Nokia Networks shows industry’s first TD-LTE-Advanced 3 carrier aggregation plus 256 QAM using commercial chipset

The FINANCIAL — Nokia Networks, together with SK Telecom, demonstrated 428 Mbps data transmission rates through the industry’s first TD-LTE 3xCA with 256 QAM, which utilized a Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

This is a key development that lays the foundation for the introduction of TD-LTE in Korea. The trial verifies the clear benefits of 3xCA combined with 256 QAM-capable devices that can boost the peak throughput from 110 Mbps to 428 Mbps. Nokia’s Single RAN Advanced platform provides a strong foundation for SK Telecom to build the most advanced TD-LTE network capable of effectively addressing the demand for bandwidth-intensive services, according to Nokia.

Going forward, both companies plan to strengthen their collaboration by establishing a TD-LTE test bed and conducting trials of TD-LTE services.

Summary of Nokia Networks’ solutions that powered the demonstration:

Nokia radio access technology for TD-LTE, powered by the  high capacity Flexi Multiradio 10 Base Station

Software to aggregate three carriers on the TD-LTE band 41 spectrum (2496 – 2690 MHz)

Load balancing capabilities across three 20 MHz carriers to enable optimum utilization of 60 MHz of spectrum and deliver a consistently enhanced user experience

Jin-hyo Park, Senior Vice President and Head of Network Technology R&D Center, SK Telecom, said: “This initiative underlines our unwavering focus on harnessing technology to deliver cutting-edge data services to our subscribers. With Nokia Networks as our partner in progress, we have showcased our readiness to prepare for the introduction of TD-LTE in Korea – which will provide an altogether unmatched service experience to our users across the country.”

Andrew Cope, Head of Korea, Nokia Networks, said: “Our partnership with SKT has evolved over time to create a strong presence in Korea’s telecommunications industry. This demonstration, an industry-first, adds to the milestones we have achieved in our collaboration. We are very proud to be an integral part of SKT’s ambitious plans to deliver world-class services in the country.”