LTE, LTE-Advanced and WiMAX: Towards IMT-Advanced Networks

IMT-Advanced Networks

LTE-Advanced

The 3GPP Technical Report (TR) 36.913 [9] details the requirements for LTE-Advanced to satisfy. The document stressed backward compatibility with LTE in targeting IMT-Advanced. It does, however, also indicate that support for non-backward compatible entities will be made if substantial gains can be achieved. Minimizing complexity and cost and enhanced service delivery are strongly emphasized.

The objective of reduced complexity is an involved one, but it includes minimizing system complexity in order to stabilize the system and inter-operability in earlier stages and decreases the cost of terminal and core network elements. For these requirements, the standard will seek to minimize the number of deployment options, abandon redundant mandatory features and reduce the number of necessary test cases. The latter can be a result of reducing the number of states of protocols, minimizing the number of procedures, and offering appropriate parameter range and granularity. Similarly, a low operational complexity of the UE can be achieved through supporting different RIT, minimizing mandatory and optional features and ensuring no redundant operational states.

Enhanced service delivery, with special care to Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS), will be made. MBMS is aimed at realizing TV broadcast over the cellular infrastructure. It is expected, however, that such services will be undersubscribed in 3G networks. It is hence very critical to enhance ...