Nokia Siemens Networks have announced that they have completed a successful set of tests involving Long Term Evolution (LTE), a 4G technology that could replace 3G in the near future. This trial was conducted in a real urban outdoor environment with multiple users using the new 2.6 GHz spectrum. It confirms that LTE performance requirements can be met using 3GPP standardized technologies and it realized data rates of more than 100 Mega bits per second over distances of several hundred meters, while maintaining excellent throughput at the edge of typical urban mobile radio cells. LTE could offer data rates as high as 173 Mbps (compare that to HPDPA which offers about 7.2Mbps).
Aside from the speed gains, LTE promises more efficient use of the spectrum which would allow Nokia Siemens Networks to reach its goal of having 5 billion connected users by 2015.
Deployment of LTE is expected around 2010.
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