LTE (telecommunication)

Long Term Evolution (LTE ) is a wireless standard for fourth generation (3.9 G standard ), which can achieve much higher per second download speeds of up to 300 megabits. The basic scheme of UMTS is maintained at LTE. Thus, a rapid and cost-effective retrofitting the infrastructures of the UMTS technology ( 3G standard ) to LTE -Advanced ( 4G standard ) is possible. LTE Advanced is backwards compatible with LTE. The frequency ranges used differ regionally and vary from about 800 to 2600 MHz.

• 4.2.1 2.6 GHz frequency band
• 4.2.2 800/900/1800-MHz-Frequenzbänder

History

A precursor to LTE concept was introduced by Nortel Networks under the name High Speed ​​OFDM Packet Access ( HSOPA ). LTE uses Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing techniques (OFDM ), and Multiple-Input/Multiple-Output-Antennentechnologie (MIMO). That should be the mobile operators are able to offer cost-effective high-rate data services and thus make the mobile Internet to the mass market. The low latency in LTE allow the transmission of voice services (VoIP ) and video telephony over the Internet protocol and the use of time-critical applications such as online games.

Already very high data rates are possible with UMTS. It is expected that the demand for mobile Internet services continue to increase. In contrast to the alternative technology LTE WiMAX will enable mobile operators a cost-effective evolutionary migration path from UMTS to LTE over HSDPA and HSUPA. LTE support, in contrast to UMTS different bandwidths (1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz) and can therefore be used flexibly in different spectra future. OFDM enables this by a larger number of sub-carriers, easy to scale bandwidth. At 20 MHz ( according to standard corresponds to the use of 1200 subcarriers ) to peak data rates of 300 Mbps in the downlink and reaches 75 Mbps in the uplink with latencies below 5ms and so the long-term competitiveness of UMTS systems are backed up. In the uplink with SC-FDMA ( OFDMA DFTS ) an OFDMA -like access method used, which is characterized by a low peak - to-average ratio ( PAR), thus reducing the energy consumption of mobile phones.

In the first version of LTE (Release 8) five terminal classes are available at different data rates available. Although the highest class with 4x4 MIMO and 64QAM modulation meets the expected data rates of 300 Mbps in the downlink and 75 Mbps on the uplink, the first terminals will normally set much lower data rates are available only with 2x2 MIMO in the downlink and without 64 QAM work in the uplink. All terminals must support a bandwidth of 20 MHz.

Siemens Networks, Nokia today Solutions and Networks, has been shown already in September 2006 together with the Nomor Research GmbH for the first time an emulator of an LTE network with live applications. In the downlink, while two users were presented with a HDTV application, while a live gaming application was shown in the uplink. In December 2006, then the world's first LTE demonstrator was shown at the ITU TELECOM WORLD in Hong Kong. After expansion of the demonstrator data was in May 2007 in an experiment in the Munich office of Nokia Siemens Networks successfully with up to 108 MBit / s transfer in the upstream on a LTE network. This data rate was through the use of "Virtual MIMO " - are equaled or SDMA technologies. It was two cooperating LTE terminals, each equipped with a transmitting antenna in the uplink transmit data simultaneously in the same frequency band. Using suitable MIMO algorithm, the superimposed data streams can be separated by their spatial " distance". With this technology, the company Nokia Networks Solutions and holds the world speed record in the downlink of 1.3 Gbit / s

At the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Ericsson demonstrated first time in 2008 an end-to -end connection with LTE on compact mobile devices. It was demonstrated data rates of 25 Mbit / s in the uplink and downlink. In March 2008 250 Mbps have been demonstrated in a field test of NTT DoCoMo. The end of 2008 an LTE chip was demonstrated by LG, which achieves data rate of 60 Mbps, which is about eight times the HSDPA CAT8 data rate of 7.2 Mbps.

