Unlicensed LTE backers take fight to the streets

Some of the biggest carriers and mobile technology vendors in the U.S. have banded together to defend unlicensed LTE, a technology that some opponents fear could slow down Wi-Fi.

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile USA are among the founding members of Evolve, an organization that says it will bring the case for unlicensed LTE to the public. Qualcomm and Alcatel-Lucent are also on board, along with both major trade groups representing U.S. carriers.

Unlicensed LTE is a set of technologies for transmitting LTE signals in unlicensed spectrum, specifically the 5GHz band that is commonly used for Wi-Fi. Initially it's designed to make downloads faster in areas where mobile operators' licensed spectrum isn't enough to serve all subscribers. Once phones are equipped for it, the system should be invisible to users. 

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here