Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

LTE Advanced

LTE Advanced (LTE-A), also known as LTE-Advanced, is a wireless communication standard developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as an evolution of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) to meet the requirements of International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced), the ITU's 4G framework. Introduced in 3GPP Release 10 in 2011, it enables higher peak data rates of up to 3 Gbps in the downlink and 1.5 Gbps in the uplink through advanced techniques such as carrier aggregation and enhanced multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. Key enhancements include support for up to 100 MHz aggregated bandwidth across multiple component carriers, spectral efficiencies reaching 30 bps/Hz in the downlink (with 8x8 MIMO) and 15 bps/Hz in the uplink (with 4x4 MIMO), and improved cell performance with average spectral efficiency exceeding 2.4 bps/Hz. LTE-A maintains full backward compatibility with earlier LTE releases (Rel-8 and Rel-9), allowing seamless integration into existing networks while boosting capacity and coverage through features like relay nodes. Subsequent releases, such as Rel-11 and Rel-12, further refined these capabilities with additions like coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission and support for higher-order modulation, contributing to its role as the foundation for widespread 4G deployments globally. By prioritizing spectral efficiency, mobility support up to 350 km/h, and low latency (control plane under 50 ms), LTE-A addresses the growing demand for high-speed mobile broadband, video streaming, and IoT applications.

Introduction

Naming and Standards

LTE-Advanced, officially designated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as the evolved version of LTE, serves as the primary nomenclature for this mobile communication standard. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recognizes LTE-Advanced as meeting the requirements for IMT-Advanced, thereby qualifying it as a 4G technology under ITU-R guidelines. LTE-Advanced is specified starting with 3GPP Release 10, which was finalized in March 2011 and establishes the baseline for its capabilities. This release ensures backward compatibility with earlier LTE specifications in Releases 8 and 9, allowing seamless integration and operation of legacy user equipment on LTE-Advanced networks. Key technical standards for LTE-Advanced are outlined in 3GPP Technical Specification (TS) 36.300, which provides an overall description of the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) protocol architecture at Stage 2. Additionally, TS 36.101 details the requirements for user equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception in the E-UTRA context. The acronym LTE stands for Long Term , referring to the ongoing development of enhanced capabilities within the framework. , or Evolved Universal Terrestrial , denotes the radio access technology that forms the core of and LTE-Advanced air interfaces.

Goals and Evolution from

LTE Advanced was developed to address the escalating demands for higher capacity and performance, driven by the explosive growth in data traffic following the widespread adoption of smartphones and data-intensive applications after 2008. Reports from that period indicated mobile data usage surging by 30–50 times in the first nine months of 2008 alone, primarily due to the iPhone's introduction and similar devices, which strained existing networks and highlighted the need for more efficient spectrum utilization. This surge underscored the limitations of initial (Release 8), which relied on single-carrier operation with up to 20 MHz bandwidth and basic MIMO configurations limited to 4x4 layers, restricting peak rates to around 300 Mbps downlink and spectral efficiencies of approximately 10 bps/Hz. The primary performance goals of LTE Advanced, as outlined in 3GPP Release 10, targeted peak data rates of up to 1 Gbps in the downlink and 500 Mbps in the uplink, achieved through wider bandwidth aggregation and advanced transmission techniques. It aimed for spectral efficiency improvements of about three times over Release 8 LTE, reaching up to 30 bps/Hz downlink with 8x8 MIMO, while targeting cell-edge user spectral efficiency exceeding the IMT-Advanced minimum of 0.1 bps/Hz in the downlink to ensure equitable performance across coverage areas. Additional metrics included reducing user-plane latency to under 10 ms for faster responsive services and enhancing mobility support to speeds of up to 350 km/h, enabling seamless high-speed rail and vehicular connectivity. These targets aligned with ITU-R's IMT-Advanced criteria, which specified minimum peak rates of 1 Gbps downlink, spectral efficiencies of at least 15 bps/Hz downlink, cell-edge throughput of 0.1 bps/Hz, and user-plane latency below 10 ms. Building on LTE Releases 8 and 9, LTE Advanced evolved by introducing multi-carrier support to aggregate up to 100 MHz of —overcoming the single-carrier constraint—and advanced antenna systems like enhanced and coordinated multipoint transmission to boost capacity and coverage without requiring entirely new infrastructure. This backward-compatible extension ensured a smooth migration path for operators, maintaining core protocols while fulfilling IMT-Advanced requirements for true systems, formally recognized under Release 10.

Technical Specifications

Carrier Aggregation

Carrier aggregation (CA) is a fundamental technique in , introduced in Release 10, that enables the combination of multiple component carriers (CCs) to expand the effective transmission beyond the 20 MHz limit of earlier releases. Each CC operates as an independent carrier with bandwidths of 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15, or 20 MHz, allowing aggregation of up to five CCs for a maximum total of 100 MHz while maintaining with Release 8 and 9 . This aggregation supports both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) modes, with the primary serving cell () managing the (RRC) connection and initial access, while secondary serving cells (SCCs) provide additional resources. CA configurations are categorized into three main types based on spectrum arrangement. Intra-band contiguous aggregation combines adjacent CCs within the same frequency band, simplifying deployment by utilizing continuous spectrum blocks. Intra-band non-contiguous aggregation uses non-adjacent CCs in the same band, offering flexibility in fragmented spectrum holdings. Inter-band aggregation spans CCs across different frequency bands, enabling operators to pool disparate spectrum assets for broader coverage and efficiency. The activation and deactivation of SCCs are managed through () control elements transmitted from the network to the . The PCell remains active continuously for control signaling and mobility, while SCells are dynamically added or removed via these commands to adapt to traffic demands and channel conditions, ensuring efficient resource utilization without disrupting the primary connection. Key benefits of include significantly increased peak data throughput by leveraging wider aggregated s and improved load balancing across multiple to optimize capacity and reduce in high-traffic scenarios. The total aggregated is calculated as the sum of individual CC s: \text{Total BW} = \sum_i \text{BW}_i where \text{BW}_i represents the of the i-th component carrier. In Release 10, is limited to a maximum of five with a total not exceeding 100 MHz, and while it supports both symmetric and asymmetric configurations for downlink () and uplink (UL) component carriers, the UL capabilities were initially constrained compared to later releases. integrates with multiple-input multiple-output () techniques to achieve even higher data rates.

