2012-12-28

Nokia Siemens Networks prepares O2’s network for LTE in the UK

London, UK – December 20, 2012, press-release

Network modernization lays path for 4G services ahead of 2013 spectrum auction

Nokia Siemens Networks has been selected by O2 (Telefónica UK) to prepare its network to deliver 4G - Long Term Evolution (LTE*) - services across London and the South East of England. The UK operator is anticipating a rapid launch of 4G following Ofcom’s spectrum auctions scheduled for early 2013.

The decision to upgrade its network to 4G was made after a successful 12 month LTE network trial involving hundreds of consumers and businesses across parts of London. O2’s investment in its UK network with Nokia Siemens Networks includes an upgrade to its existing GSM and 3G (HSPA) network with the latest radio access technology.

Nokia Siemens Networks is also enabling O2’s radio access network (RAN) sharing.

“We’re investing in our network now to ensure we’re able to make 4G available to our customers as soon as possible following next year’s spectrum auctions,” said Andrew Conway, Head of Mobile Access for O2. “Our choice of vendor was based on the positive experiences we’ve had implementing Nokia Siemens Networks’ Liquid Radio solution in our network.”

“Delivering mobile broadband while controlling costs and improving efficiency is a major challenge”, said Rob Stent, head of the Telefónica UK customer team at Nokia Siemens Networks. “We have a strong relationship with O2 and are helping it meet its goals related to network simplification and managing the ever-increasing consumer expectations for capacity, while delivering cost savings. Our deployment of LTE will offer O2 customers an even better mobile broadband experience in 2013.”

Under the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks is providing its Single RAN platform, and implementing its high-capacity Liquid Radio  solution based on the energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station . To enable consolidated configuration, monitoring, and network optimization across the networks, the contract includes Nokia Siemens Networks’ NetAct network management system. To ensure a high quality 2G and 3G network modernization as well as a smooth LTE rollout, the agreement also includes network implementation and care services across 50 percent of O2’s radio access network including the South-East of the UK and London.

 \\nokiasiemensnetworks.com

2012-12-25

ZTE Launches the World’s Smallest 4G LTE Datacard

Supports LTE-FDD DL/UL 100/50Mbps, UMTS-HSPA+: DL/UL 42/5.76Mbps and GPRS/GSM downward compatibility.

29 November 2012, Shenzhen, China – ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment, network solutions and mobile devices, has announced the launch of the ZTE MF823, the world’s smallest 4G LTE datacard.

With driver-free capabilities, the MF823 offers consumers fast and easy internet connectivity. It uses Qualcomm’s second generation LTE chip platform and is only 13mm thick, nearly a third of the size of the first generation LTEdatacard, making it the world's smallest LTE datacard.

ZTE MF823


The MF823 has a web UI operation, supports IPV6 and is compatible with Win8/XP/Mac and all major operating systems. It supports LTE-FDD DL/UL 100/50Mbps, UMTS-HSPA+: DL/UL 42/5.76Mbps and GPRS/GSM downward compatibility allowing consumers to enjoy high speed internet access wherever they are without the need for a fixed line internet connect or public WiFi hotspot.

The average power consumption of the MF823 has also been greatly reduced compared to the consumption of the first generation LTE datacard; it uses a third less power. It has improved radiating properties and with the lowest working temperature in the industry it will not feel hot even after long time use.

The MF823 has been optimised in terms of high bandwidth, low delay and high communication rate (to reduce the dropping rate of data and voice communication), to ensure that users can enjoy a new generation of mobile high bandwidth internet access.

The ZTE MF823 has already been launched in Kazakhstan and will launch soon in Europe and Asia-Pacific countries.
Since 2008 ZTE has focused R&D and investment on LTE terminal products and has already obtained a number of LTE terminal core technology patents. Earlier this year ZTE launched the world’s first multi-standard USB modem, the MF820S2, and uFi, the MF91S. ZTE was also the first China mainland vendor to launch a 4G LTE smartphone, the Grand X LTE (T82). At present ZTE has seven percent of 4G LTE basic patents among global telecommunications vendors.

\\zte.com.cn

Zain Partners with Huawei to Build Nationwide Convergent GSMUMTSLTE Networks in Kuwait

[Kuwait City, Kuwait, December 21, 2012]: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, and Zain, a pioneer in mobile telecommunications in eight markets across the Middle East and North Africa, today announced the successful launch of a commercial LTE 1800 MHz network that covers the entire country of Kuwait. The network is the largest of its kind in the region and marks a major step for the development of the region's mobile broadband market.

Zain and Huawei expanded their LTE partnership after the successful deployment of GSM and UMTS networks in Kuwait. On November 21, Zain launched LTE services under the banner of "Wiyana Connect LTE", a newly-built LTE network that realizes Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) as a LTE voice solution and achieved download speeds exceeding 90 Mbps.

The new LTE network also enables a wide variety of high-performance mobile applications and multimedia, including video conferencing, high-definition content transmissions, high-speed video downloads, and social networking platforms. These mobile services, made possible by both the existing GSM/UMTS and new LTE networks, provide Zain's subscribers with a superior mobile broadband experience.

Zain has also partnered with Huawei to provide a diverse range of LTE smart devices, including smartphones, routers, hotspot MiFi, and dongles. The partnership includes agreements on a series of products, solutions, and services for terminal, radio access, and core network operations and management.

Mr. Omar Al Omar, Zain Kuwait CEO, said: "We are building a world class mobile network in Kuwait with GSM, UMTS, and LTE access to offer our customers a significant improvement in network coverage and speed. We have selected Huawei as our long-term strategic partner and believe that their innovative solutions and extensive experience in launching commercial networks will enable our customers to enjoy an incomparable mobile broadband experience."

