Huawei Technologies

2005.10 8
 Cover Story
LTE is now

LTE is now
On December 14, 2009, TeliaSonera announced that the worlds first
commercial LTE network was officially up and running in Norway. This network
represents a milestone in realizing the LTE dream.
By Yan Yun & Zhao Yuan

11 FEB 2010 . ISSUE 54


Why LTE?
A
s smart phones such as the iPhone
and Gphone continue hitting
the mainstream, the use of data
ser vices and the demand for
bandwidth are exploding among subscribers.
Operators are forced to cut per-bit costs
to competitively supply Internet access via
mobile phones, especially the increasingly
popular and bandwidth-hungry HD VOD.
The LTE solution has come at the right
time. LTE technology raises bandwidth
and lowers latency, while its flat All-IP
architecture simplifies networks and reduces
the number of required NEs and thus the
maintenance burden for operators. These
gains in turn push down TCO and allow
operators to cut per-bit costs. Moreover,
data services over LTE networks are ultra-
fast and QoS is high thanks to greater
service diversity and tailoring capabilities.
Unsurprisingly, operators are beginning
to position LTE as the future of mobile
technology.
ABI reports that LTE networks will really
become visible during 2010 and 2011 in
the shape of 15 commercial LTE networks
worldwide. By 2013, an estimated 30
million mobile broadband subscribers will
have access to LTE network services through
70 or so LTE networks. Between 2014 and
2015, commercial LTE networks will be
deployed on a massive scale and, by 2016,
10% of all mobile broadband subscribers
will be accessing LTE services.
TeliaSonera: today shapes
tomorrow
TeliaSonera has taken an early and
impressive lead in the LTE era. As the largest
telecom operator in the Nordic and Baltic
Sea region, TeliaSonera operates networks in
18 countries and serves 182 million mobile
subscribers. As a known technical innovator
and pioneer, TeliaSonera built Europes first
3G network in 2003 and the continents
first HSPA network in 2007. In 2008, data
service traffic across its networks rocketed
by 492%, boosting related revenues by over
60%.
Strategically, TeliaSonera innovates its way
Huawei Communicate
into a leading market position and keeps prices
competitive. Its confident foray into LTE is no
exception. Lars Nyberg, the company president
and CEO, remarked, Mobile broadband
accounts for most of the growth in broadband
services. And mobile broadband will carry the
growth within the mobile business for another
10 years. We really see mobile broadband
taking off and we aim for the same market
leading position in mobile data in Sweden and
Finland, as in other services.
According to Mr. Nyberg, there are three
factors that are essential for operators to
successfully transform their service portfolios.
First is network quality, which is the top
priority; Second is rapid and high-quality
services that are capable of garnering customer
loyalty. And lastly, OPEX needs to be lower
than that incurred by competitors.
In January 2009, TeliaSonera contracted
Hu a w e i t o c o n s t r u c t t h e w o r l d s f i r s t
commercial LTE network in Oslo. Lars
Klasson, Senior Vice President and CTO,
Mobility Services of TeliaSonera said, We have
chosen Huawei as our partner based on their
strong focus on LTE development and early
deployment capabilities, as well as Huaweis
impressive and proven worldwide track record
in advanced mobile technology.
The partnership culminated in the worlds
first mobile broadband access via a commercial
LTE network on June 3, 2009. The two
companies used an LTE modem to connect
a laptop to the Internet to bring alive the full
range of mobile data servicesincluding movie
downloads and commerce at much faster
speeds than ever achieved by fixed broadband.