MIMO and Beamforming Enhancements

LTE Advanced introduces significant enhancements to multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, enabling higher spatial multiplexing and improved spectral efficiency compared to earlier LTE releases. These improvements support up to 8x8 MIMO configurations in the downlink, allowing for transmission of up to eight spatial layers to exploit multiple antennas at both the base station (eNodeB) and user equipment (UE). This higher-order MIMO is specified in 3GPP Release 10, where transmission modes 3 and 4 are extended to handle these configurations: mode 3 employs open-loop spatial multiplexing for scenarios with limited channel feedback, while mode 4 uses closed-loop spatial multiplexing with precoding matrix indicator (PMI) feedback to optimize signal alignment. The capacity of such MIMO systems can be approximated by the formula C = B \log_2 \left(1 + \text{SNR} \cdot \min(N_t, N_r)\right), where C is the channel capacity, B is the bandwidth, SNR is the signal-to-noise ratio, and N_t and N_r are the number of transmit and receive antennas, respectively; this equation highlights the linear scaling with the minimum number of antennas under ideal conditions. In the uplink, LTE Advanced supports 4x4 single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) for individual UEs, enabling up to four spatial layers from the UE to the eNodeB, alongside multi-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) that allows simultaneous transmission from multiple UEs on the same time-frequency resources. Uplink MU-MIMO relies on orthogonal pilot sequences and scheduling to mitigate inter-user interference, achieving up to twofold capacity gains in multi-user scenarios. These features build on LTE Release 8's 2x2 uplink MIMO but extend antenna support to four ports, as defined in 3GPP Release 10 specifications. Beamforming enhancements in LTE Advanced evolve toward three-dimensional (3D) techniques, particularly in later releases like Release 12, incorporating vertical sectorization to focus beams in both and planes using active systems (AAS). Vertical sectorization divides a into multiple horizontal sectors (e.g., high and low beams) to reduce and improve coverage for users at varying heights, such as in urban environments with multi-story buildings. This is facilitated by enhanced (CSI) reporting, including reference signals. Over LTE, these MIMO enhancements enable dynamic switching between transmit diversity, , and based on real-time channel feedback from the , including PMI, channel quality indicator (CQI), and rank indicator () reports. In LTE Release 8, switching required higher-layer signaling, but LTE Advanced allows mode adaptation at the for faster response to channel variations, improving throughput in fading environments without additional overhead.

Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) and Other Features

Coordinated Multi-Point (CoMP) operation in LTE Advanced enables multiple eNodeBs to coordinate their transmissions and receptions to serve user equipment (UE), thereby mitigating inter-cell interference and enhancing overall network performance. This technique is particularly beneficial in scenarios with high traffic loads or at cell edges, where traditional single-cell transmissions suffer from significant interference. Key CoMP methods include joint transmission (JT), where data is simultaneously transmitted from multiple points to a single UE to improve signal quality; dynamic point selection (DPS), which dynamically chooses the best serving point based on channel conditions; and coordinated scheduling/beamforming (CS/CB), which coordinates resource allocation and beam directions across cells to avoid interference without sharing user data. In 3GPP Release 11, downlink CoMP is standardized through the introduction of Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) Transmission Mode 10, which supports these methods via enhanced channel state information (CSI) reporting from UEs. CoMP is categorized into two main types: Type 1, encompassing CS/CB and DPS for basic coordination without joint data processing; and Type 2, focusing on joint processing such as JT for more advanced interference suppression. These modes allow for flexible deployment in homogeneous and heterogeneous networks, with Type 1 being less complex in terms of backhaul requirements. Beyond CoMP, LTE Advanced incorporates enhanced Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) to address in heterogeneous networks (HetNets), particularly between macro and . eICIC, introduced in Release 10, employs Almost Blank Subframes (ABS) where interfering cells transmit reduced power or silence certain subframes, allowing cell-edge UEs in victim cells to experience lower during those periods. This time-domain approach complements frequency-domain ICIC from earlier releases and relies on X2 interface signaling for coordination between eNodeBs. Relay nodes further extend coverage in LTE Advanced, acting as low-power base stations that forward traffic between UEs and donor eNodeBs without wired backhaul. Standardized in Release 10, they support Type 1 relays, which create a separate identity and appear as standard eNodeBs to UEs, enabling self-backhauling over the air interface. These nodes improve cell-edge throughput and enable temporary deployments in areas with challenging propagation. Self-Organizing Networks () provide automation for in LTE Advanced, encompassing self-configuration for new cell activation, self-optimization for parameters like handover thresholds, and self-healing for fault detection and recovery. Introduced in Release 8 and enhanced in subsequent releases, SON functions operate in centralized, distributed, or hybrid modes via interfaces like X2 and S1, reducing operational expenses by minimizing manual interventions. Uplink power control in LTE Advanced employs fractional path loss compensation to balance near-far effects and . The transmit power P_{tx} is calculated as P_{tx} = \min\{P_{CMAX}, P_0 + \alpha \cdot [PL](/page/Path_loss) + \Delta_{TF} + f \}, where P_{CMAX} is the maximum power, P_0 is a target power offset, PL is the estimated , \alpha (ranging from 0.4 to 1.0) is the path loss compensation factor for fractional adjustment, \Delta_{TF} accounts for and coding scheme, and f is a closed-loop correction term. This mechanism, detailed in Release 8 and refined in Advanced, prevents excessive power from cell-center UEs while ensuring adequate signal for cell-edge ones. Evaluations of CoMP in LTE Advanced demonstrate spectrum efficiency gains, with significant improvements in cell-edge user throughput compared to non-CoMP scenarios, particularly in interference-limited environments. These benefits arise from reduced inter-cell interference and better resource utilization across coordinated points.

Development and Standardization

Historical Timeline

The development of LTE Advanced originated in early 2008, when the Technical Specification Group (TSG RAN) approved the study item titled "Further Advancements for (LTE-Advanced)" at its 42nd meeting in December, marking the formal initiation of research into enhancements beyond basic to meet future IMT-Advanced requirements. This effort was driven by the need to evolve the (RAN) for higher capacity, , and peak data rates as part of the broader system evolution. In 2009, partners submitted the initial technical proposals for LTE-Advanced to the , outlining its potential as a for IMT-Advanced standards, with the submission deadline met on October 7. This paved the way for 's recognition of LTE-Advanced's trajectory toward fulfilling IMT-Advanced criteria, including advanced performance benchmarks for global mobile broadband. By 2010, the feasibility study under the LTE-Advanced study item was completed in March, defining key requirements and technology components for Release 10, such as and enhanced , while confirming alignment with 's IMT-Advanced evaluation guidelines. Later that year, on October 20, provisionally accepted 3GPP's LTE Release 10 and beyond as a (IMT-Advanced) technology candidate following successful self-evaluation. In 2011, achieved a major milestone with the formal approval and functional freeze of Release 10 specifications at the TSG Plenary meeting SA#52 in June, establishing LTE-Advanced as a stable standard ready for implementation and commercial development. Post-2011, subsequent releases built on this foundation; Release 11, frozen in March 2013, introduced enhancements like improved coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission and further support to boost cell-edge performance and network efficiency. Release 12, completed in March 2015, added features such as enhanced integration and machine-type communication optimizations, further solidifying LTE-Advanced's role in heterogeneous networks. As of mid-2025, LTE Advanced has reached significant maturity globally, with approximately 41% of networks (346 out of 835) upgraded to incorporate its capabilities, enabling sustained high-speed services amid the ongoing transition to .

