Sprint will deploy LTE-Advanced in the first half of 2013
CHICAGO--Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) will deploy LTE-Advanced technology on its 800 MHz spectrum by the first half of 2013, a key executive said. Speaking at a breakfast meeting at the 4G World conference here, Sprint's vice president of network development and engineering, Iyad Tarazi, said that the company will deploy LTE-Advanced Release 10 in a 10x10 configuration by the first half of 2013. The company estimates that with LTE-Advanced it will be able to achieve 12-15 Mbps download speeds.
I'm guessing that Sprint means it will be using PCS spectrum for 10x10MHz LTE - since they don't have 20MHz at 800 - and supplementing that capacity with a smaller LTE deployment at 800MHz.
Tarazi added that Sprint will continue to invest in its EV-DO network to support its existing 3G smartphone customers, including its new iPhone 4S subscribers. Part of that investment includes small cells. Tarazi said the company currently has more than 500,000 femtocells deployed and he expects that to grow to more than 1 million by the first half of 2013. In addition, he expects the company will deploy LTE picocells in 2012.
500,000 femtocells....is he talking about airaves and airvanas?
Sprint will deploy LTE-Advanced in the first half of 2013
October 25, 2011 — 10:58am ET | By Sue Marek
CHICAGO--Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) will deploy LTE-Advanced technology on its 800 MHz spectrum by the first half of 2013, a key executive said. Speaking at a breakfast meeting at the 4G World conference here, Sprint's vice president of network development and engineering, Iyad Tarazi, said that the company will deploy LTE-Advanced Release 10 in a 10x10 configuration by the first half of 2013. The company estimates that with LTE-Advanced it will be able to achieve 12-15 Mbps download speeds.
Tarazi also provided additional details on the company's extensive Network Vision upgrade, which will include the deployment of LTE using the company's 1900 MHz spectrum with a planned commercial launch of LTE by mid-2012. The company plans to have 250 million to 277 million POPs covered with LTE by the end of 2013. At that point, Tarazi said the company will have a bigger LTE footprint than its existing CDMA network.
Sign up for our FREE newsletter for more news like this sent to your inbox!
Tarazi said that the company plans to launch at least 12 LTE devices next year and although Sprint will initially offer voice service over its CDMA 1X network and data over its LTE network, it will eventually migrate to Voice over LTE. Tarazi said Sprint will launch VoLTE devices in the first quarter of 2013.
Interestingly, Tarazi revealed that the company will end 2011 with about 20 percent of its traffic riding on Clearwire's (NASDAQ:CLWR) 4G WiMAX network, which Tarazi said Sprint Nextel will continue to support for many years because of its agreement with the wholesale provider. Clearwire has said it needs to raise between $150 million and $300 million for the maintenance of its existing WiMAX network and $600 million to begin deploying LTE-Advanced network technology.
Tarazi added that Sprint will continue to invest in its EV-DO network to support its existing 3G smartphone customers, including its new iPhone 4S subscribers. Part of that investment includes small cells. Tarazi said the company currently has more than 500,000 femtocells deployed and he expects that to grow to more than 1 million by the first half of 2013. In addition, he expects the company will deploy LTE picocells in 2012.
On the backhaul front, Tarazi said that the company currently uses Ethernet over leased fiber lines for its backhaul but is also deploying Ethernet microwave technology where leased lines are not available.
I'm assuming if they say 10+10 it's going to be 5+5 in 800 and 5+5 in 1900... IIRC they can combine bands with LTE advanced so when you are in range of both 800 and 1900 you get the full 20 mhz. speeds, and when in range of either, you'd get the 5+5 speeds.
WiMax currently uses a total of 10 mhz. so I think the speeds could be decent. Isn't verizon using only 5+5 in many areas currently?
I can't imagine it would be 10 + 10 with one full block on one frequency and the other on the other side (although if the uplink side was on 800 it could possibly work if they tuned the download to be very efficient).
I'm assuming if they say 10+10 it's going to be 5+5 in 800 and 5+5 in 1900... IIRC they can combine bands with LTE advanced so when you are in range of both 800 and 1900 you get the full 20 mhz. speeds, and when in range of either, you'd get the 5+5 speeds.
Yep, inter-band non-contiguous carrier aggregation. I had mentioned this possibility over on SU.
Perhaps, but also consider, though, that VZW advertises 5-12Mbps from their LTE network and look at the speeds that people are actually getting.
They don't have nearly the amount of 4G subscribers nor do they have 4G home desktop users. Clear disclosed their average subscriber uses 7GB+ per month.
Clear has 9.5 million total subs on their network, Verizon has 3.1 million LTE subs.
"LTE-Advanced improves LTE data rates with enhanced MIMO and carrier aggregation. Sprint-Nextel plans to aggregate two 1.9 GHz carriers into what would be effectively one (20MHz x 2) channel after they move users off a PCS channel and onto Nextel’s new CDMA-based 850 MHz band. Nextel currently uses iDen for their dedicated push-to-talk voice-only service. A CDMA conversion in the 850 MHz band would allow Sprint to extend their 3G service – and eventually 4G service."
"Relay cells are another benefit of LTE-Advanced. They don’t need another backhaul link, they can rebroadcast the signal of a 4G tower while using a segment of the spectrum for its own backhaul."
Sprint working with Clearwire on agreement to use future LTE network
From the earnings call this morning:
Sprint has signed a non-binding agreement with Clearwire to work out technical issues for interoperability of their future LTE networks. An agreement on future usage of each other's networks is in progress, but no further details were given.
Perhaps, but also consider, though, that VZW advertises 5-12Mbps from their LTE network and look at the speeds that people are actually getting.
VZW LTE isn't as fast as it used to be, that's for sure. I typically get between 2-8mbit. Coverage is sure a heck of a lot better than clearwire's 4G though.
Where I get clearwire, it tends to be faster than VZN as of late. The problem is, the coverage is horrible.
VZW LTE isn't as fast as it used to be, that's for sure. I typically get between 2-8mbit. Coverage is sure a heck of a lot better than clearwire's 4G though.
Where I get clearwire, it tends to be faster than VZN as of late. The problem is, the coverage is horrible.
(This is in NYC and Boston)
Here is Verizon's LTE in New York City at present time:
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by NGeorge
Bookmarks