Experimental Evaluation of LTE against UMTS Technology

The GSM and UMTS Technology standards have challenges with capacity, latency, data rates e.t.c, which results in poor quality of service (QoS) from service providers. This book experimentally evaluates the different techniques employed in the LTE technology to mitigate these challenges such as: different radio interface together with core network improvements, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), scalable carrier bandwidth, advanced and workable Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) schemes and Spatial Multiplexing. The scalable carrier bandwidths of 1.4MHz, 3MHz, 5MHz, 10MHz, 15MHz and 20MHz support both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time-division duplexing (TDD). The IP-based network architecture, called the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), replaces the GPRS Core Network and supports seamless handovers for both voice and data to cells of older network technology such as GSM, UMTS and UMTS2000. The reliability is further enhanced with the support of ¿self-optimizing network (SON)¿ like Automatic Neighbor Relation (ANR) and Automatic Parameter Reconfiguration. There is simpler network architecture which results in lower operating costs.