The Impact of Gigabit LTE Technologies on the User Experience

Michael Thelander, President

October 2017

▪ A Category 16 Gigabit LTE smartphone meaningfully improves the user

experience with real-world applications

− YouTube and Streaming Video

− Google-based Applications

▪ Gigabit LTE is more compelling than public Wi-Fi, thanks primarily to limited

backhaul

▪ Gigabit LTE with LAA provides a great user experience with unlicensed spectrum

▪ A Category 16 smartphone greatly increases network efficiency with all

conditions

Key Highlights

▪ The Benefits of a Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Device with Real-World Apps

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE versus Public Wi-Fi

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE with LAA

▪ The Impact of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Devices on Overall Spectral Efficiency

Today’s Agenda

Google Play Download – Excellent Conditions

▪ Angry Birds (348 MB file) downloaded 3 times

▪ Downloads occurred simultaneously on both phones

Cat 16 = Faster Downloads Cat 16 = Fewer Resources

*RSRP = -75 dBm; SINR = 24 dB

Google Play Download – Excellent Conditions

▪ Cat 16 smartphone used 3 data streams for 100% of

the download

▪ Cat 12 smartphone only supported 2 data streams

Real Time Throughput Analysis

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank

*RSRP = -75 dBm; SINR = 24 dB

Google Play Download – Edge of Cell Conditions

Cat 16 = Faster Downloads Cat 16 = Fewer Resources Cat 16 = Better MIMO Rank

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

Google Play Download – Edge of Cell Conditions

Real Time Throughput Analysis

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

Google Drive Downloads – Excellent Conditions(3 videos, 1 2 GB Log File)

Cat 16 = Faster Downloads Cat 16 = Fewer Resources

*RSRP = -75 dBm; SINR = 24 dB

Google Drive Download – Excellent Conditions

Real Time Throughput Analysis

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank

▪ Cat 16 uses at least 3 parallel data streams

▪ Cat 12 only uses 2 parallel data streams

Google Drive Downloads – Edge of Cell Conditions

Cat 16 = Faster Downloads Cat 16 = Fewer Resources

Cat 16 = Better MIMO Rank

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

▪ Cat 16 uses 2 parallel data streams

▪ Cat 12 only uses 1 data stream

Google Drive Downloads – Edge of Cell Conditions

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

Real Time Throughput Analysis

Our Video Test Methodology

▪ Use Chromatic, a vision-based capture tool, to analyze video delivery performance as observed on the smartphone display

▪ Combine video results with chipset diagnostic message information – Link Master Logging and Link Master Analyzer

YouTube – Edge of Cell Conditions

Real Time Throughput Analysis

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

YouTube – Edge of Cell Conditions

▪ Network efficiency gain due entirely to 4-way receive

diversity

▪ Benefits realized with moderate / low bit rates

Cat 16 = Fewer Resources

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

Video Streaming @ 15 Mbps Encoding – Edge of Cell

Real Time Throughput Analysis

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

Video Streaming @ 15 Mbps Encoding – Edge of Cell

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank

Cat 16 = Fewer Resources

▪ Cat 16 superior performance due

entirely to 4-way receive diversity,

which increased MIMO rank

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

Video Streaming @ 15 Mbps Encoding – Edge of Cell

Video Freezes Video Impairments

Audio/Video Synch Issues

*RSRP = -111 dBm; SINR = 12.2 dB

▪ Cat 16 gives a better

video viewing experience

Video Streaming @ 15 Mbps Encoding – Good Conditions

Real Time Throughput Analysis

* RSRP = -92 dBm; SINR = 18 dB

Video Streaming @ 15 Mbps Encoding – Good Conditions

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank

Cat 16 = Fewer Resources

▪ Cat 16 used higher MIMO rank, up to

Rank Indicator 4

* RSRP = -92 dBm; SINR = 18 dB

▪ The Benefits of a Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Device with Real-World Apps

