4G LTE Broadband
Most network providers are now finding themselves in a situation where the huge surge in the number of mobile broadband devices and smart phones that are now connecting to their networks is beginning to have a serious affect on both the reliability and the speed of connection over their network. To handle the increased pressure being put on their networks most providers are now looking at upgrading their networks to a next generation of mobile network technology. One of the technologies that providers are considering is 4G LTE, which will be able to offer faster download speeds and the extra capacity needed to cope with the huge numbers of users connecting to the network and the vast amounts of data that is now being accessed by these mobile broadband devices.
What benefits will users receive from a new 4G LTE network?
Compared to the current 3G technologies that are being used on most networks the new 4G LTE networks will offer a whole range of new features and facilities that will enable users to do much more with their mobile broadband connection. Faster download speeds will allow users to do things they would normally need a fixed line broadband connection to do like downloading big data files or streaming high definition movies. Users will also benefit from the much larger network capacity, which will allow far more users to connect over their mobile broadband with no reduction in connection speed or reliability, even during peak times when most people are online.
The network coverage that will be offered by 4G LTE will allow users to get online in far more places than they currently can using their 3G mobile broadband service and this is because base stations fitted with 4G LTE technology are able to cover a much greater range. This extended coverage will not just allow users to get online in the larger population areas but will also provide access to users who live in the more remote parts of the country.
How will LTE compare against other similar technologies?
Most mobile network providers in Australia are currently favouring 4G LTE as the next generation of technology to be used to upgrade mobile broadband networks, although there has yet to be any firm decision with regards to definitely use this technology. Providers still have another option when upgrading their networks and that is WiMAX, which is an upgraded version of the Wi-Fi technology that is currently being used. When comparing the features that are being offered by the two technologies there is very little difference in the coverage, speed and network capacity. The big difference for providers, however, is the technology itself and even following the various trials of 4G LTE that have shown it to offer everything it claims there are still a number of mobile network providers that will consider using WiMAX because it is cheaper and easier to integrate this technology into an existing mobile network.
