Signals Flash - LTE Carrier Advanced Cat 6 - high res.pdf

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Dispatches from the frontier of wireless research

August 13, 2014

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!

Our initial thoughts on SK Telecoms LTE-A 225 Mbps network

2 | Signals Flash August 13, 2014

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYOver a four day period in early August we conducted a benchmark study of SK Telecoms LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network. We used a Samsung Galaxy S5 Category 6 (225 Mbps) smartphone as well as a Galaxy S5 Category 4 (150 Mbps) smartphone. We logged all network performance data presented in this Signals Flash! with the Accuver XCAL-Solo or the XCAL-Mobile data collection tool, which provided us with the flexibility to test with the phone literally in the palm of our hand while also providing us with the same features and functionality of the companys PC-based XCAL solution which we have historically used in the past.

In late August or early September we will be providing detailed analysis of the network performance, including SK Telecoms Btv Mobile IPTV service (SD, HD, FHD and UHD video content) that the operator offers over its LTE network. This pending report is included as part of a Signals Ahead subscription, although the report will also be available for individual purchase. In the interim, we would like to share our initial thoughts.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

We transferred more than 450 GB of data on the LTE-A network, including more than 35 GB using Btv Mobile. With a standard 2 GB plan this amount of data consumption translates into 18.75 years of data usage.

We tested outdoors while driving more than 175 miles around Seoul. We also tested in subway stations, on the subway between stations, in our hotel lobby, and while walking around the heavily congested areas of the Namdaemun Market and Gangnam Station.

The median Physical Layer downlink data rate was a staggering 98.9 Mbps and we achieved a top speed of 221.11 Mbps (one second averaging). The data rate was higher than 150 Mbps for 19% of the time and it was less than 25 Mbps for only 4% of the time.

The median Physical Layer uplink data rate was 23.1 Mbps (10 MHz channels) and we achieved a top speed of 25.1 Mbps (one second averaging). The data rate was higher than 20 Mbps for 88.7% of the time. Due to how the licenses have been awarded in South Korea, SK Telecom only has a 10 MHz uplink channel that is paired with its Band 3 allocation that has a 20 MHz downlink. There is an additional 10 MHz uplink channel in Band 5. With uplink carrier aggregation it will eventually be possible to support a logically combined 20 MHz channel.

The latency (RTT) measured to an external server was consistently within a range of 20-25 ms.

In the Test Methodology section we discuss what we have in store for our forthcoming report which we are targeting for late August or early September.


BEHIND THE VoLTE CURTAIN NETWORK AND LAB-BASED BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS

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BEHIND THE VoLTE CURTAIN PART ONE Network benchmark test results: $1,495 pre-order/$1,750 post production

BEHIND THE VoLTE CURTAIN PART TWO Lab-based benchmark test results: $1,295 pre-order/$1,500 post production

BOTH REPORTS: $2,500 pre-order Both reports included with an annual subscription to Signals Ahead

CONTACT INFORMATIONYou may call us at +1 (510) 273-2439 or email us at [email protected] and we will contact you for your billing information or respond to any further inquiries that you may have. Subscription information for our Signals Ahead research product, which includes these reports, can be found on the last page of this report. You can also visit our website at www.signalsresearch.com or write us at

Signals Research Group10 Ormindale CourtOakland, CA 94611

PART 1 NOW AVAILABLE!


Unlike our more in-depth Signals Ahead research reports, there are not any restrictions asso-ciated with the redistribution of this document. Recipients of Signals Flash! may share this document both internally within their organization and externally with reckless abandon. In fact, we encourage it! Any figures, quotes or other information contained in this report can be used in presentations or other documents. We simply ask that you contact us in advance so that we make sure we are given proper credit for our work.

If you are not a subscriber to Signals Ahead and you would like to receive these complimentary Signals Flash! reports when they are published, please contact us and we will add you to the distribution list. In addition to providing near-real-time commentary and analysis of industry noteworthy events, Signals Flash! provides readers with a summary of past and planned research reports that we offer through our subscription-based Signals Ahead research product.

