Ericsson pushes HSPA world record to 56Mbps
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) continues to increase HSPA speeds for an even better user experience and sustainable development of mobile broadband. Higher data rates give users an instantaneous connection. A click on a web link brings up the corresponding page immediately, even when many users are online at the same time.
Ericsson will break its own HSPA world record with the world's first demonstration of HSPA multi-carrier MIMO technology, providing peak downlink data rates of 56Mbps, at the CTIA Wireless exhibition, April 1-3 in Las Vegas, USA. This is another step for HSPA Evolution, further enhancing the mobile broadband experience.
The increase in speed is achieved thanks to a combination of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and multi-carrier HSPA technology. MIMO allows for higher peak data rates and increased spectral efficiency, which provides higher network capacity.
The demonstration will be carried out with a concept-design version of an Ericsson HSPA-enabled mobile-broadband router. This consumer device can be used anywhere broadband access is needed, sharing a mobile-broadband connection between multiple consumers and providing efficient use of the high-speed broadband connection.
HSPA multi-carrier technology with MIMO, which is currently being standardized, is scheduled for commercial deployment in 2010. By the end of 2009, Ericsson will support commercial deployment of multi-carrier technology with speeds up to 42Mbps - an achievement successfully demonstrated at the recent Mobile World Conference in Barcelona.
Ulf Ewaldsson, Vice President and Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson, says: "Ericsson's continued HSPA Evolution leadership enables higher data rates, increased network capacity and low network costs. This record-breaking demonstration combining MIMO and multi-carrier technology shows the strong potential of further HSPA enhancements. Operators that have chosen Ericsson's network equipment are in a unique position to offer the most attractive mobile-broadband services to their customers, today and in the years to come. "
Notes to editors:
Ericsson's multimedia content is available at the broadcast room: www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room
Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. The market leader in 2G and 3G mobile technologies, Ericsson supplies communications services and manages networks that serve more than 250 million subscribers. The company's portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, and broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and developers. The Sony Ericsson joint venture provides consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices.
Ericsson is advancing its vision of 'communication for all' through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 70,000 employees generated revenue of USD 27 billion (SEK 209 billion) in 2008. Founded in 1876 and headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm and NASDAQ.
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About the HSPA Evolution steps
Commercial HSPA networks can support today speeds up to 21Mbps. From mid-2009, Ericsson-supplied commercial networks can support MIMO technology with 28Mbps.
Base stations with two or more frequency channels are currently widely used in WCDMA/HSPA networks all over the world. Today's commercial HSPA devices can make use of only one 5MHz channel at a time. With the introduction of multi-carrier consumer devices, data from two or more 5MHz channels can be received simultaneously by one consumer. The data stream is split over the used channels in the radio base station.
Base stations with two or more frequency channels are currently widely used in WCDMA/HSPA networks all over the world. Today's commercial HSPA devices can make use of only one 5MHz channel at a time. With the introduction of multi-carrier consumer devices, data from two or more 5MHz channels can be received simultaneously by one consumer. The data stream is split over the used channels in the radio base station.
The first step uses the multi-carrier concept on two frequency channels on the downlink in combination with 64QAM modulation, which gives a peak downlink speed of 42Mbps.
The increase to 56Mbps is a further step in the evolution of HSPA, using enhancements that are currently being standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in its 3GPP Release 9 standard. The step to 56Mbps is obtained by using multi-carrier technology in combination with multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) technology and 16QAM modulation. With MIMO technology, a base station can send data twice as fast via two different antenna paths on the same frequency to a single consumer. In combination with multi-carrier technology (which also doubles peak data rates), a 400 percent increase from 14Mbps to 56Mbps is obtained. Most antenna configurations used on base-station sites today support MIMO operation without any changes.
Adding 64QAM higher-order modulation to the multi-carrier and MIMO technology will raise the peak rates further to 84Mbps. This is also being standardized in 3GPP Release 9.
The data rates listed are peak-network rates. Actual customer-data rates can be lower, and will vary due to congestion, distance from the base station, local conditions, hardware, software and other factors.