Key Proposals and Releases

The development of LTE Advanced began with initial proposals in 2008 and 2009, driven by key vendors including and , who advocated for technologies such as (CA) and advanced multiple-input multiple-output () systems to satisfy the Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) criteria for International Mobile Telecommunications-Advanced (IMT-Advanced). These proposals aimed to extend Release 8 capabilities, focusing on wider aggregation up to 100 MHz and enhanced to achieve peak data rates of 1 Gbps for low and 500 Mbps for high , while ensuring backward compatibility with existing deployments. 's contributions emphasized coordinated multipoint (CoMP) transmission and relay nodes for improved coverage, whereas highlighted spectrum-efficient CA configurations across intra- and inter-band scenarios to meet IMT-Advanced targets of up to 15 bps/Hz downlink and 6.75 bps/Hz uplink. The formalized LTE Advanced in Release 10, frozen in June 2011, which introduced core features like supporting up to five 20 MHz component carriers for a total of 100 MHz, and downlink 8-layer to boost peak to 30 bps/Hz. These enhancements enabled theoretical downlink peak rates of 3 Gbps and uplink rates of 1.5 Gbps, fulfilling IMT-Advanced requirements through techniques like enhanced inter-cell interference coordination and support for heterogeneous networks. Release 10 also incorporated uplink 4-layer and improvements, prioritizing seamless integration with Release 8 LTE air interfaces. Building on Release 10, Release 11, frozen in March 2013, delivered further refinements including uplink CoMP to mitigate in heterogeneous deployments by coordinating transmissions across multiple stations, thereby improving cell-edge throughput by up to 30% in simulated urban scenarios. It enhanced with cross-carrier scheduling and time-division duplex (TDD)-frequency-division duplex (FDD) operations, alongside further evolved inter-cell coordination (FeICIC) for better small-cell , though downlink 256QAM —enabling 8 bits per for higher peak rates—was deferred to the subsequent release. Release 12, completed in March 2015, expanded LTE Advanced with public safety-oriented features, notably the foundational device-to-device (D2D) communication framework under proximity services (), allowing direct (UE) discovery and sidelink transmissions without network infrastructure for emergency scenarios. This release also introduced downlink 256QAM to achieve spectral efficiencies approaching 40 bps/Hz in favorable channel conditions, alongside enhancements to (eMBMS) for efficient group communications in public safety applications. Throughout these releases, conducted rigorous proposal evaluations via feasibility studies, such as Technical Report (TR) 36.912, which included system-level simulations demonstrating LTE Advanced's capacity gains of 2 to 3 times over baseline in downlink cell (from 5 bps/Hz to 15 bps/Hz average) and user throughput under IMT-Advanced test environments like urban microcells. These simulations validated innovations like and advanced by modeling realistic interference and mobility, confirming compliance with requirements while highlighting scalability for diverse spectrum bands.

Early Demonstrations and Trials

Early demonstrations and trials of LTE Advanced technologies commenced in 2010, coinciding with the finalization of Release 10 specifications, which aimed to meet ITU IMT-Advanced requirements for enhanced and peak data rates. These initial proofs-of-concept focused on key features like (CA), multiple-input multiple-output () enhancements, coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission, and relaying, conducted primarily in lab and field settings to validate feasibility before commercial viability. In March 2010, researchers from the Chair Mobile Communications Systems at Technische Universität performed one of the earliest field trials of LTE Advanced concepts in downtown , . The trial tested downlink CoMP transmission and uplink relaying to mitigate inter-cell and extend coverage, using real-world urban environments with fixed and mobile scenarios. Results showed CoMP improving effective by approximately 20 dB compared to local , while relaying achieved spectral efficiencies of 1.5–2 bits per channel use in indoor and corridor settings, far surpassing direct links at 0.1–0.5 bits per channel use. Alcatel-Lucent collaborated with on a TD-LTE demonstration in February 2010 for the World Expo network, validating time-division duplex (TDD) configurations in a pre- context. Using Alcatel-Lucent's end-to-end solution—including base stations, evolved packet core, and third-party devices—the test achieved peak downstream speeds exceeding 80 Mbps over a single 20 MHz carrier in the 2.3 GHz band, demonstrating robust performance for large-scale events and paving the way for operator trials in . By 2011, demonstrations escalated in scale and ambition as Release 10 neared completion. showcased LTE Advanced at the CommunicAsia 2011 event in , highlighting integrated multi-radio access network capabilities supporting CA and advanced for future-proof deployments. This proof-of-concept emphasized seamless evolution from LTE Release 8, validating across vendors and spectrum bands. A landmark field demonstration occurred in June 2011 when presented LTE Advanced to the in , , using commercial hardware over test frequencies in the 2.6 GHz band. Employing inter-band across 60 MHz (three 20 MHz carriers) and 8x8 on the downlink with 4x4 on the uplink, the trial achieved peak download speeds of 954 Mbps in a mobile van setup, over 10 times faster than contemporary LTE networks. This effort, supported by spectrum from PTS, confirmed practical high-throughput performance and interoperability in real-world mobility scenarios. These pioneering efforts, involving operators such as and regulatory bodies like , established foundational proofs for 's core enhancements. Key outcomes included successful validation of for bandwidth flexibility, advanced for capacity gains, and CoMP/relaying for interference management, setting the stage for subsequent testing and pre-commercial field validations without venturing into full deployments.

