LTE reported speeds present a confused and confusing market picture

(Apr 5 2011) 4G , LTE , Mobile Broadband

1. By Phil Marshall, PhD, Tolaga Research
   
   The mobile industry continuously barrages the market with lofty performance indicators that lack consistency and blur the boundary between theoretical and actual broadband peak speed. In reality, performance depends on a variety of factors including signal propagation conditions, simultaneous users, spectrum resources, network configuration and infrastructure performance. We analyzed reported and advertised performance levels associated with trials and commercial LTE implementations, anomalies between what is stated and what is delivered are stark. In particular, the average advertised downlink speed for commercial LTE services is 44Mbps, this compares with the average reported downlink speed for LTE trials of 89Mbps, with trial performance levels ranging between 14.6Mbps and 150Mbps. Notable examples include:
   
   

   • Using 10 MHz of TDD spectrum Korea’s SK Telecom, in partnership with China Mobile, demonstrated an average downlink speed of 14.6 Mbps and 6.2 Mbps average uplink speed.

   • Philippines operator Smart conducted trials with NSN and Huawei in 2010. NSN achieved a downlink speed of 63 Mbps on 10 MHz of spectrum; while Huawei recorded 108 Mbps downlink using 15 MHz of spectrum.

   • In Poland, Crfrowy Polsat and vendor Huawei reported a downlink speed of 73 Mbps compared with upload speed of 25 Mbps in trailing LTE at 1800 MHz.

   • In Chile, Entel PCS’s and Ericsson recorded a download speed of 50 Mbps using 2 x 10 MHz of spectrum in the 2600MHz band.

   • Canada’s WIND registered a downlink speed of 60 Mbps, while competitor TELUS recorded a downlink speed of 73.9 Mbps in its recent LTE trial activity.

   • South Africa’s Cell C reached a downlink speed of 100 Mbps, as did Cosmote in Greece.

   • Using 20 MHz of spectrum in the 2300 MHz range, Australia’s Vividwireless reported download speeds ranging from 70 to 128 Mbps, with an uplink speed of 7 Mbps.

   • Working with Huawei, Tajikistan’s MLT (TTMobile) has trialed LTE reaching a downlink speed of 100 Mbps.

   • Tele2’s LTE trial activity in Lithuania has recorded downlink and uplink speed of 106 Mbps and 40 Mbps respectively.

   • In Kuwait, Zain’s trial reported downlink speeds of 100 Mbps.

   • Vodafone Spain has been trialing LTE backhaul with TDD spectrum in the 2600 MHz band achieving a downlink speed of 60 Mbps along with 25 Mbps uplink.

   • Working with Ericsson, Telefonica Spain has recorded a 140 Mbps downlink speed.

   • In Portugal, Optimus and Huawei have reported an LTE trial download speed of 150 Mbps associated with an uplink speed of 60 Mbps using spectrum in the 2600 MHz band.

   • Trials conducted in Namibia by operator MTC reported a downlink speeds of 100 Mbps and 50 Mbps uplink.

   
   Anecdotal evidence from live LTE markets would indicate that network speeds of much less than 40Mbps are being achieved on average, and vary dramatically depending on operating conditions. As mobile operators remain under tremendous competitive pressure, we can anticipate that exaggerated network performance figures will be quoted in the marketplace. As many consumers eagerly await the promise of LTE and massive network speeds, it is contingent upon the industry as a whole to set more realistic expectations.
   
    

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