Reader Forum: Entering the house of 4G

Editor’s Note: Welcome to our weekly Reader Forum section. In an attempt to broaden our interaction with our readers we have created this forum for those with something meaningful to say to the wireless industry. We want to keep this as open as possible, but maintain some editorial control so as to keep it free of commercials or attacks. Please send along submissions for this section to our editors at: [email protected] or [email protected].
When mobile WiMAX first arrived on the scene about five years ago, it boasted a first-to-market advantage in providing a technology that would help operators meet the growing demand for wireless broadband far more cost-effectively than existing 3G technologies. And then, a curious thing happened. Mobile WiMAX proved to be a disruptive force in the telecommunications industry, unwittingly helping to quicken the arrival of Long Term Evolution (LTE).
With both of these next-generation technologies on the horizon, an industry debate over which was the superior technology – and if WiMAX would survive – began to ensue. Soon, the various camps had lined up behind each of the nascent technologies.
But as the number of mobile WiMAX networks continued to grow and the world’s first commercial LTE networks were set to debut in late 2009, it became obvious to Motorola that there are two correct answers – WiMAX and LTE – to the question of which 4G technology is best suited to help operators as they struggle to meet consumers’ seemingly insatiable appetite for data on the go.
While WiMAX and LTE started in different places because of the variance in operators’ business models, there are no limits to the fixed and mobile applications of WiMAX and LTE. Both enable the media experiences people want while enabling new applications previously available only on a wired connection – thus providing new revenue opportunities for operators.
The “4G house”
We believe both WiMAX and LTE will co-exist, and in fact, will live in the same “4G House”.
Here’s why. Both WiMAX and LTE are all-IP technologies based on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM).These technologies shift the fundamental architecture from a circuit to a packet-based world. That’s important as they both will deliver the lowest cost per bit for operators.
As the only vendor in the industry that has expertise in, commitment to and investment in WiFi, WiMAX, FDD-LTE and TD-LTE, Motorola offers a complementary set of options to deliver 4G. This is what operators need to fulfill the needs of data hungry users and make a profit in the process.
We envision markets where WiMAX and LTE not only co-exist, but complement one another and work in tandem for operators to provide the most advantageous mix of technologies and best use of licensed and unlicensed spectrum to meet their particular business needs and provide the bandwidth consumers need. It’s a matter of survival.
Data demand pressuring operators
Today’s demands to deliver mobile broadband data – from video to social media, to navigational and location-based services – make it far more complex for operators than in the past. They are challenged by the needs for more speed, spectrum, capacity and coverage – all at a time when the impact of flat-rate data plans and tough economic times are complicating their financial picture.
The only way for today’s operators to meet consumer demands for constant connectivity and great personal media experiences is for them to use a variety of solutions – whether a combination of licensed, unlicensed, WiMAX, FDD-LTE, TD-LTE and/or WiFi – and plan now for future growth. After all, this demand for mobile data is not slowing anytime soon.
The demand for data any time, anywhere continues unabated and no longer is confined to the Millennial generation. Motorola’s recent Media Engagement Barometer study revealed an important new finding about Americans. Their need to be constantly connected now spans multiple generations, namely people from ages 16 to 64. The barometer findings clearly show how networking technologies have had a powerful impact on integrating different facets of people’s lives.
Continuing to deliver and enhance consumer experiences requires operators to get creative in how and which technologies they use to build their networks. In fact, it may not be a homogenous solution at all. Take AT&T, for example. The demand on its network caused by the extraordinarily appealing multimedia experiences available on the iPhone means it has to use a combination of 3G networks and WiFi while it bypasses HSPA+ on its migration to a planned LTE deployment in 2011.
The race to 4G
In December 2009, the WiMAX Forum reported there were 519 WiMAX networks worldwide and the Global Suppliers Association (GSA) said there were more than 50 LTE network commitments in 24 countries. In Sweden, TeliaSonera already has launched the world’s first commercial LTE network in Stockholm.
There is a broad range of industry estimates for subscribers of 4G technologies within the next five years with both WiMAX and LTE showing signs of healthy growth. While much attention has been paid to FDD-LTE, some operators are starting to consider TD-LTE to be a viable solution because of spectrum availability, its traditionally lower cost, and flexibility around shifting upstream/downstream capacity.
With data consumption on the rise, the additional TD-LTE spectrum offers some scope for future network capacity expansion. Still, for today’s operators to succeed in providing critically needed bandwidth, they must mix and match all of the 4G technologies to provide cost-effective backhaul.
Leveraging the all-IP architecture
Motorola’s first commercial LTE deployments will be based on our third-generation WiMAX products that have been proven and field-hardened and for which algorithms have been optimized to deliver the best performance in a real-world environment. On the FDD-LTE front, Motorola was selected last year by KDDI to be a key vendor in the build out of its nationwide LTE network.
Motorola’s is also developing TD-LTE. This variant of LTE is gaining global traction as a result of the leadership of China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC), which is championing the use of TD-LTE at the World Expo 2010 Shanghai China, a six-month “world’s fair” that is expected to attract 70 million visitors.
Motorola was selected by CMCC to be the primary TD-LTE solution partner to provide indoor coverage for all major pavilions at Shanghai Expo, a task that will require more than 20 eNodeBs providing TD-LTE coverage for an area that is equivalent to the size of the National Mall in Washington D.C. or one-third the size of the principality of Monaco. This also will be the first time the general public will be able to experience an LTE network with laptops and the world’s first TD-LTE dongle that will be launched by Motorola and handed out for use at the event. This will also be the first time a significant level of real, live wireless broadband data will be carried by an LTE network.
4G choices today; options for the future
As more consumers discover what they can do with a 4G network and new broadband devices, there will be more pressure on operators to move to 4G sooner rather than later so they can meet the growing data demand and deliver personalized experiences. Operators have important decisions to make about which 4G technologies will provide the best combination for them to start with given their unique circumstances. There are a number of options in the “4G House” to meet their requirements, and they need to consider all of them.
And future improvements to the house are already being architected. The industry is planning for what’s next, with work underway on both WiMAX 802.16m and LTE-Adv
anced, both of which will add even more capacity and performance t
o the network. Motorola will keep pace with this growth as we remain committed to delivering all of the 4G options our customers will require – from licensed to unlicensed, WiFi to WiMAX, and FDD-LTE to TD-LTE.

Bruce Brda manages Motorola’s Networks business which encompasses 4G, legacy 2G and 3G technologies and services. Motorola’s 4G solutions draw upon its success and leadership in WiMAX, which is being leveraged for its LTE solutions. Motorola has contracts with nearly 40 WiMAX operators worldwide – more than half of whom have launched commercial service – and has been selected by KDDI as a key development vendor for its nationwide LTE network.