5 GHz May be Window to Wireless Future

April 7, 2015

Ernest Worthman —

Worthman

April 8, 2015 — Looks like the 5 GHz band is seeing some movement now. T-Mobile has confirmed that it will be using License Assisted Access (LAA) on the 5 GHz spectrum, as early as 2016. Unlicensed LTE is emerging as a promising technology that is complementary to Wi-Fi and compatible with VoLTE.

As the 5 GHz band starts to see more deployments, it is very likely that many of the emerging unlicensed technologies will find a home at this frequency.

“Unlicensed LTE is emerging as a promising technology and it is complementary to Wi-Fi and compatible with VoLTE,” the company said in an emailed statement. “This new form of LTE, once matured, will enable utilization of the 5 GHz unlicensed bands.

Anecdotally, It’s worth mentioning that the aspiration to use LTE in the unlicensed 5 GHz band is backed by some of the industry’s biggest vendors. This segment has developed on a faster pace than is typical for new technologies, which bodes well for that piece of the spectrum.

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Ernest Worthman is the editor of Small Cell Magazine. Email Me