23/01/2009 By Marco Sangria ( Source: www.wirelesspedia.com )

VoIP a killer application on 4g wireless networks

Study shows that voice over IP (VoIP) will be a key application in the 4G broadband data world on 4g wireless networks for mobile operators.

Wireless networks based on 4G wireless technology will increasingly exploit voice-over-IP protocols to handle the boom in mobile data, although carriers will continue to realize most of their revenue from voice traffic, according to a study from Maravedis, a global research firm. The study forecasts that Long Term Evolution (LTE) and WiMAX technologies might contain all-IP backbones that would save carriers money.

Recent progress has led to optimism that specs for the Long-Term Evolution next-generation broadband-wireless technology could be completed early in 2009. LTE continues to gain global support from leading wireless operators such as Vodafone, Verizon Wireless, TeliaSonera and NTT DoCoMo.

European regulators have started meeting on how best to divvy up 4G spectrums that will become available after broadcasters switch from analog to digital TV signals. The bandwidth in question is in the 790 MHz to 862 MHz spectrum and is considered prime real estate for deployments based on what telecom companies term "Long-Term Evolution" technology.

The 3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, group that oversees specifications for LTE 4g wireless standard and protocols remains hopeful of completing specs for the evolved packet core, or EPC, by March even after extending the deadline for completing them.