Toward 4G

At NTT DOCOMO, we aim to achieve a world of ubiquitous communications, where all manner of devices can connect seamlessly, anytime, anywhere. To do this, we are aggressively engaged in R&D on 4G technology. To enable a smooth transition from 3G to 4G, we are also evolving 3G technology within the context of current services.

One particular aspect of 3G development that we are promoting is Super 3G / LTE. The purpose of Super 3G is to simultaneously ease the transition to 4G and maintain 3G's long-term competitiveness relative to other wireless technologies by developing services based on W-CDMA, use of which is still growing steadily worldwide.

We are upgrading our current 3G services by initiating the introduction of High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), which increases the downlink data rate of packet services, and by finalizing specifications for High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), which enhances uplink speed. HSDPA and HSUPA not only increase transmission speed, however - they also increase transmission efficiency in the cover area by 3-4 times relative to W-CDMA, making them effective technologies for reducing cost per bit. As you can see, we are steadily achieving a data-efficient, cost-saving upgrade of W-CDMA in the run-up to full implementation of the 4G network.

Super 3G also proactively incorporates new technologies into wireless access systems in order to handle multimedia and ubiquitous traffic - data types that are rapidly becoming indispensable to modern life. Super 3G hopes to achieve a maximum downlink transmission speed of not less than 300 Mbps - a result that would realize dramatic improvements in performance. Super 3G is also counted on to further increase spectrum efficiency while substantially reducing latency. Achieving low latency is essential for improving transmission quality because it reduces the time required to initiate a session, enabling stress-free packet data transmission.

Our expectation is that Super 3G - the link between 3G and 4G - can be introduced with minimal investment in equipment and at low operational cost because it uses the same frequency band as 3G and can be deployed over already existing W-CDMA equipment.

Super 3G proposes to eliminate complexity from wireless networks and mobile handsets, enabling the construction of a simple, low-cost system. For example, a typical 3G network provides packet and voice services separately, whereas Super 3G is based on an ALL-IP network covering both packet and voice services. Moreover, introduction of an ALL-IP network for Super 3G will facilitate a smooth transition to 4G using a configuration that enables 4G wireless access capacity.

In pursuit of Super 3G standardization, NTT DOCOMO proposed a Super 3G Basic Concept to the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in November 2004; 26 companies to date have agreed to consider standardization under the name Long Term Evolution (LTE). In June 2006, basic agreement was reached on the fundamental concept and its realization; the process has now advanced to discussion of technical specifications, which are expected to be finalized in September 2007.

NTT DOCOMO is meanwhile conducting R&D on 4G, with the aim of introducing it from 2010 onward. Designed performance ratings are 1 Gbps in motion at low speed and 100 Mbps at high speed. On December 25, 2006, NTT DOCOMO became the first in the world to achieve a packet signal speed of 5 Gbps in an outdoor test in a low-speed environment (10 km/h). The test was undertaken to demonstrate the expected maximum transmission speed in an actual cell environment, taking into account interference from peripheral cells. Looking ahead, NTT DOCOMO will continue its R&D on 4G, and collaborate proactively in international standardization.

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