We approached SK Telecom earlier in the year and requested the opportunity to conduct an independent analysis of the operators LTE-A 225 Mbps network after they launched it. We followed up again after SK Telecom launched the network and they accepted our request. SK Telecom loaned us two smartphones with unlimited data plans and they provided us with access to a high-bandwidth FTP server that we could use for our tests. We had full autonomy when it came to testing the network, including what, when, where, and how we tested it. This was an entirely self-funded independent study that we intend to leverage for a forthcoming Signals Ahead report that will be made available to our Signals Ahead subscribers. The information presented in this report is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how we plan to leverage the network performance data that we collected during our stay.

Over a four day period in early August we conducted a benchmark study of SK Telecoms LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network. Samsung Networks is the infrastructure supplier in the Seoul market. We used a Samsung Galaxy S5 Category 6 (225 Mbps) smartphone as well as a Galaxy S5 Category 4 (150 Mbps) smartphone. The Cat 4 smartphone supported Carrier Aggregation, but since the 10 MHz + 20 MHz network configuration is seemingly everywhere in Seoul the phone defaults to the single 20 MHz channel in Band 3. The Cat 6 phone was powered by the Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 805 processor and the GobiTM 9x35 LTE modem (discrete A/P + modem). The Cat 4 phone was powered by the Qualcomm SnapdragonTM 801 processor with an integrated LTE modem.

We didnt spend our whole weekend testing the network and we had plenty of time to hit the hotel gym a few times, finish up our VoLTE report, do some shopping, hang out in Gangnam, and partake in what can only be described as Death by Korean Barbecue. Nonetheless, we consumed more than 450 GB of data well have an exact tally on the amount of data consumed once we finish analyzing the data.

We logged all network performance data with the Accuver XCAL-Solo or XCAL-Mobile data collection tools, which provided us with the flexibility to test with the phone literally in the palm of our hand while also providing us with the same features and functionality of Accuvers PC-based XCAL solution which we have historically used in the past. We also used the Spirent Quantum Battery Life Measurement System to measure the power consumption, current drain and estimated battery life of the two smartphones for a number of different scenarios, including streaming SD, HD and UHD video content with SK Telecoms Btv Mobile IPTV service that runs

This was an entirely self-funded independent study.

We logged all network performance data with the Accuver XCAL-Solo or XCAL-Mobile data collection tools


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over the LTE network. We will publish the results and analysis from this portion of our testing in the forthcoming Signals Ahead report. We also used Quantum in our recent VoLTE benchmark study that we released last week.

In the Test Methodology section of this Signals Flash we describe how we collected the data, the types of tests that we conducted, and how we plan to analyze the data in our forthcoming Signals Ahead report.

EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!!Emmet Brickowoski had his over-priced coffee, Taco Tuesday, and the widely-popular Where Are My Pants TV show. But if Emmet had his druthers, were sure he would have traded it all for a mobile broadband network that rivals the fastest broadband wireline networks in the world. He could have even traveled 195 kilometers north of Seoul and met up with a ruler whose size and stature is remarkably comparable to the seemingly innocuous President/Lord Business who would put you to sleep if you didnt take extra care to follow the instructions.

Generally, we are a bit careful when it comes to throwing out hyperbole, but when you are trav-eling in a subway train with standing room only and sustaining data rates well above 150 Mbps to a smartphone that you are holding in your hand it is hard to do otherwise. Our normal experience is riding a BART train in the San Francisco Bay area where in several places you cant buy a single bar of 2G voice or 3G data coverage, let alone LTE coverage, if your life depended on it.

Figure 1 provides an overview of the downlink throughput at the Physical Layer. The unofficial median throughput based on downloading 393.1 GB of data 16.4 years of usage based on a standard 2 GB monthly plan was an impressive 98.9 Mbps and the peak data rate was 222.11 Mbps. The throughput also exceeded 150 Mbps for 19% of the time. We obtained the peak speed during an early morning test, but we observed speeds well above 200 Mbps during the tests that we conducted on Friday afternoon in and around the Gangnam district. For now, we have only analyzed the throughput in one second time increments. Once we analyze the data in one millisecond sub-frame time intervals, we are confident that the throughput will be higher and that the incremental benefits of the Cat 6 device will be even more evident.

We are characterizing all results presented in this report as unofficial results because the results may contain instances when the FTP transfer wasnt occurring or when an FTP transfer was just starting or stopping, meaning that the TCP slow start-up was artificially limiting the speed. When we filter out all of these instances in the coming weeks we suspect that the median throughput will slightly exceed 100 Mbps. Put another way, it is likely that the absurdly low 4% of the results which were below 25 Mbps will drop to an even lower percentage.

