Current Trend in Telecommunications - Research Paper Example

?Running head: 4G LTE WIRELESS NETWORKS Current Trend in Telecommunications: 4g LTE Wireless Networks Current Trend in Telecommunications: 4G LTE Wireless Networks The world has seen unprecedented developments in the telecommunications industry involving novel ideas and improvements of existing technologies, enabling this industry to grow by leaps and bounds. One of the sectors that demonstrate this fact clearly is mobile telecommunications which has been growing tremendously over the last decade all around the world, with competitive entry and the setting up of technological standards playing a key part in dissemination of technology (Gruber 2005). The size of the mobile communications industry is growing by the day and the next set of devices that will be availed to consumers will adopt cutting edge technology for better services at even lower costs. The development and growth in technology has been steady from 1G, then 2G, to 3G and now 4G (Mobile Communications, 2007). It was inevitable that these developments would lead to 4G Long Term Evolution, as operators all over the world are tending to shift from voice-driven revenue to broadband and to an extent video (Nolle, 2010). As a result, one of the most exciting fields of study in terms of current trends in the telecommunications industry is 4G LTE wireless networks, where its history, a detailed description of the technology involved, the most probable future trends, the companies involved, the regulatory issues and finally the implications especially with relation to globalization form a good basis of study. Background of Wireless Networks It is important to first study the history of wireless technologies that finally led to the development of 4G LTE. The development of mobile communication technologies has been divided into distinct generations. To begin with there was the 1G, which describes the initial analog mobile phone technology examples of which are the NMT and AMPS technologies (Mobile Communications, 2007). 1G cellular wireless system featured analog modulation and was primarily designed to deliver voice-based services. They were the first to use a cellular system and automatically switch an on-going call (Arunabha et al, 2010). 2G technology then came about, described as the first digital mobile phone systems. 2G enabled users to access digital speech services and data capabilities from their devices, albeit to a limited extent. Examples of 2G technologies include GSM, IS95 CDMA and PDC. An enhanced version of 2G was then developed and dubbed 2.5G availing considerably higher data rates and packet data services. GSM led the way in this with their EDGE and GPRS systems. This is what is mostly available to many users across the world as of now (Mobile Communications, 2007). 2G technologies brought several advantages mainly including improvement of system capacity and voice quality (Holma et al, 2007). The third generation or 3G/UMTS/W-CDMA are designed to give high speed mobile internet, quality services and video telephony (Mobile Communications, 2007). In comparison to 2G, 3G provided higher data speeds, better voice capacity and in an altogether new concept, support for advanced applications such as multimedia services. 3G technologies enabled better voice services, games, browsing and email, streaming multimedia services among others, and thus a clear improvement over 2G (Arunabha et al, 2010). After the 3G technology, operators then envisioned something beyond it; they could adopt HSPA, deploy WiMAX or deploy LTE. LTE provided an option for many operators who had not yet adopted 3G to bypass HSPA (Arunabha et al, 2010). When it was conceptualized, it was pictured that 4G would provide never before experienced high speed internet with a high capacity, protocol based service that would be available at lower costs per bit. It was to be a combination of several existing technologies optimized for efficacy, including celluart network, wireless LAN, 3G and others, all connected together using relevant interoperability protocols to achieve data speeds of up to 20 Mbps (Mobile Communications, 2007). Description of 4G LTE and its Technology The main driver behind the development of LTE technologies is the increased demand for the internet. Individuals all around the world have realized the convenience of the web, and as of now it is at the very center of communication, entertainment and flow of information. Development and adoption of LTE was as a result of a combination of factors; first, due to the shift from low bandwidth applications such as simple web and WAP, MMS and low size content to high bandwidth ones such as music and video downloads and sharing and mobile video. Embedded video content in driving LTE was accompanied by the tremendous infiltration of smart mobile devices which have improvements in user interface, full web