Conserving power on 4G Phones

While we can see that the technology in mobile phones have advanced significantly, its still lagging on the battery front and there is no 'Duracell' solution for phones yet.

There is a cambridge (UK) based company called Nujira that is working on doubling the battery life for 4G phones. Here is an extract from Electronics weeely:

Nujira originally designed its RF power modulation technology to increase the efficiency of 650W power amplifiers in 3G mobile basestations. It is now working on a lower power version which should reduce cost and improve power efficiency in next generation 3G LTE (long term evolution) mobile phones.

According to Haynes, the company’s technology, known as HAT (high accuracy tracking), could more than double the time between charges for next generation mobile phones.

After a period when handset battery life has steadily increased with more power efficient designs, the situation could be reversed with the next generation of 3G LTE multimedia handsets.

According to Haynes, there are as many as 14 frequency bands - ten FDD frequency bands and four different TDD frequency bands - defined in 3GPP that can be used for LTE, and it is likely that more bands will be added to this list such as 700MHz in the US.

As current power amplifiers (PAs) can only efficiently cover one or two bands a large number of amplifiers will be needed in a multi-band 4G handset. “Already 3G handsets can have as many as five power amplifiers,” said Haynes.

“So a cost effective wide-band RF power amplifier is a key enabling technology for the creation of 4G handsets and our technology will make it possible to replace five or six narrow-band PAs with just one or two wide-band power amplifiers,” said Haynes.

The technology has already been proven in the basestation market where Haynes said the company has contracts with 10 basestation OEMs. For basestations Nujira has designed a high efficiency, high power DC-DC converter module.

For the handset market, which is potentially much higher volume, Haynes said the company will look at an IP (intellectual property) approach which will see its technology designed into more integrated silicon designs.
Haynes also said the company was developing a version of the power modulator for use in DVB digital broadcast transmitters.

Haynes expects to have its IP-based power modulator for handsets on the market by Mobile World Congress next February.

Top 100 Telecom Blogs

Found this link for Top 100 Telecom Industry blogs. Surprisingly this blog was at No. 60 (atleast when I saw ;)). There are other interesting blogs which may interest you. Have a look here.

All about F-DPCH

Fractional DPCH was added in Rel-6 to optimise the consumption of downlink channelization codes. When using HS-DSCH (High Speed Downlink Shared Channel), the main use for DL DPCH (also known as A-DPCH where A stands for Associated) is to carry power control commands (TPC bits) to the UE in order to adjust the uplink transmission. If all RBs (Radio Bearers) including SRBs (Signalling Radio Bearers) are mapped on to HS-DSCH then the DL codes are being wasted. SF 256 is used for A-DPCH and so every code being used by a user is seriously depleting the codes available for other UE's. To overcome this F-DPCH is used so that multiple UE's can share a single DL channelisation code. The limitation is 10 UEs in Rel-6.

For several users, the network configures each user having the same code but different frame timing and, thus, users can be transmitted on the single code source. The original timing is thus retained which avoids the need to adjust timings based on Release 99 power control loop implementation.

During slots where the DPCCH is not transmitted, the NodeB cannot estimate the uplink signal-to-interference ratio for power-control purposes and there is no reason for transmitting a power control bit in the downlink. Consequently, the UE shall not receive any power control commands on the F-DPCH in downlink slots corresponding to inactive uplink DPCCH slots.

There are some restrictions for FDPCH. It is not usable with services requiring data to be mapped to the DCH, such as AMR speech calls and CS video. Also, the lack of pilot information means that a method like feedback-based transmit diversity (closed loop mode) is not usable. The use of closed loop diversity is based on user-specific phase modification, wherein pilot symbols would be needed for verification of the phase rotation applied. On the other hand, when utilizing the F-DPCH, SRBs can benefit from high data rates of HSDPA and reduce service setup times remarkably

Finally, as you may have already figured out, by using F-DPCH the cell capacity has been improved and at the same time for same number of users, the interference has gone down significantly.

In Release 7, Rel-6 limitation has been removed. In R6, for a given UE in soft handover the TPC from all F-DPCH had to have the same offset timing. In R7, F-DPCH (TPC bits) can have different timing from different cells. This is possible due to introduction of 9 new F-DPCH slot formats (slot format 0 is the legacy F-DPCH slot format). The RRC signalling is done seperately for slot formats from the RNC to each of the cells.