Huawei has provided Zain with its cutting-edge SingleRAN solution that is capable of converging GSM, HSPA+, and LTE standards into a single network. This simplifies overall network structure while reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and expended manpower requirements. Huawei's SingleOSS suite also helps realize exceptional improvements in the operations and management efficiency of the whole network.

"Our successful partnership with Zain for GSM, UMTS, and now LTE, demonstrates the effectiveness of Huawei's SingleRAN solution. The solution continues to help operators simultaneously manage the challenges of operating multiple networks while meeting growing mobile broadband demands," Said Mr. Ali Shi, President of Huawei Middle East Region. "We are committed to being the best business partner for our customers worldwide, and will remain focused on customer-centric innovation moving forward."

In addition to the current LTE agreement, Zain Kuwait and Huawei have partnered on a number projects including a managed services agreement in 2011 where Huawei contributed to improvements in the cost, efficiency, and reliability of the operator's network. Today, Huawei continues to provide managed services to Zain Kuwait and has successfully increased the operator's network capacity, allowing it to accomodate many more users and services in the future.

To date, Huawei has secured 130 commercial LTE/EPC contracts and has launched 56 commercial LTE networks with leading global operators, more than any other infrastructure provider. With a global business footprint in six continents, Huawei is driving LTE development and commercialization worldwide.

//huawei.com

2012-12-22

Tele2 is the first operator in Europe with VoLTE

Tele2 is the first operator in Europe successfully implemented voice over LTE (volte) test calls in Tele2 deployed Swedish LTE network. The talks in the IP-based LTE network showed a much better voice experience compared to 2G and 3G networks. The talks in the IP-based LTE network showed a much better voice experience compared to 2G and 3G networks.

2012-12-06

North America: LTE Adds 19 Million Subscriptions Year-Over-Year at 3Q 2012

LTE connections in North America rocketed to 22.3 million -- adding almost 19 million subscriptions in 12 months and representing 51 percent of all 43.7 million LTE connections worldwide at the end of the third quarter of 2012, reported 4G Americas, according to data from Informa Telecoms & Media. Another "billion" milestone is expected by the end of 2012, with all 3GPP technologies, including GSM, HSPA and LTE, comprising a massive subscription base of 6 billion and more than 90 percent of the global cellular connections. //marketwire.com

2012-12-01

MTN launched its LTE network in SA

MTN launched its LTE network in SA: Pretoria, Midrand area, Johannesbourg area, KwaZulu-Natal. About 1600 3G sites are prepared to LTE transition in following monthes. Average speed 5-20 Mbit/s. //moneyweb.co.za

LTE subs to climb from 114 M in 2013 to 258 M in 2014

The Yankee Group's report notes that the Global Mobile Suppliers Association forecasts there will be 152 commercial LTE networks in 65 countries by the end of 2012, up from 47 networks at the end of 2011. As a result, Yankee predicts there will be 114 million active LTE connections globally by the end of 2013, increasing to 258 million by the end of 2014.

//fiercewireless.com

Apple vetting operators on LTE network performance

Cupertino strict about what carriers have access to the new iPhone 5, but wireless companies must undergo Apple's own 4G testing and approval process before being allowed to promote the iPhone 5 as an LTE device. //telecoms.com

Samsung Galaxy Camera with LTE passed through FCC

Samsung Galaxy Camera FCC EK-GC120 has LTE band 13 radio, WiFi and GPS. It is targeted to Verizon most likely. Samsung will bring an LTE version of the camera to carriers SK Telecom and KT. //theverge.com

Android 4.1 4.8" 16.3 mpix BSI CMOS sensor - specs for South Korea, LTE/3G support. //news.xinhuanet.com

Swisscom Launches its LTE Network in Switzerland

Switzerland's Swisscom has launched its LTE network, with coverage in 26 locations today. Frequencies of 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz are used. Peak rate of up to 150 Mbps at phase 1 and will be 300 Mbps later. The company said that it will invest around CHF 1.5 billion (US$1.6 billion) in the expansion of its mobile network by 2016. //www.cellular-news.com

VoLTE uses twice as much battery as a current 2G call

The report came from wireless testing and measurement vendor Spirent Communications, which was acquired by Metrico Wireless in September.

A 10 minute call used 680 milliwatts (mW) on CDMA an 1358 mW on VoLTE. Spirent estimated that on a full charge, and with all other data communications turned off, its test smartphone could deliver 502.6 minutes of talk time using CDMA, but only 251.8 minutes of talk time using VoLTE.

Test network was not named, but it is MetroPCS for sure.

Spectrum sharing with LTE is conceivable but not trivial

LTE has been designed to operate in high-interference environments. The technology divides wide radio channels of 5 MHz or 10 MHz into tiny subcarriers of 15 kHz for actual transmission with the ability to selectively use just a subset of subcarriers at particular times. This makes it fundamentally different from previous CDMA technologies such as CDMA2000 and HSPA that employ wide radio channels of 1.25 MHz in the case of CDMA2000 and 5 MHz in HSPA. This use of subcarriers enables LTE to avoid frequencies on which there may be excessive interference. This core feature of LTE may enable the technology to support spectrum sharing, but don't get too excited that we have identified the silver bullet to the looming spectrum shortage. There are many caveats.

//fiercewireless.com

2012-11-30

iPhone 5 Gets China Network Access License

According to a regulatory website, an Apple device resembling the iPhone 5 has received approval for a “network access” license in China. //blogs.wsj.com

EE Delivers more data and more choice with new 4G mobile broadband plans

The 4GEE Mobile Broadband plans now include data allowances increased by around 60%, with no rise in monthly fee. The 2GB plan now becomes a 3GB allowance, with the 3GB plan increasing to 5GB, and the 5GB allowance now extending to 8GB. All existing 4GEE customers will be automatically upgraded to the new data allowances, with no increase in their monthly fee, allowing them to get more out of superfast 4G at no extra cost.

