LTE: China Mobile and Clearwire going on joint testing plan for TD-LTE Devices.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

China Mobile and Clearwire has agreed on common test specifications and joint interoperability testing (IOT) for TD-LTE devices in the global band configurations, including 2.3GHz to 2.7GHz in conjunction with the Global TD-LTE Initiative (GTI). This will enable the companies to further accelerate development of the TD-LTE device ecosystem, especially in multi-mode, multi-band LTE devices.

Beginning this month, China Mobile, Clearwire and other GTI operators will establish 4G mobile broadband labs featuring a joint test platform and IOT environment for TD-LTE devices. The expected availability of the Quad-Band LTE 2.3-2.7 GHz spectrum range, in addition to certain other bands like 1.9GHz, as well as FDD and TD-LTE mobility interactions, makes it an ideal global configuration for mass 4G marketing worldwide. The labs will allow for the evaluation and qualification of commercial TD-LTE devices simultaneously in the U.S., China, and other promising markets, using common testing methodology, equipment, and infrastructure.

Clearwire plans to conduct its TD-LTE common IOT in Phoenix, AZ and Herndon, VA. China Mobile's testing will be carried out in Beijing and other TD-LTE trial cities. The joint test platforms will be open for device IOT by key participants in early 2012

Sprint to Use Clearwire TDD-LTE for Capacity.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

Clearwire may be losing Sprint as a wholesale WiMAX customer, but it appears that it has gained Sprint as a wholesale LTE customer.

Sprint will use Clearwire’s TDD-LTE service to add capacity to its own LTE network, slated to launch early next year, network executive Bob Azzi said during his keynote address at 4G World today.

“We’re taking advantage of the depth of Clearwire’s spectrum for hotspots and offload,” Azzi said, saying it will serve as an “offload layer in the hottest of hotspots.”

Sprint and Clearwire are working with vendors on chips and devices compatible with both their respective FDD-LTE and TD-LTE networks.

 Smartphones will have to be compatible with both technologies to take advantage of the capacity boost from Clearwire’s network.

The decision was first announced by CEO Dan Hesse during Sprint’s earnings call today. The news sent Clearwire’s stock surging more than 20 percent in morning trading as investors saw it as a way for the operator to offset the loss of Sprint as its primary WiMAX customer.

Sprint said earlier this month that it would phase out its use of Clearwire’s WiMAX service next year in favor of its own LTE network, which is expected to cover 250 million people by the end of 2013. The decision was a blow to Clearwire, which depends on Sprint for the bulk of its wholesale revenue.

Sprint’s LTE network will have a “much broader footprint” than Clearwire’s WiMAX network, Azzi said.

Azzi did not discuss timing or funding for Clearwire’s TD-LTE network. Clearwire needs $600 million to deploy the service, which will serve as an overlay to parts of its WiMAX network.

Sprint also needs to raise money before it can deploy its own LTE network and has not said whether it will help pay for Clearwire’s buildout.

Sprint’s decision to abandon WiMAX in favor of LTE was mentioned in a later speech by Tom Jasny, vice president of wireless and broadband network systems at Samsung.

Samsung is also providing network equipment for Sprint and C Spire Wireless’ respective LTE deployments and  artnered with MetroPCS to bring the first LTE smartphone to  the U.S. market, the Galaxy Indulge.

Jasny said that the aggressive deployment of LTE in the United States by MetroPCS, Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint has made it the hottest smartphone market in the world.

“Smartphone adoption has grown quickly in North America at rates exceeding the rest of the world,” he said, citing the 42 percent of all cell phone users in America that own a smartphone.

Of course, along with smartphones comes data traffic. Though LTE provides a clear advantage over 3G in terms of speeds and spectral efficiency, vendors like Samsung are already starting to talk about the need to increase  capacity on the next-generation mobile  broadband networks.

Jasny said Samsung is stepping up to the challenge with new architectures that use a combination of macrocells and small cells.

In December of next year, Samsung will come out with two new products targeted at the rising tide of data.

The first, its content delivery network, will use caching and optimization to help operators address traffic from mobile video, a primary source of network congestion.

 The other solution, its mobile user behavior analysis and control service, will “take the management of traffic and information on subscriber behavior and turn them into future business models,” Jasny said.

 Source: 4GWorld

LTE: US Clearwire to abandon Wi-Max in favour of LTE. Signs with Ericsson.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesús.

US WiMAX player Clearwire has announced a managed services deal with Ericsson, lending further weight to the expectation that the carrier will soon abandon WiMAX technology in favour of LTE, now established as a global standard. Ericsson also has a managed services deal with Clearwire parent Sprint, another carrier widely believed to be about to switch technological horses to LTE.

The two carriers’ technology shift is all but an open secret in the industry, with only the timing up for debate.

Ericsson’s pedigree in managed services is well documented, but it has little experience of, or interest in WiMAX, having long since dismissed the technology as a viable contender in the evolution of the wireless industry. The deal will see Ericsson absorb some 700 Clearwire employees and assume responsibility for network engineering, and operations and maintenance for Clearwire’s core, transmission and access networks.

The deal will provide a welcome respite from some of Clearwire’s financial pressures, not least in terms of human resources. “We greatly appreciate the tireless contributions the talented people on our network services team have made in building Clearwire’s 4G network and laying the foundation for our success,” Clearwire COO Erik Prusch said in a statement, adding:  

“We are pleased they will have new opportunities within Ericsson to support our customers, and further position Clearwire as the leader in mobile broadband.”

As well as bolstering Ericsson’s already sizeable managed services customer base, the deal further entrenches the Swedish vendor in a market where, just five years ago, it was a bit player. “There has been a fundamental shift in the US market for Ericsson that proves our commitment to North America has actually paid off for the whole business,” Arun Bhikshesvaran, Ericsson’s VP for strategy and market development, North America, told Telecoms.com in a recent interview.

Clearwire in talks with T-Mobile USA

WiMAX service provider Clearwire is reviewing its funding options from company such as T-Mobile USA or money from a wireless spectrum sale. According to the Reuters, Clearwire CEO Bill Morrow has confirmed the talks with T-Mobile at a Goldman Sachs Corp. conference in New York Sept. 23.

"In the event we don't come to an equity arrangement, they could be a wholesale customer. If T-Mobile USA does not become an investor, it would have to pay a higher rate for using the Clearwire network," he said.
T-Mobile USA is “one of many companies” that Clearwire is talking to, reports Bloomberg refering an email from Mike DiGioia of communications firm JLM Partners Inc., which represents Clearwire.

T-Mobile, which does not have required spectrum to migrate to 4G LTE standards is currently relying on HSPA+ for growth. T-Mobile is aiming to double it's HSPA+ footprint reaching more than 200 million people by this year with plans to offer 42Mbps theoretical speeds in 2011. However it may have to announce 4G strategy soon to remain in race with others.