You may also be interested in this Ericsson paper titled "The effect of F-DPCH on VoIP over HSDPA Capacity". Available here.

3GPP Release-9 Features

1. SAES Enhancements (non RAN aspects)
2. Study on Intra Domain Connection of RAN Nodes to Multiple CN Nodes
3. End-User Identity
4. Public Warning System
5. Support of WiMAX - LTE Mobility
6. Support of WiMAX - UMTS Mobility
7. Study on Remote management of USIM application on M2M Equipment
8. Services Alignment
9. Evaluation of LCS Control Plane Solution for EPS
10. Support for IMS Emergency Calls over GPRS and EPS
11. FS on enhanced voice service requirements for the EPS
12. SI on advanced requirements for IP interconnect
13. FS on UTRAN key management enhancements
14. FS on Home (e)NobeB Security
15. Customized Ringing Signal
16. FS on CAT solution for voice and video call in CS domain

HSPA+ in Release-7 and Release-8

Thought of adding this while I am in mode of making lists. So whats in HSPA evolution in Rel-7 and Rel-8. Lot of people are unaware that HSPA+ was big enough to finish off in Rel-7 and was definite to spill over in Rel-8

HSPA+ Features in Release 7

• Higher Order Modulation Schemes
  


• Advantages and weaknesses of higher order modulation
  - Interference Sensitivity
  - QPSK
  - 16-QAM, 64-QAM)
  - Consequences
  - Behavior in Time Variant Mobile Radio Channels
  - Behavior of a time variant mobile radio channel
  - Effect of amplitude variations
  - Effect of phase variations


• 16-QAM for the S-CCPCH (DL)
  - MBSFN only
  - Interleaving
  - Modulation
  - Scaling factors


• 64-QAM for the HS-PDSCH (DL)
  - Interleaving
  - Constellation Rearrangement
  - Modulation
  - Related UE Categories


• 16-QAM for UL (4-PAM for the E-DPDCH)
  - HARQ Rate Matching Stage
  - Interleaver
  - Modulator
  - UE category


• Overview Advantages and Disadvantages
  - Higher peak data rate
  - Better resource utilization
  - Blind choice of modulation scheme
  - High SNIR requirement
  - More TX power requirement
  - Low range
  - Small cell environment
  - Restrictions of use for high UE moving speeds


• Channel Estimation Algorithms
  - Normal Algorithm
  - Gathering pilot information
  - Channel estimation
  - Data detection
  - Advantage
  - Disadvantage
  - Advanced Algorithms
  - Shorter channel estimation window
  - Moving channel estimation window
  - Adaptive detection
  - Turbo detection
  - Advantages
  - Disadvantages


• Performance16-QAM in the UL
  - Performance on Link Level 16-QAM in the UL
  - Performance of BPSK compared to 4-PAM
  - Influence of non-linearity of the power amplifier
  - Performance on System Level
  - Behavior with increasing load
  - Maximum versus average throughput


• Higher Order Modulation Testing
  - Test Setup for 16-QAM in the UL
  - RF components
  - Discussion of the setup
  - Selected Performance Requirements for 16-QAM in the UL
  - BPSK vs. 4-PAM
  - Effect of RX diversity
  - Effect of high degree of multipath
  - Effect of high UE moving speed


• MIMO
  


• Introduction to MIMO Technology
  - The Basics: Signal Fading Physics between TX and RX
  - Scattering
  - Refraction
  - Reflection
  - Diffraction
  - Multiplexing Dimensions
  - The Multipath Dimension
  - MIMO General Operation


• MIMO Feedback Procedure (PCI)
  - Motivation of Spatial Precoding
  - Plain MIMO
  - Multiple rank beamforming
  - Spatial Precoding
  - Codebook, PCI and CQI Loop
  - Codebook
  - PCI and CQI loop


• MIMO Algorithms
  - Linear MIMO Algorithms (Preparation work, Equalizer at the end of the processing chain,
  - Equalizer at the beginning of the processing chain), Non-Linear MIMO Algorithms


