LTE Hits 300 Mbps – WiMAX Ouch !

 

According to the LTE/SAE Trial Initiative (LSTI) it has been able to demonstrate data speed up to 300 Mbps speed barrier.  Bear in mind that the trial was in fact a lab test.

However, the 3GPP’s stated data rate goal is 100 Mbps.  This means we are looking at a technology that has significantly surpassed a design criteria. 

The results, which still need to be verified, are impressive.  It is still a long way from a commercial deployment but the results are nothing to sneeze at.

Lab test results for latency were also equally impressive; results hit under 10 ms.  However, it should be noted that the latency goal is 5 ms.  "Close but no cigar yet".

If the LSTI’s tests can demonstrate such speeds in a field test, WiMAX may be in trouble as a pre-4G or 4G standard.

The stated data rate goal for WiMAX is 40 Mbps per channel for fixed and nomadic systems and 15 Mbps per channel for mobile systems.
deployment of up to three kilometers.  In short, if LTE's lab results can hold up in a field trial than the LSTI can state that it has vastly surpassed WiMAX operating metrics.

Now imagine, you are Sprint, and you are trying to decide between deploying WiMAX or LTE.  WiMAX is here today.  LTE is neither here today nor nere in any commercial form until late 2009.  You are Sprint and you are trying to get a jump on Verizon and AT&T.  But here is the rub, you cannot raise the money to build a network unless you have financial partners like a Clearwire, Google, and Intel; all of whom are WiMAX supporters.  What do you (as Sprint) do when you are faced with a technology like LTE that has lab tested at significantly greater performance levels?  A very tough situation.  Right now if latency cannot beat the 5 ms barrier than LTE would not have met all of its criteria.  LTE still has a long way to go to prove out all of its capabiltiies but beating the speed barrier was a very big win for it.