WiMAX and LTE—4G-ing ahead
Both WiMAX and LTE apply OFDMA and MIMO technology to improve system capacity and reduce signal latency.
Vijay Mathew, Industry Analyst, Measurement & Instrumentation Practice, Frost & Sullivan, www.frost.com -- Test & Measurement World, 12/1/2009 2:00:00 AM
With Qualcomm discontinuing development of its UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband) technology in November 2008, the competition for the coveted 4G wireless title is down to a two-horse race: WiMAX and LTE. These technologies, capable of delivering fixed and mobile high-speed data services, have the communication industry wondering which is the best solution for mobile broadband.
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Despite the media hype, intense debates, and expected comparison to the GSM vs. CDMA rivalry, WiMAX and LTE have more similarities than differences. They both claim to outperform 3G with data speeds of up to 100 Mbps and have the potential to replace wired broadband connections.
Consumer demand for true mobile broadband wireless communications has accelerated the evolution to 4G technologies. Although WiMAX evolved from Fixed WiMAX and LTE evolved from GSM, SPRS/EDGE, UMTS, and HSPA technologies, they both apply OFDMA (orthogonal frequency-division multiple access) and MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) technology to improve system capacity and reduce signal latency. Both technologies are also IP-based instead of mobile-phone-network based.
Where the two technologies do differ is in their development life cycle. WiMAX is available today, with the WiMAX Forum claiming there are over 455 WiMAX networks deployed in more than 135 countries. LTE, on the other hand, is still in its testing phase, with Verizon Wireless announcing trial networks at the end of 2009 with a first commercial launch planned for 2010; mass commercial deployments are not expected until 2012.
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Just as GSM’s dominance of the global cellular marketplace is attributed to its early deployment in comparison with CDMA, WiMAX loyalists have reiterated that its head start over LTE has already decided the fate of this 4G race. LTE forerunners, however, will be quick to point out that LTE is the natural evolution of GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA networks, which account for 80% of mobile subscribers globally, a crucial advantage that negates WiMAX’s first-mover advantage.
WiMAX and LTE will play vital roles in their own way and are more likely to coexist than compete. From a test and measurement perspective, the advantage is clearly with LTE, just by virtue of the backing it enjoys from a number of leading carriers across the globe. LTE is also in its development stage, creating testing opportunities that cover the full LTE development life cycle, from early R&D device and base-station testing to monitoring and installation and maintenance applications. Although the R&D phase for WiMAX is over, test equipment vendors still see growth opportunities. The demand for mobile WiMAX devices is growing, and more networks are deployed across the globe, helping countries bridge the digital divide, particularly in emerging nations.
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