June 2009 also saw the partners cooperation
deepen, with TeliaSonera selecting Huawei to
deploy Europes first commercial SingleRAN
network. The solution utilizes software defined
radio (SDR) technology to shift broadband
from fixed to mobile in the remote rural areas
of Finland.
LTE speeds up in Europe
While TeliaSoneras innovations have
consistently achieved global firsts and remain
the building blocks of the companys success, it
is not the only operator with its eye on LTE
several multinational giants from Europe are
already making their play. Three of the five
publicly announced LTE contracts are from
FEB 2010 . ISSUE 54 12
 Cover Story
LTE is now
European operators, confirming Europe as
the major stage for LTE competition.
The rise of LTE
In October 2009, MTS, the CISs largest
mobile operator, contracted Huawei to
deploy the regions first LTE network in
Uzbekistan.
Oleg Raspopov, Vice President and
Head of Business Unit MTS Foreign
Su b s i d i a r i e s re m a r k e d , M TS h a s
launched 3G network in Uzbekistan
recently, and intends to further introduce
the cutting edge telecom technologies in
the country. Im sure that the license for
LTE networking that we obtained, and
an agreement we signed with Huawei
regarding our intentions to develop this
telecom standard in Uzbekistan will
contribute to the introduction of this
technology as well as give a powerful
incentive to the development of the
telecom sphere in the country.
In November 2009, Telenor, one of
the worlds top ten mobile operators,
contracted Huawei to deploy its
commercial LTE network in Norway. As
the exclusive vendor of Telenors wireless
networks for the next 6 years, Huawei
13 FEB 2010 . ISSUE 54
plans to migrate and upgrade the operators
2G and 3G networks, and deploy Europes
largest commercial LTE network across
Norway.
A few days later, Belgacom, Belgiums
largest telecom operator, signed a contract
with Huawei to deploy its SingleRAN
solution and fourth generation SDR base
stations. The solution will migrate and
upgrade Belgacoms 2G and 3G networks
into high performance, large capacity, and
future-oriented HSPA+ networks, and
integrate the operators GSM, WCDMA
networks with its LTE network that covers
Belgium.
Brussels is often regarded as the capital
of Europe given its political significance.
Including the EU and NATO, over 100
key institutions are based in the city
and the number of high-end subscribers
requiring high grade mobile services is
considerable.
Project completion will realize a
much simpler network structure that
will raise reliability and performance in
order to satisfy local high-end consumers
and provide over 5 million Belgacom
subscribers with next generation mobile
technology.
By partnering with Huawei for the
progressive swap of the current radio
network, Belgacom continues to pursue
its fixed mobile convergence strategy in a
controlled way, Scott Alcott, Executive
Vice President at Belgacom remarked.
It will allow us to reinforce our mobile
leadership in Belgium over the years to
come.
Trial networks
P r e c e d i n g f u l l LT E n e t w o r k
commercialization, many operators are
deploying LTE trial networks.
In August 2009, Vodafone Germany
and Huawei announced joint plans
to conduct the industr ys first LTE
performance and application test within
the Digital Dividend Band, which covers
the 790 to 862MHz range freed up by the
change from analog to digital TV. Known
as the Gold Band, the range offers
wider than usual coverage and a larger
transmission capacity. Consequently, it is a
hotly contested prize for operators.
Utilizing the Huawei E2E solution, the
Vodafone/Huawei test aims to enhance
mobile broadband network coverage and
confirm that LTE technology, digital TV,
and broadcast technologies are compatible
 Huawei Communicate

