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Apr. 17, 2009

A recent Frost & Sullivan survey concludes that wireless carriers and operators will trend toward fully maximizing their high-speed packet access (HSPA) networks before eventually deploying LTE technology.

There was a lot of attention to LTE technology at the recent CTIA Wireless 2009 trade show, and it appears that overall interest in LTE is growing rapidly among mobile service providers.

Frost's newly published report reveals that the average mobile user downloads more than 5 GB per month. Some will even download as much as 9 GB to 11 GB on a monthly basis.

Citing skyrocketing data demands (6 to fourteen times more data being consumed over 2008's numbers) driven by flat-rate pricing, the report concludes that new networks are essential for continued revenue growth.

The research brief found that most mobile operators are considering high-capacity point-to-point microwave links and relay for backhaul, but the report also noted a growing interest in subsidizing femtocells as a way to reduce backhaul costs.

“Next-generation wireless technologies such as 3G LTE and mobile WiMAX will eventually lead wireless operators to move to an open access, any client device connected, Internet model, with the advent of consumer electronic devices being embedded with 3G LTE technology,” notes Frost & Sullivan Program Manager Luke Thomas in the report.

Thomas stressed the importance of upgrading backhaul in a cost-effective manner, as each LTE base station would require a minimum of 200-300 Mbps backhaul capacity.

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Source: Frost & Sullivan.