2G, 3G & 4G Subscriptions, Deployments and Infrastructure Contracts Database Q4'2013

With over 250 commercial network launches and over a thousand LTE-enabled devices available in the market as of December 2013, LTE adoption has considerably gained momentum throughout the globe. Unique market and operator requirements have driven several early LTE launches. Driven by these early launches global LTE subscriptions reached nearly 130 Million in Q4'2013. From an operator viewpoint U.S. operators dominate the market with a 37% market share thanks to the tremendous coverage footprint of tier 1 operators Verizon Wireless & AT&T. The market share of U.S. operators is followed by Japanese and Korean operators NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, SoftBank, LG Uplus, SK Telecom and KT which represent 38% of all LTE subscriptions worldwide. Going forward, the LTE market is set to grow at a CAGR of 56% over the next 7 years and will eventually represent more than 20% of all mobile connections by 2020. From an infrastructure manufacturer perspective Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia Siemens Networks and Alcatel-Lucent are leading the market and account for a combined market share of 85% of all LTE contracts. Ericsson is also leading the market from a technology neutral perspective with a 24% stake in all global 2G/3G/4G contracts.
Covering over 810 operators, 53 infrastructure vendors and 222 countries worldwide the "2G/3G/4G Subscriptions, Deployments and Infrastructure Contracts Database Q4'2013" tracks global cellular network deployments, infrastructure vendor contracts, and subscriptions by technology, data protocol, category (pre-paid, post paid), region, country, and operator.
The report includes: • Infrastructure contracts by technology, data protocol, region, country, vendor and operator • Infrastructure market share by equipment type, region, country and vendor • Network deployments by technology, data protocol, region, country and operator. • Number of cellular network subscriptions (as of Q4'2013) by air interface technology, data protocol, region, country and operator • Five-year subscriptions forecasts by air interface technology, data protocol, region, country and operator • Subscriptions market share data by air interface technology, data protocol, region, country and operator. • Penetration data by region and country • Population data by region and country
Companies Mentioned AirNet Alcatel Alcatel Shanghai Bell Alcatel-Lucent Alvarion Andrew Corporation Apertio Argent Networks USA BSNL COMSAT RSI Plexsys Systems Datacraft DMC Stratex Networks Ericsson Ericsson Nikola Tesla Fujitsu Harris Hitachi Huawei Huawei; Huawei Hyundai Syscomm interWAVE ip.access Kyocera LG LogicStar Lucent Motorola NEC Nera Nokia Nokia Siemens Nortel Panasonic Plexsys Samsung Siemens Siemens/NEC SK Teletech Starent Networks Stratex Networks Tecnomen Tecore Tellus Radio Timor Telecom UTStarcom WiderThan.com ZTE "3 Australia 3 Indonesia 3G Telecommunications Access Communications limited Aero 2 Afghan Wireless Africell Burundi Africell Gambia Africell Sierra Leone Aircel AIS AkTel Albanian Mobile Communications Alfa Telecom Algérie Télécom Almadar Aljadeed Altel AM Wireless Uruguay Ambitel America Movil Costa Rica America Movil Dominican Republic America Movil Jamaica America Movil Peru America Movil Puerto Rico A-Mobile AMX Argentina AMX Paraguay ANCEL Applifone APUA Aquafon Armentel Asia Pacific Broadband Wireless Communications Asiacell ASTCA Astelit AT&T Mobility Puerto Rico AT&T Mobility US Virgin Islands AT&T Mobility USA Atlantic Wireless Liberia Atlantique Cellulaire RCA Atlantique Telecom Cote d'Ivoire AVEA Azercell Azerfon Babilon Mobile Bakcell BakrieTel Batelco Bahamas Batelco Bahrain BayanTel Belau Cellular Belcel Belgacom Mobile Bell Benin Communications Bell Wireless Affiliates BellTell Benin Telecom Benson Informatics Bermuda Digital Communications BeST Bharti Bharti Airtel Burkina Faso B.V. Bharti Airtel Chad Bharti Airtel Congo B.V. Bharti Airtel