LTE Advanced: 3GPP Solution for IMT-Advanced

14.10 Summary

HSPA evolution in Releases 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 has introduced a large number of features for improving user data rates, spectral efficiency, voice support and smartphone support by using wider bandwidths, multiantenna solutions, multicell transmission and a number of packet data enhancements. The peak data rate has grown to 336 Mbps in downlink by using 40 MHz of bandwidth. The practical network efficiency has improved both for the high data rate connections by using multicarrier techniques and for the small packet smartphone transmissions by using high speed common channels. The voice efficiency is improved by running voice service on top of HSPA channel – either circuit switched voice or voice over IP.

Table 14.3 summarizes the main HSPA evolution areas and the corresponding benefits for the different use cases. Multicarrier and multiantenna solutions are pushing the peak data rates. All these features improve the cell capacity and network utilization – especially multicarrier solution for the load balancing and more receiver antennas for improved link performance. Those features help also for the cell edge data rates but also multiflow and advanced UE receivers help for the cell edge users in downlink. The smartphone experience includes voice quality, low latency for smartphone applications and power consumption. HSPA evolution is ready to serve an increasing number of customers with an enhanced end user performance.

Table 14.3 Summary of performance benefits from ...