within the Gold Band.

In October 2009, Huawei and the global leader,
T-Mobile, successfully performed the worlds first
self-organizing network (SON) function test across
the Innsbrucks trial LTE network. As a key LTE
solution, SON can self-configure, self-optimize, and
self-maintain. SON technology sustains connectivity
and performance even when network topology
changes, which simplifies and reduces O&M for
technical staff, and lowers the OPEX incurred by
planning, optimization, and deployment.
Prior to the test, T-Mobile and Huawei had
already deployed Europes largest LTE/SAE trial
network in Innsbruck, across which the partners
conducted the worlds first multi-subscriber
mobile broadband service test. Mirroring an actual
environment, the role of the LTE/SAE trial network
is to better understand end user experience and the
technologies involved.
As LTEs core network, SAE provides high
per formance, high reliability, and seamless
evolution capabilities across a unified and large
capacity platform. With T-Mobiles expectation
of incorporating the test results into the industry
standard, the LTE/SAE trial network performed
solidly in a range of complex scenarios.
In November 2009, Telecom Italia contracted
Huawei to deploy the first LTE trial network in
Turin, Italy, reaffirming that LTE is firmly on
Europes doorstep.
TD-LTE technology debuts at
2010 Shanghai Expo
The World Expo, the Olympic Games and
the World Cup are three major global events that
demonstrate the unity of modern civilization by
showcasing our greatest technological and sporting
achievements. At the 2010 Expo in Shanghai, Huawei
will demonstrate its capabilities in TD-LTE network
deployment, service application, and technical services.
The Huawei E2E demo network is already
operational across the 5.28km2 site, providing users
with high speed mobile broadband services at a
downlink rate of 29Mbps. Integrating LTE wireless
access and an SAE core with catch-and-transfer
terminals, users can transmit data across the LTE
modules high-speed mobile Internet, including live
HD video, files and photos.
Visitors around the Expo site and even those
in the bus or relaxing on yachts on the Huangpu
River can also access detailed information about
the Expo through HD mobile video, bringing an
unprecedented level of information access right into
the palm of peoples hands. Additionally, the system
will guarantee safety through onsite security centers
that use TD-LTE-based HD image collection to
monitor vehicles, boats, and attendees.
Li Changzhu, Deputy Chief for Huawei in China,
explains the significance of TD-LTE networks:

While TeliaSoneras innovations have consistently achieved

global firsts and remain the building blocks of the companys
success, it is not the only operator with its eye on LTEseveral
giants from Europe are already making their play. Three of
the five announced LTE contracts are from European operators,
confirming Europe as the major stage for LTE competition.

FEB 2010 . ISSUE 54 14

 Cover Story
LTE is now
There will be a major attraction at the World Expo
2010 Shanghai, and the profile of LTE among
global operators and industry organizations is sure to
increase as a result. In particular, our industry-leading
FD/TD LTE solution offers higher bandwidth, fewer
delays and more efficient spectrum utilization than
ever before. On a wider scale, weve already deployed
unified SAE core networks across the globe, and are
making great progress in the field.
By realizing mobile Internet through broadband,
we believe that our demo network will fortify
the Expos theme of Better City, Better Life,
and represent a milestone in terms of its overall
development.
Huawei leading LTE
commercialization
Cumulative experience plays a pivotal role
As a globally-leading mobile communications
solution provider, Huawei is confident that LTE
technology will lead future-oriented network
evolution. Huawei began to develop LTE technology
as early as 2004 and, with cumulative experience
and sustained investment, has helped stimulate the
maturity of the LTE industry through its key role in
several LTE standards organizations.
In 2006, Huawei set up several TD-LTE and FD-
From LTE The Market & Its Requirements by Current
Analysis: Huawei pulls ahead in LTE
With only two markets in the world graced
by commercial LTE services as of mid-December
(TeliaSoneras launches in Stockholm and Oslo), its
clearly too early to make any iron-clad declarations.
That said, one need only look back to Stockholm
and Oslo to identify what should be two LTE front-
runners: Huawei and Ericsson.
Huawei claims one of the fastest growing (and
most financially successful) wireless infrastructure
businesses backed by a cost-effective set of products
that stretch from the mobile edge into the carrier
core and what it claims is a strategic focus on
ramping up its professional services capabilities.
15 FEB 2010 . ISSUE 54
LTE technology pilot networks in China, Europe,
North America, and Japan, and initiated several E2E
field test projects before producing the worlds first
LTE sample in early 2007. Huaweis LTE networks
are more mature and stable than the global trend as
they are underpinned by Huaweis industry-leading
fourth generation base station platform. In 2008,
Huawei consolidated its leading position by verifying
dual-mode HSPA/LTE, CDMA/LTE, and TD-
SCDMA/TD-LTE services. At the Mobile World
Congress in Barcelona in February 2009, Huawei
unveiled the industrys first FD-LTE and TD-LTE
integration solution, before releasing the worlds first
commercial LTE eNode B at the Huawei Global User
Conference in Munich in July 2009. This ratified
its place as the worlds first equipment provider
capable of developing commercial LTE networks. To
date, Huawei has deployed over 25 LTE networks
throughout the world.
Flawless performance
The superior per formance of the Huawei
LTE solution also sharpens its competitive edge.
Through advanced technologies including MIMO,
soft frequency reuse, and interference control,
the Huawei LTE solution increases cell capacity,
enhances the stability of wireless access, and raises
network coverage capabilities. Additionally, Huawei
has launched its E2E LTE/SAE solution featuring
Perhaps more importantly, its multi-standard base
station platform has been in the market for some
time, proving out its capabilities and setting up LTE
upgrade opportunities. And, where an operator
wants a real end-to-end solution (or just a little
help in ramping up early device supplies), Huawei
is well known for supporting operators with mobile
broadband devices including USB dongles and
phones.
As of December 2009, among the 12 high-profile
trials and commercial LTE contracts already publicly
announced, Huawei had bagged 6 contracts, making
it the leader of LTE market.

integrated terminals, O&M, eNode
Bs, Evolved Packet Cores (EPCs), and
transmission. The solution is designed to
boost operators business development
space and lower the CAPEX incurred by
network upgrades.
Huaweis diversified eNode B and
EPC product series minimizes delays
and raises speed. The series also provides
high spectrum utilization, All-IP flexible
networking capabilities, and can seamlessly
evolve 2G/3G networks into LTE. Field
tests demonstrate a physical layer downlink
rate of up to 173Mbps, the highest in the
industry, coupled with a switch success
ratio that exceeds 99%.
As the industrys first vendor to develop
power amplification technology in RF
equipment, Huawei has made efficiency
gains of 40% in wireless base stations and
leads the industry in terms of reducing the
power consumption of LTE base stations,
which significantly reduces operators
OPEX and boosts operators profitability.
Most patents
Huawei has the largest number of LTE
patents of all global equipment providers.
ETSI statistics record that Huawei had
obtained 168 LTE patents by the end
of November 2009, around 10% of the
world total of 1,650.
Promotes industry chain
development
The goals of industry leaders transcend
self growth and actively seek to guide the
development of the whole industry chain.
In July 2009, the open LTE laboratories
set up by Huawei in Texas and Tokyo were
officially put into operation. The Texas lab in
Richardson serves as an open LTE technical
platform for North American operators
and partners to rigorously test LTE systems
before deployment, which will be crucial for
LTE development in the nation.
T h e To k y o l a b i s a c u t t i n g - e d g e
technological incubator with complete
testing facilities that mirror an actual
environment to test peak throughput,
delays, multiple subscriber usage, switches,
and SONs. Equipped with Huaweis
DBS3900 fourth generation base stations,
the latest commercial LTE software, and
a full range of testing terminals, the lab
provides testing and training services to
fully prepare operators and partners for the
commercial deployment of next generation
Huawei Communicate
wireless technology and LTE networks.
With a full knowledge of the importance
that terminals have on the whole industry
chain, Huawei is jointly conducting IOTs
with numerous LTE terminal vendors. In
November 2009, Huawei and Samsung
conducted a successful and milestone joint
IOT on a Huawei-deployed LTE network
that incorporates Samsungs commercial
LTE modem. The success of the test signals
the end of the technical bottleneck plaguing
LTE terminals, and helps close the E2E
loop that is essential for large scale LTE
deployment.
The strong development of the LTE
industry responds to societys higher
requirements for mobile communication
services. Huawei is a proven powerhouse
in the LTE field, having contributed
s i g n i f i c a n t l y t o b u i l d i n g t h e LT E
industry chain and leading the field in
commercially applying LTE networks.
Through sustained investment in LTE
technologies and deeper cooperation with
third party players and operators, Huawei
will utilize the breadth of its experience
and knowledge to enhance the personal
and professional lives of people across the
globe through LTE.
Editor: Pan Tao pantao@huawei.com
FEB 2010 . ISSUE 54 16