Material Gains Seen in 2014 Through LTE-Advanced Network Deployments

LTE-Advanced is a mobile communication standard and a major enhancement of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. It has actually been around for a while since it was formally submitted as a candidate 4G system to ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) in late 2009, as meeting the requirements of the IMT-Advanced standard was standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in March 2011 as 3GPP Release 10.

While it is a fact that the LET-Advanced standard has been around for several years, it has only really become noticed as a reality this year. According to a study conducted by ABI Research, who provides in-depth analysis and quantifiable forecasting of trends in global connectivity, as well as other emerging technologies, first quarter 2014 results show that there are a combination of somewhere in the neighborhood of about 60 LTE-Advanced trials, commitments and commercial deployments worldwide.

ABI’s “Wireless Spectrum, Services and Technology Deployment Tracker” is designed to provide a comprehensive source of information about mobile network providers, their operating spectra and network technologies on a worldwide level. This quarterly research service provides a comprehensive set of market data that analyze the key performance metrics shaping the regional and global mobile carrier landscape. The “Mobile Deployment” market data includes a comprehensive list of all operational wireless networks along with their operating frequency bands and wireless technologies. 

The largest commitment can be seen in Western Europe. The report indicates that this region has just slightly under a 37 percent share with 22 commitments. The Asia-Pacific region was next with about a 26 percent share coming in with 16 commitments. As of the first quarter, North America only had five commitments.

Another market that is also making great strides recently is Voice over LTE (VoLTE). This market is gaining a lot of traction this year. For the mobile providers, this service provides voice services alongside LTE mobile broadband in a reliable and profitable way, which is something that the mobile providers are pleased with.

Marina Lu, who is a research analyst at ABI Research, believes that “Carrier aggregation (CA) is the most important feature of LTE-Advanced, which helps mobile carriers to utilize all spectrum resources to increase data rates. In France, Bouygues Telecom first utilized CA to launch LTE-Advanced in six cities in mid-June, 2014, while Orange France and SFR also announced they will commercially deploy LTE-Advanced. Apart from CA, LTE-Advanced also incorporates other enhancements, like advanced antenna techniques, interference management, and efficient use of heterogeneous networks.”

Jake Saunders, vice president and practice director at ABI Research, said, “To date, most of the mobile carriers in Europe and developed countries of Asia-Pacific and Middle East have already secured 4G spectrum. A major spectrum auction of 1,700 MHz and 2,100 MHz will take place in the United States in November 2014. Competition is expecting to be robust between the major United Sates carriers AT&T, Verizon Wireless, etc.”

These comments stem from the fact that on a global level some regions have either already completed or on the verge of completing 4G spectrum auctions. Of the remaining auctions, yet to take place, close to 75 percent will be taking place in Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Africa. You may recall that several months ago, AT&T was debating if it would participate in this auction. Its feeling was that they would be limited in the amount of spectrum that they would have the opportunity to bid on. We will see what the ultimate decision will be in a few months.

If you find yourself in Los Vegas this week, check out TMC’s Super Wi-Fi Summit, it runs until August 14. The conference is about providing you with the knowledge you need to use Super Wi-Fi to satisfy spectrum requirements for new products and revenue opportunities; without the need for carrier network build outs. You can also find out who we consider to be 2014’s LTE Visionary Award winners.