LTE World Weekly - LightSquared triggered L-Band Radio Spectrum Re-Banding

This week in USA LightSquared triggered L-Band Radio Spectrum Re-Banding with Inmarsat and TEN announced plans to Deploy LTE for Oil and Gas Industry.

In Chile regulator announced spectrum launch in December, while Polish regulator gave permission to CenterNet and Mobyland to start LTE trials, for more check links below

Telekom Austria: LTE roll-out not soon

Posted on 20 August 2010

Telekom Austria is satisfied with its HSPA+ network and expects the LTE roll-out to begin within several years, according to CFO Hans Tschuden in an interview with Total Telecom.

Chile to launch LTE spectrum auction in December

Chile's telecoms watchdog Subtel plans to launch auction for 4G LTE spectrum in the 2.6 GHz band inn December and expects to conclude it by mid-2011, reports bnamericas.

Motorola gets $50.6 million funding for public safety LTE network

Motorola has received $50.6 million in grant funding from the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to build public-safety LTE network in San Fr

Vietnam regulator allows LTE & WiMAX tests

Vietnam telecom regulator the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) has allowed FPT Telecom to test LTE in Hanoi and HCM City within one year, according to Vietnamnet.

TEN to Deploy LTE for Oil and Gas Industry

Texas Energy Network (TEN) has annnounced plans to deploy 4G technology to benefit Oil and Gas companies growing data requirements.

Alcatel-Lucent in talks with RIL for BWA

Alcatel-Lucent on Wednesday said they are in talks with various service providers, including Reliance Industries and Tikona Digital Networks for deploying infrastructure for mobile broadband servic

LightSquared Triggers L-Band Radio Spectrum Re-Banding with Inmarsat

LightSquared, that wants to build a new nationwide 4G-LTE wireless broadband network integrated with satellite coverage, has initiated Phase 1 of a Cooperation Agreement between Inmarsat and LightS

Centernet and Mobyland test LTE in Poland

Polish telecom regulator, Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) has given permission to Polish cellular operators CenterNet and Mobyland to set up LTE test transmitters for LTE trials.

Brazil to re-allocate 2.6 GHz spectrum

The Brazilian telecommunications regulator ANATEL has adopted spectrum re-farming of the 2.6GHz band, allowing the use of this spectrum for deployment of next-generation Mobile Broadband services.

Motorola Passes MIIT's TD-LTE Lab Trial

Motorola has announced that it has passed China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) 2.3 GHz full feature set lab trial with a 100 percent pass rate.

Mobile data offloading to triple in next five years

Mobile data offloading is expected to increase to 48% by 2015 from 16% of mobile data as currently diverted from mobile networks.

Omantel's LTE spectrum for fixed broadband services only

Oman's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced a clarification on Omantel's claimed 4G LTE trials.

Vodafone Germany launches website on LTE

Vodafone Germany has launched a website and free hotline to inform consumers and businesses about the possibilities of LTE.

LTE Protocols & Specifications

In LTE architecture, core network includes Mobility Management Entity (MME), Serving Gateway (SGW), Packet Data Network Gateway (PDN GW) where as E-UTRAN has E-UTRAN NodeB (eNB).

The figures shown below provide mapping of protocols to corresponding specifications. To find 3GPP LTE specification, click at the corresponding protocol in the images below.

Protocol structure of control plane in between UE & MME is shown below.

This figure below shows protocol structure in between UE & P-GW user plane. GPRS Tunnelling Protocol for the user plane (GTP-U) tunnels user data between eNodeB and the S-GW as well as between the S-GW and the P-GW in the backbone network.

The X2 interface is defined between two neighbour eNBs. This figure below shows the control & user plane protocol stack of the X2 interface.

To know more about LTE architecture & node details see LTE WiKi.

source:LteWorld

LCS Architecture for LTE EPS

3GPP considered 5 architecture alternatives for LCS during study and selected the one explained further according to 3GPP Release 9.

In the LCS architecture, an Evolved SMLC is directly attached to the MME.

The objectives of this evolution is to support location of an IMS emergency call, avoid impacts to a location session due to an inter-eNodeB handover, make use of an Evolved and support Mobile originated location request (MO-LR) and mobile terminated location request MT-LR services.

Release 9 LCS solution introduces new interfaces in the EPC:

• SLg between the GMLC and the MME
• SLs between the E-SMLC and the MME
• Diameter-based SLh between the HSS and the HGMLC

Network Initiated Location Request (NI-LR) Architecture

The shown architecture above supports an NI-LR for emergency calls. Evolved SMLC (E-SMLC) is connected to the MME. E-SMLC is analogous to an NSS based SMLC defined for GSM which is connected to an MSC.. An SLs interface is defined in between the E-SMLC and MME and an SLg interface between the MME and GMLC.

