The LTE/SAE Trial Initiative (LSTI) has completed a second round of LTE tests, which show that the technology is on track to bring faster wireless broadband capabilities to the mass-market. LSTI, which consists of companies from across the global telecom industry, says it has verified that the technology standard is capable of achieving the high-speed downloads and fast network response times necessary to give a true broadband experience on mobile devices.

“Mobility is no longer just about being able to call somebody on their cell phone. People today want anywhere, anytime access to information, entertainment, and a broad range of communications,” said Pekka Sarlund, vice president of wireless modems at Nokia, in a statement. “As this always-connected lifestyle becomes more popular and mobile applications become more advanced, it will drive an overall increase in network data traffic. Eventually, existing mobile technologies will reach their limits. In order to meet increased bandwidth demands in a cost-effective manner, networks need to evolve; they need to be faster and more efficient. LSTI is producing tangible test results proving that LTE can do all this.”

The group has more than 17 active participants, including telecom equipment innovators as well as network operators. This global initiative hopes to drive the seamless introduction of end-to-end LTE solutions – including infrastructure, devices and chipsets – through collaborative technology trials and proof-of-concept work.

The latest laboratory and early field tests on prototype LTE systems have confirmed that baseline devices can achieve download speeds exceeding 100 Mbps, and high performance systems using 4×4 MIMO antennas can push this to beyond 300 Mbps. LSTI members also said they have demonstrated substantial improvements to network response times.