• MIMO Performance
  - MIMO Performance on Link Level (SISO vs. SIMO, SIMO vs. MIMO, 2x2 MIMO vs. 4x2
  - MIMO, 16-QAM vs. 64-QAM), Performance on System Level (MIMO vs. SIMO, 50% vs.
  - 75% power allocation, 0% vs. 4% feedback errors)


• MIMO Tests
  - Official Test Setups (Test NodeB, Fading simulator, Noise generator, UE under test, Single stream test setup, Double stream test setup), Quick and Easy Test Setups (The
  easiest test setup, A more reliable test setup: The MIMO circle), Selected Performance
  - Requirement Figures (Conditions, 64-QAM performance, Dual stream MIMO
  performance, Single stream MIMO performance)


• Continuous Packet Connectivity (CPC)
  


• Basic features
  - Uplink Discontinuous Transmission (DTX), Downlink Discontinuous Reception (DRX)


• RRC message ID’s
  - DTX and DRX Information


• CPC Timing
  - Uplink CQI transmission


• Example for Uplink DPCCH Burst Pattern for 10 ms E-DCH TTI
  - Uplink DRX, Downlink DRX


• Uplink DPCCH preamble and postamble
  - Uplink DPCCH preamble and postamble for the DPCCH only transmission, Uplink DPCCH preamble and postamble for the E-DCH transmission, Uplink DPCCH preamble and postamble for the HS-DPCCH transmission


• Example of simultaneous Uplink DTX and Downlink DRX


• CPC and Enhanced F-DPCH
  - Timing Implications for CPC + Enhanced F-DPCCH


• Upgraded L1 Signaling
  


• HS-SCCH Review of Rel. 5 and 6
  - HS-SCCH Frame Structure, HS-SCCH Part 1 and 2 Forward Error Coding Chain, UE
  specific masking of Part 1 and Part 2, HS-PDSCH Code Allocation through Part1 of HSSCCH,
  - Transport Block Size Determination – TFRI Mapping


• HS-SCCH of Rel. 7
  - HS-SCCH Overview of Rel. 7 (HS-SCCH type 1, No HS-SCCH, HS-SCCH type 2, HSSCCH
  type 3), HS-SCCH Type 1 (HS-SCCH Type 1, HS-SCCH Type 1 for Configured 64-QAM Operation, HS-SCCH Orders, 64-QAM Constellation Versions), HS-SCCH Type 2 (for HS-SCCH less operation) (Use of the HS-SCCH-less operation, Procedure HSSCCH-less operation), HS-SCCH Type 3 (HS-SCCH Type 3 Overview, Modulation and
  Transport Block Number , HARQ Process Number, Redundancy Version and
  Constellation Version)


• HS-DPCCH of Rel. 7
  - HS-DPCCH ACK/NACK (ACK-NACK of primary TB in R5, Preamble and postamble in
  R6, ACK-NACK of 2 TB’s in R7), HS-DPCCH PCI and CQI type A and B (CQI in case of
  no MIMO operation, PCI and CQI in case of MIMO with 1 TB (CQI type A), PCI and CQI
  in case of MIMO with 2 TB’s (CQI type B))


• E-AGCH and E-DPCCH
  - Changes in the E-TFCI tables, Changes in the AG tables, Changes in the SG tables


• MAC-ehs Entity versus MAC-hs
  


• UTRAN side MAC-hs Details – CELL_DCH only
  - Flow Control, Scheduling/Priority Handling, HARQ, TFRC selection


• UE side MAC-hs Details – CELL_DCH only
  - HARQ, Reordering Queue distribution, Reordering, Disassembly


• UTRAN side MAC-ehs Details
  - Some advantages of MAC-ehs compared to MAC-hs , Flow Control, HARQ, TFRC
  selection (~ TFRI), LCH-ID mux, Segmentation


• UE side MAC-ehs Details
  - HARQ , Disassembly, Reordering queue distribution, Reordering, Reassembly, LCH-ID demultiplexing


• Differences in the MAC-ehs and MAC-hs Header
  - MAC-hs Header Parameter Description
  - MAC-hs SDU , , MAC-hs Header of MAC-hs PDU), MAC-ehs Header Parameter Description
  - MAC-ehs Header Parameter Details
  - HARQ Process Work Flow in UE – MAC-hs / MAC-ehs
  - Split HS-DSCH Block Functionality
  - Practical Exercise: MAC-hs contra MAC-ehs
  - MAC-hs / MAC-ehs Stall Avoidance
  - Timer-Based Scheme
  - Window Bases Scheme
  - MAC-(e)hs Reordering Functionality – Timer / Window based