EE is also launching a range of new 4GEE Mobile Broadband plans to offer customers greater choice. A new one month SIM only plan offers 5GB of data for £15.99, with the first month free for customers signing up before 23rd December. Customers wishing to include a 4GEE Dongle or Mobile Wi-Fi device can choose from 30 day plans, or 18 and 24 month plans, starting at £12.99 per month for 1GB.

//explore.ee.co.uk 

2012-11-29

ZTE trials VoLTE call service

Chinese vendor ZTE is trialling a commercial VoLTE call service in Hong Kong.

The trial uses enhanced single radio voice call continuity (eSRVCC), a voice solution that enables higher quality voice calls while the network is upgrading to LTE and provides end-to-end QoS assurance, the company said. //telecoms.com

2012-11-28

Netgear's LTE CPE family

Another vendor with its line-up for your attention - Netgear

CPE

Netgear MBR1515, NA LTE (b13 USA Upper C), cat.3
Netgear MBR1516, b4, 2012.10
Netgear MBR1517, b1, b3, b7, b8, b20, Euro LTE, cat.3
Netgear MVBR1517, b1, b3, b7, b8, b20, Euro LTE, cat.3


Netgear MBR1000 Mobile Broadband Router Product Family, PDF, 2011.01

2012-11-26

GSA Status of LTE Ecosystem report: 560 user devices, almost 3 x number of a year ago

Download report via www.gsacom.com

Press release: www.gsacom.com/news/gsa_366.php

Recent reports and other additions to the GSA website which may be of interest are available via these links:

* Global LTE network investments (3-slides): deployments, launches: LTE, LTE1800, LTE TDD
* Status of the Global LTE1800 Market report (includes list of 42 commercial LTE1800 operators)
* Status of the Global LTE TDD Market report
* MAP: LTE TDD Investments Worldwide (commercial network launches, deployments, trials, studies)
* Global HSPA+ Network Commitments report: 254 HSPA+ commercial networks launched in 118 countries
* UMTS900 Global Status report: 57 commercially launched UMTS900 networks in 39 countries
* HSPA Operators report: 506 commitments, 482 commercial networks; 102 DC-HSPA+ (42 Mbps) in service
* Operator Viewpoint: Spectrum management for IMT (Telefonica presentation)
* Operator Viewpoint: Are property rights important in spectrum management? (SFR presentation)
* 1000x Challenge - Spectrum Innovations (Qualcomm presentation)
* Operator Viewpoint: Telstra Goes 4G (presentation by Mike Wright, Executive Director, Telstra)

Mobily Launches Region-First LTE Data Roaming

CSL (Hong Kong, China) signed another LTE roaming agreement, that time with the Saudi Arabia operator Mobily (Etihad Etisalat). Interconnection supported by Telstra (Australia). //klektek.com

2012-11-20

Nokia Siemens Networks saw greatest rise in Q3 radio access network market

A report on Q3 mobile radio access network (RAN) sales attributes Nokia Siemens Networks with increased market share and revenue despite an overall declining market. Figures from market intelligence company ABI Research Wireless show Nokia Siemens Networks increased its RAN market share quarter-on-quarter by 4.2 percentage points to 22.4%.

In RAN terms, ABI reported that Nokia Siemens Networks was the only one of the top four vendors to grow its revenue quarter-on-quarter.

In the LTE (4G) RAN market, the company’s market share was reported to have quadrupled, year on year, echoing a recent report from Dell’Oro Group. Nokia Siemens Networks has over 70 commercial deals for LTE.

ABI also reports that Nokia Siemens Networks is placed second in what it categorizes as equipment vendor "Network Infrastructure Related" revenues (combining both RAN & Core elements) with 18.4% share, behind the market leader.

Source: NSN

Samsung Releases Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE Model

Samsung has released its Galaxy Note 10.1 LTE model, but the latest variant of the tablet is currently available in Korea. The tablet is sold through three Korean wireless carriers, with the device itself also offering VoLTE (Voice over LTE). //tomshardware.com

Ericsson - 1st, NSN - 2nd in revenues from RAN LTE during 3q2012

Research firm Dell’Oro Group notes that NSN overtook Alcatel-Lucent in terms of LTE RAN revenues during the quarter. The vendor ended the period with 70 commercial LTE contracts, giving it a 21% share of total revenues – some four times higher than in 3Q11.

Ericsson remained the dominant vendor in the LTE market during 3Q12, while Huawei and Alcatel-Lucent shared third spot with an estimated 15% share apiece. //telecomasia.net

2012-11-17

4G coming to Ireland

Ireland has concluded its recent spectrum auction, with operators (O2, Vodafone, Three, Meteor) getting blocks (b20, b8, b3 - 140 MHz of paired spectrum) that could allow them to roll out LTE networks from next year. //zdnet.com

NTT DoCoMo readies first dual-mode HSDPA, LTE femtocell for December



Specs
  • dual mode 112 Mbps LTE and 14.4 Mbps HSDPA 
  • 2 GHz
  • 18.5 cm x 17.5 cm x 4.5 cm 
  • 0.7 kg

Operators
  1. Japan, NTT DoCoMo from Nov.2012. Plans to sell the femtocells to local homeowners. 
News

AT&T’s LTE to blanket 103 markets

AT&T’s LTE to blanket 103 markets, with 24 new markets announced this week. //9to5mac.com


2012-11-16

LTE networks vulnerable to inexpensive jamming technique

Targeting a small portion of the signal with a laptop and a transmitter costing about $650 could knock offline an LTE base station serving thousands of people, according to researchers who raised concerns last week over the technology's planned use in a national public safety broadband network.

