Mobile phone users are always craving more speed from their mobile data and broadband connections. The huge demand for data service thanks to smartphones, netbooks, and notebooks equipped with 3G capability has carriers around the country scurrying to keep up with demand.
With LTE on the horizon for 2010 and 2011, the buildup of the LTE product line and infrastructure is increasingly important for providers. InformationWeek reports that Infineon and Nokia are now collaborating on LTE chips. The two firms are working together to ensure that Infineon's LTE chips will work with Nokia 4G modems.
The partnership also means that Infineon chips could end up powering Nokia handsets and other devices that take advantage of LTE data speeds. LTE data speeds are promised to be up to 100Mbps, much faster than the data speeds that are available in America today. Verizon has already stated that it plans to have LTE service in 30 markets by the end of 2010.
Today the only 4G service that is available in the U.S. is the WiMax offering from Sprint and Clearwire. WiMax is rolled out in only a few select cities at this point, but the list of served areas is growing. Sprint added five new cities to its WiMax network earlier this month.
Other than Sprint and Clearwire, the remainder of mobile carriers in the U.S. are looking to LTE for their 4G service. LTE service is still a long ways away, but Verizon has already promised that Seattle and Boston would be the first two areas to get its LTE service.
AT&T is betting on LTE for its 4G network and until it can roll the 4G service out in the U.S., it is upping the speeds that its current network operates at with HSPA 7.2 service. The catch is that HSPA 7.2 requires a new handset to operate.
Source: DailyTech
