LTE-A Will Add to Mobile Broadband Confusion, Heavy Reading Reports

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Although Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) is likely to play a critical role in mobile broadband services in the second half of this decade, its initial impact is likely to add to the current market confusion over mobile broadband standards and performance claims, according to the latest report from Heavy Reading 4G/LTE Insider, a paid research service of Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com).

LTE-Advanced: The Hope Beyond the Hype identifies and analyzes key issues that will affect the rollout of LTE-A technology. It includes a look at how LTE-A fits in with other technologies and trends, including small cells, Wi-Fi offloading and cloud radio access network (RAN). This analysis is based on input from a representative sampling of operators, infrastructure vendors, silicon suppliers, trade associations and other ecosystem members.

For a list of companies included in this report, http://img.lightreading.com/uni/pdf/4gltei0412_companies.pdf

"Wireless has always been a game of one-upmanship, as operators and vendors look to leapfrog competitors by rolling out a next-generation technology," notes Tim Kridel, research analyst with Heavy Reading 4G/LTE Insider and author of the report. "Although most operators have barely begun building LTE networks, a few are planning to launch commercial LTE-A as early as the first quarter of 2013."

Unlike LTE, LTE-A doesn't require network-wide forklift upgrades and wholesale architectural changes, says Kridel. "In that regard, LTE-A will provide an incremental boost to infrastructure spending through the end of this decade," he continues. "That's not to say that LTE-A is a small revenue opportunity. Just the opposite: Eventually the entire mobile ecosystem will migrate to LTE-A."

Key findings of LTE-Advanced: The Hope Beyond the Hype include:

• LTE-Advanced is a buffet of technologies, rather than a rigid checklist of must-haves.
• Despite its fast uplink and downlink speeds, LTE-A won't end operator and customer reliance on Wi-Fi.
• LTE-A will spur the markets for fiber backhaul, small cells and VoLTE.
• Although some operators plan to launch commercial service by 2013, LTE-A won't be mainstream until 2015 or later.
• LTE-A's higher-order MIMO will drive additional tower and site-lease fees, albeit not until 2016 or later.
• The first LTE-A devices won't debut until 2014, a couple of quarters after the first commercial networks.
• HSPA+ has the speeds, coverage and features to compete with LTE-A for at least the first few years.

LTE-Advanced: The Hope Beyond the Hype is available as part of an annual single-user subscription (6 issues per year) to Heavy Reading 4G/LTE Insider, priced at $1,595. Individual reports are available for $900 (single-user license).

To subscribe, or for more information, please visit: www.heavyreading.com/4glte. For more information on all Insider services, please visit www.heavyreading.com/research.

To request a free executive summary of the report, or for details on multi-user licensing options, please contact:

Jeff Claudino
Director of Sales
Insider Research Services
619-229-9940
claudino@lightreading.com

Press/analyst contact:
Jennifer Baker
Marketing Director, Light Reading Communications Network
617-871-1910
jbaker@lightreading.com

About Heavy Reading (www.heavyreading.com)
Heavy Reading is an independent research organization offering deep analysis of emerging telecom trends to network operators, technology suppliers, and investors. Its product portfolio includes in-depth reports that address critical next-generation technology and service issues, market trackers that focus on the telecom industry's most critical technology sectors, exclusive worldwide surveys of network operator decision-makers that identify future purchasing and deployment plans, and a rich array of custom and consulting services that give clients the market intelligence needed to compete successfully in the $4 trillion global telecom industry. As a telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network (www.lrcn.com), Heavy Reading contributes to the only integrated business information platform serving the global communications industry.

About Light Reading Communications Network (www.lrcn.com)
The Light Reading Communications Network combines the most trusted telecom research brands with award-winning online communities and a rich events portfolio to deliver the only integrated business information platform serving the global communications industry.   With the power of this platform, leaders who build, deploy, finance, and regulate next-generation telecom networks are able to make more informed decisions on emerging market and service opportunities.  Light Reading Communications Network is a division of UBM TechWeb (www.ubmtechweb.com), the global leader in technology media and business information. 

SOURCE Heavy Reading