Deployment and Adoption

Initial Commercial Deployments

The first commercial deployment of LTE Advanced occurred in June 2013 by in , marking the world's inaugural launch of the technology with (CA) enabling peak downlink speeds of up to 150 Mbps by combining two 10 MHz carriers in the 800 MHz and 1.8 GHz bands. This rollout initially targeted urban areas, including and select provincial cities, providing enhanced data rates roughly twice those of conventional networks, though coverage was limited in the initial phase. Expansions accelerated in 2014, with launching LTE Advanced in the United States in March, starting in as the first major U.S. carrier to offer the service commercially, supporting Category 6 devices capable of up to 300 Mbps via advanced . In , in the followed with its commercial rollout in October 2014, deploying 150 Mbps "4G+" service in using across 20 MHz channels. These launches emphasized urban hotspots and high-traffic zones to maximize early adoption and demonstrate performance gains. The device ecosystem supported these deployments through the introduction of LTE Advanced Category 4 to 6 chipsets, such as Qualcomm's Snapdragon 800 series modems (e.g., MDM9230), which enabled 150 Mbps peak speeds via for Category 4 devices and up to 300 Mbps for Category 6 in later models like the LTE-A. However, fragmentation posed significant challenges, as operators' holdings were often scattered across non-contiguous bands, complicating full CA implementation and increasing device complexity for inter-band support. Early performance metrics reflected these constraints, with average user speeds achieving about double the 30-50 Mbps of standard in covered areas, though widespread adoption was tempered by the need for compatible devices and spectrum harmonization.

Global Rollout and Performance Metrics

Between 2016 and 2020, LTE Advanced experienced rapid global growth, with the number of commercial operators expanding to over 300 networks across more than 130 countries by mid-2019, driven by enhancements in and technologies. This proliferation supported a significant share of traffic, as nearly 60% of global LTE subscriptions were forecasted to shift to LTE Advanced networks by 2020, enabling higher data rates and improved for services. Regional variations marked the rollout, with leading adoption due to large-scale deployments like India's Reliance , which enhanced its nationwide LTE Advanced network in 2018 through extensive small cell integrations and , achieving near-100% population coverage. In contrast, emphasized urban-focused implementations, where operators prioritized in dense city environments to alleviate congestion and support peak loads exceeding 150 Mbps during 2016-2020. As of 2025, LTE Advanced remains widely deployed in developed markets, with urban download speeds often reaching 100 Mbps or more under optimal conditions, reflecting matured infrastructure and utilization. Throughput in these deployments can be estimated using an adapted capacity formula that accounts for MIMO layers: R = BW \times \log_2(1 + \text{SINR}) \times \text{layers} where R is the achievable rate in bits per second, BW is the effective bandwidth in Hz, SINR is the , and layers denote spatial streams from configurations; real-world applications often yield 2-4 layers with SINR values of 10-20 for typical urban scenarios. Key performance metrics underscore LTE Advanced's impact, including cell capacity increases of up to 4 times over baseline via combined and 4x4 , allowing networks to handle denser user traffic without proportional infrastructure growth. has also advanced, with and improvements boosting overall efficiency by up to 400% through optimized and reduced idle power in heterogeneous networks. However, challenges remain, such as persistent rural coverage gaps in regions like the , where the continues to address disparities through spectrum initiatives like the CBRS framework. As of mid-2025, over 400 Advanced networks are operational globally, often integrated with non-standalone architectures to support ongoing demands.

LTE Advanced Pro

Overview and Enhancements

LTE Advanced Pro, marketed as "4.5G" or LTE-A Pro, is an evolutionary advancement of baseline LTE Advanced, commencing with Release 13 in 2016 and spanning Releases 13 through 15, positioned as a transitional technology bridging to New Radio (NR). This phase introduces a suite of optional enhancements designed to extend the capabilities of existing LTE networks while maintaining alignment with the overall ecosystem. The core objectives of LTE Advanced Pro focus on achieving further improvements in through aggregated advancements in bandwidth utilization and antenna configurations—and enabling robust support for massive (IoT) deployments alongside new services such as mission-critical communications. These goals address escalating demands for higher capacity, lower latency, and diverse connectivity scenarios, including enhanced machine-type communications and public safety applications. All features in LTE Advanced Pro are optional, ensuring full with existing LTE-A infrastructure and allowing incremental upgrades without necessitating a complete network overhaul. Key enablers include the integration of unlicensed spectrum via mechanisms like Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) for supplemental capacity in the 5 GHz band, and enhanced supporting up to 32 component carriers in both downlink and uplink directions, aggregating to a total of 640 MHz. These elements collectively boost network efficiency and pave the way for seamless evolution toward .

Specific Pro Features and Release 13+ Advancements

Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) enables LTE systems to aggregate licensed spectrum with unlicensed bands, primarily the 5 GHz spectrum, to boost capacity without dedicated unlicensed licenses. This feature, introduced in Release 13, employs a Listen-Before-Talk (LBT) mechanism to ensure fair coexistence with by sensing channel occupancy before transmission, adhering to regulatory requirements like those from . LAA operates in downlink mode initially, with carrier aggregation combining a primary licensed cell for control signaling and secondary unlicensed cells for data, achieving up to 80 MHz effective bandwidth in the unlicensed domain. Enhanced in LTE Advanced Pro extends capabilities, supporting up to 16-layer downlink transmission on a single carrier to increase in high-density scenarios. Additionally, massive MIMO configurations with up to 256 antenna elements at base stations enable and higher-order spatial reuse, improving throughput by up to 2.5 times over LTE-A in urban deployments. These advancements, specified in Release 13 and refined in later releases, leverage full-dimension MIMO to mitigate interference and support peak data rates exceeding 1 Gbps. For IoT support, LTE Advanced Pro introduces enhanced Machine-Type Communication (eMTC), also known as LTE Cat-M1, which optimizes low-power devices with 1.4 MHz bandwidth, extended coverage up to 15 dB beyond standard , and power-saving modes for battery life exceeding 10 years. Complementing eMTC, (NB-IoT) provides a 180 kHz for massive machine-type communications, supporting up to 50,000 devices per with deep indoor and low rates under 250 kbps. Both features, integrated from Release 13, coexist with conventional traffic via resource partitioning and are designed for applications like smart metering and . In Releases 14 and 15, LTE Advanced Pro advances vehicular communications through (V2X) sidelink, enabling direct device-to-device transmissions for applications like collision avoidance, with under 100 and ranges up to 1 km. V2X uses PC5 interface in modes 3 and 4 for network-scheduled and autonomous resource selection, respectively, supporting both ITS-G5 spectrum and bands. Concurrently, uplink enhancements include support for 5-carrier aggregation, allowing up to 100 MHz aggregated bandwidth to achieve symmetric gigabit speeds and improved coverage in uplink-limited scenarios. These capabilities, detailed in 3GPP TS 36.306, facilitate higher-order modulation like 256-QAM in uplink for enhanced efficiency. LAA performance is characterized by its efficiency in utilizing unlicensed spectrum, where aggregate throughput can be modeled as: \text{Throughput} = \text{Licensed BW} + (\text{Unlicensed BW} \times \text{duty cycle}) The duty cycle, typically 30-70% depending on contention levels with Wi-Fi, arises from LBT success probability and maximum channel occupancy time limits of 10 ms per transmission burst. As of mid-2025, LTE Advanced Pro features are widely deployed in global LTE-A networks, driven by operator upgrades for capacity and IoT monetization, with widespread adoption in North America and Europe.