Gabon B.V. Bharti Airtel Ghana Bharti Airtel Kenya B.V. Bharti Airtel Madagascar B.V Bharti Airtel Malawi Bharti Airtel Niger Bharti Airtel Nigeria Bharti Airtel RDC Bharti Airtel Sri Lanka Bharti Airtel Tanzania B.V Bharti Airtel Uganda B.V. Bharti Airtel Zambia Bhutan Telecom Bité Latvia Bité Lithuania Blue Sky Communications Samoa (American) B-Mobile Brunei B-Mobile Papua New Guinea Botswana Telecom Bouygues Telecom BSNL BTL Cable & Wireless Cable & Wireless (St Lucia) Cable & Wireless Anguilla Cable & Wireless Antigua & Barbuda Cable & Wireless British Virgin Islands Cable & Wireless Cayman Islands Cable & Wireless Dominica Cable & Wireless Grenada Cable & Wireless Guernsey Cable & Wireless Isle of Man Cable & Wireless Jamaica Cable & Wireless Jersey Cable & Wireless Montserrat Cable & Wireless Panama Cable & Wireless Seychelles Cable & Wireless St Kitts & Nevis Cable & Wireless St Vincent & The Grenadines Cable & Wireless Turks & Caicos Islands Cabo Verde Telecom Cadcomms CamGSM CAMTEL Canartel Caribbean Cellular Telephone CariGlobe CAT Catel CCT CDMA Ukraine Celcom Côte d'Ivoire Celcom Malaysia Cell C Cell One Cellcom Guinée Cellcom Israel Cellcom Liberia Celtel Centernet CHEO China Mobile China Mobile Pakistan China Telecom China Telecom (Macau) China Unicom Chinguitel Chunghwa Telecom CI Telecom Claro Brazil Claro Chile Claro Panama CMHK Coastal Communications Colombia Movil Comcel Haiti Comium Côte d'Ivoire Comium Gambia Comium Liberia Comium Sierra Leone Comores Telecom Comunicaciones Celulares Colombia Comunicaciones Celulares Guatemala Conecel Corporacion Digitel Venezuela Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile Cosmofon Cosmote Cosmote Romania CSL New World CST Mobicel CTBC Telecom CTE Telecom Personal CTM CYTA Dauphin Telecom Dawamiba Dhiraagu Dialog Axiata DiGi Digicel (Bonaire) Digicel (Curaçao) Digicel Anguilla Digicel Antigua Digicel Aruba Digicel Barbados Digicel Bermuda Digicel British Virgin Islands Digicel Cayman Islands Digicel Dominica Digicel El Salvador Digicel Fiji Digicel French Guiana Digicel French West Indies Digicel Guatemala Digicel Haiti Digicel Honduras Digicel Pacific Vanuatu Digicel Panama Digicel Papua New Guinea Digicel Samoa Digicel St Kitts & Nevis Digicel St Vincent & The Grenadines Digicel St. Lucia Digicel Suriname Digicel Tonga Digicel Trinidad & Tobago Digicel Turks & Caicos Islands Digitel Mobile Digitel Philippines Djibouti Telecom DNA Comms DNA Finland DoCoMo Pacific Guam DoCoMo Pacific Northern Marianas Dovetel DSTCom DTAC eAccess Eagle Mobile East Caribbean Cellular ECMS Econet Burundi Econet Telecom Lesotho Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Elisa Estonia Elisa Finland Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company EMT Estonia Emtel Mauritius EMTS eNIC enitel movil Entel PCS Telecomunicaciones E-Plus Equateur Telecom Congo Eritrea Telecom Essar Telecom Kenya Ethiopian Telecom Etihad Etisalat Etisalat Afghanistan Etisalat DB Telecom Etisalat Misr Etisalat Sri Lanka Etisalat UAE ETL Everything Everywhere EVN Telecom ExcellentCom Extelcom AirNet Alcatel Alcatel Shanghai Bell Alcatel-Lucent Alvarion Andrew Corporation Apertio Argent Networks USA BSNL COMSAT RSI Plexsys Systems Datacraft DMC Stratex Networks Ericsson Ericsson Nikola Tesla Fujitsu Harris Hitachi Huawei Huawei; Huawei Hyundai Syscomm interWAVE ip.access Kyocera LG LogicStar Lucent Motorola NEC Nera Nokia Nokia Siemens Nortel Panasonic Plexsys Samsung Siemens Siemens/NEC SK Teletech Starent Networks Stratex Networks Tecnomen Tecore Tellus Radio Timor Telecom UTStarcom WiderThan.com ZTE FarEasTone Faroese Telecom FITEL Free Mobile FSM Telecommunications Corporation Gabon Telecom GAIN Gamcel Gamtel Gemtel Geocell GETESA Gibraltar Telecom Globacom Benin Globacom Nigeria Globe Telecom G-Mobile Golis GrameenPhone GSM BiH GSM Kazakhstan GTA GTEL Mobile GT-TELL Guernsey Airtel Guinetel Guyana Telephone & Telegraph H3G Haitel Hello Axiata Cambodia HFCL Infotel HI3G Hi3G Access Norway HI3G Denmark HiTs Telecom Burundi HiTs Telecom