.
In alternative words, it’s the disaster – as great as utterly the couple of early operators were perplexing to speak up their elite option, in an try to expostulate scale. Then supplement in the actuality which most of these bands have been utterly tiny in conditions of undisguised distance – not sufficient for competing operators with 2x20MHz allocations, for example. And the actuality which the largest gangling rope during 2.6GHz is (a) still be auctioned in most places, as great as (b) is, according to O2 UK “very disappointing” in conditions of propagation in the genuine world.
One alternative summary which came out utterly strongly is which investors do not appear happy about the thought of an additional large turn of air wave network capex, generally since the doubts over possibly mobile broadband can be monetised over connectivity.
(It was important which my tenure “happy pipe” seemed to ring with utterly the couple of people during the event, which was itself, amusingly, hold in the partial of Amsterdam called Der Pijp).
My end is which in most markets, LTE networks will rise in the patchwork form, possibly for specific hotspots to operate latest spectrum to conduct tall densities of interpretation users, or else maybe for city-wide deployments. But generally in Europe, the operate of 2.6GHz is starting to onslaught to capacitate LTE-only networks – they will possibly need to be dual-band with the sub-1GHz magnitude from Day One, or else will have to rest heavily upon HSPA as the fallback. (In which case, since worry with the combined complexity – since not usually operate 2.6GHz HSPA instead? or WiFi?)
This equates to which the judgment of an “LTE application” looks flattering diseased in the middle term. And you unequivocally do not buy the thought of M2M inclination (or cars) being preferred for LTE rsther than than 2G or 3G – coverage is king. Who wants an LTE inscription which doesn’t work in during slightest as most places as their existent dongle, let-alone an LTE healthcare terminal?
One alternative thing is expected to vanish from the near-term wishlist is in motion – generally since of the expected farrago in LTE voice implementations for the subsequent 10 years. And if voice in motion is ditched in foster of 2G / 3G circuit connectors – since is LTE interpretation in motion obligatory anyway? Frankly, 21Mbit/s in motion costing $5 per second is utterly sufficient – who unequivocally wants 100Mbit/s during $25 per second? Let’s wait for for the interpretation in motion cost to remove the couple of zeros prior to worrying as well most about cross-border LTE, eh?
The alternative elephant in the room is which of user expectations. To be honest, the total judgment of “the user” was woefully not in in the event. you consider you usually listened the word “battery” referred to once. Customers have been in the habit of to both cost as great as knowledge for HSPA as great as will design which as the baseline for LTE. There is additionally clever justification from the bound broadband universe which the possibly reward for (lots of) additional speed is typically usually 0-30% upon the price, solely for the handful of enthusiasts. Once you get to LTE phones, users will additionally have in accord with expectations which voice quality, reliability, battery hold up as great as coverage have been during slightest as great as which practicable with the $20 GSM handset.
Overall, the small aspects of LTE record growth receptive to advice positive. But I’m still not awaiting any arrange of supernatural or insubordinate change in user notice of mobile broadband upon the 5-year view, contra what you have today.
It will additionally be unequivocally engaging to see if any of the latest Indian 3G licence-holders opt for LTE rsther than than HSPA. you think they will find the commercial operation box utterly tricky, since marketplace adolescence as great as an evident restrained direct for poor mobile broadband in the marketplace with small copper or cable.
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