"An example strategy would be to target specific control or synchronization signals, in order to increase the geographic range of the jammer and better avoid detection," the Wireless @ Virginia Tech research group said in a filing (PDF) submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

2012-11-14

GSA confirms 1800 MHz as the most popular LTE band

November 13th, 2012: GSA confirms that 1800 MHz is the most widely used band for 4G/LTE systems deployments worldwide.

GSA calculates that LTE1800 (LTE technology deployed in 1800 MHz spectrum) is serving customers today on over 37% of the 113 commercial LTE networks which had entered service by November 2, 2012 (see Evolution to LTE report dated November 2, 2012).

A total of 42 operators have commercially launched LTE1800 either as a single band system, or as part of a multi-band deployment. Commercial LTE1800 services are available in 29 countries: Angola, Australia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Mauritius, Namibia, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Korea, Tajikistan, UAE, and UK.

In most cases the 1800 MHz spectrum has been refarmed from its original use as a 2G/GSM band, as a result of the technology-neutral licensing environments which have developed as regulators in all regions responded to the need for more spectrum for mobile broadband services.

The second most popular band in which LTE systems are deployed is 2.6 GHz, followed by 700 MHz.

Manufacturers have ensured a wide choice of LTE user devices which can operate on the 1800 MHz band, including all the leading brands. A survey of the LTE devices ecosystem which was completed by GSA on November 12, 2012 confirmed that 560 LTE user devices had been announced, of which 130 products (almost 1 in 4) support the 1800 MHz band (LTE1800).

Alan Hadden, President of the GSA said: “Industry momentum behind deployment of LTE in the 1800 MHz band has continually grown over the past year. A robust ecosystem is established to support 1800 MHz as the prime band for LTE deployments worldwide, and will greatly assist international roaming for mobile broadband services.”

Several more operators will launch LTE services in 1800 MHz spectrum in the near future. Since LTE1800 is supported in the most popular smartphone brands, some operators have adjusted deployment strategies, including shifting to 1800 MHz, in order to speed the introduction of LTE services in their markets.

1800 MHz frequency is widely available for mobile services. Licences to deploy services at 1800 MHz have been awarded to an estimated 350 plus operators worldwide, in nearly 150 countries.

1800 MHz = 3GPP band 3 for FDD deployments
(1710 MHz – 1785 MHz paired with 1805 MHz – 1880 MHz)

The Evolution to LTE report is a free download to registered site users – follow the link on www.gsacom.com

Embracing the 1800MHz opportunity: Driving mobile forward with LTE in the 1800MHz band – GSA report, follow the link on www.gsacom.com/lte1800 

* * *

2012-11-11

Apple Begins Preparing to Ship iPad mini With 4G LTE

Though Apple had initially stated that the 4G LTE model of the 7.9-inch iPad mini iOS tablet would be available a week after the WiFi model went on sale, those who preordered the tablet found that the tablet would be ‘delivered by 11/21,’ a date that is later than what was previously promised by Apple; some preorder customers noted an initial delivery by date of 11/23, however. Now, it looks like Apple is beginning to prepare those tablets according to notification emails being sent to customers who pre-ordered the 4G LTE version.  //gottabemobile.com

2012-11-07

Bluegrass Cellular brings LTE to rural Kentucky

Kentucky based Bluegrass Cellular has announced the launch of a 4G LTE network, a development that comes out of its 2010 agreement with Verizon as part of the latter’s Wireless LTE in Rural America program. //telecoms.com

2012-11-06

Rostelecom - Skartel dispute on access to LTE networks to be heard on Dec. 3

The Moscow Commercial Court has set for December 3 the primary hearings in Rostelecom's lawsuit to force Skartel to grant access to LTE networks, the court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Tuesday. Skartel is part of the Yota brand.

Rostelecom has asked the court to force Skartel to sign a contract on providing access to the technological infrastructure of its communication networks for providing LTE services under MVNO terms.

EC clears band1 for LTE refarming

Eurocomission has called on all EU member states to make 120 MHz worth of spectrum band1 available for 4G, such as LTE.

The paired terrestrial 2 GHz band (1920-1980 MHz paired with 2110-2170 MHz) has been traditionally used for 3G UMTS networks, but the EC now wants it to be liberalised for 4G services across the region.

The decision means it will be mandatory for EU member states to open the spectrum for 4G services by June 30, 2014. The EC said that it aims to provide harmonised technical conditions to avoid market fragmentation in the future use of the band. 

