World's first commercial LTE service launched

Stuart Corner
Monday, 14 December 2009 10:30

Business IT - Technology

Ericsson says it supplied the entire LTE network for Stockholm, comprising radio equipment; core network equipment; network management system; and the ethernet backhaul from the radio base stations to the core network, including its SmartEdge 1200 multiservice edge router, ECN 430 aggregation switch and ethernet transport systems.

Likewise, Huawei provided both network infrastructures and services for Oslo including access network, core network, operation support system, network design, implementation, systems integration and support.

 Huawei says its equipment has reduced energy consumption through a number of innovative techniques: high performance ASICs that are more power efficient, advanced power amplification for the transmission signal and an increased operating temperature range that reduces the need for fans and air conditioning systems.

Yu Chengdong, president of Huawei Europe, said that launch of services just 11 months after starting the project reflected Huawei's "unwavering commitment towards accelerating the commercialisation of LTE/SAE solutions." To date Huawei says it has constructed over 25 LTE commercial and trial networks, and made more than 3300 LTE/SAE contributions to 3GPP.

SAE - Systems Architecture Evolution is the core network upgrade that goes hand in hand with the radio network upgrade defined by LTE. Its main component is the evolved packet core. This differs from current 2G and 3G networks in that it is an end to end all IP network for voice and data whereas current networks handle voice ad data separately. The evolved packet core is essential for end-to-end IP service delivery across LTE. It also supports new business models, such as partnering/revenue sharing with third-party content and application providers.

Ericsson says it has completed commercialisation of its LTE products and has the capacity to produce equipment in quantity for further deployment. The company says it has tested interoperability thoroughly with many different devices in different operators' networks. However to date few vendors of LTE terminal devices have announced products.

In mid 2008 Ericsson opened an LTE centre of excellence in Melbourne. Jacquie Hey, CEO of Ericsson Australia & New Zealand, said: "We are particularly pleased here in Australia as the Ericsson LTE Global Competence Centre has been a contributor to the TeliaSonera project over a number of months." An Ericsson spokesman told iTWire: "In fact we've had people from the centre involved in every one of Ericsson's LTE projects," he added.

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