By Telecom Lead
Team: In February 2012, Japanese mobile operator Softbank Mobile (Softbank)
will utilize a TD-LTE network for data offload. Japan will therefore be the
first market in Asia to deploy a commercial TD-LTE network.
TDD spectrum is
now extremely valuable to mobile operators. Chinese vendor Huawei predicts that
70 percent of TDD networks will be deployed as extension networks by FDD
operators. The TDD-FDD device ecosystem is quickly maturing, and Huawei is due
to deliver FDD-TDD LTE smartphones to Softbank by August 2012, according to
Ovum.
TDD spectrum
is now extremely valuable to mobile operators. Chinese vendor Huawei predicts
that 70 per cent of TDD networks will be deployed as extension networks by FDD
operators. The TDD-FDD device ecosystem is quickly maturing, and Huawei is due
to deliver FDD-TDD LTE smartphones to Softbank by August 2012. Mobile operators
should try to have TDD spectrum in reserve for future data requirements
wherever possible,” said Nicole McCormick, senior analyst, telco strategy Ovum.
Softbank unit
Wireless City Planning, which already operates a personal handy-phone system
(PHS), is aiming to commercially launch its Advanced eXtended Global Platform
(AXGP), network in February 2012 using a of 20MHz channel of TDD spectrum.
China Mobile is
expected to launch its TD-LTE network in 1H13, while TD-LTE is also due to
become a commercial proposition later this year.
According to
the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), four operators have already
launched commercial TD-LTE networks globally: Brazilian operator Sky, Poland’s
Aero2, and Saudi Arabian operators Etisalat and STC.
Recently, Signals and Systems Telecom said LTE
deployments drove cellular network operator CAPEX to $128 billion in 2011.
With 6.1
billion global cellular network subscriptions, the year 2011 has seen mobile
penetration levels reach over 87 percent. Demand for mobile broadband LTE
deployments was a key driver of infrastructure sales in throughout 2011,
offsetting spots of continued weakness in legacy voice technologies.
As a result of
considerable LTE deployments throughout the globe, global operator CAPEX
totaled $128 billion throughout 2011, up almost 30 percent from $99 billion in
2011.
Data APRU
increased to $5.71 up 7.1 percent from Q4 2010, while voice revenues decreased
to 10.32 percent, down 11.4 percent from Q4 2010.
Non-SMS data
revenues, which now represent 60 percent of all data revenues worldwide, were
the primary contributor to mobile revenue growth throughout 2011.