2012-11-05

List of commercial LTE networks worldwide by Nov.2 2012


113 commercial LTE networks by 2012.11.02, Source: GSA
  1. Norway, TeliaSonera (NetCom), 2009.12.14
  2. Sweden, TeliaSonera, 2009.12.14 
  3. Uzbekistan, MTS, 2010.07.28 (out of service as of 2012.09)
  4. Uzbekistan, UCell, 2010.08.09
  5. Poland, Aero2 (LTE FDD and TDD), 2010.09.07
  6. USA, MetroPCS, 2010.09.21
  7. Austria, A1 Telekom, 2010.11.05
  8. Sweden, Telenor Sweden, 2010.11.15
  9. Sweden, Tele2 Sweden, 2010.11.15
  10. Hong Kong, CSL Limited, 2010.11.25
  11. Finland, TeliaSonera, 2010.11.30
  12. Germany, Vodafone, 2010.12.01
  13. USA, Verizon Wireless, 2010.12.05
  14. Finland, Elisa, 2010.12.08
  15. Denmark. TeliaSonera, 2010.12.09
  16. Estonia, EMT, 2010.12.17
  17. Japan, NTT DoCoMo, 2010.12.24
  18. Germany, Deutsche Telekom, 2011.04.05
  19. Philippines, Smart Communications, 2011.04.16
  20. Lithuania, Omnitel, 2011.04.28
  21. Latvia, LMT, 2011.05.31
  22. Singapore, M1, 2011.06.21
  23. South Korea, SK Telecom, 2011.07.01
  24. South Korea, LG U+, 2011.07.01
  25. Germany, O2, 2011.07.01
  26. Canada, Rogers Wireless, 2011.07.07
  27. Austria, T-Mobile, 2011.07.28
  28. USA, Mosaic Telecom, 2011.07 ??
  29. Canada, Bell Mobility, 2011.09.14
  30. Saudi Arabia, Mobily (LTE TDD), 2011.09.14
  31. Saudi Arabia, STC (LTE TDD), 2011.09.14
  32. Saudia Arabia, Zain, 2011.09.14
  33. USA, AT&T Mobility, 2011.09.18
  34. UAE, Etisalat, 2011.09.25
  35. Australia, Telstra, 2011.09.27
  36. Denmark, TDC, 2011.10.10
  37. Austria, 3, 2011.11.18
  38. Puerto Rico, AT&T Mobility, 2011.11.20
  39. Puerto Rico, Claro, 2011.11.24 
  40. Kyrgyzstan, Saima Telecom, 2011.12.09
  41. Brazil, Sky Brazil (LTE TDD), 2011.12.13
  42. Finland, DNA, 2011.12.13
  43. Uruguay, Antel, 2011.12.13
  44. USA, Cricket, 2011.12.21
  45. Singapore, SingTel, 2011.12.22
  46. Kuwait, Viva, 2011.12.27
  47. Armenia, VivaCell-MTS, 2011.12.28
  48. Bahrain, Viva Bahrain, 2012.01.01
  49. Hungary, T Mobile, 2012.01.01
  50. South Korea, KT, 2012.01.03
  51. Russia, Yota, 2012.01.15
  52. Canada, TELUS, 2012.02.10
  53. USA, Peoples Telephone Co-op, 2012.02.14
  54. Japan, Softbank Mobile XGP / LTE TDD, 2012.02.24
  55. Portugal, TMN (Portugal Telecom), 2012.03.12
  56. Portugal, Vodafone Portugal, 2012.03.12
  57. Portugal, Optimus, 2012.03.15 
  58. Japan, eAccess, 2012.03.15
  59. USA, US Cellular, 2012.03.22
  60. Croatia, T Mobile / T-Hrvatski Telekom, 2012.03.23
  61. Croatia, VIPNet, 2012.03.22 
  62. USA, Panhandle (PTCI), 2012.03 ??
  63. Australia, NBN Co. (LTE TDD), 2012.04.02
  64. India, Bharti Airtel  (LTE TDD), 2012.04.10
  65. Angola, Movicel, 2012.04.14
  66. Puerto Rico, Open Mobile, 2012.04.19
  67. Moldova, IDC, 2012.04.21
  68. Sweden, 3, FDD and TDD, 2012.04.23
  69. Hong Kong (China), China Mobile HK, 2012.04.25
  70. Hong Kong (China), PCCW, 2012.04.25
  71. USA, Cellcom, 2012.04.30
  72. USA, Pioneer Cellular, 2012.04.30
  73. Netherlands, Vodafone, 2012.05.01
  74. Hong Kong (China), Hutchison 3 HK, 2012.05.02
  75. Netherlands, Ziggo, 2012.05.01
  76. Netherlands, Tele2, 2012.05.08
  77. Netherlands, KPN, 2012.05.11
  78. Netherlands, T-Mobile, 2012.05.11
  79. Namibia, MTC, 2012.05.16
  80. USA, BendBroadband, 2012.05.17
  81. Tanzania, Smile, 2012.05.30
  82. UAE, Du, 2012.06.12
  83. Colombia, Une-UPM, 2012.06.14
  84. Azerbaijan, Azercell, 2012.06.19
  85. Czech Republic, Telefonica O2, 2012.06.19
  86. Mauritius, Orange. 2012.06.21
  87. UK, UK Broadband (LTE TDD), 2012.06.28
  88. Guam, IT&E, 2012.06.28
  89. Hungary, Telecom Hungary, 2012.07.05
  90. Dominican Republica, Orange Dominicana, 2012.07.09
  91. Slovenia, Si.mobil, 2012.07.12
  92. USA, Sprint, 2012.07.15
  93. Oman, Omantel (LTE TDD), 2012.07.16
  94. Australia, Optus, 2012.07.31
  95. Mauritius, Emtel, 2012.07. ??
  96. Slovak Republic, Telefonica O2, 2012.08.02
  97. Hong Kong (China), Smartone, 2012.08.28
  98. Russia, MTS (LTE TDD), 2012.09.01
  99. USA, C Spire Wireless, 2012.09.10
  100. Singapore, StarHub, 2012.09.19
  101. Japan, KDDI, 2012.09.21
  102. Japan, Softbank Mobile, 2012.09.21
  103. Canada, MTS, 2012.09.25
  104. Denmark, 3 Denmark, 2012.09.28
  105. Philipines, Globe, 2012.09.28
  106. Luxembourg, Tango, 2012.10.01
  107. Guam, DoCoMo Pacific, 2012.10.04
  108. Tajikistan, Babilon-Mobile, 2012.10.06
  109. Norway, Telenor. 2012.10.10
  110. South Africa, Vodacom, 2012.10.10
  111. USA, Alaska Communications, 2012.10.12
  112. Luxembourg, Orange, 2012.10.29
  113. UK, EE, 2012.10.30

GSA confirms 113 commercial LTE networks are launched; over 500 user devices announced


360 operators are investing in LTE, a figure which is 45% more than a year ago, according to the GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) in an update to its Evolution to LTE report released on November 2, 2012.

