Nokia Networks said it has paved the way for the introduction of TD-LTE in South Korea following the industry's first demonstration of 3-carrier aggregation (CA) with 256 QAM using the 4G mode.
The demonstration was conducted in conjunction with South Korean operator SK Telecom and utilised a Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem. Nokia Networks said it achieved data transmission rates of 428 Mbps, and that the demonstration proved the ability of 3-CA to boost peak throughput above 110 Mbps when used in conjunction with 256 QAM-capable devices.
Nokia Networks utilised its Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station and provided software to aggregate the three carriers on TD-LTE band 41 spectrum, which covers frequencies from 2496 MHz to 2690 MHz. The infrastructure company stated that load balancing capabilities across three 20 MHz carriers enabled the optimal usage of 60 MHz of spectrum, and delivered consistent enhancement to the user experience.
Having completed the demonstration, Nokia Networks and SK Telecom now plan to establish a TD-LTE test bed and trial the technology.
Andrew Cope, head of Korea at Nokia Networks, said the "industry-first" demonstration is the latest milestone in a long partnership with SK Telecom. "We are very proud to be an integral part of SKT's ambitious plans to deliver world-class services in the country," he commented.
Jin-hyo Park, SVP and head of Network Technology R&D Centre at SK Telecom, said the push towards TD-LTE "underlines our unwavering focus on harnessing technology to deliver cutting-edge data services to our subscribers."
The demonstration highlighted that the operator is ready "to prepare for the introduction of TD-LTE in Korea -- which will provide an altogether unmatched service experience to our users", Park added.
Nokia Networks said it was a top TD-LTE supplier to 10 of 18 commercial TDD-FDD LTE networks that had been launched globally by October, citing data from the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA).
For more:
- see this Nokia Networks announcement
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