O2 and Huawei trial 4G LTE technology

Working in the mobile industry, you get used to learning a whole new language of technical terms and acronyms. For even the casual observer, terms like GPRS, MMS, SMS and 3G will have some kind of meaning. Then there are newer terms such as HSDPA, HSUPA and HSPA, all relating to new technology that allows for faster data transfer across the 3G network, something that is commonly known as Mobile Broadband.

Over the last 18 months or so, network usage for mobile data has rocketed, and there has been a real fear that the mobile networks cannot handle the strain that data users are requesting, so much so that we have already had announcements from O2, apologising for the lack of data connectivity in city hotspots. This data usage has been driven by devices such as the iPhone, handsets that make web browsing so easy that anyone can do it. And, it seems, anyone and everyone is! Although this is putting a strain on existing networks, all of the major companies are working on improving the technology used to improve data services, and very soon people are going to be talking seriously about 4G fourth generation networks as an imminent reality, rather than a long term pipe dream.

In fact, just recently O2 have been trialling 4G technology in and around the Slough area, with some very favourable results. 4G technology is also known as LTE, or Long Term Evolution. Rather than a replacement for GSM technology as UMTS was, LTE is designed to build upon and improve the data capacities of existing UMTS networks. Working in partnership with Huwaei, who are active in the industry as a main supplier of mobile broadband dongles, as well as mobile phones, data connections have been achieved by O2 on their test network with downloads clocked at up to 150Mbps. This compares favourably with existing HSDPA technology which tends to top out at 7.5Mbps, so is pretty impressive stuff.

Which all sounds well and good, but what is the point? I mean, for voice the main requirement is clarity of call rather than speed, and the other main thing people use their phones for, text messaging, the data speed improvements mean little. The whole idea around 4G is improving access to media content when away from your home PC. It is an ideal that many can see would be nice to have, the ability to record a high definition video clip on your mobile device and send it in an instant to a friend, either onto their handset directly, or via email, or uploaded to one of the many popular social networking sites. Alternatively for that long haul plane flight, which has just been delayed for take off, you can download a HD film from an online vendor to watch on your journey or whilst waiting to board the flight. Or how about live gaming across the network? And this is just a few examples of the kind of services 4G networks would open up to the consumer.

Whilst in some countries there are already active LTE networks in place, in the UK none of the major networks have officially announced a launch date for 4G. It is most likely that when the next generation of mobile networks do launch, the initial way to access the improved data network will be via a dongle, connected to a laptop. There are currently no 4G enabled handsets around, and whilst manufacturers will be working hard at bringing such devices to market, I can imagine that options such as battery life are causing concern.

But once these technical issues have been resolved, we could find the dream handsets of 2011 and beyond will be those that can offer access to the new technology, with facility for downloading high definition broadcasts on the move, recording top quality video clips and sharing them with friends and family in an instant. What seemed like an ideal once is looking more likely to become reality, and it isn’t so far away.

Glossary

GPRS – General Packet Radio Service – One of the first options on a GSM network that offered high speed data services, commonly known as 2.5G

MMS – Multimedia Messaging Service, or picture messaging

SMS – Short Message Service, text messaging

GSM – Global Standard for Mobile communication – digital technology that replaced the original analogue networks, and made things like global roaming a possibility. Certain countries use different transmission frequencies, hence tri band or quad band devices that work on all frequencies.

UMTS – Universal Mobile Telephone Service, third generation mobile technology that brought us the term 3G. Third generation after analogue and GSM

HSDPA – High Speed Download Packet Access, also known as mobile broadband. Makes downloading and streaming video content from the web a more enjoyable experience.

HSUPA – High Speed Upload Packet Access, sister technology to HSDPA, for allowing faster uploads of content from your device to the web.

HSPA – High Speed Packet Access, umbrella technology that indicates a device has both HSDPA and HSUPA in place.

LTE – Long Term Evolution, technology that will enhance the capabilities of existing UMTS networks

4G – Fourth generation technology for mobile networks, a common term that will apply to a whole host of data speed improvements.