We spend more than 85% of our time indoors, but a recent Ericsson ConsumerLab study conducted with more than 47 000 respondents across 23 countries reveals that only 41% are highly satisfied with their indoor experience when browsing or accessing social networks.
This drops to 36% for more data-heavy apps, such as watching video, TV or movies online.
Addressing this app coverage challenge, Ericsson is first to give smartphone users the benefit of concurrent access to both licensed and unlicensed spectrum, by delivering the first License Assisted Access (LAA) small cells.
LAA is an LTE-Advanced technology that can improve mobile data speeds and reduce congestion, benefiting all wireless network users. Ericsson License Assisted Access, available in our small cell portfolio starting in fourth quarter 2015, enables carrier aggregation of licensed with unlicensed bands to effectively address growth in indoor data traffic.
Using only 4% of the 5 GHz band, LAA can provide up to a 150Mbps speed increase to smartphone users. Each additional 4% of available spectrum used will increase the smartphone data speed further. Ericsson LAA also
incorporates fair sharing within the 5GHz band, to accommodate traditional WiFi users. Fair sharing works on the principle that WiFi and LAA users would have equal access to the spectrum.
Thomas Norén, vice-president and head of Radio Product Management at Ericsson, says: “Consumers, businesses and industries are all transforming through mobility, placing ever greater demands on finite spectrum resources. So, we are very focused on innovations that improve app coverage while making ultra-efficient use of spectrum.
“One of the great things about LAA is its ‘rising tide’ effect, increasing system capacity and making way for better service to all users in the area, whether they have an LAA-enabled device, or are using WiFi or cellular access.”
By applying LTE standards to the 5 GHz spectrum also used for WiFi, users enjoy the security, reliability and carrier-grade Quality of Service of LTE networks. At the same time, all available wireless resources are optimised.
Ericsson is adding LAA to its indoor small cell portfolio including the Ericsson Radio Dot System for medium and large buildings and the Ericsson RBS 6402 Indoor Picocell for smaller buildings under 50 000 square feet. Ericsson LAA builds on our leadership in both LTE-Advanced Carrier Aggregation and WiFi/Cellular Real-Time Traffic Steering.
