LTE Advanced: 3GPP Solution for IMT-Advanced

1.2 Radio Technology Convergence Towards LTE

The history of mobile communications has seen many competing radio standards for voice and for data. LTE changes the landscape because all the existing radios converge towards LTE. LTE is the evolution of not only GSM/HSPA operators but also CDMA and WiMAX operators. Therefore, LTE can achieve the largest possible ecosystem. LTE co-exists smoothly with the current radio networks. Most GSM/HSPA operators keep their existing GSM and HSPA radio networks running for long time together with LTE, and they also keep enhancing the existing networks with GSM and HSPA evolutions. The LTE terminals are multimode capable supporting also GSM and HSPA. The radio network solution is based on multi-radio base station which is able to run simultaneously all three radios. Many operators introduce multi-radio products to their networks together with LTE rollouts to simplify the network management and to modernize the existing networks.

The starting point for CDMA and WiMAX operators is different since there is no real evolution for those radio technologies happening. Therefore, CDMA and WiMAX operators tend to have the most aggressive plans for LTE rollouts to get quickly to the main stream 3GPP radio technology to enjoy the LTE radio performance and to get access to the world market terminals.

The high level technology evolution is illustrated in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2 Radio technology convergence towards LTE.