The report confirms that 113 operators have launched commercial LTE networks in 51 countries.
A further 195 commercial network deployments are in progress. GSA forecasts that 209 networks will be commercially launched in 75 countries by the end of 2013.
A total of 308 operators are firmly committed to deploy commercial LTE networks in 94 countries, including those who have launched services. A further 52 operators in 11 more countries are at a pre-commitment stage, engaged in LTE technology trials, tests or studies, etc. Many of them are expected to also decide to introduce LTE services.
77 operators have launched commercial LTE services in the past 12 months.
Summary of commercial LTE network launches annually:
  • 2009 = 2
  • 2010 = 15 (year-end cumulative total = 17)
  • 2011 = 30 (year-end cumulative total = 47)
  • 2012 to November 2 = 66 (cumulative total to date = 113)
  • GSA end 2012 outlook = 166 commercial LTE networks in 70 countries
  • GSA end 2013 outlook = 209 commercial LTE networks in 75 countries
LTE is the fastest developing mobile system technology ever and entering a new phase as a mainstream technology by end of 2012.
Alan Hadden, President of the GSA, said: “Regulators are responding to the need for more spectrum for mobile broadband services in all regions. Spectrum auctions were completed in recent months in Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, and Russia and further auctions will be held over the next few months. The move towards technology-neutral licensing policy, e.g. refarming of the 1800 MHz band provides a further significant boost to spectrum supply for LTE deployments.”
The benefits from deploying LTE networks in re-farmed spectrum are increasingly recognized by regulators and the industry, emphasizing the flexibility and growing importance of 1800 MHz as a prime band for mobile broadband services delivery. LTE1800 (LTE technology deployed in 1800 MHz spectrum) is launched on 36% of all commercial LTE networks. Forty-one operators have commercially launched LTE1800 either as a single band system, or as part of a multi-band deployment, and commercial LTE1800 services are now available in 29 countries.
Eleven operators have launched commercial service using the LTE TDD mode in unpaired spectrum. The LTE standard was specified by 3GPP with an FDD mode for use in paired spectrum, and a TDD mode being the optimal solution for use in unpaired spectrum. FDD and TDD modes are fully complementary. TDD shares most of the FDD design and standards and uses a common core network, and industry commitment is strong. Some operators have commercially launched LTE service using both FDD and TDD.
According to its related research, GSA also confirms that 521 LTE user devices (including operator and frequency variants) have been announced by 79 manufacturers (November 2, 2012), representing 164% increase compared to the number of products reported by GSA one year ago (197 devices at that time).
The Evolution to LTE report was researched and published by GSA and provides a concise update of the business drivers, objectives and targets for LTE – Long Term Evolution and the evolved packet system, including network operator commitments, deployments, launches, trials, the growing eco-system including device availability, spectrum requirements and developments, Voice over LTE developments, standardization activities including LTE-Advanced, and more. The report is available as a free download to registered site users at www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers

2012-11-02

Ericsson tests LTE on board of a jet plane flying 600km/h

"We tested a high-speed 4G connection using an aircraft flying fast at low altitude.", said Ola Melander, Master Project Manager for R&D at Ericsson. The results showed that the PCs were able to connect to the internet with a maximum downlink speed of 19 megabits per second while flying.The Doppler effect, which limits how fast the user can move in a straight line to or from the LTE radio base station, was successfully tested and internet connectivity was maintained while flying at more than 600km/h in a straight line toward the LTE radio base station. A seamless handover from one radio base station to the next was possible while flying at a speed of 500 km/h, without any visible disturbances to a video stream used to monitor the stability of the internet connection. //equities.com

Motorola Electrify M - new in U.S.Cellular lineup


Looks like Droid RAZR M

Android 4.0 ICS
1.5 GHz dual-core processor
4.3"
8 mpix 
1.3 mpix
2.000 mAh 
NFC
WiFi
BT
Water-resistant

Operators
  1. US, U.S. Cellular, 2012.11 from Nov.8, 2012, $99 aftr $100 mail-in rebate. 
News

2012-11-01

Vipnet acquires LTE spectrum in Croatia

The Croatian subsidiary of operator group Telekom Austria, Vipnet, has obtained 20MHz of the country’s 800MHz frequency spectrum for a total of HRK150m ($26m). //telecoms.com

2012-10-23

ZTE uses laptops to optimize LTE performance

ZTE has launched the first PC-based capacity planning tool for LTE, which will make it easier for operators to optimize the performance of their networks and offer users better performance. The small format makes it a good fit for testing indoor coverage and testing performance where a lot of users are accessing the network, including train stations, sports arenas and shopping malls. Good indoor coverage can be a challenge when LTE is used in combination with higher frequencies, including the 2.6GHz spectrum band. 

read more //itworld.com

EE reveals 4G pricing: UK LTE from £36/mo


EE’s consumer plans are based on a 24-month contract; if you’d rather go for a 12-month contract, it will cost an extra £10 per month. All subscribers get access to BT WiFi hotspots in addition to their mobile data allowance; if you run out of mobile data, you can add on more directly from the phone, priced at 50MB for £3, 500MB for £6, 2GB for £15, and 4GB for £20. Users will get an alert on their phone when they’ve used up 80-percent of their monthly allowance, and both tethering and VoIP use are permitted.

Entner: LTE and the U.S. - Consumers are king

Other countries have assigned three to eight times as much spectrum per person to satisfy the demand for data. Consider the impact on service prices if the FCC really opened up the spectrum spigot. When spectrum was still plentiful in the United States, the wireless operators competed prices to the lowest in the industrialized world.

