Clearwire reports peak download speeds of 90 Mbps in its initial testing of LTE technology in Phoenix, says Fierce Wireless.
WiMAX normally delivers about 30 Mbs per sector in a 10 MHz channel, with a 20 MHz channel about twice that speed. LTE-FDD, using two paired 20MHz channels, can deliver even faster speeds.
Speaking during the day two keynotes at the 2010 4G World event, Sievert said the carrier’s ongoing trial in the Phoenix area are showing real-world network speeds of around 48 megabits per second on the downlink using paired 10 megahertz channels. The test results were shown using the Speedtest.com web site in a moving environment. The faster LTE test used two 20 MHz channels.
Clearwire is testing both 10×10 MHz and 20×20 MHz network configurations in Phoenix using equipment from Samsung and Huawei. Clearwire recorded download speeds of 50 Mbps in the 10×10 configuration, and 90 Mbps downloads (and around 30 Mbps uploads) in the 20×20 configuration.
At the 4G World event, Samsung is showcasing its 4G mobile products through demonstrations with WiMAX 2 based on IEEE 802.16m and LTE. Samsung is demoing Full-HD 3D video streaming and 16 Full-HD videos streaming on four TVs simultaneously. Samsung’s U-RAS Flexible base stations can be used as a common platform for Mobile WiMAX (802.16e), Mobile WiMAX 2 (802.16m), as well as both FDD-LTE and TD-LTE deployments.
The technology is powered by Samsung’s WiMAX 2 trial systems and devices and has peak data throughput of 330Mbps. WiMAX 2 uses only a single 20 MHz channel. The mobile version delivers up to 100Mbps and the fixed version delivers up to 1Gbps. WiMAX 2 standards are expected to be finalized by November 2010 and the WiMAX Forum is preparing to release certified products of WiMAX 2 by the fourth quarter of 2011.
Sievert noted that Clearwire’s ample spectrum holdings can allow the carrier to use this 2x version of LTE, a benefit he noted, that none of its competitors could match. Clearwire has as much as 150 megahertz in some markets and is reportedly in the midst of auctioning off some of that capacity privately.
Clearwire plans to conduct LTE tests in the fall and throughout early 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona (see DW: Clearwire to Test LTE ). During the trials, Clearwire will collaborate with Beceem, and other partners, to determine the best methods for enabling end-user devices to take advantage of a potential multi-mode WiMAX/LTE network.
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