Verizon Wireless Set To Rollout 4G In 2010

Verizon Wireless completed its first successful Long Term Evolution (LTE) Fourth Generation (4G) data call in Boston based on the 3GPP Release 8 standard; the company also announced that it had earlier completed the first LTE 4G data call based on the 3GPP Release 8 standard in Seattle. While Verizon previously disclosed its intentions to test the 4G standard in the two cities, the carrier had not provided details on the trials until now.

The tests involved streaming video, file uploads and downloads, and Web browsing. Interestingly, Verizon also said it placed voice calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to enable voice transmissions over the LTE 4G network, though the carrier has said in the past that it plans to keep most voice traffic on its existing CDMA 1x network.

Technology partners helping to enable data calls in these initial markets include Alcatel-Lucent (Boston) and Ericsson (Seattle) for base station/radio access network, LG and Samsung for trial devices, and Starent Networks and Nokia Siemens Networks for network equipment. Devices from LG and Samsung will soon be supplemented by devices from ST Ericsson, Motorola and Qualcomm.

Boston and Seattle each now have 10 LTE 4G cell sites up and running on the 700 MHz spectrum. These LTE 4G markets were selected by network planners due to their geographic configuration of suburban and urban areas as well as the areas’ high-technology population. The trials will help Verizon Wireless and its LTE 4G network partners understand issues that include how to best prepare cell sites and how to add the new technology to the network.

Verizon Wireless expects to commercially launch its LTE 4G network in up to 30 markets in 2010, covering 100 million people. In subsequent years, an equally aggressive growth plan will result in full nationwide coverage in 2013.

For more information about Verizon Wireless’ LTE 4G network, visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte.
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Cisco, Intel And Others Join To Form WiMAX Patent Pool

Six WiMAX firms have teamed together to create the Open Patent Alliance, a group that's goal is to jointly license WiMAX patents so they can keep royalty rates in check and make the technology more affordable. The companies involved in the formation of the OPA include Cisco Systems, Intel Corp., Alcatel-Lucent, Clearwire, Sprint and Samsung.
the OPA members made it clear that companies that join the group don't relinquish their patents. The IPR remains with the owners and they are free to use them. Instead the group will work to make it easier for others to license those patents.


In addition, the OPA referred to itself as a "patent pool" and said that it is very different from the WiMAX Forum, an organization with a goal of promoting interoperability and collaboration among its members.

However, several well-known WiMax providers are not on the list, including Motorola Inc., which is providing equipment for a field test of mobile WiMax services in Chicago as part of the Xohm initiative spearheaded by Sprint. Other companies which are interested in WiMAX, which are not yet a part of this pool are Motorola, Qualcomm and Nokia.


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CDG And 3GPP2 Published Ultra Mobile Broadband(UMB) Spec

The CDMA Development Group (CDG) and the Third Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) published the Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) air interface specification, which is often referred to as a 4G technology, in September.

The publication of this specification marks the world’s first IP-based mobile broadband standard to enable peak download data rates of 288 Mbps in a 20 MHz bandwidth, while preserving large economies of scope and scale.

The spec claims that UMB is the first IP-based mobile broadband standard to enable peak download data rates of 288 Mbps in a 20 MHz bandwidth, while preserving large economies of scope and scale. UMB is the latest family member of CDMA2000 technologies and allows the transfer of native IP at speeds that are orders of magnitudes higher than technologies commercially available today, according to the standards groups. UMB is an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) standard. UMB is expected to seamlessly integrate with CDMA2000 and EV-DO.

Here are a few of the specs:
* High-Speed Data: Peak download and upload speeds of 288 Mbps and 75 Mbps, respectively.
* Increased Data Capacity: Ability to deliver both high-capacity voice and broadband data events in mobile environments at excess of 300 km/hr.
* Low Latency: An average latency of 14.3 msec over-the-air with minimal jitter.
* Increased VoIP Capacity: Up to 1000 simultaneous VoIP users within a single sector.

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