Transition and Legacy

Integration with 5G

LTE Advanced serves as a critical foundation for the deployment of New Radio (NR) by enabling seamless integration through dual connectivity mechanisms, allowing operators to leverage existing LTE infrastructure for initial rollouts. This integration facilitates a smooth transition from to networks without requiring an immediate overhaul of network, thereby accelerating the availability of services. A key enabler of this integration is E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (EN-DC), where LTE acts as the master node (MN) anchoring the connection to the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), while 5G NR functions as the secondary node (SN) to boost capacity and speeds. In EN-DC, user equipment (UE) simultaneously connects to an LTE eNB and a 5G gNB, combining LTE and NR carriers via carrier aggregation to achieve higher aggregate throughput, with support for up to 31 LTE component carriers and 16 NR carriers. The architecture includes master cell group (MCG) bearers on LTE, secondary cell group (SCG) bearers on NR, and split bearers for optimized data routing, all managed through the LTE control plane. Introduced in 3GPP Release 15 in 2018, non-standalone (NSA) 5G deployments rely on the core for both control and user plane functions, with providing supplemental radio resources. This NSA architecture, specifically Option 3 (EN-DC), allows to operate as an enhancement to networks, enabling rapid service launches by utilizing the established LTE signaling and . Spectrum sharing between LTE Advanced and 5G NR in sub-6 GHz bands is achieved through Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which employs dynamic time-division duplexing (TDD) to allocate resources flexibly based on real-time traffic demands. DSS enables and NR to coexist on the same frequency carrier, with schedulers coordinating resource blocks to prioritize traffic as it grows, while maintaining for devices in bands like 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz. This approach optimizes spectrum efficiency in mid-band sub-6 GHz allocations, such as n78 (3.5 GHz), facilitating gradual adoption without refarming entire spectrum. The integration offers significant benefits, including a gradual upgrade path that minimizes by reusing sites and , and reliable fallback to LTE Advanced for ubiquitous coverage in areas where signals are weak. This ensures continuous service quality, with providing robust signaling and mobility, while enhances user plane data rates. For example, in the early 2020s, operators like AIS in launched NSA services in 2020 using EN-DC, where handled the control plane and the user plane across sub-6 GHz bands for improved download speeds exceeding 1 Gbps in urban areas. Similar deployments by in the United States utilized EN-DC to combine low-band for coverage with mid-band for capacity, demonstrating the practical advantages of this hybrid approach.

Current Status and Future Outlook

As of the second quarter of 2025, LTE Advanced and LTE Advanced Pro continue to underpin the majority of global and 4.5G networks, supporting approximately 4.8 billion subscriptions worldwide, though this represents a decline of 53 million from the previous quarter as operators shift focus toward expansion. Despite this maturity, new investments in LTE infrastructure are waning, with resources increasingly allocated to deployments amid rising data demands and spectrum efficiency needs. LTE Advanced remains dominant for key applications, particularly (VoLTE), which powers the bulk of mobile voice services due to its integration with networks and support for high-quality, low-latency calls. In rural and underserved areas, LTE Advanced Pro enables access (FWA) solutions, providing connectivity where fiber deployment is uneconomical, with FWA projected to account for over 35% of new fixed connections by 2030. Looking ahead, LTE Advanced is entering a maintenance phase, with 3GPP Releases 16 and beyond focusing on stability enhancements rather than major innovations, as spectrum refarming accelerates to repurpose LTE bands for by around 2030 in developed markets. LTE Advanced Pro features, such as Licensed Assisted Access (LAA), have seen widespread adoption, with more than 200 operators investing in LTE-Advanced Pro technologies globally, enabling efficient use of unlicensed spectrum in about one-third of LTE deployments. efforts are also prominent, with advanced power-saving mechanisms like Micro Sleep Tx reducing network energy consumption by up to 15% in commercial implementations. Long-term projections indicate LTE Advanced will persist in serving legacy devices and applications well into the 2040s, particularly in emerging markets, ensuring as and future technologies dominate new growth. This extended lifecycle underscores its role as a reliable bridge technology, with full network sunsets unlikely before the mid-2040s in most regions.

