An Overview of 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE)

Abstract

The purpose of the current chapter is the presentation of the basic characteristics of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology. With the rapid dispatch of LTE deployments and the upgraded mobile user experience that it delivers, LTE is clearly emerging as a successful technology for mobile communications. LTE features a simplified network architecture, higher performance and lower cost per bit. This chapter indicates the main characteristics and developments of LTE and a part is devoted mainly to system architecture. Furthermore, a description of the standardization process within 3GPP is provided. We will also introduce Release 10 (LTE Advanced), one of the leading technologies for next-generation mobile broadband. Currently 3GPP is in the closing stage of LTE Release 11. Thus, we will also perform a comprehensive comparison between the two Releases. Finally, an important issue that will be mentioned is the interworking of LTE with other technologies. The presented information will help readers to understand how LTE has evolved and the functionality of 3GPP technologies.