ITU Changes Tune, LTE and WiMax Can Be Called '4G'
Dec 18, 2010, 9:27 AM by Eric M. Zeman
updated Dec 19, 2010, 10:53 PM
During its December 6 meeting, the International Telecommunication Union made steps in finalizing the LTE-Advanced and WirelessMAN-Advanced specs, and noted that they have reached the official designation of IMT-Advanced. IMT-Advanced is what the ITU considers to be real 4G. However, the ITU changed its stance regarding LTE and WiMax. It said, "It is recognized that [4G], while undefined, may also be applied to the forerunners of these technologies, LTE and WiMax, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed." In short, wireless network operators can market their LTE and WiMax networks as 4G, and not run afoul of the ITU's standards.
Comments
I H8 U ITU!
Gimme a freaking break, ITU! You just responded to a spurious complaint with an ambiguous resolution!
Where are all the scientists over there overseeing the kooks writing the press releases? Since when did the "4G" label earn a qualitative definition?
If you're going to offer up the "4G" label to "pre-4G" networks, put some sort of concrete, verifiable, pass/fail metrics on the classification so we can separate the sheep from the goats in this marketplace!
This press release is completely useless and does not provide any clarity to the situation, as far as I'm concerned.
My question is do you think the ITU has credibility at this point since they haven't gone far enough defining it?
5G?
or
Just accept that 1G,2G,3G,4G,5G...etc... simply means it's a new "Generation" or brand new technology!
So, HSPA/HSDPA/HSDPA+ same Technology~
1X/EVDO/LTE 3 different technologies and generations.
Good job ITU its about time
Sprint was not the first carrier to call Wimax 4g and was used as a worldwide term across the board to refer to Wimax as 4g. Same goes for Lte. Tmobile is the first and only carrier to refer to hspa+ as 4g and is not the first carrier to launch a hspa+ network they don't even have the fastest hspa+ even att has stated hspa+ is not 4g.
The ITU came up with a clear definition of 4g after Sprint and several other companies already were using the term and applied technology's to associate it with such as Wimax . Its like me c...
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Annnd what of T-Mobile's claim
Sprint and VZW are spending a ton of cash to plan for the future of what really defines the next stages of communication. ATT and T-mobile(Specifically) have leveraged speed as the only requ...
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Shouldn't the title read "LTE, WiMax AND HSPA+"
"It is recognized that [4G], while undefined, may also be applied to the forerunners of these technologies, LTE and WiMax, and to other evolved 3G technologies providing a substantial level of improvement in performance and capabilities with respect to the initial third generation systems now deployed."
I don't know how you would describe HSPA+ as anything but an "evolved 3G technology."
Does HSPA+ count? I think it depends. Right now, AT&T offers HSPA+ at 7.2Mbps. Would you cons...
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THIS IS EXACTLY LIKE ATT TRYING TO SAY EDGE IS 3G
I actually filed a complaint....
John B.
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