The plan of the 3GPP standardization is to adopt the final standard in late 2009. After Inter- Operability tests and other field tests of 2009, the construction of the first networks is expected in 2010.

On 14 December 2009, the first commercial LTE networks by TeliaSonera in Stockholm and Oslo were put into operation. In the first stage, they reach a downstream data rate of 100 Mbit / s and an upstream data rate of 50 Mbit / s In the course of 2010 are to be supplied with LTE networks by TeliaSonera, the 25 largest Swedish and four largest Norwegian cities. In March 2012, TeliaSonera already supplied 100,000 users with LTE.

In Germany the auction of the use planned for LTE spectrum licenses end of May 2010 came to an end. The German network operators spent a total of 4.4 billion euro for the licenses. The three network operators Telekom Germany, Vodafone and Telefónica Germany (O2) then started testing to gain experience with the operation of LTE.

On 30 August 2010, the German Telekom has taken the first LTE radio mast in Kyritz ( Ostprignitz -Ruppin ) in operation. In Austria Mobilkom Austria has begun commercial operation of LTE in Vienna as well as T -Mobile Austria in Innsbruck on 19 October 2010.

Vodafone offers since December 1, 2010 as the first German mobile network operators LTE for consumers in combination with an LTE surf stick. Since 15 March 2011, Vodafone also offers LTE tariffs with telephony / phone connection, it involves voice-over- IP ( Internet telephony). In contrast, the Telekom LTE is switched as a supplement to existing landline phone connection (so no internet telephony as it is Vodafone). Vodafone since April and the German Telekom publish detailed information on the 2011 supplied with LTE areas in their LTE network coverage maps. The introduction of LTE in urban areas and large cities is planned for summer / fall 2011. Cologne is Dusseldorf supplied as the first city in July since September 2011 with LTE. The Telefónica Germany started with the O2 brand its offer in early July 2012 in the first major cities of Dresden and Nuremberg.

The German Telekom had opened with LTE in 1800 MHz 100 cities in Germany in late 2012. In these areas it is possible with up to 100 Mbit / s mobile to surf the Internet while at 800 MHz rural areas are covered.

Vodafone supplied 160 larger cities ( over 50,000 inhabitants) with LTE in the 800 - megahertz spectrum. In September 2013, Vodafone reached nationwide with 5,600 base stations a population coverage of 66 percent.

O2 has supplied about 11 major metropolitan areas with LTE by mid-2013 and it uses the frequencies around 800 MHz, which are occasionally supplemented by LTE - cells in the 2600 MHz range. Medium term, wants to build a Germany -wide LTE network at 800 MHz O2. In 2013, the introduction of Voice over LTE ( VoLTE ) is planned. O2 uses the fiber optic network of Telekom to further transport the data from the LTE network.

For 2013, both the German Telekom, Vodafone and O2 were planning to expand their LTE network. E-Plus was announced in January 2013 that also the remaining fourth mobile network operator strives for its LTE rollout in 2013. Subsequently, the company wants to offer, among others, in the E-Plus -LTE test regions Dusseldorf, Wachtendonk, Cloppenburg, Bonn and Chemnitz. In addition, E-Plus plans to provide LTE to Aschaffenburg and Landau. In February 2014, the E-Plus Group announced that from March 2014 LTE will be available to all customers. 2015 aims to Vodafone to offer LTE almost everywhere in Germany.

Vodafone has announced the expansion of the LTE network to support the Category 4 models (short Cat4 LTE ) for the second half of 2013. This should be possible with appropriate devices download speeds of up to 150 MBit / s. First, the base stations in Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Dresden and Munich should be upgraded accordingly. Mid- November 2013 launch O2 and Vodafone independently first field experiments with LTE Category 6 in their networks, creating a maximum download speed of 225 Mbit / s is achieved. While O2 equips an LTE radio cell in Munich with the new technology, Vodafone is in the vicinity of the Technical University of Dresden LTE-Advanced ready with carrier aggregation.