• Flexible RLC PDU Sizes
  


• The RLC AMD PDU – Rel. 7 Enhancements
  - The Poll (POLL) super-field
  - RLC AMD Header Fields
  - Release 7 Enhancement of the HE-Field and LI


• Comparison of RLC-AM between Rel. 6 and Rel. 7
  - RLC-AM Overhead using fixed or flexible PDU size
  · RRC State Operation Enhancements


• Transport Channel Type Switching with HSPA in R6
  - Transport Channel Combinations between UL and DL, Radio Bearer Multiplexing Options in Rel. 6


• Operation of UTRA RRC States in Release 7
  - UE Idle mode, CELL_DCH state


• HS-DSCH Reception in CELL_FACH and XXX_PCH
  - Overview (UE dedicated paging in CELL_DCH, CELL_FACH and CELL_PCH, BCCH
  reception in CELL_FACH, FACH measurement occasion calculation, Measurement
  reporting procedure), (1) Operation in the CELL_FACH state (DCCH / DTCH reception in
  CELL_FACH state , User data on HS-DSCH in Enhanced CELL_FACH state), (2) Operation in the CELL_FACH state – Cell Update, (3) RRC Idle to transient CELL_FACH
  (Common H-RNTI selection in CELL_FACH (FDD only), H-RNTI selection when entering
  Connected mode (FDD only) ), Operation in the URA_PCH or CELL_PCH state (Data
  Transfer in CELL_PCH with dH-RNTI, State Transision from CELL_PCH to CELL_FACH
  to CELL_DCH, CELL_PCH and URA_PCH enhanced Paging Procedure)
  

HSPA+ Features in Release 8

• Overview of HSPA+ Related Work Items in R8
  


• Requirements for two branch IC


• CS voice over HSPA


• Performance req. for 15 HSDPA codes


• MIMO + 64-QAM


• Enhanced DRX


• Improved L2 for UL


• Enhanced UL for CELL_FACH


• R3 Enhancements for HSPA


• Enhanced SRNS relocation


• MIMO combined with 64-QAM
  


• New UE Categories
  - Data Rate, Soft IR memory


• L1 Signaling of MIMO and 64-QAM
  - Modulation Schemes and TB Sizes (Signaling on the HS-SCCH type 3, Dilemma to signal
  on the modulation schema and TB number field, Solution), CQI Signaling, CQI Tables
  used

Interested readers can refer to Alcatel-Lucent presentation in HSPA+ Summit here.

There is also an interesting Qualcomm paper titled, "Release 7 HSPA+ For Mobile Broadband Evolution" available here.

3GPP Release 8 Features

Many people are surprised to hear that the Rel-8 of 3GPP is much more than just LTE/SAE. Here is a list of features:

1. Maintenance of TISPAN documentation
   
2. FS on 3G Home NodeB
   
3. FS on Multimedia Session Continuity
   
4. FS on CS Domain Services over evolved PS access
   
5. FS on Transferring of emergency call data – in-band modem solution
   
6. FS on Improved network controlled mobility between LTE and 3GPP2/mobile WiMAX radio technologies
   
7. FS on IMS Application Server Service Data Descriptions for AS interoperability
   
8. FS Restoration Procedures
   
9. Registration in Densely-populated area
   
10. Lawful Interception in the 3GPP Rel-8
    
11. IMS Enhancements for support of Packet Cable access
    
12. Study on Non 3GPP access NSP
    
13. Support of Service-Level Interworking for Messaging Services
    
14. Feasibility Study of Mobility between 3GPP-WLAN Interworking and 3GPP Systems
    
15. Study on Requirements for seamless roaming and service continuity between mobile and WLAN networks
    
16. Study on Stage 2 aspects of IMS Service Brokering
    
17. Study of Requirements of IP-Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) Convergent Multimedia Conferencing
    