MT-LR and MO-LR Architecture

An extension to the architecture to support an MT-LR and MO-LR is shown below.

Location Procedure between the GMLC, MME and E-SMLC

The location procedure described below supports both an NI-LR for emergency calls and an MT-LR for an external LCS client.

The GMLC sends a location request to the serving MME , If the UE is in ECM-IDLE state, the MME performs a network triggered service request in order to establish a signalling connection with the UE and assign a specific eNodeB.

The MME forwards the location request to the E-SMLC and The E-SMLC performs a positioning procedure (explained below) and returns the resulting location information (e.g. location estimate) to the MME.

The MME returns the location information to the GMLC.

Network Based Positioning Procedure

The E-SMLC sends a Positioning Request to the MME including parameters for the E-UTRAN defining the type of measurement information required. The MME sends an S1AP Location Reporting Control to the serving eNodeB for the UE and eNodeB returns an S1AP Location report to the MME carrying the CGI and any requested measurements. The MME returns the CGI and measurements to the E-SMLC.

UE Assisted and UE Based Positioning Procedure

The E-SMLC sends a Positioning Request to the MME carrying an LTE Positioning Protocol (LPP) PDU which may request specific measurements by the UE. MME forwards the LPP PDU to the serving eNodeB in an existing S1AP Downlink NAS Transport

The eNodeB forwards the LPP PDU to the UE in an existing RRC DL Information Transfer message. The UE performs any positioning measurements requested by the LPP PDU and returns measurement information and/or information concerning its capabilities or requested assistance data in an LPP PDU to the eNodeB contained in an existing RRC UL Information Transfer message.

The eNodeB forwards the LPP PDU to the MME in an existing S1AP Uplink NAS Transport message. The MME forwards the LPP PDU to the E-SMLC in a Positioning Response

source: LteWorld

LTE World Weekly - Clearwire to test LTE, Russian operators push for LTE

This week in USA, Clearwire announced plans to test Test both FDD LTE and TDD LTE while MetroPCS says that its LTE plan is on track for this year.

Russian operator Yota claims to stick despite revocation of it's frequencies, MegaFon and Rostelecom have tested LTE in preperation of Sochi 2014.

Telefonica O2 Germany plans to launch two urban LTE networks in Munich and Halle by the end of 2010.

See links below for more

MegaFon and Rostelecom test LTE

MegaFon and Rostelecom have successfully tested their Fourth Generation LTE network close to the major Sochi 2014 site, Roza Khutor.

MetroPCS Reaffirms LTE Readiness as Q2 Profit Triples

MetroPCS has reported more than three times increase in second-quarter earnings also company saw record subscriber additions.Net income rose to $80 million from $26 million a year earlier.

Clearwire to start FDD/TDD LTE Trials

Clearwire has announced plans to test Test both FDD LTE and TDD LTE in US. In addition Clearwire will test multiple coexistence scenarios between LTE and WiMAX as well.

Rostelecom to launch LTE test network in August

Russian operator Rostelecom plans to launch the LTE test network in Penza by the end of August.

Harris Corporation teams with Nokia Siemens Networks to develop 700 MHz LTE Network Solutions

Harris Corporation, a communications and information technology company, has launched Harris VIDA Broadband LTE, its new solution for broadband mission-critical communications for first responders.

NTT DOCOMO Buys Rest of Shares of PacketVideo

Japanese mobile-phone operator NTT DoCoMo will pay $111.6 million to buy the rest of shares of wireless software company PacketVideo.

Yota's LTE frequencies revoked, LTE plan unchanged

Russian regulator Roskomnadzor has revoked permission to use some of the frequencies issued to Scartel (brand Yota) to build LTE network reportedly due to violation of the law, according to a repor

AT&T selects Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, and Juniper Networks as Domain Network Equipment Suppliers

AT&T has chosen Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, and Juniper Networks as its Domain Suppliers for IP/MPLS/Ethernet/Evolved Packet Core equipment needed for its IP-based network.

Telefónica O2 builds LTE network in Germany

Telefonica O2 Germany plans to launch two urban LTE networks in Munich and Halle by the end of 2010. Company is using 2.6 GHz spectrum in these areas.

Motorola to build Public Safety 700 MHz LTE Network in San Francisco

Public Safety Agencies have selected Motorola to build 700 MHz LTE Network in San Francisco Bay Area.

GSM Kazakhstan/Kcell demonstrates LTE

Mobile operator GSM Kazakhstan/Kcell has announced installation of LTE base station for demonstration.

“Xi” - NTT DOCOMO's LTE Service Brand

NTT DOCOMO has announced the brand name and logo of its forthcoming LTE service for the Japanese market, which is scheduled to launch in December.