References

  1. [1]
    [PDF] LTE-Advanced - 3GPP
    In LTE-Advanced focus is on higher capacity: - increased peak data rate, DL 3 Gbps, UL 1.5 Gbps. - higher spectral efficiency, from a maximum of 16bps/Hz in R8 ...
  2. [2]
    [PDF] White Paper - 3GPP
    LTE-Advanced aims to support downlink (8x8 antenna configuration) peak spectrum efficiency of 30 bps/Hz and uplink (4x4 antenna configuration) peak spectrum ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  3. [3]
    3GPP LTE-A Overview
    LTE-Advanced enhances the uplink multiple access scheme by adopting clustered SC-FDMA. also known as discrete Fourier transform spread OFDM (DFT-S-OFDM). This ...
  4. [4]
    [PDF] Backgrounder: LTE Advanced - Intel
    What is LTE Advanced?: LTE Advanced is a next generation mobile technology developed by Third · Generation Partnership Project (3GPP*) to be the primary ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
  5. [5]
    [PDF] Guidance for use of the LTE logo - 3GPP
    The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has registered "LTE" as a trademark for the benefit of the 3GPP Partners and is the copyright holder ...
  6. [6]
    ITU-R Confers IMT-Advanced (4G) Status to 3GPP LTE
    Oct 20, 2010 · The 3GPP candidate technology submission for IMT-Advanced developed as LTE Release 10 & Beyond (LTE-Advanced) was today accepted as a 4G technology.
  7. [7]
    Specifications by Series - 3GPP
    35 series · 55 series. (4). LTE (Evolved UTRA), LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro radio technology. 36 series. Multiple radio access technology aspects. 37 series.
  8. [8]
    [PDF] Proposal for Candidate Radio Interface Technologies for IMT ... - 3GPP
    Oct 15, 2009 · LTE-Advanced will be deployed as an evolution of. LTE Release 8 and on new bands. LTE-Advanced shall be backwards compatible with. LTE Release 8 ...
  9. [9]
    Specification # 36.300 - 3GPP
    Apr 3, 2017 · Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) and Evolved ... (E-UTRAN); Overall description; Stage 2. Status: Under change control.
  10. [10]
    Specification #: 36.101 - 3GPP
    Title: Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); User Equipment (UE) radio transmission and reception ; Status: Under change control ; Type: Technical ...
  11. [11]
    [PDF] 3GPP LTE - The University of Utah
    Some HSPA operators were reporting an increase of. 6–14x mobile data usage in 2007, and saw an increase of. 30–50x in the first nine months of 2008. That demand ...Missing: post- | Show results with:post-
  12. [12]
    [PDF] REPORT ITU-R M.2135-1 - Guidelines for evaluation of radio ...
    The antenna configuration to be used for peak spectral efficiency is defined in Table 8-3 of this Report. The necessary information includes effective bandwidth ...
  13. [13]
    Carrier Aggregation explained - 3GPP
    Dec 11, 2022 · Carrier aggregation is used in LTE-Advanced in order to increase the bandwidth, and thereby increase the bitrate.
  14. [14]
    Carrier Aggregation on Mobile Networks - 3GPP
    Aug 8, 2022 · Carrier aggregation is when a terminal uses multiple component carriers to improve data rates, mitigate interference, and enhance network ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
  15. [15]
    [PDF] 3GPP Release 11 - 5G Americas
    The main enhancement in LTE-Advanced Rel-11 for supporting DL CoMP is the provision of a new Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) Transmission Mode 10 ...
  16. [16]
    3GPP Release 11 - Techplayon - 3GPP Specification
    May 6, 2017 · The main enhancement in LTE-Advanced Release 11 for supporting DL CoMP is the provision of a new Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) ...
  17. [17]
    Self-Organising Networks (SON) - 3GPP
    Jun 17, 2024 · A self-organizing network (SON) is an automated technology which is designed to help the management of mobile networks.
  18. [18]
    [PDF] TR 136 912 - V11.0.0 - LTE - ETSI
    3GPP TR 36.912 version 11.0.0 Release 11​​ IPRs essential or potentially essential to the present document may have been declared to ETSI.
  19. [19]
    Specification # 36.912 - 3GPP
    Feasibility study for Further Advancements for E-UTRA (LTE-Advanced). Status: Under change control. Type: Technical report (TR). Initial planned Release: ...
  20. [20]
    Release 10 - 3GPP
    3GPP Release 10 has an online overview document. Details are in a list of features and study items. Functional freeze date was September 2011.Missing: relay nodes
  21. [21]
    3GPP Partners propose IMT-Advanced radio technology
    Oct 8, 2009 · The ITU had set a deadline of 7 October for proposals to be received and 3GPP responded by submitting a comprehensive description of LTE- ...Missing: recognition date
  22. [22]
    ITU paves way for next-generation 4G mobile technologies
    These technologies will now move into the final stage of the IMT-Advanced process, which provides for the development in early 2012 of an ITU-R ...Missing: recognition date
  23. [23]
    [PDF] Radio Access Networks - LTE progress report - 3GPP
    May 24, 2010 · Feasibility study was conducted under study item, “Further advancements for E-UTRA(LTE-Advanced)” and completed in March 2010. •. Requirements ...
  24. [24]
    Release Rel-10 - 3GPP Portal
    Start date: 2009-01-20. End date: SA#52, 2011-06-08. Closure date ... You are about to freeze the Release. WARNING # Versions are pending upload ...
  25. [25]
    4G Americas Report on 3GPP Release 11 and 12 Standards
    Feb 21, 2014 · LTE-Advanced: · Active Antenna Systems (AAS) · Downlink enhancements for MIMO antenna systems · Small cell and femtocell enhancements · Machine Type ...
  26. [26]
    Rel-12 more than just carrier aggregation - 3GPP
    Aug 18, 2014 · 3GPP Release 12 also improves upon and introduces various LTE-Advanced capabilities which increase performance among cells of all sizes. As ...Lte-Advanced Is Bringing... · Carrier Aggregation Takes... · Release 12 Features Also...
  27. [27]
    The Mobile Economy 2025 - GSMA
    Mobile technologies and services now generate around 5.8% of global GDP, a contribution that amounts to $6.5 trillion of economic value added.Sub-Saharan Africa · North America · The Mobile Economy 2024 · Latin America
  28. [28]
    [PDF] Evolving LTE towards IMT-Advanced - Dr. Ian F. Akyildiz
    Mar 20, 2009 · Abstract— This paper provides a high-level overview of some technology components currently considered for the evolution of. LTE including ...
  29. [29]
    [PDF] Demystifying 3GPP - Qualcomm
    3GPP Releases. An LTE Rel-10 UE can work in a LTE Rel-8 cell. An LTE Rel-8 UE can work in a LTE Rel-10 cell. Example of backward compatibility. LTE Rel-10 Cell.
  30. [30]
    LTE 3GPP Releases Overview - CableFree
    Peak data rates: Up to 300 Mbps downlink and 75 Mbps uplink with 4×4 MIMO and 20 MHz bandwidth.