browsing, email and better music and video playing capabilities. Smart phones integrate cameras and camcorders, GPS and numerous other applications that necessitate a better supporting technology. Smart phones are flanked by other devices in driving LTE that integrate wireless technology including laptops, netbooks, tablets, e-readers, gaming devices, media players, health monitoring devices and asset tracking devices. Competition among operators in the wireless market leads to the need to minimize cost per megabyte is the last main driver behind LTE (Wiggins, 2008). The basics that describe 4G according to IMT-Advanced are; flexible channel bandwidth that is 5- 20 MHz up to 40 MHz, the peak data rates should be up to 100 Mbps for high mobility and 1 Gbps for low mobility. It should have worldwide roaming capability, and user equipment suitable for worldwide use. Compatibility of services within IMT and with fixed networks is compulsory. It should also bear capability of interworking with other radio access systems, and high quality mobile services for next generation multimedia support such as real time audio, high speed data, HDTV video content, mobile TV among others. Lastly, it should have user friendly applications, services and equipment accompanying it (Actiontec, 2010). Incorporated Technologies 4G LTE comes with a lot of promises in improvement of the wireless network industry, and to manage this, it is anchored on a number of technologies that enable its design. To begin with, LTE uses Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) which is in departure to 3G networks. OFDM enables 4G LTE to achieve higher data rates and has several advantages including providing a good solution to multipath interference and considerably low computational complexity. It also offers proper degradation of performance when in excess delay, better utilization of diversity of frequency and an efficient multi-access scheme. Other benefits of OFDN include its strength against narrowband interference, comparatively suitable coherent demodulation, better support of broadcast services and facilitation of multiple input multiple output techniques (3G Americas White Paper, 2009). LTE also incorporates power efficiency technologies in a bid to cut costs and increase battery life. This is achieved through Single Carrier Frequency Domain Equalization (SC-FDE) and Single Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (SC-FDMA). SC-FDE has low complexity, and a good multipath resistance just like OFDM, plus a low peak to average ratio. SC-FDMA is a multi-user version of SC-FDE in which many users use part of the frequency spectrum; it increases the complexity of the transmission and reception (3G Americas White Paper, 2009). Channel Dependent Multi-user Resource Scheduling also integrated into 4G LTE to increase the capacity. This is achieved through the combination of frequency selective scheduling and multi-user time-domain scheduling, and also through modulation to instantaneous signal: noise ratio conditions. Frequency diversity is also achieved for high mobility users (EURASIP, 2009). 4G LTE supports advanced multi-antenna techniques in a bid to raise system capacity alongside spectral efficiency. Such techniques include transmit diversity which is meant to tackle multipath fading through sending same signal copies that are coded differently multi-transmit antennas. Beam-forming techniques also utilize multiple antennas to focus transmitted beams to the receiver thereby reducing signal to interference ratio. Spatial multiplexing, which achieves better data rates and capacity. Multiuser multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) is a technique used to cut the cost and complexity that accompanies spatial multiplexing (Arunabha et al, 2010). Lastly, 4G LTE utilizes the IP-based Flat Network architecture to achieve lower costs and latency. This is achieved through fewer nodes which imply reduced infrastructural costs, and also fewer interfaces and protocol-related processing and decreased interoperability testing, thus lowering development costs. The fewer nodes also result in optimization of radio interface and as a result short sessions for startup time (Arunabha et al, 2010). The network architecture of 4G LTE 4G LTE utilizes a design referred to as Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which ultimately achieves lower costs besides quality real-time and media-rich content. EPC does this through the provision of a high capacity, low latency and flat architecture design based entirely on internet protocol. It consists of four elements; Service Gateway (SGW), Packet Data Network Gateway (PGW), Mobility Management Entity (MME) and Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF), which all provide functions including control of access, management of radio resource, packet transfer and routing, network and mobility management. The first element