Read more: fiercewireless.com

Reviews: LG Intuition 4G LTE Smartphone review

I will be blunt and say that I would not buy the LG Intuition for myself. There are some things I like about it such as the screen capture button, USB cover, rubber back, NFC, and large display. But the form factor isn’t for me. It isn’t pocket friendly or one-handed phone call friendly. The battery life is the worst I’ve experienced in awhile. I was lucky to get a full day of very limited use from the device before it was complaining that it needed to be charged. I also found the performance to be a little sluggish. Although I do like large screened devices – I am using an SGS3 right now, this one just doesn’t do it for me. Sorry LG. Maybe next time…

Read more at //the-gadgeteer.com 

2012-10-21

Quanta and Gemtek exhibited multi-mode multi-band mobile hot-spot prototypes

The 5th GTI Workshop jointly hosted by China Mobile and Global TD-LTE Initiative (GTI) took place in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates from October 15th to 16th, 2012.

In particular, the world's first global roaming enabled Multi-Mode Multi-Band mobile hotspot prototypes supporting five modes (LTE TDD/LTE FDD/TD-SCDMA/WCDMA/GSM) and eleven bands (Band 38/39/40/41/3/7/34/1/2/5/8) developed by Quanta and Gemtek were exhibited at the workshop. Later, GTI will perform a testing on the commercialization of the products. 

read more ameinfo.com

2012-10-20

China Mobile selects 7 suppliers for TD-LTE trial

Contractors TD-LTE solution for China Mobile are:
  1. ZTE  - Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shenyang. More than 13,000 carrier frequencies.
  2. Alcatel-Lucent  - about 3,000 basestations in Shanghai, Nanjing and Qingdao in early 2013
  3. Huawei Technologies
  4. Ericsson
  5. Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN), 
  6. New Postcom Equipment Co. 
  7. Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co. (Datang Mobile).
read more //eetimes.com



Airtel (India) rolls out 4G LTE network in Pune

Airtel has announced that it has launched postpaid 4G LTE services in Pune. This is the first 4G service in the state of Maharashtra. Before this, Airtel had rolled out LTE in Bangalore and Kolkata. 



read more //bgr.in

Nokia Siemens profits jump on LTE deals, cost cuts

Nokia Siemens Networks underlying operating profit jumped to 323 million euros ($424 million) from 6 million a year earlier, beating all analysts' expectations and pulling underlying Nokia group result into the black.

Sales of the fourth-generation high-speed LTE network equipment in Japan and Korea helped to boost profits and lifted group sales 3 percent from a year ago to 3.5 billion euros, beating all analysts expectations in a Reuters poll.

//cnbc.com

Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell Earns New Contract for Deployment of China Mobile's TD-LTE Trial Network

As per the new contract, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell is entitled to provide 3,000 base stations in the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing and Qingdao – three major economic hubs of China. China Mobile will utilize the Alcatel-Lucent’s innovative TD-LTE technology to launch new services in the cities early next year.

China Mobile will utilize Alcatel-Lucent ‘s complete end-to-end TD-LTE solution including radio access products – the Alcatel Lucent 9926 Digital 2U eNodeB, TD-LTE Remote Radio Unit (RRU) for the multiple spectrum bands being used by CMCC as well as core networking equipment, and the Alcatel-Lucent’s 5620 Service Aware Manager (SAM) network management tool.

China Mobile is one of the largest wireless operators with over 700 million subscribers, and now its Mobile's trial TD-LTE network is expected to cover a total of 13 cities to keep up with the soaring demand for mobile broadband access in China, which enables consumers to get unlimited access to video, gaming and other high-bandwidth applications.

Lately, Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile has inked a co-creation agreement in Shanghai to conduct a comprehensive trial of TD-LTE technology. In addition, both companies have also been developing and testing a series of lightRadio breakthrough technology elements.

Apart from that, both companies have also agreed to conduct joint nanocell research in China, put on paper after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Nanocells are a type of radio access technology that integrates wireless small cells with carrier grade Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) access points.

FCC approves AT&T-Sirius LTE spectrum peace treaty

The deal between the two companies will let AT&T use 20 MHz of the band while leaving 10 MHz open to avoid potential interference with Sirius. reed more //bgr.com

Verizon Q3 solid: 4.5 million LTE devices sold

With Verizon now having the high-speed 4G network available to 250 million people, the company's Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo said during the earnings conference call that out of the 3.1 million iPhone activations by Verizon in the third quarter, 21 percent LTE; and 3 million of the carrier's 3.4 million Android phone activations were 4G LTE. 

//topnews.in

UK's operators have banded to speed up 4G LTE 800 roll-out

O2, Vodafone, Everything Everywhere and Three have banded together to speed up the deployment of 4G services. Ofcom writes that the four have come together to form Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited (originally called MitCo), a company that will be funded by the successful bidders for 800MHz spectrum in the forthcoming auction. If any other party acquires spectrum in the auction, they can immediately become a shareholder in DMS Ltd.

The company will be responsible for ensuring consumers continue to receive clear Freeview TV signals following the roll out of 4G mobile services in the 800 MHz spectrum band. The early creation of such a company was one of the solutions highlighted by Ofcom and the government during conversations with mobile operators about speeding up the roll-out of 4G.

read more //tomshardware.com 

Singapore operators release Galaxy Note 2 LTE prices


M1SingTelStarHub
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 LTE (16GB)S$568 (S$39/month plan)
S$398 (S$59/month plan)
S$298 (S$98/month plan)
S$298 (S$198/month plan)
S$568 (S$40/month plan)
S$288 (S$60/month plan)
S$98 (S$100/month plan)
S$0 (S$205/month plan)
S$568 (S$38/month plan)
S$298 (S$58/month plan)
S$98 (S$98/month plan)
S$98 (S$205/month plan)
 read more //asia.cnet.com