The unofficial median Physical Layer downlink throughput was an impressive 98.9 Mbps and the peak data rate was 222.11 Mbps.

It is likely that the absurdly low 4% of the results which were below 25 Mbps will drop to an even lower percentage.


BEHIND THE VoLTE CURTAIN PART ONE Network benchmark test results: $1,450 pre-order/ $1,600 post production

Full report included with an annual subscription to Signals Ahead

CONTACT INFORMATIONYou may call us at +1 (510) 273-2439 or email us at [email protected] and we will contact you for your billing information or respond to any further inquiries that you may have. Subscription information for our Signals Ahead research product, which includes these reports, can be found on the last page of this report. You can also visit our website at www.signalsresearch.com or write us at

Signals Research Group10 Ormindale CourtOakland, CA 94611

COMING SOON!

PART OF THE MOTHER OF ALL NETWORK BENCHMARK TESTS SERIES OF REPORTS


The bar chart and the pie charts which appear below the bar chart show the individual contribu-tions of the primary and secondary carriers. SK Telecom has 20 MHz in Band 3 (1800 MHz) and 10 MHz in Band 5 (850 MHz), which translates into peak data rates of approximately 150 Mbps and 75 Mbps, respectively. In our testing, we observed Band 3 or Band 5 serving as the primary carrier (and vice-versa). For this reason, the primary and secondary carriers contributed roughly equal amounts to the total throughput. In our forthcoming report we will base our analysis on the frequency bands being used for each carrier since this level of detail is critical to the under-standing of LTE network performance.

We observed Band 3 or Band 5 serving as the primary carrier (and vice-versa).

>125 Mbps 2.4%

100-125 Mbps

7.2%75-100 Mbps

8.8%

50-75 Mbps24.5%

25-50 Mbps34.9%

10-25 Mbps17.7%

125 Mbps 3.6%

100-125 Mbps

7.5%75-100 Mbps

9.5%

50-75 Mbps23.8%

25-50 Mbps29.1%

10-25 Mbps18.0%

200 Mbps 2.1%

175-200 Mbps6.8%

150-175 Mbps10.1%

125-150 Mbps12.9%

100-125 Mbps15.3% 75-100 Mbps

17.3%

50-75 Mbps16.8%

25 - 50 Mbps14.7%

< 25 Mbps4.0%

Total LTE-Advanced Throughput Band 3 (20 MHz) + Band 5 (10 MHz)

Secondary Carrier Throughput Band 3 (20 MHz)/Band 5 (10 MHz)

Primary Carrier ThroughputBand 3 (20 MHz)/Band 5 (10 MHz)

98.9 Mbps

47.5 Mbps 49.5 Mbps

Figure 1. Primary Carrier + Secondary Carrier = LTE-Advanced

Source: Signals Research Group


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Figure 2 provides probability distribution curves for the LTE-A Physical Layer downlink throughput. We have included separate curves for several groupings of tests as well as a composite curve that represents a weighted average of all test scenarios. There are a couple of points that are worth making.

First, the typical throughput observed during a 4 hour drive test on Friday afternoon was largely in line with results obtained during the night. This result speaks to the impressive densification of SK Telecoms network (~500 m inter-cell spacing in the metropolitan area) and the reality that the city never sleeps. Second, thanks to the operators base station repeaters/DAS we observed the highest sustained throughput while testing indoors, especially in the subway stations and while riding in the subway between stations. The subway results are based on a total of 29.1 minutes of continuous testing, including Gangnam Station on a Saturday night and another test on Saturday afternoon that started at the entrance to Samseong station and finished 7 stops later at the Sadang station, following a lengthy walk while we transferred from Line 2 to Line 4. In the test methodology section we include two screen shots of the Galaxy S5 Cat 6 device that illustrate what we observed during these tests. Lastly, we observed the lowest throughput in the heavily congested areas of the Namdaemun Market on a Saturday afternoon and the Gangnam District on an early Saturday night.