18. Study on support of a Public Warning System (PWS)
    
19. Study of VCC support for Emergency Calls
    
20. Study on centralized IMS services
    
21. Study on centralised IMS service control
    
22. Consumer protection against spam and malware
    
23. 3G Long Term Evolution
    
24. GERAN support for GERAN - 3G Long Term Evolution interworking
    
25. Local Charging Zone Requirements
    
26. Enhancements to BS30 Bearer service for Videotelephony
    
27. IMS Enhancements Rel-8
    
28. NDS Authentication Framework Extension for TLS
    
29. Study on Value Added Services for Short Message Service
    
30. Value Added Services for Short Message Service
    
31. Study on Paging Permission with Access Control (PPAC)
    
32. Paging Permission with Access Control
    
33. GAN Enhancements
    
34. Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System
    
35. FS on Extended Support of IMS Emergency Calls
    
36. Study on System enhancements for the use of IMS services in local breakout
    
37. Study on Services Alignment and Migration
    
38. Study on A-interface over IP
    
39. Study on Multi-User Reusing-One-Slot
    
40. Study on Optimized Transmit Pulse Shape for Downlink EGPRS2-B
    
41. Study on InterWorking Function between MAP based and Diameter based interfaces
    
42. Study on Evaluation of the inclusion of Path Loss Based Technology in the UTRAN
    
43. LCS for 3GPP Interworking WLAN
    
44. All-IP Network (AIPN)
    
45. 3GPP System Architecture Evolution Specification
    
46. CT aspects of System Architecture Evolution
    
47. FBI Phase 2
    
48. Rel-8 Feasibility Studies
    
49. IMS Centralised Service Control
    
50. IMS Multimedia Telephony and Supplementary Services
    
51. MTSI Video - Dynamic Rate Adaptation/Signalling of Image Size
    
52. eCall data transfer Phase 2: Comparison of alternative in-band modem solutions and standardization of one in-band modem solution
    
