LG, Nortel demonstrates LTE-CDMA handover

LG and Nortel Networks successfully conducted a 3GPP-compliant seamless data transmission, or handover, between an LTE network and CDMA network, LG said, possibly positioning the company to support CDMA operators looking to switch to the 4G standard. The test also serves as a reminder that the joint venture remains active even as parent Nortel Networks liquidates.

LG said the test showed that activities such as video downloading and Web surfing could be maintained as a subscriber switches between LTE and CDMA coverage areas. The demonstration was conducted over 700 MHz spectrum--the same spectrum Verizon Wireless is using for LTE in the United States--in a live-air environment at Nortel's Research and Development Center in Ottawa, Canada.

"The joint test with Canada's Nortel explains standards-compliant CDMA-LTE inter-working," an unidentified LG spokesman told the Korea Times. "This also enables idle-mode handover between CDMA and LTE and active-mode handover from LTE to CDMA, leveraging device-assisted, network-controlled functionality."

Verizon Wireless is in the midst of rolling out its initial LTE efforts in Boston and Seattle. Indeed, the carrier recently reported a successful data call using gadgets from suppliers including LG. However, Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent are the carrier's primary network suppliers.

Thus, LG-Nortel's demonstration may be an effort to entice other CDMA carriers looking to an LTE future; MetroPCS has said it intends to upgrade its CDMA network to the 4G technology. Further, the test could also stand as an attempt to protect LG-Nortel's somewhat precarious position; in May, Nortel confirmed that it was shopping for a buyer for its majority stake in the company.

For more:
- see this Korea Times article [1]
- see this cellular-news article [2]

Related Articles:
CDMA crowd embraces LTE, WiMAX [3]
Nortel confirms desire to exit LG joint venture [4]
Report: Nortel wants to exit LG joint venture [5]

[6]Article updated Aug. 27 to reflect changes in the description of the companies conducting the test.
[6]