  31. [31]
    [PDF] ETSI TR 136 912 V10.0.0 (2011-04)
    The cross reference between GSM, UMTS, 3GPP and ETSI identities can be found under http://webapp.etsi.org/key/queryform.asp.
  32. [32]
    Release 11 - 3GPP
    A 3GPP description document - Overview of 3GPP Release 11 is available on-line, giving a high-level view of the features that are included in the Release.Missing: CoMP | Show results with:CoMP
  33. [33]
    Release 12 - 3GPP
    Other important features completed in Release 12 include: Small cells and Network densification, D2D, LTE TDD-FDD joint operation including Carrier Aggregation, ...Missing: public communication
  34. [34]
    Device-to-Device (D2D) Communications | NIST
    It is crucial for public safety devices to be able to connect directly with each other. This feature was added to LTE starting with Release 12 of the 3GPP ...
  35. [35]
    3GPP Release 12 - Techplayon - 3GPP Specification
    3GPP Release 12 enhances LTE-Advanced ability to support MTC/M2M applications. One work item focused on low cost and extended coverage.<|control11|><|separator|>
  36. [36]
    [PDF] TR 136 912 - V9.1.0 - LTE - ETSI
    At the 3GPP TSG RAN #39 meeting, the Study Item description on "Further Advancements for E-UTRA (LTE-. Advanced)" was approved [1]. The study item covers ...
  37. [37]
    https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5495249
  38. [38]
    Alcatel-Lucent Achieves Record Speeds on World Expo China 2010 ...
    Feb 15, 2010 · The tests were run using Alcatel-Lucent's end-to-end LTE solution ... Alcatel-Lucent is a pioneer in the LTE market, having a common ...Missing: Gbps | Show results with:Gbps
  39. [39]
    [PDF] LTE-Advanced - AFRALTI
    Nokia Siemens Networks demonstrated LTE-Advanced at CommunicAsia 2011 in Singapore. Page 18. Source: 3GPP TS 36.306. LTE Device Categories. Release ...
  40. [40]
    Ericsson takes LTE-Advanced next-level, notches 1Gbps downloads ...
    Jun 28, 2011 · The demonstration, held in Kista, Sweden, featured speeds more than 10 times faster than those currently experienced by LTE consumers in Sweden.
  41. [41]
    SK Telecom launches world's first LTE-Advanced network - CNET
    Jun 25, 2013 · SK Telecom launches world's first LTE-Advanced network. The LTE standard is capable of data transfer rates of 150Mbps, roughly twice as fast as ...
  42. [42]
    SK Telecom launches the world's first LTE-Advanced network, and ...
    Jun 25, 2013 · LTE-A offers ultra-fast network speeds of up to 150 Mbps, which is ... CA, commercialized for the first time in the world by SK Telecom ...Missing: commercial | Show results with:commercial
  43. [43]
    LTE in Korea 2013 - Netmanias
    Dec 4, 2013 · All the KT and SK Telecom subscribers in Seoul metropolitan areas can enjoy maximum downlink speeds up to 150 Mbps when using the Wideband LTE ...
  44. [44]
    300 LTE Networks Worldwide - 3GPP
    Jun 17, 2014 · In March of this year, AT&T launched LTE-Advanced in Chicago making them the first major U.S. carrier to offer the service. It is expected that ...
  45. [45]
    EE Launches 150Mbps '4G+' In London - Silicon UK
    Oct 30, 2014 · EE is set to roll out LTE-A across central London as its network reaches 75 percent coverage All IT news on Silicon.co.uk.
  46. [46]
    [PDF] Snapdragon 800 processors | Qualcomm
    + Support for advanced graphic and compute APIs, including OpenGL ES 3.0 ... + Gobi 4G LTE Advanced with Carrier Aggregation for speeds up to 150 Mbps.Missing: Category 6 150-300
  47. [47]
    Qualcomm Powers World's First Commercial LTE Advanced ...
    Jun 17, 2014 · The LTE Cat 6 device is designed to provide consumers with download speeds of up to 300 Mbps and more efficient power consumption. The Samsung ...Missing: 4-6 chipsets 2013
  48. [48]
    Carrier Aggregation for LTE-Advanced: Design Challenges of ...
    Aug 9, 2025 · Carrier aggregation is a key feature of 3GPP LTE that addresses the support of higher data rates and utilization of fragmented spectrum holdings.
  49. [49]
    LTE-Advanced 4G network launches in South Korea - BBC News
    Jun 26, 2013 · SK Telecom says its LTE-Advanced network allows files to be downloaded at up to 150 megabits per second. ... SK Telecom's LTE-A network kit.Missing: first deployment
  50. [50]
    LTE Ecosystem July 2020 - Global Status Report | GSA - GSAcom
    Jul 14, 2020 · There are 797 operators with commercially launched mobile or broadband fixed wireless access networks (GSA: NTS Database June 2020).
  51. [51]
    https://www.marketresearchreports.com/signals-and-systems-telecom/lte-lte-advanced-5g-ecosystem-2015-2020-infrastructure-devices
  52. [52]
    Samsung deploying small cells in large volumes for Reliance Jio in ...
    Nov 10, 2018 · Samsung Networks is deploying small cells in large volume for indoor coverage for Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio, which is set to have 99% ...
  53. [53]
    North America LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) Mobile Technologies Market ...
    Oct 24, 2025 · Enhanced Network Capacity: LTE-A's carrier aggregation and MIMO technologies improve spectral efficiency, supporting higher data rates that ...
  54. [54]
    LTE-A Carrier Aggregation - CableFree
    Release 10 (2011): Supported up to 5 Component Carriers (CCs) (100 MHz total), achieving peak downlink rates of 1 Gbps with 4×4 MIMO. Release 12 (2014): ...Missing: procedures limitations
  55. [55]
    Shannon Capacity of LTE (Effective) - RAYmaps
    Jul 6, 2011 · In the previous post we calculated the Shannon Capacity of LTE as a function of bandwidth. ... The modified Shannon Capacity formula is given as:.
  56. [56]
    [PDF] LTE Advanced - Qualcomm
    The higher data rates can be traded off to get increased capacity for bursty applications such as browsing, social media apps, smartphone usage and more. 1.
  57. [57]
    Designing Energy-Efficient Wireless Access Networks: LTE and LTE ...
    They show that LTE-Advanced's carrier aggregation and MIMO improve networks' energy efficiency up to 400 and 450 percent, respectively.
  58. [58]
    https://www.starsolutions.com/company-blog/lte-opportunities-in-cbrs-spectrum/
  59. [59]
    LTE Opportunities in CBRS Spectrum - Star Solutions
    CBRS is the name given to a range of frequency spectrum in 3.5GHz (3550 MHz to 3700MHz) that the FCC authorized in 2015 for shared wireless access.
  60. [60]
    Mobile Backhaul: An Overview - Networks - GSMA
    Jun 19, 2019 · There are a number of technical innovations occurring on LTE, which is known as LTE-Advanced Pro or 4.5G which enable enhancements such as ...1. Introduction · Success Of Lte And Growing... · Emergence Of 5g
  61. [61]
    Release 13 - 3GPP
    Release 13 includes 170 features, mission-critical services, LTE in unlicensed spectrum, and enhancements to machine-type communications and public safety.