Equatorial Guinea Hola Paraguay Hondutel Hormuud Telecom HPT Mostar Hutchison 3G Austria Hutchison 3G Ireland Hutchison 3G UK Hutchison Hong Kong Hutchison Sri Lanka Hutchison Telecom Hutchison Vietnam Hutchison-CAT ICE Ice.Net Denmark Ice.net Norway Ice.net Sweden IceCell Iceland Telecom iConnect Guam iConnect Northern Marianas Idea Cellular IMC Indigo-Somoncom Indosat Infotel Broadband Innovative Wireless Intelfon El Salvador Intelfon Guatemala Intelsur Intercel Holdings Guinea Republic InterDnestrCom Intergroup Telecom Investcom Guinée Ipko Net Islandcom Wireless ITE Guam i-Tel Itisaluna Ittissalat Al-Maghrib Iusacell Celular Jersey Telecoms Jersey Telenet Kalimat Kar-Tel Kasapa Katel KDDI Kibris Telsim KKTCell Korek Telecom KPN Group Belgium KPN Mobile KT Corp KT Powertel K-Telecom Kuwait Telecom Company Kyivstar Lacell Lao Telecom Latelz LG U+ Libyana LMT Lonestar Communications Corporation Loop Mobile M.Teko Magticom Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Manx Telecom Mara Telecom Mascom Wireless Mattel Mauritel Maxis Communications Médi Télécom Megacom MegaFon Meteor Communications Metro PCS Mfone Millicom Millicom Ghana Milmex MIRS Communications Israel Mobicom Mobiel 4 MobiFone Mobile Norway Mobile Telecom Service Mobile TeleSystems Mobile TeleSystems Belarus Mobile-8 MobileOne Mobilicity mobilkom Austria Mobilkom Czech Republic mobilkom Liechtenstein Mobilna Srpska MobilTel MobIsle Communications Mobistar Mobitel Georgia Mobitel Slovenia Mobitel Sri Lanka Mobyland Mocambique Celular Moldcell MoldTelecom Monaco Telecom Moov Gabon Mossel Grenada Mossel Jamaica Movicel Movil de Entel Movilnet Movistar (Venezuela) MTC Namibia MTC Touch MTCE MTEL MTL MTN MTN Afghanistan MTN Cameroon MTN Congo MTN Cote d'Ivoire MTN Cyprus MTN Ghana MTN Irancell MTN Nigeria MTN Rwanda MTN Sudan MTN Swaziland MTN Syria MTN Uganda MTN Yemen MTN Zambia MTNL MTS Mobility MTS-Turkmenistan MTS-Ukraine MTS-Uzbekistan Multi-Links MundoStartel Myanmar P&T Natcom National Telecommunications Authority Nationlink Nationlink Somalia Natrindo Telepon Seluler Nawras Ncell NEAT&T Neotel South Africa Nepal Telecom Net* One Netcom Network Norway Nexi Next Mobile Nextel Argentina Nextel Chile Nextel Mexico Nextel Peru Nextel Telecomunicacoes Nizhegorodskaya Cellular Communications Nova NTT DoCoMo Núcleo NuevaTel Nur Telecom O2 (UK) O2 Germany O2 Ireland Oasis Telecom Omantel Omnitel Onatel Burkina Faso Onatel Burundi Open Mobile OPT New Caledonia Optus Orange (Poland) Orange Armenia Orange Austria Orange Bissau Orange Botswana Orange Cameroon Orange Caraibe French Guiana Orange Caraibe French West Indies Orange Central African Republic Orange Côte d'Ivoire Orange Dominicana Orange France Orange Guinee Orange Jordan Orange Kenya Orange Liechtenstein Orange Luxembourg Orange Madagascar Orange Mali Orange Mauritius Orange Mayotte Orange Moldova Orange Niger Orange Réunion Orange Romania Orange Senegal Orange Slovak Republic Orange Spain Orange Switzerland Orange Tunisie Orange Uganda Orascom Bangladesh Orascom Telecom Algeria Orascom Telecom Tunisia Oricel Otecel Other Others Outremer Telecom French Guiana Outremer Telecom French West Indies Outremer Telecom Mauritius Outremer Telecom Mayotte Outremer Telecom Reunion P&T Luxembourg P4 Pacific Telecom Northern Marianas Palestine Cellular Communications Partner Communications PBTL PCCW Mobile Pelephone PMCL PNCC Polkomtel Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa ProGroup Holding Estonia Proxtel Wireless PTC Saudi Arabia PTML Public Mobile Q-TEL QuantumNet Radiomóvil Dipsa RCS&RDS Reliance Communications Reliance Communications Uganda Reliance Telecom Nigeria Robi Axiata Rogers Wireless Communications Romtelecom Roshan Rubicon Wireless Communications RwandaTel S Tel Safaricom Sahelcom SamoaTel Sampoerna (STI) Sanatel SaskTel Mobility Saudi Telecom Company SCO Sentel Sercom de Honduras Sercom Guatemala Sercomtel Celular SETAR Setel Netherlands Antilles Sferia S-Fone SFR SFR Mayotte SFR Reunion Shaw Inc Shyam Si.mobil Sierra Leone Telecommunications