As we expected, testing the uplink proved to be quite boring since with the very close cell sites the throughput was rarely outside of a very tight range between 22.5 and 25 Mbps. Figure 3 shows probability distribution curves for each grouping of tests as well as a composite curve which represents a weighted average of all uplink test results. With the exception of the Friday after-noon drive test, all uplink throughput results were collected with the Category 4 smartphone

We observed the highest sustained throughput while testing indoors, especially in the subway stations and while riding in the subway between stations.

The median Physical Layer uplink data rate was 23.1 Mbps and the peak data rate was 25.1 Mbps.

Figure 2 LTE-A Physical Layer Downlink Throughput probability distribution curves


0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Composite Downlink PHY Layer Throughput (Mbps)

PHY Layer Downlink Total - Sunday Early Morning (Mbps)

PHY Layer Downlink Total - Saturday Afternoon and

Evening Pedestrian Testing (Mbps)

PHY Layer Downlink Total - Subway Testing (Mbps)

PHY Layer Downlink Total - Saturday Early Morning (Mbps)

PHY Layer Downlink Total - Friday Afternoon (Mbps)

2252001751501251007550250

TOTAL DATA TRANSFERRED = 393.1 GB Maximum Physical Layer Throughput (1 second interval) = 221.11 MbpsMedian Physical Layer Throughput = 98.9 Mbps

Composite Throughput (Median) = 98.9 Mbps Saturday Pedestrian (Median) = 67.9 Mbps Friday Afternoon (Median) = 87.9 Mbps Subway (Median) = 133.6 Mbps Saturday Early Morning (Median) = 110.0 Mbps Sunday Early Morning (Median) = 106.0 Mbps

Probability

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and obtained concurrently while testing the downlink. Based on 27.5 GB of transferred data the median Physical Layer uplink data rate was 23.1 Mbps and the peak data rate was 25.1 Mbps.

Although all of the results are impressive there is a noticeable difference in the results obtained early on a Sunday morning. After further review we discovered that the Cat 6 device, which was doing a downlink throughput test at the same time, was using the same band for its primary carrier as the Cat 4 device was using for its uplink tests. Therefore, the uplink ACKs from the Cat 6 device were taking away uplink resources from the Cat 4 device. In other words, the apparent anomaly in the results was likely self-inflected and the actual network performance was better than what we are showing in the figure. In hindsight it probably wasnt such a good idea to try to kill two birds with a single stone.

At the moment, SK Telecom has 10 MHz of spectrum for the uplink in Band 5 and 10 MHz of spec-trum for the uplink in Band 3, even though in Band 3 it has 20 MHz in the downlink. This situation really stems from how the spectrum was awarded but it does limit the uplink throughput relative to what we would have obtained with a 20 MHz radio carrier. Once uplink carrier aggregation is commercialized, we expect the network to deliver two times the data rates that we observed during our tests.

PHY Layer - Composite Throughput (Mbps)

PHY Layer - Sunday Morning (Mbps)

PHY Layer - Saturday Morning (Mbps)PHY Layer - Friday Afternoon (Mbps)

MAX 2522.520151050

TOTAL DATA TRANSFERRED = 27.5 GB Maximum Physical Layer Throughput (1 second interval) = 25.1 Mbps Composite Throughput (Median) = 23.1 Mbps Saturday Morning (Median) = 23.9 MbpsFriday Afternoon (Median) = 23.5 Mbps Sunday Morning (Median) = 20.7 Mbps

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Probability

Mbps Physical LayerUplink Throughput (Mbps)

>25 Mbps10.1%

22.5-25 Mbps59.7%

20-22.5 Mbps19.0%

15-20 Mbps

8.7%

10-15 Mbps 1.3% 5-10 Mbps 0.8%

13 | SignalsFlash August13,2014

TEST METHODOLOGYWe arrived in Seoul on Thursday afternoon. SK Telecom delivered the two Galaxy smartphones to our hotel later that evening. Friday morning we went to the Accuver [Innowireless] facilities outside of Seoul where their engineers loaded the test software on the two phones. We used XCAL-Solo to collect network performance data with the Cat 6 smartphone and XCAL-Mobile to collect network performance data with the Cat 4 smartphone. The two drive test solutions are identical in terms of functionality and GUI. They differ in that XCAL-Solo uses a separate box that is about the size of a cassette tape box, which connects to the test phone through the USB port. With this external interface it is possible to test with a much larger mix of smart-phones since there isnt any need for any additional customization of the smartphone and/or the XCAL software.