Conversion

Mobile networks consist of radio cells in which the connections are established. If a mobile phone or other device, such as a laptop with UMTS card is powered on, so this device reports due to the data stored on the SIM card data over the network database at the mobile telephone network. The device initially logs on to a local database, which may include multiple " honeycomb ". When moving the device, recognizes this, the software of the mobile communication device and automatically logs on to the next local exchange. The signal construction scheme did not change in its gross structure even when the networks were expanded to include the " Third Generation " counting UMTS technology. If the existing networks will be upgraded within the next ten years, as the mobile phone manufacturer Nokia believed to LTE, also here the basic scheme will be maintained. The advantage of this approach: it can the existing infrastructure be used merely have to be expanded to include the technical components. So that means that you - in simple terms - installed the LTE components to the existing radio masts.

LTE is based on the currently prevailing infrastructure of UMTS technology, so as to achieve a rapid and relatively inexpensive upgrade from 3G standard for the 4G standard. One of the biggest advantages over the currently existing UMTS networks is up to 100 megabits per second, much higher download rate. Devices may be permanently connected to the LTE standard to the Internet. The advantage here: Depending on your wireless service provider could operate permanently with an online instant messenger video calling. " Anytime - anywhere", so always and everywhere to be able to operate mobile communication, but 4G is available. Primary you mean: ubiquitous wireless broadband internet access. Multimedia Messaging Service ( MMS), video chat, high-definition radio ( HD radio ), mobile TV, High definition TV content (HDTV ), DVB and normal calls should be possible in this network. Experts call the latter property as " minimal service like voice and data".

Extension LTE-Advanced

Similar to UMTS with its protocol extensions such as HSPA for faster transfer speeds, there is also a protocol extension for LTE called LTE -Advanced.

LTE is a 3.9 G standard in the context of 3GPP, which is not completely fulfilled the 4G definitions of the Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU- T) is advertised for marketing reasons but as 4G. The planned successor to LTE is located in the standardization of IMT -Advanced 4G mobile standard called LTE -Advanced. The successor was unveiled at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona and is to be implemented by Nokia Siemens Networks ( NSN). LTE-Advanced is expected to be realized in Germany in the first half of 2013.

LTE situation in different countries

Germany

Spectrum auction in 2010

The Federal Network Agency auctioned on April 12, 2010 to May 20, 2010 frequencies in the 800 MHz, 1.8 GHz (previously used by the Bundeswehr ), 2 GHz ( former Quam and Centennial licenses for UMTS) and 2.6 GHz for wireless access for the provision of telecommunications services. The frequencies in the 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz will be used in all probability from the four German mobile operators for LTE. The German Telekom used notwithstanding this, also 1800 MHz.

On August 30, 2010, until then abstract assigned frequencies were assigned to 800 MHz and 2.6 GHz in the fields.

1800 MHz frequency band (E - UTRA Band 3 )

The German Telekom and E-Plus also use the 1800 MHz band for LTE.

800 - MHz frequency band (E - UTRA band 20, the EU Digital Dividend )

Since frequencies in the 800 MHz range for television broadcasting and wireless microphones, for example, be used or have been, the allocation of frequencies was controversial in this field. So collided in Munich a mixed private and in Nuremberg RTL - multiplexing of digital terrestrial television with LTE. During the mixed private multiplex moved to another channel, RTL ended his DVB-T broadcast in Nuremberg. See also Digital Dividend.

2.6 GHz frequency band (E - UTRA Band 7)

Austria

2.6 GHz frequency band

On 20 September 2010, the frequency of RTR auction has been completed. Frequencies were awarded in the 2.6 GHz range as follows:

800/900/1800-MHz-Frequenzbänder

As announced by the RTR 2012 for 2013 now beginning September 2013 start the auction of 28 blocks in the bands 800, 900 and 1800 MHz. Before the actual auction can Newcomer ( outside the three incumbents Mobilkom, T-Mobile, Hutchinson ( 3) ) bid 2 frequency blocks at a lower price. The auction shall be by secret until the results are published.