Company SingTel Mobile SK Telecom Sky Mobile Skytel Smart Communications Smart Telecom Indonesia Smart Telecom Nepal SmarTone SmarTone-Vodafone SMARTS Smile Telecom SMTC Saudi Arabia Softbank Mobile Solomon Telekom Somafone Sonaecom Servicos Comunicacoes Sonatel SONITEL Sotel Sotelco Sotelgui SOTELMA Spacetel Spacetel Benin Speednet Sprint Nextel Puerto Rico Sprint Nextel US Virgin Islands Sprint Nextel USA SPTC STA Standard Telecom Democratic Rep of Congo Star Telecom Starcomms StarHub Sudatel Senegal Sudatel Sudan Sunbeach Communications Sunrise Supercell Swisscom Mobile Swisscom Mobile Liechtenstein Syriatel T-2 Tacom Taiwan Mobile Company Taliya Tamin Telecom Tango Liechtenstein Tango Luxembourg Tashi Infocomm Tata Teleservices TCI TDC Mobil TelCell Telcom Tele2 Tele2 Croatia Tele2 Estonia Tele2 Latvia Tele2 Lithuania Tele2 Sweden Telecel Benin Telecel Bolivia Telecel Burkina Faso Telecel Burundi Telecel CAR Telecel Niger Telecel Paraguay Telecel Togo Telecel Zimbabwe Telecom Cook Islands Telecom Italia Telecom Malagasy Telecom Namibia Telecom New Zealand Telecom Niue Telecom Personal Telecom Seychelles Telecom Vanuatu Telecommunicacoes de Mocambique Telecomunicaciones Celulares del Caribe Telecsa Telefonía Celular de Nicaragua Telefonica Móviles Telefónica Móviles Telefónica Móviles Argentina Telefónica Móviles Chile Telefonica Moviles Colombia Telefónica Móviles Costa Rica Telefónica Móviles del Uruguay Telefonica Moviles El Salvador Telefónica Móviles Guatemala Telefónica Móviles Mexico Telefónica Móviles Panamá Telefonica O2 Czech Republic Telefonica O2 Slovak Republic Teléfonos Celulares de Cuba TeleGreenland Telekom Baltija Telekom Networks Malawi Telekom Srbija Telemar PCS (Oi) Telemobil Telemóvil Telenet NV Telenor Denmark Telenor Hungary Telenor Mobil Telenor Montenegro Telenor Pakistan Telenor Serbia Telenor Sweden Telesur Telesystems Ukraine Teletalk Televorgu TeleYemen Telia Denmark TeliaSonera Finland TeliaSonera Sweden Telkom Indonesia Telkom South Africa Telkomsel TelOne Telsom Mobile Telstra Telus Mobility The Bermuda Telephone Company Tibet Telecom Tigo Laos Tigo Rwanda Tigo Tanzania Tikiphone TIM Brasil Timor Telecom TK Mobile TM Cell T-Mais TMN T-Mobile Austria T-Mobile Croatia T-Mobile Czech Republic T-Mobile Germany T-Mobile Hungary T-Mobile Macedonia T-Mobile Montenegro T-Mobile Netherlands T-Mobile Puerto Rico T-Mobile Slovak Republic T-Mobile USA TMP Uganda TogoCel Tonga Communications TOT TRICOM Dominican Republic Trilogy Dominicana True Corp True Move TSKL TSTT Trinidad & Tobago TT Mobile TTCL Tunisie Télécom Turkcell Tus Mobil Two Degrees Mobile TWT Guyana U Mobile Malaysia UCell Uganda Telecom Ukrtelecom Umniah UNE EPM Telecomunicaciones Unicel Unitech Wireless Unitel Angola Unitel Mongolia Unitel Uzbekistan Unitel Yemen Uralsvyazinform USAN-Gabon UTL Nepal UzMobile Vala Velcom Verizon Wireless VIBO Videocon Videotron Viettel Cambodia Viettel Vietnam VimpelCom VinaPhone VIP Vip Mobile VIPnet Visafone Communications Viva Bahrain Vivacell Sudan Vivacom Vivo Vodacom Congo Vodacom Lesotho Vodacom Mozambique Vodacom South Africa Vodacom Tanzania Vodafone Albania Vodafone Australia Vodafone Czech Republic Vodafone D2 Vodafone Egypt Vodafone Espana Vodafone Essar Vodafone Faroe Islands Vodafone Fiji Vodafone Ghana Vodafone Greece Vodafone Hungary Vodafone Iceland Vodafone Ireland Vodafone Italia Vodafone Libertel Vodafone Malta Vodafone New Zealand Vodafone Portugal Vodafone Qatar Vodafone Romania Vodafone Turkey Vodafone UK VTR Cellular Wana Warid Bangladesh Warid Congo Warid Pakistan Warid Telecom Uganda Wasel Telecom Wataniya Maldives Wataniya Palestine Mobile Telecommunications Company Wataniya Telecom Wataniya Telecom Algerie Wave Telecom Willcom Wind WIND Hellas Wind Mobile XL Axiata XPress XPress Palestine Yemen Mobile Phone Company Yoigo Zain Bahrain Zain Iraq Zain Jordan Zain Kuwait Zain Sierra Leone Zain Sudan Zamtel Zanzibar Telecom Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/19/6014379/2g-3g-4g-subscriptions-deployments.html  

