Current Verizon 4G LTE vs Future Telecom NZ 4G LTE

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Current Verizon 4G LTE vs Future Telecom NZ 4G LTE

kiwimalayalee

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#103562 11-Jun-2012 10:29

like the subject says, will there be a massive difference with their band frequencies?
been reading a lot, just wasn't sure if i had been reading it at the right places....
i recently bought a Motorola Xoom tablet upgraded to the Verizon 4G LTE version so wanted to know if i bought something that has a data future here in nz, or if i have to return it bak...

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#638878 11-Jun-2012 12:59

Hi,

not likely. The US (and Canada) have selected a band plan which not many others are following. NZ should be heading towards the APT band plan which differs alot depsite using a similar slice of Spectrum. The Wikipedia page for Digital dividend offers a bit more info and background information on the consulatation the MED here in NZ has carried out is here.

regards

Knoydart

ps these are my personal views and not of my employer

kiwimalayalee

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#638885 11-Jun-2012 13:07

oh... me outta luck eh...?

sbiddle

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#638908 11-Jun-2012 13:24

The US and Canada are stuck in their own little world once again.

1800 is going to be a key frequency for LTE anyway - it's what Vodafone are using their their rollout, presumably what Telecom will be using, it's what all the Australian carriers are using along with other APAC countries and several announced UK and Europe LTE networks.

Kyanar

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#639104 11-Jun-2012 16:48

I thought our rollout was going to be 700MHz (i.e. the old analogue TV frequencies)? In that case, we're actually aligning with (yuck!) the United States, rather than Australia where 1800 is their selection.

I'd actually prefer 700, since apparently it can punch through walls easier (and boy do I get crap reception indoors on XT).

johnr

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#639109 11-Jun-2012 16:52

700Mhz is in use at the moment

sbiddle

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#639117 11-Jun-2012 16:58

Kyanar: I thought our rollout was going to be 700MHz (i.e. the old analogue TV frequencies)? In that case, we're actually aligning with (yuck!) the United States, rather than Australia where 1800 is their selection.

I'd actually prefer 700, since apparently it can punch through walls easier (and boy do I get crap reception indoors on XT).

We wouldn't be aligned with the US.

As pointed out the US and Canada have adopted their own 700MHz bandplan. The 700MHz bandplan they are using is incompatible with the APAC 700MHz bandplan which will be used by the entire APAC region and South America. Devices complaint with the US 700MHz band are never going to work anywhere else in the world.

LTE is going to introduce massive frequency fragmentation on a scale never seen before.

The 700 band using the APAC bandplan will be auctioned off here in NZ once analogue TV is switched off.

kiwimalayalee

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#639151 11-Jun-2012 17:38

how is it possible to have 2 different 700MHz bandplans...?

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johnr

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#639154 11-Jun-2012 17:42

kiwimalayalee: how is it possible to have 2 different 700MHz bandplans...?

Different part of the specturm

knoydart

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#639164 11-Jun-2012 18:00

johnr:
kiwimalayalee: how is it possible to have 2 different 700MHz bandplans...?

Different part of the specturm

Er not quite. The APT band plan and the US band plan overlap in terms of the frequencies used. However the US is using the spectrum in a
different way. The US for instance has a dedicated PPDR (public protection & disaster relief) block, where as the APT band plan is 45MHz paired, carved up how the local regulator wants to. Eg 5, 10, 15 or 20 MHz blocks (20MHz I think is still to be ratified by the standards group) across that 45MHz.

johnr

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#639183 11-Jun-2012 18:21

knoydart:
johnr:
kiwimalayalee: how is it possible to have 2 different 700MHz bandplans...?

Different part of the specturm

Er not quite. The APT band plan and the US band plan overlap in terms of the frequencies used. However the US is using the spectrum in a
different way. The US for instance has a dedicated PPDR (public protection & disaster relief) block, where as the APT band plan is 45MHz paired, carved up how the local regulator wants to. Eg 5, 10, 15 or 20 MHz blocks (20MHz I think is still to be ratified by the standards group) across that 45MHz.

Yer that covers it much better

old3eyes

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#639285 11-Jun-2012 20:54

Don't worry. The chip sets will do both when they arrive .

Regards,

Old3eyes

kiwimalayalee

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#639302 11-Jun-2012 21:14

meaning to say..........?

knoydart

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#639331 11-Jun-2012 21:43

old3eyes: Don't worry. The chip sets will do both when they arrive .

Qualcomm have just announced 7 bands on 1 chip, but there are some serious challenges to get all the RF on board one chip. Sbiddle sums it up nicely, the fragmentation of LTE frequency use world wide already poses a problem and band harmonisation is a massive issue. NZ is a tech taker in market terms so getting the right band & band plan is a big priority for NZ inc.

If you want an example of this already playing out, you only have to look across to Tasman to the new ipad and Apple losing a court case with the ACMA over labelling a product ¨4G¨ where LTE services are not compatible.

EDIT for poor grammar & spelling

old3eyes

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#639439 12-Jun-2012 09:02

knoydart:
old3eyes: Don't worry. The chip sets will do both when they arrive .

Qualcomm have just announced 7 bands on 1 chip, but there are some serious challenges to get all the RF on board one chip. Sbiddle sums it up nicely, the fragmentation of LTE frequency use world wide already poses a problem and band harmonisation is a massive issue. NZ is a tech taker in market terms so getting the right band & band plan is a big priority for NZ inc.

If you want an example of this already playing out, you only have to look across to Tasman to the new ipad and Apple losing a court case with the ACMA over labelling a product ¨4G¨ where LTE services are not compatible.

EDIT for poor grammar & spelling

From memory Apple never advertized it as being LTE compatible in Australia . It was just on the packaging and the ACCC jumped up and down like most bureaucrats do at times like these..

PS It was never a court case..

Regards,

Old3eyes

knoydart

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#639450 12-Jun-2012 09:18

old3eyes: From memory Apple never advertized it as being LTE compatible in Australia . It was just on the packaging and the ACCC jumped up and down like most bureaucrats do at times like these..

PS It was never a court case..

Have a read of the brief coverage in the Australian.

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