Dispute License periods: T- Mobile has been criticized and complained that ( 800 900 MHz) can be re-made available in 2016 and 2018 with this auction frequencies to stand still until 2019 as a GSM frequencies available and for which the company has paid licenses that still have several million € book value.

On 21 October 2013, announced that Telekom Austria will pay almost € 1 billion, T -Mobile € 700 million and "3" ( Hutchinson ) € 300 million. The auctioned bands can also be used for LTE.

Outcome of the auction:

Switzerland

In September 2010, Swisscom turned in the town of Grenchen first time an LTE test network in the frequency band 2600 MHz. After successful field trial Bled Swisscom launched in November 2011 with a LTE pilot project in the frequency band 1800 MHz in the Alpine town of Davos. In December 2011, Grindelwald, Gstaad, Leukerbad, Montana, Saas Fee and St. Moritz / Celerina were added as additional pilot projects. From January 2012, LTE could also be tested in selected Swisscom shops in the frequency band 2600 MHz.

In February 2012, all existing and new mobile frequencies were reassigned in a unique auction. The concessions were granted a technology-neutral, so the following frequency bands are potentially suitable for the deployment of LTE in Switzerland:

The new mobile frequencies were the company Swisscom, Sunrise and Orange allocated and brought the federal government about a billion Swiss francs. The frequencies in the 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz (E - UTRA bands 20, 3 and 7 ) will be used in all probability from the three Swiss mobile operators for LTE. Since November 29, 2012 LTE in Switzerland is commercially available; currently is already 85 % of the Swiss population an LTE network.

Swisscom has taken their LTE network on 29 November 2012 as the first network in Switzerland in commercial operation. The mobile network operator using the frequencies in the 800 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz (E - UTRA bands 20, 3 and 7). In May 2013, Swisscom increased the maximum download speed at 150 Mbit / s and announced that unlock LTE in July 2013 for prepaid customers. The LTE network Swisscom is currently ( December 2013 ) in 1400 places available and already supplies 85 % of the population. Swisscom introduced on 21 June 2013 as the first supplier of Switzerland international LTE roaming one with which European mobile users were the first to use LTE networks on other continents. They started the LTE roaming with South Korea; now 7 more countries have joined.

On May 28, 2013 Orange launched as the second mobile operator with its LTE network in 113 locations and a coverage of 35 % of the population. As the first provider in the Swiss mobile market, Orange is offering LTE also for prepaid customers. Until the end of 2013 Orange is planning a population coverage of 71 %; the download speed is to be increased from the current 100 Mbit / s to 150 Mbit / s.

The network operator Sunrise switched on June 19, 2013 be free LTE network for commercial operation. While the network initially supplied only 22 % of the population, it reached a coverage of 50 % in December 2013. Sunrise at the moment mainly uses the E- UTRA Band 3 (1800 MHz). As of 2014, the other two frequency bands 7 (2600 MHz ) and 20 ( 800 MHz) to be expanded.

Spain

In Spain, the LTE network expansion is progressing very slowly. Telefónica, the local hero in Spain, has been established only LTE test networks in Madrid and Barcelona. Vodafone Spain launched on 29 May in 2013 4G / LTE network and offers a category -4 network with up to 150 megabits / s download speed and 50 Mbit / s upload speed. Vodafone Spain has it already supplies the cities of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia with LTE. Vodafone uses the LTE frequencies 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz to continue network expansion in Spain in the cities.:

Worldwide

Worldwide, different frequency bands are used:

• North America: 700 MHz and 2100 MHz, Sprint Nextel and T -Mobile at 1900 MHz
• Eastern Europe: 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2600 MHz
• Asia- Pacific: 850 MHz, 1500 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz
• Western Europe, Middle East and Africa: 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz