Plans by wireless carriers to use LTE-U technology could cause interference to Wi-Fi networks relied upon by local governments and threaten the deployment of smart cities, according to a report released today by WifiForward. The report contends that interference from LTE-U could have a number of negative impacts on local governments, including reducing the ability of governments, libraries, and school systems to use Wi-Fi, harming digital inclusion initiatives, forcing localities to subscribe to expensive cellular coverage, and stifling smart city and Internet of things innovation.

The report said that LTE-U should not be deployed in the U.S. until it can be thoroughly tested in “a neutral test environment,” until standards are finalized, and unless LTE-U includes listen-before-talk (LBT) capability. “We firmly believe that these are technologies that can work together,” said Andrew Afflerbach, the co-author of the report released today. The report was prepared by Mr. Afflerbach and Joanne Hovis, the chief executive officer and director-engineering, and president, respectively, of CTC Technology & Energy, an engineering and business consulting firm.

A presentation discussed by Mr. Afflerbach during a call with reporters suggested that localities concerned about LTE-U should consider interference from the technology when issuing permits for distributed antenna systems (DAS) and other small cells. WifiForward said that today’s report was being released with New Century Cities.

Proponents of LTE-U technology say that it will not interfere with Wi-Fi and that LBT capability, which will be in a standards-based version of LTE-U deployed in Europe and Japan, is not necessary to ensure coexistence of LTE-U and Wi-Fi technologies in the U.S. LTE-U proponents have worked with the Wi-Fi Alliance on a test plan to measure LTE-U/Wi-Fi coexistence (TRDaily, Feb. 11).

“Consumers, business and governments deserve mobile services that work when they want, how they want. It’s for this reason that the wireless industry is developing LTE services for unlicensed bands that provide greater reliability and security than existing services,” Scott Bergmann, vice president-regulatory affairs for CTIA, said in a statement today. “To ensure that LTE in unlicensed bands successfully co-exist in the diverse unlicensed ecosystem, the wireless industry is going to great lengths to develop a test plan in coordination with the Wi-Fi community.

WifiForward’s alarmist approach not only runs counter to this unprecedented cooperative engagement, but it also risks delaying deployment of innovative new technologies, to the ultimate detriment of consumers.”

“Qualcomm and the other proponents of LTE in unlicensed spectrum have been working with all industry stakeholders to ensure that LTE-U does not have any adverse impact on Wi-Fi,” echoed Dean Brenner, senior vice president-government affairs for Qualcomm, Inc. “There is a mountain of test data filed at the FCC showing that LTE-U will not cause interference to Wi-Fi.

The report issued today does not contain any technical data and does not alter any of the conclusions from the extensive test data.  Just last week, at Mobile World Congress, we once again publicly demonstrated that LTE-U will not cause any harm to Wi-Fi.”

“Qualcomm has a deep vested interest in Wi-Fi, particularly in the use of Wi-Fi by cities to enable smart city applications,” Mr. Brenner added. “We are participating in more than 20 smart city projects globally, which use Wi-Fi, cellular, and/or Bluetooth for connectivity that is both scalable and interoperable.  LTE-U will not harm any of those projects.

For many months now, we’ve been working with the Wi-Fi Alliance to answer questions, address technical issues, and develop a joint LTE-U/Wi-Fi coexistence test plan to verify once and for all that LTE-U will not cause any harm to Wi-Fi.”- Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com
Courtesy TRDaily