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/12/19/6014379/2g-3g-4g-subscriptions-deployments.html#storylink=cpy

Ericsson continues strategic partnership with China Mobile for LTE

 Ericsson will deploy LTE TDD (TD-LTE) in 15 provinces in mainland China -

these cover some 63 percent of China's population
* Ericsson selected to provide radio access network, Evolved Packet Core and
to upgrade and expand the installed base of core networks
* In the absence of a 3G installed base with China Mobile, this deal
represents recognition of Ericsson's technology leadership in LTE
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) today announces that it has been selected by China Mobile
(CMCC) to deploy LTE TDD in 15 key provinces in China. These provinces are home
to 63 percent of China's population and include the top three provinces in terms
of GDP.
This is the first phase of the world's largest LTE TDD network deployment.
Ericsson will deploy radio access networks based on its multi-standard RBS
6000. For the core network - which will be used for China Mobile's nationwide
mobile network covering 2G, 3G and 4G - Ericsson has been selected to upgrade
its installed base, equal to a market share of 40 percent in User Data
Management (HLR/HSS). In addition, Ericsson has been awarded 20 percent market
share in Evolved Packet Core. This makes Ericsson China Mobile's main supplier
in Core.
The scope of the contract also includes network design and optimization
services.
Ericsson had no 3G footprint with China Mobile, and this technology shift has
strengthened Ericsson's market position.
Jan Signell, Head of Ericsson Region North East Asia says: "We are pleased that
our LTE TDD technology and services leadership are recognized by China Mobile.
Our leading LTE TDD networks will bring unparalleled network performance to
users and create new opportunities for innovations with connected devices and
applications. We have been a trusted partner to China Mobile since its
introduction of 2G and are committed to supporting the world's largest LTE
deployment."
The deal is aligned with the 11 percent market share in radio access networks
awarded earlier in the China Mobile central purchasing process in September. The
deployment has begun.
Ericsson has been present in mainland China since 1892 and is strongly committed
to this market with one of the largest R&D bases and supply and manufacturing
sites in the world. In addition, Ericsson was a pioneering developer of the TDD
mode of the LTE standard and has made many significant contributions to the
advancement of LTE TDD. Ericsson's LTE TDD and FDD solutions share the same
hardware platform, with commonly applicable software and features, ensuring that
LTE TDD will deliver the same high performance and reliability
Ericsson is the market leader in LTE. Today, 50 percent of the world's LTE
smartphone traffic is served by Ericsson networks, which is more than double the
traffic of our closest competitor. More than 180 LTE RAN and Evolved Packet Core
networks have been delivered worldwide, of which more than 110 have gone live
commercially. Ericsson is present today in all high-traffic LTE markets
including the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Canada, and has been
selected by nine of the top 10 LTE operators as ranked by LTE subscriptions
worldwide. We expect to hold 25 percent of all essential patents in LTE, both
for TDD and FDD mode, and we support common hardware and software for FDD and
TDD systems, giving operators maximum flexibility in their FDD and TDD
deployment.

