Measurement Journal Issue 6

There are similar differences between peak and average performance in other industries where claims are designed to grab the eye and the wallet — but a growing list of caveats in the small print speaks more to the QoE. For example, getting the quoted performance out of a modern laptop battery requires tactics such as slowing the CPU to a fraction of its peak performance, dimming the display and switching off wireless features. Without regulations such as those that control claims about automobile gas mileage, the reality of wireless will continue to lag the hype. Peak-rate marketing in telecommunications is not unique to cellular wireless — as many DSL and Wi-Fi users will testify — but the gap between the peak and average for cellular is larger and growing faster than for wired or hotspot services. Another point worth noting about 3G, as evidenced by its now six members*, is that it would be easy to conclude that 3G was a happy family of speciﬁcations. However, the ITU chose to deﬁne 3G only in terms of performance requirements and did not provide guidance on any technical implementation that might have created a stronger bond between the technologies. Thus, although 3G technologies share a common minimum performance level, the 3G label did not ease interworking between them. When we consider the scope of the 4G requirements it will be interesting to see what they say about interworking and the factors limiting 3G in the areas of capacity and coverage. WiMAX™ that they will have little in common by the time the electromagnetic waves hit the air. Consequently, we are likely to end up with a repeat of 3G where interworking within the 4G “family” may still feel more like The Simpsons than The Waltons. The 1-Gbps headline ﬁgure is likely to grab attention in the same way that 2 Mbps did for 3G ten years earlier. Like its 3G predecessor, the 1-Gbps peak ﬁgure is not without qualiﬁcation since it applies only for low mobility in ideal radio conditions and requires up to 100 MHz of spectrum. Nevertheless, these caveats may be overlooked, and, as with 3G, expectations of 4G may outstrip reality for what could be a long time. Key features of IMT-Advanced ITU-R M.[IMT-TECH] August 8, 2008 • A high degree of commonality of functionality world wide while retaining the ﬂexibility to support a wide range of services and applications in a cost-efﬁcient manner • Compatibility of services within IMT and with ﬁxed networks • Capability of interworking with other radio access systems • High-quality mobile services • User equipment suitable for worldwide use • User-friendly applications, services and equipment • Worldwide roaming capability • Enhanced peak data rates to support advanced services and applications (100 Mbps for high and 1 Gbps for low mobility were established as targets for research) Sketching preliminary IMT-Advanced requirements The preliminary requirements for IMT-Advanced are shown in the sidebar Key features of IMT-Advanced and can be found on the ITU’s IMT-Advanced website.3 The ﬁrst seven of the eight requirements are “soft,” largely being pursued by the industry already. However, when it comes to deﬁning what 4G is all about, the ﬁnal target for data rates leaves no room for doubt: 100 Mbps high mobility and 1 Gbps low mobility. Thus, the headline requirements for 4G are nailed to the same mast as that of 3G: the continued growth in single-user peak data rates. The intent of most of the softer requirements is to create a more integrated family of technologies than was ever the case for 3G. These good intentions, however, will always be subject to commercial reality and it seems evident from 4G contenders LTE and * W-CDMA FDD, W-CDMA TDD, TD-SCDMA, cdma2000, UWC-136 and Mobile WiMAX Agilent Measurement Journal 54

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Measurement Journal Issue 6

Measurement Journal Issue 6 Using a Few Words to Convey a Deeply-Held Spirit Charting a Unique Path to Technology Innovation Contents Announcing First Commercial GC/MS Metabolites Library Assessing Nonlinear Behavior Testing Combines Form and Function Testing Multiplay Networks Higher Sensitivity LC/MS Easing Military Radio Test Stepping Up Calibration Accuracy Increasing Spectrum Analyzer Bandwidth 3GPP Tool Supports TS 36 Standards The Olympic Story Spotlights Agilent's Continuing Contribution to Technology Innovation Ensuring a Level Playing Field in Competitive Sports GPS: Coming of Age Resolving Design Issues in HSPA Mobile Devices Achieving Accurate Results with Oscilloscope-Based Jitter-Analysis Software RF Handheld Testers Guarantee Traffic Stability Under Olympic-Sized Stress Conditions Utilizing LAN-Based Instrumentation to Measure Total Harmonic Distortion in Remote Facilities IMT-Advanced: 4G Wireless Takes Shape in an Olympic Year EPO Doping: A Speed Engine, Turbo-Charged by Chemistry

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