T-Mobile and Nortel have demonstrated next generation mobile communications successfully in field conditions, using LTE (Long Term Evolution) as an example.
In the trial, data was transmitted to and from a vehicle driving in Bonn between Deutsche Telekom's headquarters on the left side of the river Rhine and the T-Mobile headquarters on the river's right bank. On the four-kilometer test track data transmission went smoothly without interruptions and without loss of quality even across different cells – one of the most important prerequisites for qualification as a mobile communications network of the future. The network used in this test was established by Nortel and consisted of a multi-cell end-to-end Nortel network. LG Electronics terminals were used in the vehicle .
In a second step, applications with high demands on bandwidth and latency,such as HDTV, HD-Video or online gaming will then be tested for their usability under real-world conditions.
"As a pioneer in the development of NGMN, T-Mobile marked the next step
in testing future technology with this field trial. In line with the NGMN
Alliance's recommendation we are the first network operator worldwide to
take LTE as one of the possible new future technologies from the
laboratory to the field. In doing so, we are consolidating our position as the
leading network provider and innovation driver. At the same time, we are
underlining our claim of continuing to offer our customers top quality and
the fastest broadband connections for the mobile Internet with the next
generation of networks," said a delighted Joachim Horn, Chief Technology
Officer of T-Mobile International AG, on the successful start to LTE testing.
"We are pleased to join efforts with T-Mobile in bringing Nortel's LTE
technology to life in the Bonn test network," said Richard Lowe, president,
Carrier Networks, Nortel. "T-Mobile is a thought leader in NGMN.
This early field trial is an important step for both companies to test LTE's
extensive capabilities and demonstrate innovative LTE
applications. Ongoing joint testing of LTE in a real mobile operator network
will expand understanding of the benefits and performance
characteristics of LTE technology which will further strengthen Nortel's
offering and accelerate our time to market."