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Qualcomm given permission to evaluate performance of spectrum-sharing technology; WiFi Alliance to submit coexistence plan.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) late last week gave Qualcomm permission to test LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U).
The decision paves the way for the mobile chip maker to evaluate the technology’s performance using six Verizon base stations in three locations: Oklahoma City, and Cary and Raleigh, both in North Carolina.
"The success of the unlicensed bands as laboratories of innovation is largely the result of industry-driven coordination and, while significant steps remain before LTE-U can be considered for commercial deployment, we believe that this development is an encouraging step in continuing that success," said Julius Knapp, chief of the FCC’s office of engineering and technology (OET), in a blog post on Friday.
LTE-U is a means of supplementing mobile capacity for cellular communications by using unlicensed spectrum. The 5-GHz band, which is used for WiFi, is proving a popular choice for LTE-U, causing concern about interference for the WiFi industry, as well as a group of senators.
"The WiFi Alliance, working together with advocates of LTE-U, is developing a test plan to evaluate the coexistence of LTE-U with WiFi and other devices operating in the unlicensed spectrum. A draft of the plan is expected to be released early next month," said Knapp.
Qualcomm and Verizon have also agreed to participate in both real-world and lab-based coexistence testing, he added.
Knapp said the regulator will continue to monitor discussions about spectrum sharing.
"We are pleased with the progress thus far and encourage the continued cooperation of all of the stakeholders," he said.
