The GSA (Global Suppliers Association) is reporting that over the past 8 months there has been a near 100% increase in the number of operators around the world committing to the LTE standard. There are now 51 network commitments in 24 countries, an increase of 96% over the past 8 months. Not all is rosy in terms of a frequencies however with the EU mainly sticking to 2.6 GHz for LTE, American operators using 700 MHz, and the Japanese using 800 MHz, 1.5 GHz or 1.7 GHz depending on operator. Why is LTE (Long Term Evolution) important? It’s going to be 10x faster than today’s networks, with less latency, and it can scale to support more users. It really is going to be the next generation of wireless. Here is a list of who is working on what:
- Verizon is deploying LTE in the 700 MHz band. Trial networks are set up in Boston and Seattle, each with 10 LTE sites. Verizon in planning to launch LTE in up to 30 commercial markets by the end 2010, giving coverage to roughly 100 million people, and to deploy a nationwide network by 2013.
- AT&T will deploy LTE in 700 MHz and plans to launch LTE in “key markets” during 2011.
- China Mobile is building their TD-SCDMA network so that cell sites and other elements can be upgraded seamlessly to support LTE. TD-LTE is estimate to be commercially available around 2012. China Telecom plans to migrate to LTE.
- Vodafone Germany is deploying an LTE system using digital dividend (790-862 MHz) spectrum. The government plans to auction 6 blocks of 2×5 MHz Digital Dividend spectrum in Q2 2010.
- In Japan the LTE operators will use 1.5 GHz (DoCoMo and Softbank Mobile), 1.5 GHz + 800 MHz (KDDI), and 1.7 GHz (eMobile). NTT DoCoMo plans to launch a commercial LTE launch in December 2010. They will initially focus on PC usage and will only begin offering dual-mode 3G/LTE handsets in 2011. By 2014 NTT DoCoMo plans to provide LTE service to 50% of the population from around 20,000 base stations at a cost of between $3 to 4 billion. eMobile says their LTE network will launchin September 2010.
- SK Telecom, KTF and LG Telecom are deploying LTE networks in South Korea right now.
- Telstra will deploy LTE in hotspots in Australia, mainly in urban areas in 2.6GHz spectrum, and will fill rural broadband gaps using 700MHz. Neither of these bands has been auctioned yet though.
- Telecom Italia plans to deploy LTE and reported in December 2009 that a technical trial using 14 LTE cell sites on its existing mobile broadband infrastructure in Turin delivered 140 Mbps down.
- TeliaSonera Sweden is deploying LTE using nationwide 2 x 20 MHz 2.6 GHz spectrum. On May 25, 2009 TeliaSonera unveiled the world’s first commercial LTE site, part of the LTE network scheduled to launch in Stockholm in 2010.
- Tele2 Sweden and TeleNor Sweden are jointly building an LTE network. The joint venture includes spectrum sharing in the 900 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands. Launch of LTE services is targeted for end 2010, or when modems are available. By 2013 the operators expect 99% of the Swedish population to have access to mobile broadband at speeds up to 80 Mbps in rural areas and up to 150 Mbps in urban areas.
- TeliaSonera Norway is planning to launch an LTE commercial launch in Oslo in 2010.
- TeleNor has an LTE trial network in Oslo and has also committed to commercial deployment.
- France Telecom (Orange) is trailing LTE and deployment is planned for 2011, subject to availability of (2.6 GHz) spectrum.
- T-Mobile Germany anticipates LTE deployment from 2011, with trials underway this year.
- MetroPCS (USA) plans an LTE launch in 2H 2010.
- Cox (USA) has made plans to deploy LTE in 700 MHz spectrum from 2011.
- Aircell will launch LTE in 2011 to boost capacity of their in-flight network.
- Bell Canada and Telus have deployed a joint HSPA network, which will later be upgraded to LTE. Rogers Wireless is conducting LTE trials right now.
- In Hong Kong 2 x 15 MHz blocks of 2.6 GHz FDD spectrum have been auctioned, and won each by China Mobile, Genius Brand (Hutchison Telecom/PCCW) and CSL Limited.
- SmarTone-Vodafone plans to deploy LTE re-using their GSM (900/1800) spectrum in Hong Kong.
- Smart Communications has conducted the first LTE trial in the Philippines. Piltel is reported to have applied for the remaining 3G licence in the country to deploy LTE services.
- Chunghwa Telecom is firmly committed to LTE, however the spectrum situation in Taiwan is unclear. Deployment is expected to start from around 2012.
- Speaking at the LTE Forum 2009 in Lisbon, Portugal, Telecom CEO Zeinal Bava announced LTE trials would be undertaken in Portugal and Brazil.
- Vodacom is testing LTE in its South Africa and reportedly has 1,000 LTE ready cell sites with launch planned “when handsets become available”.
- VivaCell-MTS in Armenia, is reported to have confirmed plans to deploy LTE in 2010.
- MTS, Uzbekistan will deploy LTE and is setting up a pilot LTE network in Tashkent for testing 2010-2012.
- T-Mobile Austria launched a 60 cell site trial LTE network in Innsbruck in July 2009.
- 3 Austria provided a live LTE demonstration at the European Forum in Alpbach, and on August 25, 2009 announced that upgrading of their entire network for LTE had begun, and that the company will have the technical capability to offer LTE to customers from 2011.
- In Denmark a public consultation on 2.6 GHz is underway. An auction is expected during Q1 2010.
- Telefonica has conducted LTE field tests at its Madrid Demonstrations Center, achieving download speeds over 140 Mbps, and plans to trial LTE on its mobile networks in Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, and the UK.
- Bouygues Telecom has selected an infrastructure partner for Europe’s first LTE trial in the 1800 MHz band. The trial is scheduled to begin in 2010 at a number of sites in the western part of France.
- An auction for 2.6 GHz spectrum recently closed in Finland and three operators (Elisa, TeliaSonera and DNA) won a piece of it; they all plan to deploy LTE.
As for LTE devices, LG is saying that the first LTE handsets should come to market. Samsung and Nokia have already demonstrated LTE modems that you’ll soon see sticking out the side of laptops in cafés all around the world.