NSN shows feature which can double HSPA+ speeds
Multiflow allows device to speak to two base stations at once, improving network efficiency and response times
Published: 21 February, 2012
READ MORE: Spectrum | Infrastructure | Standards | HSDPA
Nokia Siemens and Qualcomm are to demonstrate a new capability of HSPA+ which can double download speeds by allowing a device to speak to two base stations at once.
HSPA+ Multiflow improves performance by allowing users at the cell edge to connect to a second base station in a neighboring cell, opening up two paths at once for data. The increased efficiency can theoretically deliver doubled data rates and up to 50% faster response times.
The two firms will show off the feature, which is expected to be standardized by the 3GPP by the middle of this year, at Mobile World Congress next week, using an NSN base station, a Qualcomm prototype USB modem and an RF network emulator.
"With 100m smart devices being added every month, we see a consequent increase in 'smart' applications that make use of their advanced capabilities. Not only is network traffic rising dramatically, much of it is also unpredictable in nature, and this can impact user experience," said Keith Sutton, head of the W-CDMA business line at NSN, which aims to be among the first vendors to commercialize Multiflow, by the second half of 2013.
Sutton added: "This is where HSPA+ Multiflow helps operators - it reduces imbalances that typically occur in network resource usage, and increases HSPA+ speed and capacity."
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