  62. [62]
    [PDF] Accelerating the Path to 5G - with LTE Advanced Pro - Qualcomm
    Jun 25, 2018 · These enhancements and new services will help mobile service providers generate revenue without necessarily waiting for 5G NR to be widely.
  63. [63]
    LAA standardization: coexistence is the key - 3GPP
    Jul 13, 2016 · 3GPP decided to embark in the specification of Licensed-Assisted Access (LAA) to provide operators and consumers with an additional mechanism to utilize ...
  64. [64]
    https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/rfmx-waveform-creator/page/licensed-assisted-access.html
  65. [65]
    LAA specification work starting in 3GPP - Ericsson
    Jun 29, 2015 · 3GPP has studied enhancements to LTE for operation in the 5 GHz band, using the technique referred to as Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) to unlicensed spectrum.
  66. [66]
    [PDF] White paper LTE -Advanced Pro Introduction ©Rohde & Schwarz
    ... MIMO scheme as specified in 3GPP Release 13 led to the specification of additional enhancements in 3GPP Release 14. These are re- ferred to as enhanced FD-MIMO.
  67. [67]
    LTE-Advanced PRO sets the foundations for 5G mobile network
    Ultra-low Latency. LTE networks support latencies of up to 50 ms (RTT) and in LTE-A PRO this latency is reduced to under 10 ms. · Improved reliability (URLCC).
  68. [68]
    [PDF] accelerating-the-mobile-ecosystem-expansion-in-the-5g-era-with-lte ...
    A rich and continued roadmap of LTE Advanced Pro advancements is ... ~4x faster responsiveness. ~2.2x higher spectral efficiency. Page 44. 44. 5G NR Rel ...
  69. [69]
    https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/rfmx-lte/page/enhanced-machine-type-communication.html
  70. [70]
    [PDF] 3GPP Standards for the Internet-of-Things
    In Release-13 3GPP has made a major effort to address the IoT market. The ... • Guard band: utilizing the unused resource blocks within a LTE carrier's guard-band.<|control11|><|separator|>
  71. [71]
    [PDF] Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
    Both eMTC and NB-IoT are optimized for lower complexity/power, deeper coverage, and higher device density, while seamlessly coexisting with other LTE services.
  72. [72]
    Initial Cellular V2X standard completed - 3GPP
    Sep 26, 2016 · The initial Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) standard, for inclusion in the Release 14, was completed last week - during the 3GPP RAN meeting in New ...
  73. [73]
    https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/rfmx-lte/page/lte-v2x-overview.html
  74. [74]
    [PDF] Driving the Gigabit LTE Evolution - Qualcomm
    Up to 12 spatial streams; 4x4 MIMO on 3 LTE carriers; 5x20 MHz carrier aggregation ... 3GPP Rel-15 focused on spectrum bands up to ~40 GHz; Rel-16+ will ...<|separator|>
  75. [75]
    [PDF] ETSI TS 136 306 V15.10.0 (2021-01)
    This Technical Specification (TS) has been produced by ETSI 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). The present document may refer to technical ...
  76. [76]
    [PDF] Throughput Optimal Listen-Before-Talk for Cellular in Unlicensed ...
    Oct 11, 2016 · Our results shed light on how the regulatory LBT requirements can affect the transmission strategies of radio equipment in unlicensed spectrum.
  77. [77]
    LTE to 5G Evolution May 2025 | GSA - GSAcom
    May 30, 2025 · LTE has evolved through various 3GPP technology releases, covering the introduction of LTE-Advanced and then LTE-Advanced Pro, which ...
  78. [78]
    Release 15 - 3GPP
    Apr 26, 2019 · The scope of Release 15 expands to cover 'standalone' 5G, with a new radio system complemented by a next-generation core network.
  79. [79]
    [PDF] ETSI TS 137 340 V16.10.0 (2022-08)
    NG-RAN supports NG-RAN E-UTRA-NR Dual Connectivity (NGEN-DC), in which a UE is connected to one ng-eNB that acts as a MN and one gNB that acts as a SN. 4.1.3.2.
  80. [80]
    [PDF] 5G NR Release 15 The technology foundation of the 5G evolution
    Selected as 5G NR eMBB data channel as part of 3GPP Release-15. 1. Multi ... LTE/5G NR NSA. Supplemental UL. Supplemental DL. FDD/TDD CA. NR LAA CA. Dual ...
  81. [81]
    [PDF] Dynamic Spectrum Sharing - Samsung
    Dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) dynamically assigns time-frequency resources between LTE and NR based on traffic demands, enabling simultaneous deployment.
  82. [82]
    Faster Speeds and the Promise of New Use Cases is Driving 5G SA ...
    Jul 31, 2024 · AIS, the leading operator in Thailand, launched 5G NSA services in February 2020 using 700 MHz, 2.6 GHz, and 26 GHz bandwidths, followed by 5G ...Missing: DC | Show results with:DC
  83. [83]
    Ericsson Mobility Visualizer - Mobility Report
    4G declined by 53 million during the second quarter of 2025, bringing the total to around 4.8 billion. 3G subscriptions declined by 20 million during the ...
  84. [84]
    Explore the Ericsson Mobility Report November 2024
    Read the Ericsson Mobility Report November 2024 for industry-leading insights and trends, plus new forecasts for 5G, IoT, Fixed Wireless Access and more.
  85. [85]
    Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Trends and Forecast 2025-2033
    Rating 4.8 (1,980) Apr 3, 2025 · The global Voice over LTE (VoLTE) market is experiencing robust growth, driven by the increasing adoption of 4G and 5G networks, the rising ...
  86. [86]
    [PDF] Ericsson Mobility Report June 2025 - Elements by Visual Capitalist
    Fixed Wireless Access is experiencing robust growth and is projected to make up over 35 percent of all new fixed broadband connections by 2030, as service ...
  87. [87]
    Energy Efficiency in 3GPP technologies
    Jul 8, 2024 · Since Release 10 in 2011, 3GPP has been monitoring and providing solutions for several energy efficiency aspects of its systems: starting ...Missing: approval | Show results with:approval
  88. [88]
    LTE-Advanced, LTE-Advanced Pro global status - GSAcom
    183 operators (31.5% of LTE operators) have commercially launched LTE-Advanced or LTE-Advanced Pro networks in 87 countries. ... LATAM Regional Report September ...Missing: adoption LAA
  89. [89]
    Ericsson, stc delivers a more sustainable network with power-saving ...
    Feb 9, 2023 · Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and stc have implemented the Micro Sleep Tx software feature on stc's network, resulting in a 15 percent reduction in power consumption.
  90. [90]
    Gradually and then suddenly: a prognosis for LTE switch-off
    Jan 14, 2025 · 4G switch-off is unlikely before the mid-2040s, we expect. Emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Latin America will likely follow Europe.Missing: outlook | Show results with:outlook
  91. [91]
    https://5gstore.com/blog/2025/06/25/4g-shutdown/