53. Requirements and Test methods for Wideband Terminals
    
54. Extending PSS and MBMS User Services for optimized Mobile TV
    
55. IMS initiated and controlled PSS and MBMS User Service
    
56. Storage and easy access of ICE numbers on USIM
    
57. IP Interconnection of Services
    
58. Network Selection for non-3GPP Access
    
59. Charging for multi-phases services
    
60. Home NodeB / eNodeB
    
61. 3GPP2 Input to Common IMS
    
62. Rel-8 Improvements of the Radio Interface
    
63. OAM&P 8
    
64. OAM&P Rel-8 Studies
    
65. Study of Element Operations Systems Function (EOSF) definition
    
66. Study on SA5 MTOSI XML Harmonization
    
67. Study of Common Profile Storage (CPS) Framework of User Data for network services and management
    
68. Study of Management for LTE and SAE
    
69. Study on Charging Aspects of 3GPP System Evolution
    
70. Study of System Maintenance by Itf-N
    
71. Study of Self-Organizing Networks (SON) related OAM interfaces for Home NodeB
    
72. Study on Self-healing of Self-Organizing Networks (SON)
    
73. Personal Network Management (PNM)
    
74. eCall Data Transfer – Requirements
    
75. IMS System enhancements for corporate network access
    
76. IMS Service Brokering enhancements
    
77. Network Composition
    
78. FS on Scope of future HSPA Evolution for 1.28Mcps TDD
    
79. FS on Synchronised E-DCH for UTRA FDD
    
80. Study on Dual-Cell HSDPA operation
    
81. (FS on) Service continuity between mobile and WLAN networks
    
82. I-WLAN NSP
    
83. Interworking Wireless LAN Mobility
    
84. Multimedia Priority Service
    
85. Multimedia interworking between IMS and CS networks
    
86. Conferencing enhancements for Mp interface
    
87. Enhancements for VGCS Applications
    
88. Contact Manager for 3GPP UICC applications (formerly ""Enhanced USIM Phonebook"")
    
89. Charging Management small Enhancements
    
90. Harmonization of Gq'/Rx for Common IMS
    
91. IMS Service Continuity
    
92. Interworking between User-to-User Signaling (UUS) and SIP
    
93. Support of Overlap signalling
    
94. OSA Rel-8
    
95. Rel-8 RAN improvements
    
96. Combination of 64QAM and MIMO for HSDPA (FDD)
    
97. Security Enhancements for IMS
    
98. Generic Bootstrapping Architecture Push Function
    
99. Support of (G)MSC-S – (G)MSC-S Nc Interface based on the SIP-I protocol
    
100. IMS Stage-3 IETF Protocol Alignment
     
101. New multicarrier BTS class
     
102. Support of Customised Alerting Tone Service
     
103. Facilitating Machine to Machine Communication in GSM and UMTS (M2M)
     
104. SI on AS-MRFC media server control protocol
     
105. AS/MRFC stage 2 and 3 work
     
106. (Small) Technical Enhancements and Improvements for Rel-8
     

US MME Industry to cross $6 Billion by 2012

Revenue from mobile media and entertainment (MME) services in the US will more than double during the next five years, according to the latest research from Analysys. US MME services (excluding messaging, and mobile browsing and data charges) generated US$3.1 billion in revenue in 2007, and Analysys Research forecasts that revenue will grow to $6.6 billion in 2012, at a compound annual growth rate of 16.3%. The strongest growth will not occur until after 2010, as the technical and market environment for MME services improves, according to the latest Analysys report, Mobile Media and Entertainment in the US: forecasts 2007-2012.

Key trends that are driving market growth include:

• Improvements to service accessibility: mobile Web browsing platforms will improve and facilitate access to off-deck content, and presentation of off-deck content will become more streamlined and user friendly.
• Wider availability of content, driven in part by higher-generation network and device penetration: "As 3G, 3.5G and Qualcomm's MediaFLO network coverage increases, a greater range of services will become available to a wider audience, and off-deck content markets (both operator-billed and non-operator-billed) will develop," said Katrina Bond, co-author of the report. "Non-operator-billed revenue from MME content and services will increase significantly during 2007-2012, and will account for $1.3 billion, or nearly 20%, of MME revenue by 2012."
• Improvements to service usability: providers have not focused enough on the end-user experience for MME services, and users' frustration when the experience does not meet their expectations has inhibited the growth of some services.
• Simplified and more attractive pricing of MME content and applications, as well as mobile data access: complex pricing, high data charges, and unfavorable revenue-sharing arrangements for content providers have inhibited growth in the MME market.

Analysys Research forecasts that MME services will account for 12.3% of non-voice service revenue in the US by 2012. Mobile TV and VoD services will experience the highest growth rate of any MME service during the next five years. When combined, broadcast and unicast TV and video services will account for 36% of MME revenue by 2012. By contrast, revenue from personalization services will decline from 47% of total MME revenue in 2007 to 17% in 2012.

"Operators, content providers and device manufacturers will have to work together to increase subscriber awareness of MME offerings and to ensure straightforward pricing, and simpler purchase and delivery processes,"said Alexandra Rehak, co-author of the report. "It is also critical that the user experience of MME services be compelling and complementary to the subscriber's experience of entertainment across other media."

Via: Fierce Wireless.

Security Upgrade from Release 7

For those familiar with the 3G Security (Ciphering + Integrity) architecture will know this well that there is only one Integrity algorithm (UIA1) defined and it is mandatory. On the other hand there are two ciphering algorithms (UEA0 and UEA1) defined. UEA0 in reality means no Ciphering ;). UIA1 and UEA1 are both based on Kasumi algorithm. UEA1 is f8 and UIA1 is f9 algorithms of Kasumi. (Please feel free to correct my terminology if you think its wrong).

From Release 7 there are some additional provisions made for increasing the security.

First lets talk about GSM. Initially only a5_1 and a5_2 algorithms were defined for GSM. They have not been compromised till date and are still secure. Still some new algorithms have been defined to make sure there is a backup if they are ever compromised. a5_3, a5_5 and a5_8 have been defined for GSM/GPRS and GEA3 defined for EDGE.

For UMTS, UEA2 and UIA2 have been defined. They are based on 'Snow 3G' algorithm. Kasumi is a 'blockcipher' algorithm whereas Snow 3G is 'streamcipher'. The interesting thing as far as I understand is that even though this is defined and mandatory for UEs and N/w from Rel7, it wont be used but will only serve as backup. More on this topic can be learnt here.

More detailed information on UIA2 and UEA2 is available here.

There are some enhancements coming in the SIM as well. At present all the Keys are 128bits but there should be a provision that in future, 256 bits can be used.

There are some extensive overhauling of IMS security as well but I havent managed to get a good understanding of that yet.

All the reports from the 3rd ETSI Security Workshop held on Jan 15-16 2008 are available here.