2012-10-19

UE: Sierra Wireless AirLink GX440, LTE, DO - router, specification



Company: Sierra Wireless
Target Market:  
Field Service, Energy + Utilities, Oil &Gas, Infrastructure Monitoring, Security Surveillance, Mobile Office, Business Continuity, Retail, POS, ATM, Vending, Digital Signage, Fleet Management, Public Safety, Transportation
Cellular Modem Technologies:  
3G-CDMA
4G-LTE
Connectivity Modem Technologies: 
 Wi-Fi, 802.11bgn 2.4GHz
Cellular Frequency Bands: 
 LTE 700 MHz band 13; CDMA/EV-DO 800, 1900 MHz
Host Interfaces: 
Ethernet
Serial
USB
Antenna
Other
Application Interfaces: 
TCP/IP
UDP/IP
DHCP
HTTP
Other(s)
LED Indicators: 
Network
Signal
Activity
Power
Security: 
IPsec VPN
GRE Tunneling
Other
Commercial Availability: 
In Production
Remote Management: 
Yes
Enclosure: 
Rugged Design
Dimensions: 
143 x 96 x 44 mm
Weight: 
341 g
Application Processor: 
Robust ARM11 class processor
Supported Software Environments: 
ALEOS, ALEOS Application Framework, and AirVantage
Memory: 
128MB
Qualcomm Cellular Chipset Model: 
Qualcomm (part N/A)
External Power Supply: 
12 VDC and AC
Operational Temperature Range: 
-30°C to +70°C / -22°F to +158°F
GPS Capabilities: 
Yes
Standard Certifications: 
FCC, Industry Canada, RoHS Compliant, CE, E-Mark Mil-Spec 810-F, IP64, Class 1 Div 2
Operator Certifications: 
Verizon

UE: CradlePoint IBR600LE (LTE/EVDO) - router


 

Company:   
CradlePoint
Target Market: 
 M2M, Retail, Digital Kiosk, Transportation, Financial Services/Banking, Insurance, Distributed Enterprises
Cellular Modem Technologies: 
 3G-CDMA
4G-LTE
Connectivity Modem Technologies: 
 Wi-Fi, 802.11bgn 2.4GHz
Cellular Frequency Bands: 
 4G via internal high-speed LTE modem (3GPP Rel.8) backwards compatible to EVDO RevA, A/O; CDMA 1x
Host Interfaces: 
 Ethernet
Serial
USB
Antenna
Application Interfaces: 
 TCP/IP
UDP/IP
DHCP
HTTP
SNMP
SMTP
Other(s)
LED Indicators: 
Network
Signal
Activity
Service
Power
Security: 
IPsec VPN
GRE Tunneling
Encryption
Other
Commercial Availability: 
In Production
Remote Management: 
Yes
Enclosure: 
Compact size, ruggedized metal case. Comes with mounting bracket.
Dimensions: 
3.3-in x 4-in x 0.9-in (85mm x 102mm x 22mm)
Weight: 
7.2 oz (200g)
Application Processor: 
-
Qualcomm Cellular Chipset Model: 
Qualcomm (part N/A)
External Power Supply: 
12V / 1.5A power supply w/locking connector; GPIO cable available
Battery Back-Up: 
No
Operational Temperature Range: 
-20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F) operating modem as WAN; -20°C to 50°C (-4°F to 122°F) operating Ethernet as WAN; -30°C to 70°C (-22°F to 158°F) storage
Voice support: 
No
GPS Capabilities: 
Yes
Standard Certifications: 
FCC, WiFi Alliance, 802.3, plus carrier specific certifications
Operator Certifications: 
Verizon
Power Input Rating: 
9-18V DV
Power Consumption: 
Idle:typ=350mA@12V(4.2W) worst case=700mA@12V(8.4W) Tx/Rx:typ=600mA@12V(7.2W) worst case=1200mA@12V(14.4W)
Description: 
The CradlePoint COR is ideal for use in high-availability portable or fixed M2M applications including kiosks, digital signage, vehicles, and other applications where connectivity is essential.

UE with LTE support "data base"  

UE: CradlePoint ARC MBR1400LE-VZ Integrated Broadband Router



CradlePoint ARC MBR1400LE-VZ

Company: CradlePoint
Target Market: Distributed Enterprises, Retail, M2M, Branch Locations, Kiosks
Cellular Modem Technologies: 
3G-CDMA,
4G-LTE
Connectivity Modem Technologies: Wi-Fi, 802.11abgn 2.4GHz/5Ghz
Cellular Frequency Bands:  
LTE Band 13 (700MHz)
Cellular/PCS (800MHz/1,900 MHz))
Host Interfaces:  Ethernet, USB, Antenna
Application Interfaces: Other(s)
LED Indicators: Network, Signal, Activity, Service,  Power
Security: IPsec VPN, GRE Tunneling, Encryption
Commercial Availability: In Production
Remote Management: Yes
Enclosure: Metal housing
Dimensions: 9-in x [5.1 or 7.25 or 9.6]-in x 1.6-in (230-mm x [130 or 185 or 245]-mm x 40-mm
Weight: Not specified
Application Processor:  -
Qualcomm Cellular Chipset Model: Qualcomm (part N/A)
External Power Supply: 12V / 1.5A power supply
Battery Back-Up: No
Operational Temperature Range: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)
Voice support: Unspecified
GPS Capabilities: Yes
Standard Certifications: FCC, WiFi Alliance, 802.3, plus Carrier specific certifications
Operator Certifications: Sprint, Verizon
Cloud Support: Remote WAN Web-based Management Access HTTP, HTTPS), Web-based GUI (Easy Management), Server-based Centralized Management (WiPipe™ Central), SNMP v1, v2c & v3, CLI over SSH, One-button firmware upgrade, Modem Configuration and Management, Modem Data Usage and Alerts
Description: The CradlePoint MBR1400 Integrated Business Series Routers enable easy-to-install wireless connectivity in fixed-business locations. Ideal for distributed enterprises such as branch offices, retail locations, etc.

 more terminals with LTE