From our perspective, both solutions worked flawlessly and it was a breeze to collect data in a very non-obtrusive manner while navigating the city streets, riding the subway, shopping, or nursing a pint in a Gangnam pub. We also found that the user interface was nearly identical to the PC-based version of XCAL that we have typically used so we had absolutely no problem using the solution. Further, the two solutions collected the same detailed information that we have come to rely on in the past for our analysis. Figure 4 shows a picture of the test setup in our rental car the Cat 6 smartphone is on the left, the XCAL-Solo external box is in the middle and the Cat 4 smartphone with XCAL-Mobile installed is on the right. We also used a GPS repeater that was mounted on the roof of the car to amplify the satellitew signal since we were using the internal GPS radios in the two smartphones to provide our GPS coordinates.

We used XCAL-Solo to collect data with the Cat 6 device and XCAL-Mobile to collect data with the Cat 4 device.

Figure 4. Test Setup

Source:SignalsResearchGroup


In total, we drove 175.8 miles throughout Seoul while testing the network (reference Figure 5). We also tested while shopping in the Namdaemun Market on a Saturday afternoon and while walking the streets near the Gangnam subway station on an early Saturday night. Additionally, we tested indoors, including subway stations, on the train between subway stops, and in our hotel. We tested during the heat of the day and during the midnight hours. Although the throughput was somewhat higher between midnight and 6 AM there wasnt a major difference in the results. We base this outcome on the densification of the operators network and the reality that the city never sleeps especially Gangnam. It was, however easier to drive around town at night and we had the FM radio to keep us company. All of our throughput testing was based on the FTP application. SK Telecom provided us with access to a high bandwidth server.

Just to prove that we are not making up these results, we are including three screenshots that we took with the Cat 6 smartphone (reference Figure 6). The figure on the left is from a FTP downlink test that we did while driving in the Gangnam district on Friday afternoon. We took the middle screenshot while riding on a subway midway between two stations. The figure on the right was taken while walking/testing in Gangnam station on Saturday night. Each figure shows the maximum, minimum, average, and the instantaneous throughput observed at the moment we took the picture. We are almost confident that in all three pictures the minimum throughput was due entirely to the start/stop of an FTP session.

To put things in perspective, the screenshot from Gangnam Station shows a maximum throughput of 181 Mbps and an average throughput of 101.51 Mbps. The average is also based on more than 233 seconds, or nearly 4 minutes, of continuous downlink data transfers. We note that each log file is based on multiple FTP tests with each FTP test lasting several minutes we generally limited each log file to 45-50 minutes of testing.

We drove 175.8 miles throughout Seoul while testing the network.

Figure 5. Drive Routes



We also used the Spirent Quantum Battery Life Measurement System to measure the power consumption, current drain and estimated battery life of the two smartphones for a number of different scenarios. We plan to incorporate the results from this testing in our forth-coming report.

Our testing included the following applications:

FTP downlink multithread FTP sessions to a high bandwidth server with each test generally lasting at least 30-45 minutes

FTP uplink - multithread FTP sessions to a high bandwidth server with each test generally lasting at least 30-45 minutes

FTP downlink two devices running in parallel

Web browsing loading 5 locally popular web pages; each test involved each webpage loaded 100 times. In total we loaded approximately 3,000 web pages between the two smartphones

YouTube playing a 4 minute HD video 3 times on both smartphones; test repeated several times in different conditions

Btv Mobile streaming SD, HD and UHD video content to both smartphones

Google Play download downloading 3 large applications

Gangnam District

(Friday Afternoon

Gangnam Station

(Saturday @ 2000 hours)

Subway Ride

(Saturday @ 1300 hours)

Figure 6. Galaxy S5 Cat 6 Screenshots of XCAL-Solo in Action



For our forthcoming report we plan to include the following analysis:

Determine when and how 10 MHz + 20 MHz carrier aggregation is used as well as what incre-mental benefit it offers over a single 20 MHz carrier for the various applications that we tested

Calculate RB adjusted throughput to take into consideration network loading

Determine the incremental performance benefits of a Cat 6 device over a Cat 4 device and under what conditions the benefits are realized

Analyze network performance (primary + secondary carriers) as a function of numerous under-lying KPIs, including

RSRP

SINR/CQI

PUSCH transmit power

Power Headroom

Cell handovers

MIMO utilization

Determine current drain, power consumption and the estimated battery life for both smart-phones with a particular emphasis on Btv Mobile, the operators IPTV service that it offers over its LTE network

Impact of backlight

Airplane mode/LTE radio on

Streaming different video formats SD through UHD

YouTube HD content

FTP downloads

Web browsing

Etc.


