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Call for full-scale 4G as demand soars [Emirates News Agency (WAM) (United Arab Emirates)](Emirates News Agency (WAM) (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Thailand needs to accelerate full-scale commercial deployment of fourth generation (4G) technology to facilitate economic transformation through digital productivity, says the head of Alcatel-Lucent (Thailand). The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) must also allocate more frequencies to provide high-speed wireless broadband services to meet the soaring mobile data traffic, said Sebastien Laurent, managing director of Alcatel-Lucent (Thailand). He cited World Bank findings that a 10% rise in broadband penetration could boost GDP by 1.38% in low- and middle-income country. The France-based converged communication network firm has strong market shares in optical and internet protocol networks as well as small cells. Glenn Booth, senior vice-president and general manager for long-term evolution (LTE) business of Alcatel-Lucent, said he believed the switch from 3G to 4G (LTE) technology would be much faster than the transition from 2G to 3G platform. LTE deployment took only 2.5 years to reach 100 million subscribers globally, compared with five years for 3G transition and seven years on 2G, thanks to the soaring demand for mobile data and the proliferation of smartphones. Globally, the number of LTE network is expected to reach 300 this year, up from 50 in 2011. An LTE user consumed three times more mobile data with 1.5 gigabyte per month, compared with 0.5 GB a month for 3G customers. The number of 4G subscribers in Thailand is expected to reach 4.6 million by 2016, he said. The number of fixed-based broadbandcustomers could top 5.3 million in 2016, up from 3 million in 2011. Fibre-optic network coverage will reach 400,000 in 2016, up from 100,000 in 2011. Mr Booth said 4G technology played an important role in increasing new revenue sources for operators as the next-generation applications requires new generation network. Alcatel-Lucent is among top three LTE network equipment suppliers, and leads in the small mobile cell sites market. Mr Laurent said voice-over LTE and mobile video services showed strong business potential for local mobile operators to increase revenues. Mobile traffic is growing significantly, with a shift from outdoor to indoor consumption. Small cells enable innovative location-based services, thus creating new revenue opportunities, said Mr Laurent said. (c) 2014 Emirates News Agency (WAM) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |