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Are you ready for LTE?

Freescale Semiconductor

Do you remember the first time you got your hands on one of the next-generation smartphones that combines email, wireless web browsing and traditional phone functionality? For many, this was an impressive experience. Now consider the prospect of using such a device with Internet connectivity speeds as fast as today’s broadband-enabled desktop.

The appeal of this kind of performance in the context of today’s mobile devices is compelling. But that’s only part of the story. The fact is, next-generation mobile broadband technology is on the horizon and approaching fast. As a result, consumers can look forward to more than just faster internet connectivity on their existing mobile devices – they can expect performance levels that enable creation of entirely new classes of mobile products and services that dramatically boost productivity, improve public safety and enhance enjoyment of digital entertainment.

Long-Term Evolution (LTE) is one of the leading wireless standard candidates expected to deliver this kind of game-changing performance. But the technology presents more than just attractive user experiences – it also represents a huge business opportunity for the service providers, equipment manufacturers and semiconductor suppliers who bring LTE to life. Leading mobile carriers and service providers worldwide are currently working to complete the buildout of networks capable of supporting LTE. Carriers in Asia are expected to begin offering commercial LTE service as soon as late 2009, and firms serving North America and Europe are not far behind.

Although different configurations of LTE are planned for deployment in specific global regions, all LTE variants are expected to ultimately deliver speeds of up to 326Mb/s downlink and 86Mb/s uplink, and support channel bandwidths from 1.25 MHz to 20 MHz. LTE is expected to deliver this kind of performance in large part because it is designed to provide as much as four times the spectral efficiency of networks based on previous wireless generations. This allows LTE networks to deliver more bits of data into the same amount of spectrum as older standards, resulting in faster data speeds and increased capacity. And LTE provides this higher bandwidth while reusing existing spectrum that is being used by current-generation networks.

LTE is based on a simplified, all-IP network architecture that boosts the volume of data that can travel across a network and enhances network efficiency. This increased efficiency is especially appealing to network operators, who expect LTE to lower operating and capital expenditure costs, since the simplified architecture requires fewer (but more integrated) infrastructure equipment installations.

Greater flexibility is another benefit of LTE. With LTE, network operators can operate within a broader range of frequency bands, as well as deliver connectivity across smaller amounts of spectrum in cases where a particular usage model might require lower bandwidth.

The potential of LTE is significant for consumers, as well as for the telecommunications industry and its entire supply chain. In the years ahead, LTE promises tremendous opportunities for the people and organizations best able to harness the promise of this compelling technology.

 

Hats off to TXWA for selling out the May 14th event.

LFC, Inc. is championing the Texas State Wireless Association Annual Charity Golf Tournament on May 14.  LFC and TXWA are pleased to announce that the tournament has sold out!  Brandt Dozier, President of LFC and Nicole Andrepont, VP -Operations of LFC, worked closely with Dave Harris, Vice President of TXWA, to plan this successful event.  The tournament will be held at Tour 18 in Houston, Texas.  The generous donations and sponsorships made by the wireless community will benefit two charities,  the Keith Harris Scholarship fund and the DeafBlind Children’s Fund. 

LFC, Inc. is a Site Development and Engineering Firm located in Houston, Texas.  LFC offers Site Acquisition, Project Management, A&E Services, Structural Engineering, as well as other regulatory services that support site development, to Wireless Carriers across the nation. 

For more information about the event please contact:

www.txwa.org - David Harris (dharris@talleycom.com)

www.LFC-inc.com (nicole@lfc-inc.com)

http://tinyurl.com/VA-Rural-Broadband

On Friday morning, I met with an old friend, Dr. Ted Rappaport, to learn more about his latest great adventure, while on sabbatical from UT.  He spent the past year in Virginia working with Virginia's CIO and Governor's office creating and then implementing Virginia's rural broadband initiative, which has become a model for Obama's rural broadband stimulus package.  Please see http://tinyurl.com/VA-Rural-Broadband for more information on the initiative.

For more information about Dr. Rappaport, please see http://www.wncg.org/.  Professor Ted Rappaport has been selected as one of two winners of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 2008 Wireless Communications Recognition Award.

The Wireless Networking & Communications Group (WNCG) is an interdisciplinary center for research and education at The University of Texas at Austin with an emphasis on industrial relevance.

Mission:

- To create a collaborative environment which supports basic research and promotes technical innovation, imagination and entrepreneurship in wireless networking and communications and applications thereof.

- To provide a highly relevant education and opportunities for students wishing to pursue careers in wireless networking, communications and related areas.

WNCG has an exceptional track record fostering collaborations with and among industry. We seek to serve industry by creating and disseminating knowledge about wireless networks and communications through research, teaching and technology transfer. As such, a primary source of sponsorship for WNCG is our Industrial Affiliates program – this includes leading wireless, software, and semiconductor companies who take an active role in our research program. This website serves as the focal point for WNCG’s research, events, and the wireless movement in Austin.

Organization

WNCG Director, Jeff Andrews, currently manages the operational aspects of the center, which includes 14 faculty from Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Sciences at U.T. Austin and over 80 graduates and undergraduates as well as research scientists, post doctoral and industry visitors. Dr. Robert Heath is the Associate Director.

WNCG was founded in 2002 by Ted Rappaport and a number of faculty at The University of Texas. He served as Director until December 2005 and remains the Founding Director and active member of the group.

Please let us know what you miss the most about RCR Wireless?