SGW performs downlink packet buffering initiates network-triggered requests, lawful interception, routing and forwarding of data packets and charging among operators. PGW serves the functions of allocating IP addresses, filtering packet data, enforcement of policy and charging support. MME is important in signaling and control functions, thus manages terminal access to network connections, network resource assignment, location tracking, roaming and paging. MME also is involved in security functions such as authentification, lawful signal interception, assigning temporary identities to user terminals and integrity algorithms. Lastly, PCRF is responsible for detection of data flow, enforcement of policy and charging based on data flow (Arunabha et al, 2010). Future Trends in 4G LTE In strict sense, the visualized LTE did not actually meet the standards that had been set for a 4G wireless network, which in terms of speed refer to peak data rates of 100Mbps for high mobility applications while for low mobility applications is 1Gbps. The standard set and referred to as IMT-Advanced also requires peak (15bps/Hz), average (2.6bps/Hz) and cell-edge (0.075bps/Hz) spectral efficiencies. The first two spectral efficiencies are achievable but the third; cell-edge requires more research and work. The spectrum required to achieve the high and low mobility requirements is also an obstacle, but recent developments indicate that these challenges can be overcome effectively (EURASIP, 2009). The next generation of LTE technology, referred to as LTE-Advanced is supposed to maintain common functionality across the world to a high extent, be more flexible and user friendly and have even higher data rates among other stellar ambitions. This will be achieved through of several technologies including Advanced-RAN, which will use spot coverage to achieve higher data rates. Spectrum Aggregation is also being looked at as a way of improving LTE. The multi antenna technologies and spatial multiplexing is to be improved through Advanced-MIMO Enhancement of Peak Throughput. Use of relay technique and cooperative communication will also be integrated into LTE-Advanced in a bid to achieve higher signal-to-noise ratio that will translate to better data rates and reduction of error. Coordinated multipoint reception and transmission is to be used to expediently use network infrastructure without having to install extra antennae. The structure and network, security and interface of femtocell products will be studied since they provide better wireless services at home also at a lower costs in comparison to traditional outdoor infrastructure (Djukic et al, 2009). Recent studies indicate that one of the most likely heirs to 4G LTE may be Massive MIMO, created from big arrays of minute antennas that would beam signals directly to mobile devices and as a result save energy. MIMO is a concept that is well understood already, and the variation here is the use of numerous antennas at the base station while sharing the gains in throughput among several terminals. Another proposed perspective for wireless generations beyond 4G is the increased use of femtocells and picocells, which involves using many smaller cells in a conventional cell network. There is still the other option for advancement that is being dubbed as Cooperative MIMO, involving production of a MIMO effect from base stations that may be miles apart. All of these proposals and research areas have capacities to be feasible but are also faced with challenges whose solutions are yet to be established and are currently the subject of much study (Judge, 2010). As of 2011, it was pictured that the number of 4G-LTE devices in the United States would increase depending on the nation’s 4G LTE capacity. There is an ambition to create satellite-terrestrial 4G LTE services through a combination of satellite services and wired technology to deliver wireless broadband to a target market made of resellers and the government. However, fears have been raised that this 4G LTE- satellite hybrid might result in interference with GPS devices; although those for it claim that it will operate at a spectrum much higher than such devices (Bradley, 2011). Companies involved in 4G LTE A good number of companies are shifting towards 4G in order to nearly insatiable thirst for broadband and bandwidth as consumers heighten the use of mobile devices and applications in terms of visiting social networks, online games, video downloading and sharing among many other uses. It is thus pictured that most companies would have rolled out 4G by 2012-2013 since it is inevitable that it is very soon going to impact lifestyles. One of the most conspicuous players with relation to 4G is Verizon Wireless, whose name has nearly become synonymous with LTE. The company is has already placed 25-30 markets under LTE, which translates to a whooping 100 million people. This number is expected