ON THE HORIZON: POTENTIAL SIGNALS AHEAD/SIGNALS FLASH! TOPICS

We have identified a list of pending research topics that we are currently considering or presently working on completing. The topics at the top of the list are definitive with many of them already in the works. The topics toward the bottom of the page are a bit more speculative. Obviously, this list is subject to change based on various factors and market trends. As always, we welcome suggestions from our readers.

VoLTE versus OTT benchmark study (part II)

Over-the-air Smartphone user experience benchmark study

Small cell market update, potentially including network economic analysis

Content Caching and its impact on the user experience

LTE Advanced 10 MHz + 20 MHz Carrier Aggregation Drive Test (including other LTE Advanced features as they become available)

Over-the air Smartphone RF performance benchmark study

CTIA Wireless Week Key Takeaways (Signals Flash)

Video delivery and LTE benchmark study

LTE TDD and LTE Advanced Carrier Aggregation chipset study

Cloud RAN

Smartphone signaling implications across operating systems

A-GNSS platform benchmark study (Round II)


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: SIGNALS AHEAD BACK ISSUES

7/8/14 By the Light of the Silvery Moon - 4x2 Closed Loop MIMO Drive Test Study With the continued support of Accuver, we leveraged its XCAL drive test solution and its XCAP post-processing software to evaluate the performance of Closed Loop MIMO (CL-MIMO) with a 4x2 antenna configura-tion - 4 transmit/receive antennas at the cell site and 2 receive antennas in the mobile device. We compared 4x2 CL-MIMO and 2x2 OL-MIMO, 4x2 CL-MIMO and 4x2 transmit diversity (by getting T- Mobile to turn off MIMO in its network), and the benefits of 4 receive antennas at the cell site. In addition to presenting an analysis of overall DL/UL network performance we also quantify the downlink and uplink performance gains associated with 4x2 over 2x2. These gains include higher data rates for a given RSRP/downlink pathloss, more efficient use of network resources, and an improved battery life.

5/29/14 LTE and the Public Safety Paradigm Shift Although forecasts vary dramatically, Public Safety LTE is a multi- billion dollar market opportunity for infrastructure vendors, chipset suppliers and device manufacturers. Unfortunately, it is approaching 20 years in the making and it still seems as if not very much has happened since the initiatives first began - in some cases in the previous Century. In this report, we provide a history lesson of where the Public Safety Communications sector has been; we discuss where the industry is going on a global basis; we identify the Public Safety Communications requirements and how the industry standards bodies are [or are not] addressing these needs; and we look to the future and discuss how we believe the market will evolve, the vendors that are helping in the effort, and the innumerable challenges that remain.

5/7/14 Chips and Salsa XVIII LTE Chipset Performance Benchmark Results: The Cat 4 is out of the bag In our tenth benchmark study that we have done with Spirent Communications, we provide results from LTE FDD Category 4 chipset testing. We benchmarked six LTE chipsets from Ericsson (pre-commercial), HiSilicon (commercial), Intel (commer-cial), MediaTek (pre-commercial), Qualcomm (commercial) and Samsung (pre-commercial). We tested each chipset against 29 test scenarios involving five ITU channel models, two transmission modes, and three MIMO correlation factors. Results are based primarily on achievable throughput, although we also analyzed the distributions of reported CQI values, ACK/NACK/DTX percentages for both codewords and MIMO utilization rates. The Samsung pre-commercial chipset was the top-performing chipset and it distinguished itself from its peers, in particular with some of the more challenging test scenarios.

4/3/14 Deep in the Bowels of LTE Network Performance With the support of Sanjole, who provided us with its WaveJudge 4900A LTE Analyzer and IntelliJudge test platform, we conducted a deep dive analysis of LTE network performance. The study included the 4 largest US operators and all of the major infrastructure suppliers. The results of the study provide insight into the use of MIMO, the performance traits of the eNB schedulers, network loading, downlink/uplink spectral efficiency, and end user data rates. Bottom line while video traffic may represent 70% or more of total data traffic, one should not ignore all of the remaining data traffic which frequently uses a disproportionate amount of network resources.

