"T-Mobile's initial LTE deployment in 2013 will deliver theoretical peak speeds of 72 Mbit/s on the downlink," a T-Mobile spokeswoman tells Light Reading Mobile. The operator currently offers a high-speed packet access-plus (HSPA+) service, marketed as 4G, that tops out at 42 Mbit/s, as well as a 21Mbit/s flavor. (See T-Mobile's Fighting Spirit.)
Users are unlikely to get close to these theoretical maximums; there too many variables on a real-world network to guess what average download speeds are going to be, says Daryl Schoolar, Ovum Ltd. 's principal analyst for infrastructure. He believes that you can expect to get half of the theoretical peak or less.
As LTE radio and backhaul technology improves, however, operators are definitely able to crank the speeds on these faster mobile data services. Schoolar says he has been getting very fast downloads on a test handset on the new AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) LTE network in Phoenix. (See AT&T Turns Up 11 More LTE Markets.)
"I was hitting up to 32 Mbit/s on the downloads," Schoolar says. "I was surprised."
T-Mobile is deploying the LTE network on advanced wireless services (AWS) spectrum (1700/2100MHz), some of which came from the aborted merger with AT&T and some of which was T-Mobile's own. The operator expects to have nationwide LTE coverage by the end of 2013. (See T-Mobile's Race to Faster 4G.)
Wow, more "theoretical" speeds from T-Mobile! I can't wait.
I think T-Mobile should spread this thinking to other parts of the business -- start quoting "theoretical" user numbers and "theoretical" revenues.
Not sure why "theoretical" speeds are any more relevant or worthy of discussion. Let's see some real life numbers, T-Mob.
Wow, more "theoretical" speeds from T-Mobile! I can't wait.
I think T-Mobile should spread this thinking to other parts of the business -- start quoting "theoretical" user numbers and "theoretical" revenues.
Not sure why "theoretical" speeds are any more relevant or worthy of discussion. Let's see some real life numbers, T-Mob.
What carrier gave real-world averages for their LTE network a year before launch? We can start to make some educated guesses about the averages from the maximums.
BTW, AT&T currently simply advertises their LTE as ten times faster than 3G, how is that so much more helpful to the consumer?
Well, you have to give the man his props.......he's being prudent in mentioning throughput when he says "theoretically". We all know the in a vacuum, scientists and engineers based their theories, and as so, do not surmise the outcome in realworld would come close to ideal, or controlled enviroments.
In wired medium, throughput possibilities are limitless,but varies with conjestion and the many vagaries that affects that medium. With wireless being a medium that is not contained, the constrainst in attaining such high throughput rates are greater.I subscribed to T-Mobile broadband hotspot,and I surprisely got 7Mbps download,and 1Mbps upload once.Never got near to the download speed again.
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