More on LTE-Advanced

LTE-Advanced should be real broadband wireless networks that provide equal or greater peak data rates than those for wired networks, i.e., FTTH (Fiber To The Home), while maintaining equivalent QoS. Smooth introduction of LTE-Advanced should be possible on top of LTE system.

High-level requirements
•Reduced network cost (cost per bit)
•Better service provisioning
•Compatibility with 3GPP systems

Spectrum

WRC 07 identified the following new bands for use by IMT/IMT-Advanced:

• 450−470 MHz band,
• 698−862 MHz band,
• 790−862 MHz band,
• 2.3−2.4 GHz band, and
• 3.4−3.6 GHz band.
  

Not all of these bands are available on a worldwide basis. These bands are in addition to the bands currently specified in 3GPP. Specification for C-band should not be restricted to 3.4 – 3.6 GHz, but cover 3.4 to 3.8 and even 3.4 to 4.2 GHz as these will likely become available in some countries.

Channel Bandwidth

• Channel bandwidths up to 100 MHz to be specified
• However, for many operators consecutive allocation of 100 MHz unlikely
• optimised performance needed for smaller bandwidths of e.g. 50 MHz low cost/complexity (i.e. not fully flexible) resource aggregation to be considered
  

Interworking with legacy 3GPP RAT

• Full low complexity (for NW and terminal) interworking with 3GPP RAT, so operator de facto has flexibility on technology to deploy, when and where. The networks of most operators will be a combination of multiple 3GPP RAT for many years to come.
• Network Sharing: Support for at least all currently specified Network Sharing features, also to facilitate cost-efficient roll out of LTE-Advanced, including, but not limited to, rural area coverage.
  

Working Methods

• As LTE-Advanced should be an evolution of LTE, it is essential that it is specified as part of the 36-series of specifications.
• It is also essential work is performed to a large degree by the experts that developed LTE, and thus work ideally should be performed in existing Working Groups.
• LTE-Advanced will likely constitute the next significant development step for LTE, but (smaller) stand-alone enhancements and additions to LTE should be possible, and progressed in parallel.
• Some of these smaller enhancements, as well as the “corrections” to LTE Release 8 could/should be captured in Rel.9, where SAE considerations will lead to relatively short Release completion time-frame.
  

More details on LTE-Advanced workshop in China here.

The workshop docs are available here.

LTE-Advanced = IMT-Advanced = 4G(or 5G?)

The 3GPP TSG RAN workshop on IMT-Advanced was held (in the week after the RAN WG meetings) on April 7-8, 2008 in Shenzhen, China hosted by ZTE Corporations. The main conclusions from the workshop are:

• LTE Advanced shall be an evolution of LTE.
  o LTE terminal shall be supported in LTE-advanced networks.
  o An LTE-Advanced terminal can work in an LTE part of the network.
  o Primary focus of LTE-Advanced is low mobility users.
• All requirements/targets in TR25.913 apply to LTE-Advanced.LTE-Advanced requirements shall fulfill IMT-Advanced requirements within the ITU-R time plan
• For LTE-Advanced:
  o Same inter-RAT interworking capability with at least same performance as in LTE Release 8
  o Intra-RAT handover performance shall be same or better than LTE Release 8
• As a way forward for LTE-Advanced it was agreed:
  o TSG RAN email reflector for LTE-Advanced will be established (the new reflector is called 3GPP_TSG_RAN_LTE_ADVANCED and it is available since 21.04.2008)
  § Email discussions on LTE-Advanced requirements will be started on this reflector (moderator: Takehiro Nakamura, NTT DoCoMo, LTE-Advanced SI rapporteur).
  o A new TR will be created (after the workshop it was decided to create TR 36.913 "Requirements for LTE-Advanced") to include LTE-Advanced requirements and updated by RAN WG meetings in May 2008 referring to structure of 25.913 and outcome of the workshop.(note: Allocation of the TR number 36.xyz was done after the workshop.)
  o Review of the outcome of this workshop and kick-off of discussions about LTE-Advanced requirements and technical solutions in RAN WG meetings in May 2008 in Kansas City.The goal is to complete LTE-Advanced requirements at RAN #40 in Prague end of May 2008 according to agreed work plan (i.e. TR 36.913 will be provided to RAN #40).