IPWireless and Sprint in Test of LTE Progression Platform for 2.5GHz Band
Latest Technology Supports Antenna Multiplexing, Intercell Interference Mitigation, Operation in Both Paired and Unpaired Spectrum, and a Migration Path to 3GPP LTE
San Bruno, CA, February 13, 2006 - IPWireless today announced that Sprint will be the first operator globally to test the next generation of IPWireless' mobile broadband technology. Starting in March, Sprint will test IPWireless' new platform that is progressive to Long Term Evolution (LTE). The platform delivers peak speeds up to 29Mbps per sector in a pair of 5MHz channels and seamless interoperability from paired and unpaired spectrum. The new technology will be tested as part of the ongoing UMTS TD-CDMA trial in the Washington, D.C. area that was announced in June 2005.
The next generation of UMTS TD-CDMA technology is designed to offer operators a progression to the LTE standard currently being defined by 3GPP as the evolution for both WCDMA and TD-CDMA for deployment by GSM operators most likely in the 2.5GHz extension bands in Europe and Asia. The performance and essential characteristics of the new standard have been set by global operators including very high data rates, low latencies, optimization for packet access, spectral flexibility to work in variable bandwidths, the ability to work in both unpaired and paired spectrum, support for very high speed mobility, and an IP-based core network.
"Having a common platform with Europe and Asia in the 2.5GHz band would bring a number of benefits," said Barry West, chief technology officer at Sprint Nextel. "The potential of IPWireless' solution to deliver a viable path to the Long Term Evolution of UMTS is relevant to our analysis of candidate technologies."
IPWireless' LTE Progression Platform is based on an evolution of the 3GPP TD-CDMA standard. The platform supports Antenna Multiplexing, which significantly increases overall performance throughout the cell through multiple antennas in both the base station and devices. The platform also includes Intercell Interference Mitigation that dramatically improves cell edge performance as well as the average sector capacity. The platform supports the seamless transition between paired and unpaired spectrum bands, which has been identified by operators globally as an essential requirement for LTE. This means that a user could move between a network deployed in unpaired spectrum in one city and a network deployed in paired spectrum in another.
The solution is designed to give operators a smooth upgrade path when the LTE standard is finalized. The performance levels offered by the platform will also allow operators to build the packet-based services that will be part of LTE.
Sprint Nextel is currently evaluating a number of next generation technologies and announced a trial based on UMTS TD-CDMA technology from IPWireless in June 2005. The field trial is being conducted in Washington, D.C. areas. The goals of the trial are to allow Sprint to test a range of subscriber services, including broadband access for laptops, PDAs, and handheld devices as well as a wide array of Wireless Interactive Multimedia Services such as video streaming, online gaming, document collaboration and video conferencing. The trial is meant to allow Sprint to develop and test digital convergence concepts that target business and consumer users as well as public safety agencies, universities and multimedia content partners.
About IPWireless
IPWireless develops advanced next generation mobile broadband and multimedia technology based on global standards. The company's TD-CDMA technology has emerged as a leading global standard for wireless broadband, allowing operators to offer a spectrum of completely mobile, portable, or stationary end-to-end packet-based services with unmatched economics and performance. TD-CDMA has the highest average sector capacity, the strongest cell edge performance, and the lowest cost per megabit of any standards-based mobile technology available today, and is deployed by leading operators around the world including announced initiatives with T-Mobile, Orange, Sprint, and PCCW. The IPWireless Partner Program and chipsets allow device manufacturers and infrastructure vendors to very quickly bring innovative new TD-CDMA solutions to market. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ipwireless.com