“Sprint’s Spark program is the latest proof that LTE TDD offers an efficient solution for mobile operators to increase their broadband capacity using higher frequency bands, while refarming lower frequencies with LTE FDD to provide good coverage and spectral efficiency,”noted Guang Yang, Senior Analyst for Strategy Analytics Wireless Networks & Platforms. “Hybrid LTE FDD and TDD networks deployed in multiple frequency bands can help operators rapidly achieve a good balance between network coverage and capacity. For operators with more limited access to paired spectrum, TDD provides a good option to deploy 4G LTE while still leveraging common LTE networking equipment and devices, as long as deployment bands are globally or at least regionally harmonized.
- Guang Yang, Senior Analyst Wireless Networks & Platforms, Strategy Analytics
“The window of opportunity is open for LTE TDD’s global development,” added Sue Rudd, Director Service Provider Analysis. “The unified global 3GPP LTE standard provides significant technical commonality and a good foundation for commercial harmonization between both modes, but the ecosystem for LTE TDD does not yet quite match its FDD counterpart. The industry needs to pursue commercial products and solutions that support both TDD and FDD to achieve global scale economies.”
- Sue Rudd, Director Service Provider Analysis, Strategy Analytics