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December 1, 2010
The top three operators in Canda -- Rogers, Bell Canada and Telus -- are locked in a race to be the first to market with 4G LTE. Rogers announced in October that they had begun LTE trials in Ottawa, and immediately following the announcement, Bell responded with the announcement that it had begun LTE trials over the summer and were in the midst of conducting field trials in Hamilton, Ont. and Montreal.
Both providers have been working with Ericsson for the trials and expect to launch LTE commercially by 2012 at the earliest, most likely after the 700MHz spectrum auctions, due to take place in late 2012. The first to launch LTE will not only win bragging rights as the operator with the most technologically advanced mobile network, but it will also be in the best position to capture the most sought-after segment of the market: the high-margin consumers. Since these consumers often subscribe to multiple telecom services, winning them over means increased revenues for other segments as well.
In the meantime, rural network operator Barrett Xplore will beat all three of them to the punch. Barrett’s 4G WiMAX network will go live by the end of this year, covering 2.5m rural households, or 20% of the population, by the end of 2012. So despite the greater level of competition in urban areas, Canada’s rural regions will have access to faster mobile broadband speeds for about two years before the more densely populated areas catch up. This will be a boon to Canada’s rural population, giving them the option of faster broadband speeds.
The major difference between Barrett’s 4G network and the networks that Bell and Rogers plan to build is that Barrett’s network is intended primarily as a substitute for fixed line broadband internet, whereas the networks the others will be building will be designed for smartphones and other sophisticated, bandwidth-intensive mobile devices, highlighting the different needs of the consumer bases. In fact handsets won’t even be available to use on Barrett’s network at first. So for the next couple years, if Canadians want to experience faster mobile download speeds, they will most likely have to go south of the border.
— Emily Smith, Analyst
Related resources:
Canada Mobile Data Forecast
Forecast published quarterly
A premium version of the Mobile Demand Forecast, the Canada Mobile Forecast tracks current and future demand for mobile data services, within the context of overall mobile demand. This forecast includes all the same tracking as the standard Mobile Demand Forecast but breaks down mobile data ARPS, revenues and subscriptions at the service level.
LTE TDD Emerges as a Mobile Broadband Force
Heavy Reading 4G/LTE Insider published November 2010
This report analyzes the technology and market factors that will influence LTE TDD deployments worldwide. It identifies the key drivers for LTE TDD, including the use of the technology as an evolutionary growth path for mobile WiMax. The report details the technology underpinnings of LTE TDD, including an analysis of spectrum availability and data rates, and it identifies the key strengths and weaknesses of LTE TDD compared with other mobile broadband options, including LTE FDD. It addresses market and revenue opportunities for network operators and technology suppliers, and it profiles and analyzes nine leading suppliers of LTE TDD products.
Voice Over LTE: More Pitfalls Than Promise for Now
Heavy Reading 4G/LTE Insider published October 2010
This report describes the disconnect between IMS and LTE rollout processes. It examines the options LTE operators will have for delivering voice services, and it explores the dynamics that will shape LTE operators' moves toward delivering voice services. Further, the report surveys key vendors' LTE product offerings, customer wins, and evaluations of how IMS and LTE will roll out in the future.
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