source: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20131119-907023.html

Telstra tests Voice over LTE

Telstra has confirmed it is conducting lab tests of technology that would allow voice calls to be carried over its 4G LTE network.

Australia's largest mobile telecommunications provider Telstra is testing out technology that would allow voice calls to be delivered over its 4G long-term evolution (LTE) network, instead of falling back to the 2G or 3G networks as currently happens today.

When LTE was first launched in Australia by Telstra in 2011, it was solely a data network that was backed up by Telstra's existing 2G and 3G networks to deliver voice calls. Given Telstra has not yet indicated that it is planning on decommissioning its 3G network any time soon, there has been no rush to get Voice over LTE (VoLTE) working in Australia.

The company is already planning ahead, however, and confirmed to ZDNet that it was testing out the technology to deliver voice calls over its 4G network.

"Telstra is currently trailing VoLTE (Voice over LTE) in our lab environment but have no immediate rollout plans," a spokesperson told ZDNet. "However our customers already experience the benefits of a High Definition voice service on compatible devices across our entire network."

ZDNet understands that the company is looking to deploy VoLTE in 2014.

The company deployed HD voice services on its network in 2011.

Telstra was the first to market with 4G in Australia, and currently dominates the mobile market, with more than 15.1 million active services on its network, and 2.8 million 4G devices. The 4G network reached out to 66 percent of the Australian population at the end of June, and the company is currently aiming to reach 85 percent of the population by Christmas.

The first commercial deployments of Voice over LTE came through SK Telecom and LG U+ in South Korea, and MetroPCS in the US in August 2012. Other international telcos such as Softbank in Japan and Verizon in the US are looking to deploy VoLTE in the near future.

A Vodafone spokesperson said the company had not yet commenced any trials of VoLTE.

source: http://www.zdnet.com/au/telstra-tests-voice-over-lte-7000023464/

The world’s largest mobile carrier, China Mobile, may finally be preparing to sell Apple’s iPhone

China Mobile, the world’s largest wireless carrier, plans to introduce a new brand for mobile services on 18 December, the Wall Street Journal reported on 21 November. The brand is widely expected to be Apple.

The two companies have been in talks about an iPhone for China Mobile for years, but China Mobile has been well behind US carriers in offering 4G, and its 3G network is incompatible with the iPhone’s technology. (Millions of consumers have still attached iPhones to the network, but they can only run at 2G speeds.)

4G licences

“China Mobile executives have said iPhone subscriptions likely would come only after the company introduces its 4G platform. Chinese media, including Nanfang Daily, recently reported that China may issue 4G licences next week,” said the report.

Ericsson announced on 19 November that it has been selected by China Mobile to deploy LTE TDD technology in “15 key provinces in China [that are] home to 63 percent of China’s population and include the top three provinces in terms of [gross domestic product].”

Ericsson said it will be the world’s largest LTE TDD network deployment, and that the deployment has already begun.In September, rumours of an imminent iPhone for China Mobile were furthered when China’s Telecom Equipment Certification Centre gave Apple the final licence it needed for the iPhone to operate on the China Mobile network, the Journal reported on 11 September.