By Marguerite Reardon CNET News. Posted on ZDNet News: Mar 31, 2009 6:56:56 AM

We've barely unpacked our bags from GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, and we're on the road again to Las Vegas for CTIA Wireless, the U.S. tradeshow and conference held every spring where the biggest and most influential players in the U.S. mobile market gather.

While there will be some cell phones announced at this year's show, most of the excitement will center on software applications and the virtual store fronts that are popping up to distribute these new applications. Since the success of Apple's App Store, which provides easy access to third party applications for iPhones, other companies have jumped on the bandwagon announcing their own application stores.

CTIA Wireless 2009
Everyone from Google to Microsoft to Nokia to Research In Motion has announced plans for a new application store. And at this year's CTIA, some of these new app stores will come to life. RIM is expected to announce that its BlackBerry AppWorld is open for business and Microsoft will start showing off its Marketplace for the first time.

See also: Special Report: CTIA Wireless 2009

But application markets aren't the only thing that will be talked about. Carriers, like Verizon and Clearwire will also be touting faster broadband wireless networks that will help make these applications a reality. And of course handset makers will be showing off new products, some of which have already been announced, such as the Palm Pre.

But this year's spring CTIA Wireless show will likely be smaller than in years past. The economic downturn has taken its toll on the mobile market. Even Nokia, the world's largest and strongest maker of cell phones, has slashed expectations for 2009. And the company has already begun laying off employees and closing facilities to cut costs.

Still, mobile is hot. And most experts agree that even though the overall cell phone market won't grow as quickly as it has in years past, it is one of the brightest spots on the technology landscape for the future. And the new technologies and services developed and shown off today will pave the way toward recovery in the future.

Here's a snapshot of what we expect to see:

Applications galore
The biggest news of the week will likely come from Research in Motion. The company, which makes the popular BlackBerry smartphone, is expected to introduce both an applications storefront and a mobile video-download service for its newer BlackBerry devices. RIM, the preferred smartphone of the suit-and-tie crowd, has increasingly courted consumers over the past year with new phones like the Pearl and the Storm. But throwing the BlackBerry wide-open to consumer-oriented developers could help enhance its standing against Apple's iPhone.

Microsoft is also expected to show off its Windows Marketplace for Mobile, its version of the mobile computing application store. Microsoft announced the new mobile application store at Mobile World Congress in February. And now it plans to show off the product at the show with a special demonstration during a keynote address on Thursday.

Last year, the company unveiled Windows Mobile 6.1 in Las Vegas, and it announced tweaks to the software at MWC earlier this year with Windows Mobile 6.5. But the broader overhaul of the software promised in Windows Mobile 7 still appears pretty far off in the distance.

Even though Apple won't be at CTIA, there will be plenty of iPhone applications announced and demonstrated at the show. Skype has already taken the wraps off its new Skype for iPhone app. And other apps are sure to be highlighted and demonstrated, such as MobiTV's new iPhone application.

Networks: The faster, the better
Even though carriers are still finding ways to monetize their newly built 3G wireless networks, they're already looking toward the future. Verizon chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg will take the stage on Wednesday, and he's expected to tout the company's impending 4G wireless network and the billions of dollars it's invested in its fiber optic landline network. Verizon's CTO Dick Lynch dished some of the details on the new 4G network, which is expected to launch in 2010, in Barcelona last month.

Benjamin Wolff, co-chairman of Clearwire is also taking the stage this week at CTIA. Clearwire, which is using wireless assets from Sprint Nextel, to build a 4G nationwide network using WiMax technology is also expected to talk more about the its plans to provide wireless broadband coverage to 120 million people by the end of 2010.

Robert Dotson, CEO of T-Mobile USA, the smallest of the four major cell phone operators, will also be delivering a keynote speech on Wednesday that is likely to provide an update on the company's roll out of its 3G network. And AT&T's head of wireless Ralph De La Vega will meet with reporters on Thursday. While it's not yet known what he will talk about, there could be an update on the company's technology upgrade to a faster network. Last year, De La Vega said AT&T would be offering network speeds of 20 Mbps over its current network infrastructure as it upgrades to newer versions of HSPA.

Handsets revisited
Rumors are building that Google's Android group might try to steal a little of the CTIA thunder, in partnership with HTC. HTC built the first Android phone, the T-Mobile G1, and has committed to releasing additional phones. One of those might be arriving soon, especially now that the HTC Magic has passed the FCC's certification tests, and could be announced this week. HTC announced the Magic for European markets at Mobile World Congress in February. Perhaps a new Android phone will be announced by T-Mobile's Dotson on Wednesday during his keynote speech.

Smartphone maker Palm is not attending CTIA, but the company's hotly anticipated phone the Palm Pre, which was announced in Las Vegas at CES in January, will be at Sprint Nextel's special "lounge," where the carrier will be showing off the device to press and a few other special guests.

Details on pricing and availability aren't expected at the show, but Palm fans are crossing their fingers for some news. The company could have something to say on Wednesday, when Palm's Michael Abbott will make an appearance at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco.

AT&T will also be showing off six new handsets for its network that are geared toward data centric consumers. These devices offer an array of devices with full keypads and touch screens. These phones include models from LG and three from Samsung, such as the Propel Pro. AT&T is also going to be offering Nokia's ultra-thin E71x, which is very popular in Europe. This is one of the first high-end Nokia devices available in the U.S. market and could help Nokia build a bigger toe-hold in the U.S. market.

This article was originally posted on CNET News.

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