LG Uplus demonstrates faster LTE network

LG Uplus models demonstrate the long-term evolution in unlicensed spectrum (LTE-U) network which supports data download speeds of up to 600 megabits per second at the company’s headquarters in Yongsan, Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of LG Uplus

By Yoon Sung-won

LG Uplus, the nation’s smallest mobile carrier, demonstrated for the first time its new long-term evolution (LTE) network that is eight times faster than the original LTE, Thursday.

The telecom company said the new network, LTE in Unlicensed spectrum, or LTE-U, is capable of transmitting data at up to 600 megabits-per-second (Mbps). This technology taps into the 5.8-gigahertz (GHz) unlicensed spectrum, which has been used for Wi-Fi, with the LTE network.

LG Uplus developed the technology for the first time anywhere in the world in October.

“We took a big step forward in the LTE technology race again by realizing the 600-Mbps, the fastest data transmission speed used in a commercial mobile network, following the world’s first development and demonstration of a LTE-U network,” said LG Uplus Service Development Division head Lee Sang-min. “We will come up with diverse LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) technology to raise network speed and quality for customers despite increasing data traffic.”

The 600 Mbps data transmission speed is twice that of LG Uplus’ latest commercial mobile network service, tri-band LTE-A. The company said it has combined the 60-megahertz (MHz) bandwidth in the 5.8 GHz spectrum and 20 MHz bandwidth in the broadband LTE spectrum using carrier aggregation technology.

LG Uplus said the 5.8 GHz unlicensed spectrum is expected to improve mobile network speed and quality because it can be used for telecom services other than Wi-Fi without restriction if the services meet the technological qualification for the spectrum.

With the faster mobile network, it will be able to distribute and stabilize data traffic, allowing its subscribers to watch ultra high-definition video content on its mobile network.

It plans to expand the use of the 5.8 GHz unlicensed spectrum to 80 MHz bandwidth, up from 60 MHz, to realize 750 Mbps data download speed.

LG Uplus plans to commercialize the LTE-U network once handsets that support the faster transmission speed are rolled out in the market.

The mobile carrier said it has finished the verification process for an even more advanced carrier aggregation technology that supports up to 800 Mbps data download speed. This technology divides data to a Wi-Fi spectrum and LTE spectrum and then transmits it to handsets, the company said.