2/12/14 eMBMS/LTE Broadcast - once bitten, twice shy? We examine the market opportunity for eMBMS. Specific topics include looking at what went wrong the first time MBMS and related technologies were proposed. We also provide a tech-nology primer that looks at how eMBMS impacts the network architecture and the air interface. The primer also includes a look at the functionality by 3GPP release. We then examine the use cases with a particular focus on why we like some use cases versus other use cases. Next, we present the all-important challenges that operators will face before being able to offer LTE Broadcast services. Lastly, we provide our market outlook for eMBMS, including the catalysts that could drive wider spread adoption, including more operators and larger MBSFN Areas.

1/15/14 Chips and Salsa XVII - When Iconic meets Anechoic For this study we continued our multi-year collabo-ration with Spirent Communications, who provided us with a full suite of test equipment and engineering support to conduct the tests. ETS-Lindgren joined us in the collaborative effort by providing its anechoic chamber as well as providing access to the companys facilities in Austin, Texas. We benchmarked five commercially procured smartphone the LG G2, the Samsung Galaxy S4, the Samsung Galaxy Note II, the HTC One, and the Motorola Moto X. The top performing smartphone won by a country mile, outperforming the second best performing smart-phone by more than 35% across all tests. We include results from some sensitivity studies that look at the incremental impact of MIMO (TM3) versus transmit diversity (TM2) as well as the perfor-mance impact of introducing a protective cover.

11/27/13 SDN and NFV - Its not a single network anymore In this issue we look at Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV), which are two intertwined initiatives that operators and vendors are pursuing to address challenges and inevitable changes to the operators tradi-tional business model, not to mention the inherent shortcom-ings of the current core network architecture. We examine the numerous advantages and objectives associated with them as well as some of the pitfalls that will exist if they are not successfully implemented. We also look at likely operator rollout strategies and the likely network functions from the radio access network through the core and backhauls where they will first be used. Finally, we take a quick look at what some of the vendors are doing in the space and the work that is taking place in the various stan-dards bodies and specific associations that are trying to introduce important standards.

10/23/13 LTE Advanced Network Drive Test Gangnam Style (As the Carrier Aggregation World Turns) Based on testing in South Korea we provide the industry with its first independent assessment of LTE Advanced carrier aggrega-tion. In addition to providing detailed analysis of the downlink throughput for the two radio carriers as well as other important KPIs which have an impact on performance, we also analyze the uplink performance and quantify the incremental benefits of a Category 4 device. Additionally, we present the results from several user experience tests involving web browsing, VoLTE, downloading applications from Google Play, 1080P video streaming and Skype video/Video telephony. Ultimately, we conclude that carrier aggregation has real benefits that extend beyond increasing the peak data rates.


please note disclaimer: The views expressed in this newsletter reflect those of Signals Research Group and are based on our understanding of past and current events shaping the wireless industry. This report is provided for informational purposes only and on the condition that it will not form a basis for any investment decision. The information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but Signals Research Group makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of such information. Opinions, estimates, projections or forecasts in this report constitute the current judgment of the author(s) as of the date of this report. Signals Research Group has no obligation to update, modify or amend this report or to otherwise notify a reader thereof in the event that any matter stated herein, or any opinion, projection, forecast or estimate set forth herein, changes or subsequently becomes inaccurate. If you feel our opinions, analysis or interpretations of events are inaccurate, please fell free to contact Signals Research Group. We are always seeking a more accurate understanding of the topics that influence the wireless industry. Reference in the newsletter to a company that is publicly traded is not a recommendation to buy or sell the shares of such company. Signals Research Group and/or its affiliates/investors may hold securities positions in the companies discussed in this report and may frequently trade in such positions. Such investment activity may be inconsistent with the analysis provided in this report. Signals Research Group seeks to do business and may currently be doing business with companies discussed in this report. Readers should be aware that Signals Research Group might have a conflict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Additional information and disclosures can be found at our website at www.signalsresearch.com. This report may not be reproduced, copied, distributed or published without the prior written authorization of Signals Research Group (copyright 2014, all rights reserved by Signals Research Group).

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