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE versus Public Wi-Fi

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE with LAA

▪ The Impact of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Devices on Overall Spectral Efficiency

Today’s Agenda

Cat 16 and Public Wi-Fi

Google Play Google DriveGoogle Music

Cat 16 Faster Downloads Cat 16 Faster Downloads

Cat 16 Faster Downloads

* LTE RSRP = -89 dBm; LTE SINR = 25 dB

▪ The Benefits of a Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Device with Real-World Apps

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE versus Wi-Fi

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE with LAA

▪ The Impact of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Devices on Overall Spectral Efficiency

Today’s Agenda

Cat 16 with LAA versus Cat 12

▪ Operator small cell deployment

in downtown San Francisco

▪ Small cell supports

− one licensed band (Band 2, 20

MHz FDD)

− 3 unlicensed bands (20 MHz FDD

each)

Walk Test(Cat 16 with LAA versus Cat 12)

Real Time Throughput Analysis

Total Throughput

Google Play Downloads(Cat 16 with LAA versus Cat 12)

Real Time Throughput Analysis

Total Throughput

Google Play Downloads(Cat 16 with LAA versus Cat 12)

Cat 16 MIMO Rank

Cat 16 Modulation

Cat 16 = Faster Downloads

▪ Cat 16 used 4 data streams with high

modulation in licensed band

▪ The Benefits of a Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Device with Real-World Apps

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE versus Wi-Fi

▪ The Benefits of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE with LAA

▪ The Impact of Cat 16 Gigabit LTE Devices on Overall Spectral Efficiency

Today’s Agenda

Our Drive Test Methodology

▪ Conduct all tests with a Cat 16 and a Cat 12 smartphone, operating in parallel

▪ Collect network parameters and device-specific performance information with XCAL-Solo

▪ Analyze results with XCAP post processing software

Suburban Network Efficiency Drive Test - Methodology

▪ 4x4 MIMO Cluster – Band 4 (20

MHz FDD)

▪ Drive Test with Full Buffer UDP

data transfers

▪ Cat 16 and Cat 12 smartphones

operating in parallel

▪ 86 minutes of logged data

▪ Results filtered to exclude phones

on different cells and no data

transfers

Suburban Network Efficiency Drive Test - Results

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank Cat 16 = Higher Modulation

Suburban Network Efficiency Drive Test – Results II

▪ Cat 16 performance gains were evident with all network conditions

Rural Network Efficiency Drive Test - Methodology

▪ 4x4 Cluster – Band 4 (20 MHz FDD)

with low signal strength (Median

RSRP = -107 dBm)

▪ Drive Test with Full Buffer UDP

data transfers

▪ Cat 16 and Cat 12 smartphones

operating in parallel

▪ Drive route repeated twice

▪ Results filtered to exclude phones

on different cells and no data

transfers

Rural Network Efficiency Drive Test - Results

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank

Cat 16 = Higher Modulation

Rural Network Efficiency Drive Test – Results II

Suburban Network Efficiency Walk Test

MIMO Rank (Cat 16 Smartphone)

* RSRP = -75 dBm; SINR = 24 dB

Suburban Network Efficiency Walk Test - Results

Cat 16 = Higher MIMO Rank Cat 16 = Higher Modulation

Suburban Network Efficiency Walk Test – Results II

* RSRP = -75 dBm; SINR = 24 dB

▪ A Cat 16 Gigabit LTE smartphone increases spectral efficiency by 30-40%, on

average

− Higher MIMO rank with favorable conditions (RI=3 or 4 versus RI=2)

− 4-branch receive diversity increases MIMO rank, MCS values, etc. under all conditions

▪ The network efficiency gains are realized with real world applications

▪ A Cat 16 smartphone delivers a better user experience

− Faster downloads

− Videos that play uninterrupted versus freezes and impairments

− LAA improves the user experience with >2x data speeds compared with Cat

12 and only licensed spectrum while allowing the mobile operator to tap into

unlicensed spectrum (3x20 MHz)

Final Thoughts