to double by 2012, finally to be followed by an entire roll out in 2013. Verizon’s big rival. AT&T conducted field studies in 2010, with an aim to roll out LTE services commercially in 2011. The company plans to use a substantial budget to accomplish this and thus its commitment is clear although running a bit behind schedule. T-mobile also plans to start LTE trials from this year. In global terms, Teliasonera was in fact the first company to roll out an LTE wireless network, back in 2009 in Scandinavia. From China, China Mobile and China Telecom are expected to roll out 4G LTE in 2012-2013, and thus give a big boost to it considering the populations involved (Actiontec, 2010). Sprint and LightSquared are partnering to develop LightSquared’s 4G LTE network. LightSquared is the same company behind the hybrid 4G LTE- satellite network that is pictured as advancement to what is currently available although facing opposition from some industry players (Hardawar, 2011). Alcatel-Lucent is also another company that has rolled out an end-to-end 4G LTE wireless broadband and prides itself in the fact that it is able to offer lower ownership costs, new business models and refresh end-user experience (Alcatel-Lucent, 2011). Samsung, HTC, HP and Compaq are other brands involved in 4G LTE, not in mobile devices but netbooks, notebooks and tablets (Johnson, 2011). Regulatory Issues in 4G LTE The regulations pertaining use of 4G LTE are similar to those of previous generations of wireless networks, and pertain to spectrum issues, licenses, and consumer privacy and protection. To begin with, a company cannot be given clearance and license to operate unless issues pertaining to spectrum are sorted out. A good case example is LightSquared which was denied clearance by the FCC on the basis of perceived interference on the spectrum of GPS systems (Bradley, 2011). The security of consumer information should also be demonstrated through use of secure networks and assurance. Global Implications of 4G LTE 4G LTE will definitely have a resounding impact on global terms as it gets rolled out all around the world. The pace has already been set as we have seen earlier with companies all around the world rolling out 4G LTE or making plans to deploy it. Sharing of information has never been this easier, and although the need for bandwidth and broadband is almost insatiable, 4G wireless technologies go a long way to satisfy these needs. With the increased ease of information sharing, 4G LTE will impact the global economy in terms of increases global trade not just by the telecommunications industry players but also through online businesses. Education will also be improved not only through enhanced dissemination of new information but also through the rapidly growing distance learning phenomenon. Entertainment will as well not be left behind, as individuals will be able to reach audiences all across the world with much ease. However, all will not be rosy since some countries have already lagged behind especially in the developing world where even the impact of 3G has not been felt in entirety. Conclusion The telecommunications industry is growing rapidly particularly in the mobile telephony industry where over a few decades growth has been observed from 1G, to 2G, then 3G and now there is 4G of which LTE is most important. This is generation of wireless technology which will go a long way in satisfying the thirst that the world currently has for internet, and it will do this efficiently, at high speeds, bigger capacity and stability and most importantly lower costs. 4G LTE is developed on the basis of several technologies which ensure that the said high data rates, capacity and low costs are achieved. Several perspectives of a future generation wireless networks have been proposed, mainly base on MIMO technologies and femcocells and picocells. These are however faced with several challenges that are currently being addressed. Several companies have already commercially deployed 4G LTE and it is hoped that in the next half decade a good proportion of people will be in 4G network as more and more mobile telecommunications companies adopt it. The regulation of 4G LTE is to a large extent similar to the previous generations, mainly concerned with spectrum issues and consumer privacy and protection. Lastly, 4G LTE is really expected to have major implications in globalization, especially in terms of, economy, education and entertainment following the increased speed, ease and convenience of data transfer. References 3G Americas White Paper, (2009). The mobile broadband revolution: 3GPP Release 8 and beyond HSPA+, SAE/LTE and LTE-Advanced. Actiontec, (2010). 4G LTE market update , Whitepaper. Retrieved August 31, 2011 from http://www.actiontec.com/products/datasheets/AEI_whtppr_4GLTE%20update.pdf Alcate-Lucent, (2011). End-to-End 4G LTE solution. 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