TD-LTE subscriptions share to reach 15 percent by end 2014: GSA

Global share of TD-LTE subscriptions, fuelled by China with 14 million 4G subscribers in June 2014, will surge from around 5 percent in Q1 2014 to over 15 percent by end 2014, said GSA.

GSA does not see any significant contribution from India and Indian 4G telecom operators such as Airtel, Aircel and Reliance Jio Infocomm.

The industry association said more than 100 operators are investing today in LTE TDD. 39 operators have commercially launched LTE TDD (TD-LTE) systems in 26 countries. 48 operators are currently deploying or planning networks.

Within the current total of 39 commercially launched LTE TDD networks, 13 operators have launched converged systems, i.e. using both TDD and FDD mode in the networks. Some operators in India are deploying converged networks using LTE FDD 1800 MHz (band 3) and TDD 2.3 GHz (band 40) spectrum, which is a combination supported by 152 user terminals.

Within 1,889 LTE user devices available in the market, 530 products i.e. 28 percent of LTE devices can operate in the LTE TDD mode (TD-LTE). GSA confirms 85 device manufacturers have launched LTE TDD products.

TD-LTE growth

Alan Hadden, president of GSA, said: “TDD operators are focusing more on personal mobility and the smartphone is the key segment. Recent progress has been excellent and 184 TDD smartphone products have now been announced, which is 87 percent more than the total in March 2014.”

Routers make up 38 percent of TDD products against 52 percent earlier, while smartphone category has grown its share to 35 percent.

Bands 40 (2.3 GHz) and 38 (2.6 GHz) have the largest choice of TDD (TD-LTE) terminals, each band being supported by 68 percent of all LTE TDD devices. Terminal support for band 39 is 38 percent, band 41 is 34 percent, and band 42 is 4.5 percent

96 percent of TDD smartphones are multimode, supporting one or more 3G system technologies, as well as LTE TDD.

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