The ability to sell the iPhone to China Mobile’s 759 million subscribers (as of October) would position Apple for significant growth. In smartphone sales, Apple has fallen well behind competitor Samsung, which is the top-selling smartphone maker globally as well as in China – now the largest smartphone market in the world.

China is currently Apple’s second-largest market, but it’s expected to become its first. “I strongly believe that,” Apple chief executive Tim Cook told reporters in January during a trip to China, during which Cook is said to have met with executives at China Mobile.

Market share battle

Apple’s market share during the third quarter dropped to 13 percent from 14 percent a year earlier, but the company’s newest iPhones, the 5S and 5C, weren’t available for the whole of the quarter, and all the major carriers reported receiving limited shipments of the more-popular iPhone 5S.

Supply constraints, and concerns over how quickly China Mobile’s 4G network will be iPhone-ready, have caused Forbes contributor Chuck Jones to caution that reports of an 18 December China Mobile iPhone introduction may be premature.

“One of the key questions is, if China Mobile and Apple were to announce their partnership, would the 200,000 TD-LTE base stations that it plans to have in place by the end of the year, which could handle 4 million active users, be enough for the initial iPhone demand,” Jones wrote in a 22 November post.

source: http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/news/report-china-mobile-announce-iphone-next-month-132579

China Mobile LTE Deployment Contract winner- Ericsson

Ericsson has finally joined the list of companies that it has been selected by China Mobile (CMCC) to deploy LTE TDD in 15 key provinces in China. These provinces are home to 63 percent of China's population and include the top three provinces in terms of GDP.

This is the first phase of the world's largest LTE TDD network deployment. Ericsson will deploy radio access networks based on its multi-standard RBS 6000. For the core network - which will be used for China Mobile's nationwide mobile network covering 2G, 3G and 4G - Ericsson has been selected to upgrade its installed base, equal to a market share of 40 percent in User Data Management (HLR/HSS). In addition, Ericsson has been awarded 20 percent market share in Evolved Packet Core.

The scope of the contract also includes network design and optimization services.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Jan Signell, Head of Ericsson Region North East Asia says: "We are pleased that our LTE TDD technology and services leadership are recognized by China Mobile. Our leading LTE TDD networks will bring unparalleled network performance to users and create new opportunities for innovations with connected devices and applications. We have been a trusted partner to China Mobile since its introduction of 2G and are committed to supporting the world's largest LTE deployment."

The deal is aligned with the 11 percent market share in radio access networks awarded earlier in the China Mobile central purchasing process in September. The deployment has begun.

source : http://www.cellular-news.com/story/63063.php

Up- gradation from 2G (second generation) to 3G (third generation) and now current 4G

With the consistent growth in the mobile users, technically mobile (cellular) companies were facing a huge increase in MS Traffic (increase in Erlangen). The more traffic among all these was of data; speaking on the side of the mobile users is INTERNET.

INTERNET or data services has incredibly hold the world of internet on the move, for the fulfillment of the demand 3gpp (third generation participation project) has taken a step forward from the previous 2G. This step was required because the limited trough-put (data rate) of the air interface of 2G. This limitation was because of the limited access of the allotted band and the modulation scheme of the air interface although on the side of the base station BS was never limited with the dedicated E1. This has shown that transmission to the BS was with the capabilities to hold high through put but air-interface was not.

While 3G was in progress for launch, it was for the first time the concept of TDMA (time division multiplexing) was left behind with the new technique of WCDMA which was an enhancement over CDMA. While developing 3G standards before its all release, the concept was to somehow make the air-interface more widen to achieve high throughput to meet the commercial demand. In 3G modulation scheme of high symbol rate were introduced, with QPSK to QAM. In 3G SSM (spread spectrum modulation) was introduced for the first time in mobile communication this has widen the bandwidth associated to a user, providing him higher data-rate for internet access.

Although 3G has provided higher data-rate for internet access including voice but still the service we call DATA ON THE MOVE (DOTM) was behind and people still prefer to have fixed line services for connecting to internet. Fixed line service including DSL lines, OFC, Leased Lines and PTP (micro wave short distance). The weight on the arms of 3G was still high to compete the market commercially and considering all these 3gpp has taken a next step with the release of HSUPA+ and LTE which has triggered the market with more catches of Traffic and has now becoming a wide application part for VPN, a foot step into business.