7.20.2011

LTE Gathers Momentum but Spectrum Challenges Still Remain

ABI Research’s market data currently tracks 28 commercial FD-LTE networks, and counting. No TD-LTE network has gone live yet, but commercial launches of this technology jointly developed by China and Qualcomm are getting closer, with the Global TD-LTE Initiative (GTI) being formed in February this year to push forward its development and adoption. The five-month old initiative counts prominent WiMAX players such as Clearwire and P1 as its members, as well as major telco operators in Taiwan, India, Japan, and South Korea.

“The biggest concern facing many operators now is the squeeze on available spectrum,” says ABI research analyst Fei Feng Seet. “Regulators in certain countries have not yet announced any plans for LTE spectrum allocation.”