A new study from ABI Research has
revealed a growing number of wireless communications operators
making a firm commitment to deploying LTE (Long Term Evolution)
networks and offering LTE-based services to their subscribers in
2010.
ABI has found that
at least 12
operators have committted to roll out LTE-based services by
2010 and forecasts that by the following year nearly 34 million
users worldwide will subscribe to the
new ultra-fast data services that LTE promises, with
theoretical data rates in the same range as those currently
available via cable or DSL.
Such throughput will be ideal to support applications such as
mobile multimedia and video conferencing as well as enabling
traditional business applications to be carried out at high
speed.
The first operators intending to deploy LTE include Verizon
Wireless, MetroPCS Wireless, and U.S. Cellular in the United
States; NTT-DOCOMO and KDDI in Japan; TeliaSonera, Tele2 and
Telenor in Europe; and the world's largest operator, China Mobile,
which intends to launch in 2011. KT and SK Telecom are expected to
launch in Korea 2010, but there has been little fanfare so far.
The
drive to LTE is most welcome news for under pressure
infrastructure equipment vendors. A few operators have already
announced the contracts they have awarded. Alcatel-Lucent,
Ericsson, and Starent have won contracts from Verizon Wireless and
in Japan, NTT-DOCOMO, in addition to deploying technology from
Ericsson, is also supporting local vendors NEC and Fujitsu. In
Scandinavia, TeliaSonera has opted for Ericsson and Huawei, while
Tele2 and Telenor are likely to revel soon a deal with Huawei.
Before the potential is realised however, the research firm
warns that certain factors much be addressed, principally spectrum.
"Spectrum availability is the primary factor impacting deployment
plans," revealed ABI senior analyst Nadine Manjaro. "In countries
where telecommunications regulators are making appropriate spectrum
available, many operators have announced plans to launch LTE. These
include the US, Sweden, China, and others. Where no such spectrum
allocations exist, operators are postponing LTE plans."