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4G LTE Basics

Cliffe Barnett, AT&T Director of RAN Engineering, Georgia/South Carolina May 9, 2017

Exponential growth in data usage driving mobility network evolution

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1Peak data rate for GSM/GPRS, latest Evolved EDGE has peak DL data rates capable of up to 1.2 Mbps. 2Peak date rate for HSPA+ DL 3-carrier CA; HSPA + specification includes additional potential CA + use of multiple antennas, but no announcements to date. 3Peak data rate for LTE Advanced Cat 6 with 20 + 20 MHz DL CA; LTE specification includes additional potential CA + additional use of multiple antennas, but no announcements to date.

Mobility speeds – faster…faster…faster.

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Mobility speeds – faster…faster…faster.

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• LTE is an abbreviation for Long Term Evolution which is the 4th Generation of

mobile phone technology • Standards were developed for high speed wireless data communications and

packet switched voice (Voice Over IP) communication • Spectral efficiency is a key feature of LTE. • Increased capacity and speeds are achieved with new modulation scheme and

DSP (Digital Signal Processing) • LTE Network architecture is simpler than previous generation architecture

LTE Basics

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How do you get faster data speeds if you are using the same spectrum?

1G and 2G 3G 4G LTE

•Multiple data streams allow for blocks of data to be divided and sent simultaneously •LTE standards specify how these multiple streams work and work together •To get even faster speeds, the LTE standards allow for the use of multiple antennas

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• Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is the voice communication standard developed to

allow voice communications over the LTE • Voice calls are converted to data and sent through the packet data LTE data

network • Using a packet switched (data) network rather than a circuit switched

(traditional) network for voice allows for very high fidelity voice calls

Voice over LTE

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•Superior Call Quality or HD Calls: •Improved Coverage and Connectivity: VoLTE connect calls up to twice as fast as 2G and 3G. •Better Battery Life: Due to decreased switching between technologies

•Improved Voice/ Video Calling Features •Backward Capability: Ability to fallback to the 3G network in areas where 4G coverage is limited

Mobile Voice Timeline

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• Up to 3 times more area covered with 700MHz LTE Network vs. 2100MHz Network • Up to 2.5 times more area covered with 700MHz LTE Network vs 1900MHz Network • Up to 20% increase area covered with 700MHz LTE Network vs 800MHz Network

The frequency used determines the footprint and stronger signal.

• 700 LTE provides up to twice as strong in-building signal penetration when compared to high band spectrum. • Improved coverage in suburban and rural areas

Lower frequencies travel farther and penetrate buildings better than high frequencies

In the USA, the FCC licensed 700MHz spectrum for LTE

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AT&T 4G LTE Network Evolution in Georgia

Milestones 2011 - AT&T first launches 4G LTE network in Atlanta, Athens, Augusta and Gainesville areas 2014 – Initial 4G LTE build of merged ATN sites in south Georgia. ATN merger gave AT&T access to low band 700MHz and 800MHz spectrum in SGA

ATT launches 4G

LTE in Georgia

2011 2015 2014 2016 2012 2013

Continued expansion of 4G LTE in Georgia

Initial wave of ATN 4G LTE build in south Georgia.

Continued expansion of 4G LTE in Georgia.

Initial deployment of

VoLTE in Georgia

Continued expansion of 4G LTE in Georgia

Continued expansion of 4G LTE in Georgia

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Speed and Much More

Source: https://pages.anritsu-emearesponse.com/Understanding-5G-Guide.html Source: http://www2.itif.org/2016-5g-next-generation.pdf

The 5G Triangle