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High-tech market research firm, In-Stat Wireless is reporting that 4G wireless technology is beginning to shape up, and points to several signs, including Intel’s ( News - Alert) support for WiMAX  , Ericsson touting Long Term Evolution (LTE), and Qualcomm ( News - Alert) preferring Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB).
The stage is already set for the evolution to so-called fourth-generation wireless technologies, although ITU may not officially define 4G before 2008. But, according to the In-Stat ( News - Alert) research report, the three technologies mentioned above seem to be emerging as clear contenders for the designation.
“Companies are extremely uncomfortable talking about ‘4G’ technologies, since the ITU has not defined 4G yet,” says Gemma Tedesco, In-Stat analyst. “However, each of the contending 4G technologies has a cheerleader, with Ericsson ( News - Alert) touting LTE, Qualcomm
preferring UMB, and Intel touting 802.16m WiMAX .”
In-Stat found the two widely expected requirements for 4G technologies: They should be OFDMA-based and support 100 Mbps for wide area mobile applications. But In-Stat estimates 4G technology rollouts are likely to be available in the market only after 2010 as GSM/EDGE technologies are currently dominating the market. As a result, the HSPA and EV-DO network enabled handsets that fit into 4G technology will roll out only after 2010.
The report also forecasted that the initial deployment of 4G technologies would be very slow as the initial implementations of LTE, UMB and 802.16m WiMAX ( News - Alert) might fall short of throughput and other expectations. The take-of of the real 4G will take place only after overcoming the initial glitches by technology enhancements, or some type of technology combinations.
In-Stat identified several obstacles standing in the way of 4G becoming reality. They are:
- Re-allocation of older spectrum for 4G technologies.
- Resolution of any WiMAX IPR issues.
- Creation of FDD profiles for 802.16e WiMAX.
- Uptake rate of 802.16e in Mobile PCs.
- Uptake rate of 3G cellular in Mobile PCs.
- Continued evolution of the mobile handset.
- An increase in the uptake rate of wireless broadband technologies into portable CE devices.
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PR Sai is a contributor to TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
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802.16 (WiMAX) | X | | As a sister technology to Wi-Fi, the IEEE 802.16 specification outlines technology for Wireless Metro Area Network (MAN). WiMAX actually stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, whi...more |
Internet Protocol (IP) | X | | IP stands for Internet Protocol, a data-networking protocol developed throughout the 1980s. It is the established standard protocol for transmitting and receiving data
in packets over the Internet. I...more |
Third Generation (3G) | X | | A variety of cellular phone specifications collectively known as Third Generation mobile technology. 3G networks do not operate in the same frequency spectrum as 2G. Examples of 3G wireless specs incl...more |
Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) | X | | As a sister technology to Wi-Fi, the IEEE 802.16 specification outlines technology for Wireless Metro Area Network (MAN). WiMAX actually stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, whi...more |
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